Two Brothers

~ Thunder and lightning ~

Fili laid in his bed while he tried to fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes another rumble from the thunder opened them again. The storm had been going on for hours now. Fili felt like it was right above their house. He wasn't afraid of thunder anymore, but the sound of it kept him awake.

He looked over to Kili's bed, wondering if his younger brother was able to sleep. But he didn't see the toddler in his bed. The sheets were shoved away, like someone had slept under them but got out in a hurry. Fili rose in his bed. 'Kili, where are you?' he whispered. There was silence. Only silence. No reply came from the dwarfling that was supposed to be in his bed at this hour. Fili looked around the room, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.

'Kili, tell me where you are!' Fili whispered again. Still no reply. Fili shook his blanket of and was just about to drop himself out of bed when he hurt a sound. He stopped his movement and froze. Where did the sound came from? 'Kili?' Fili asked, a little scared by the sound, 'Was that you?' * Snif * He heard the same sound he had heard before.

'Kili just tell me where you are!' Fili asked while getting out of bed. He looked around their room. Where could he be hiding? His eyes wandered around and captured the toy box their uncle had made for them. 'Are you hiding in there?' Fili wondered. Slowly he walked towards the toy box. He opened it but saw nothing but toys. 'Hmmm, so you're not here then' Fili murmured.

He closed the toy box and walked backwards, not paying attention to where he placed his feet. When he walked  he tried to put his right foot on the ground but he actually stepped on a toy they forgot to put in the toy box the other day. Fili fell backwards and hit the ground hard. 'Ouww' Fili said through gritted teeth while pulling his right leg towards him. Holding his foot with both hands he turned to lay on his left side.

He kept his eyes closed while tears appeared in his eyes. Why had that toy to be so sharp? * Snif * 'Are you wokay Fee?' a soft voice asked. Fili opened his eyes and looked straight at his brothers red, puffy face. He was hiding beneath his bed, apparently crying. 'There you are Kili' Fili said while trying to smile. The pain in his foot didn't help at all.

He crawled towards his brother who was still hiding beneath his bed. 'Kili what are you doing there?' Kili pouted and sniffed again. 'I am scared Fee...' he muttered. Fili sighed. 'Then why didn't you answer when I called your name?' Kili pouted even more and looked like he was about to cry again. 'Because the stone giants may hear me...' Fili looked at his younger brother.

Fili had told Kili about the stone giants a few days ago. He had told him how they fought at night and how they sounded like a thunder storm. He must have thought that the stone giants were fighting tonight.

'There are no stone giants here in the Blue Mountain Kili.' Kili pouted at him. 'But you said so.' Fili could have hit himself at the back of his head right now. 'I was lying Kili. I just tried to scare you a little.' Kili looked at his brother in shock. 'You lied to me Fee?'

'Oh no,' Fili thought, 'I'm only making things worse.' Fili struggled for words. 'W-well... I didn't e-exactly lied to you... There are stone giants... Just not here in the Blue Mountains.' Kili seemed to think about what Fili just said. 'So they won't hurt me?' Fili nodded. 'They can't hurt you. Even if there were stone giants nearby I wouldn't let them come close to you.'

A little smile formed on Kili's face while he looked at his big brother in awe. 'You would protect me Fee?' he said in a little voice. Fili smiled. 'I will always protect you. Now, don't hide beneath your bed anymore. You must sleep.' Kili's face turned shocked again. 'Kee stays here!' the toddler stubbornly said while crossing his arms. Fili sighed and bend his head.

'Why not Kili?' Kili turned his towards him. ''cause the sound is still scary.' He was pouting again. 'Then come and sleep in my bed' Fili said while standing up and slipping into his own bed. It took a while but eventually Fili heard his brother crawl beneath the bed. A few seconds later Kili climbed on Fili's bed and snuggled up against him.

'I am scared Fee' he said while burying his face in Fili's side as another * Bang * announced another lightning strike. Fili put his right arm around his little brother. 'I am here to protect you, remember? No one can hurt you as long as I'm around.' Kili now clinched himself around Fili's arm and hold a tight grip.

After a while Fili felt the little hand around his arm loosening as Kili fell asleep. Fili soon followed.