Two Brothers

~ Look what we brought home! ~

Thorin walked towards his house after spending the hot summer's day at Balin's house. They had discussed whether they should or should not try to reclaim Erebor. But Balin had pointed out that the dwarves weren't ready for it yet. It hadn't been long since they had lost their home. Thorin had to give them some time. And at this point they had a roof over their heads and even food, they couldn't ask for more. But Thorin hadn't forgotten about the matter. He was almost home now.

Just a few more seconds and his nephews would come running to him for a hug. A smile danced on his face. They could always make him smile, the little innocent sons of his sister. Though he came closer to the house no one would burst out to run towards him for a hug. There were no squeals nor laughs. What had they done this time?

Thorin already stood at the door when he heard Dis yell; 'Just wait until your uncle is back! He won't be pleased when he sees what you brought home this time! You're in so much trouble young dwarf! Give that animal to me right now!' 'So that's what's wrong.' Thorin sighed to himself.

He walked in and put his coat on the hanger. He took a deep breath before walking into the kitchen, not sure what to expect. At first he saw Dis standing in front of Kili and Fili with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face. Kili had a pouted lip and looked like he was about to cry. His arms were behind his back and it looked like something was hidden there.

Fili was the first to notice his uncle in the doorway. 'Uncle you're home!' he shouted but took a step back. 'Finally you're home! You don't want to know what they dragged home this time! They're just unbelievable!' Dis screamed to Thorin. Thorin looked to his distressed sister and then at his youngest nephew.

Kili still had a pouted lip but now there was a tear rolling over his face that hadn't been there before. His heart ached a little to see his nephew that way. 'I understand you brought home another animal boys?' Thorin chose the calm approach. They wouldn't give him the animal if he started yelling at them like Dis had done. Kili nodded.

Fili looked at his feet, avoiding eye contact with his uncle. 'Listen boys, it's fine if you want to have a pet but you have to talk to your mother or me first' he said with a low voice, trying to get them to look at him. It helped. Fili looked up and said: 'So we can keep this animal then?' Hope was shining in his eyes.

'That depends on the type of animal you brought home.' Dis looked at him with a furious look in her eyes. Clearly she expected him to lead this conversation in another direction. Thorin cleared his throat. 'You can't keep the animal you're hiding Kili. You haven't discussed it with neither of us before you took it home. So no, you can't keep it. We'll have to bring it back from the place you got it.' Dis looked more satisfied but still not very happy with the talk.

But Thorin couldn't be mad at them. There weren't many dwarflings in town, so of course the boys would go look for other playmates. 'But uncle we don't want to bring it home! He loves us!' Kili shouted at him. Fili wrapped one arm around his little brother. 'Kili, we can't keep it if we're not allowed too.' Kili looked at Fili, confused. 'Don't you love Frerie anymore?' Great, they already named it, Thorin thought.

'Kili, can you please show me what kind of animal you brought home?' Kili hesitated for a moment, but when Thorin gave him thé look he quickly showed the animal to him. Thorin's mouth dropped and he looked at Dis. 'Yes, I know, and that's exactly why they are not allowed to keep it.' Thorin looked back at the little animal Kili was holding with a tight grip.

The little animal tried to escape but Kili was holding him to tight. Of all the animals in the world they chose this one. 'Why can't we keep it uncle? We'll walk him three times a day and we'll even feed him ourselves!' Fili said in order to convince his uncle. But Thorin had already made up his mind. 'The animal you call Frerie is a baby warg boys. He can't stay with us.'

'But why not?! How can he survive on his own if he is a baby? It's like leaving Kili in the woods and expecting him to survive!' Fili now shouted at his uncle, determined eyes that wouldn't leave his. This wasn't going to pass by easily. Kili had tugged the warg behind his back again and now looked furious at Fili. 'What do you mean? I can survive in the woods! I'm a strong little dwarf!' Kili pouted. Fili sighed, 'You're not old enough Kili, you can't even fight yet.'

Kili opened his mouth to go on with the bickering but Thorin interrupted him. 'We're not going to leave Frerie alone in the woods. I will bring him back to his family so that he will survive. But you can't keep it. It won't be safe...' Kili and Fili both looked at him with a surprised look. 'How do you mean it won't be safe uncle?' Fili asked.

Dis looked at Thorin with a warning look in her eyes. He wasn't allowed to go into detail here. 'I'll tell you when you are older. But for now you have to give me Frerie so I can bring him home to his mother. She will probably miss him.' Thorin gave himself a stern look in his thoughts. Why hadn't he thought about that before? Kili seemed to think for a moment. 'Do you think Frerie's mother is worried uncle?'

'Yes,' Dis interrupted, 'she's probably very worried. So would I be if you two would suddenly be gone.' Fili whispered something in Kili's ears, Kili nodded. He walked over to Thorin and gave him the little warg. 'You can bring him back uncle. Just make sure he won't get hurt!' Kili looked at him with his young eyes. He was so young and innocent. Sometimes it felt like they were his own.

'Thank you Kili. And thank you Fili.' Thorin said looking at the both of them. 'You've made the right decision. I will bring him back safely. I promise.' Thorin looked Kili in the eye while he said the last sentence. Even though it was a warg, he didn't want to see his nephew getting hurt. He would never break his promise.