THE SWIFT FOX (Kili X Reader X Fili) (RE-WRITTEN & UPDATED)

Chapter 10: What Have You Become?

[WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM BOTFA!]

When the Dragon came and you tried to escape Laketown on a boat with Fili, Kili, Tauriel, Oin, Bofur, Sigrid and Tilda, you fell into the water. The dry wooden houses caught fire easily and Smaug made sure to burn down all of them. The surface of the water mirrored the inferno above. Your dampened, heavy clothes pulled you down no matter how hard fought against it. You gasped as water filled your lungs and your vision became blurry. But your mind... Oh, your mind was at peace! It was filled with images of Kili and Fili, memories which you had experienced together, joy the three of you had shared on the journey. You gave up and let the weight of your coat pull you down. So deep under the water, it was actually peaceful - no screams, no corpses, no stench of burnt flesh, no destruction. It almost felt like going to sleep.

Then you remembered a conversation you had with Kili many many months ago.

You sat on the ground by the fire, occasionally poking it to keep it going. You were keeping watch with Kili. He sat next to you, drinking from his wineskin every now and then. He offered it to you and you gladly accepted.

"Can I ask you something?" you asked Kili sheepishly.

"Speak freely," he replied as he searched your face with his eyes.

"Who do you hate the most in your life?"

"The cowards, I think," he replied after a couple of moments. "Those who give up without trying. Because no matter how bad things look, it's always worth trying."

You handed back the wineskin to him and he took it. Kili smiled. "Remember that. Always."

Your hands moved to your chest and tore the thick fabric off you. You almost instantly felt lighter, like a feather floating in the wind, and you started to move. You only grabbed the fox fur tightly in your fist and kicked yourself up from the bottom of the lake toward the surface. You drank in the chill night air as a traveler gulps down water in a scorching desert. Once you felt like you were able to move again, you tucked the fur into the belt on the small of your back, making you look like a real fox with a tail.

You looked around helplessly and shouted Kili's and Fili's name in vain. You caught no sight of the boat and worry rose in your chest.

That was when you saw the beast in the air. Smaug let out a shriek and looked like he was struggling to fly. He reached up into the sky... and fell. At that moment you understood. Only a black arrow can pierce the scales of a dragon, as the tales you had heard from Thorin and the company always said. That could only mean Bard.

You started swimming to the shore. You knew this town was doomed and since everything was aflame, you couldn't find shelter there for the night. You saw other survivors as well, struggling to make it to safety before their strength would abandon them. You followed them and hoped for the best. Exhaustion took you over and you couldn't swim as fast as the others. You were soon left behind. As the last ounce of strength left your body, you just lay on your back and floated on top of the water. You watched the stars and the glistening red and orange flickers on the water as the remnants of Laketown died in a horrifyingly beautiful light show. You just wanted to give up.

And yet you started swimming again, your limbs screaming in protest after every movement. You restlessly paddled with your arms and kicked with your legs. You couldn't give up, because you couldn't bear the thought of Kili despising you. You knew that Kili, Fili and the rest are most likely dead. You also knew that the ones who entered the mountain are probably gone as well. You wouldn't let yourself cry. You decided to be strong and not to abandon all hope before you could see the fate of your companions with your own eyes. The early sun rose and dimly lit up your surroundings. That was when you saw the shores. You saw Laketown people gathering in small groups, searching the dead for familiar faces, building huts of whatever was left of their town, some handing out warm blankets. Women and men shamelessly wept together. You floundered awkwardly towards your sanctuary.