An Unexpected Adventure (a Kili/Fili love story) ***ON HOLD

Chapter Four- Perhaps I Made a Mistake

Chapter Four- Perhaps, I Made a Mistake?

Night came slower than the company had hoped, and by sunset, everyone was more than willing to call it a day. Brynn's whole body ached from the ride, and part of her wasn't sure she would be able to walk again, but her pride caused her to refuse to show any sign of weakness. It is evident that Thorin still had yet to approve of her company ultimately. "We'll camp here for the night," he decided, dismounting his black pony.

They were camping near the edge of a cliff, overlooking the valley below. The sky was colored red and orange as the sun slowly sunk into the trees below. No one questioned the King Under the Mountain, nor would anyone want to. He was still in a foul mood from earlier.

"How are you fairing?" Fili asked Brynn with a kind smile. His beard was still braided and clasped together with small, silver beads. His blue-grey eyes twinkled softly in the fading light, and Brynn couldn't help but blush slightly.

"My rear is a bit tender," she admitted with a shrug. "But I'll be fine."

"I say the three of us camp under the bluff there," Kili gestured to a small ridge near the hills. "It'll offer us the least bit of protection from the wind, and it'll be safer for you, Miss Brynn," he added with a wink.

"I don't need to be protected," she answered sharply as she dismounted her pony. "I can take care of myself."

"We never said you couldn't," Kili replied with a boyish smirk.

"Uh, we're sleeping out here?" Bilbo asked. "In the open? Aren't you worried that something might spot us?"

"There is nothing hunting us, Mister Baggins," Gandalf replied assuringly. "We'll be quite safe here for the night."

The trio, Fili, Kili, and Brynniell, tied off their ponies below the shade of a nearby tree and gathered their bedrolls and headed for the bluff. It would be a cozy little area to spend the evening, and it didn't surprise Gandalf in the slightest when he looked over and saw Brynn's bedroll flanked by the brothers on either side of her.

"She might pose a problem," Thorin grumbled as he watched the three.

Gandalf chuckled, "I do believe she is just what this company needs. She is a healer, and a tracker-she is a necessity on this journey, Thorin. I think you'll find her to be a valuable asset."

In no time, Fili and Dwalin had prepared two fires, one near the bluffs and another beneath a cooking pot. Bombur had a bubbling cauldron of soup cooking within the next hour, and after everyone had shuffled through the line, the majority of the group fell asleep. Now only Thorin, Gandalf, the two brothers, Bilbo, Balin, and Brynn, remained awake.

"I had no idea I would be this tired," Brynn yawned, laying back on her bedroll. "It's not even as if I'd been walking- then I would have had a better excuse."

"I'm quite drowsy myself," Kili admitted, sitting down beside her and liting his pipe. "I think it's all the riding and having to stay alert."

"Could be."

Fili plopped down on Brynn's opposite side, "We'll grow stronger," he promised. "Within time, we won't even be tired."

"I doubt that," Kili mumbled into his blankets.

Brynn couldn't help but flinch as she watched Gloin sleep. He was snoring quite loudly, but as he would inhale, tiny flying insects would be sucked into his mouth and expelled when he exhaled. The racket seemed to have awakened the Hobbit, who seemed quite annoyed by the entire situation.

He stood quickly and made his way over to his pony. He discreetly pulled an apple from his coat pocket and fed it to Myrtle. "How are you, girl?" he asked with a small smile. "That's a good girl," he mumbled as she crunched on the juicy fruit. "It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one."