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"Well this is another fine mess you two have gotten us into!"
"I suggest shutting your mouth and running, Master Boggins!"
"For once I agree with my brother, Bilbo. Keep up!"
To be fair it wasn't completely their fault that they were being chased down by another, albeit smaller, pack of orcs.
Sort of.
Okay who was he kidding? It was entirely their fault.
It was late in the morning and after a good nights rest Thorin had sent them off to hunt for breakfast. However he had specifically told them to stick as close to camp as possible, as they were in uncharted territory.
Somewhere in their shared brain Fili and Kili must have thought that ment wander off to the outskirts of a group of foul tempered orcs.
And that brings them to where they were at now, what little they had kept from the goblin caves strapped to their backs as they fled through the trees.
Except when they broke through the brush the company had to come to a grinding halt as they came face to face with a tremendous gorge.
The brothers Ri knocked into each other and sent the last of the chain (Ori) toppling Oin and Gloin, who in turn almost knocked Balin off the side of the cliff. However his brother, although bulky, was quick enough and grabbed him by the arm and hauled him back.
They all turned around with weapons raised and ready to go on the defensive.
However it seemed as though luck was on their side, because despite all odds, they finally lost the pack.
Bilbo looked to the wizard and realized it wasn't luck that had saved them, but a quickly muttered spell.
One of protection perhaps? Or did it possibly disguise their scent? Either way it worked and they were left sweaty but alive.
"Well, that could have ended worse."
Kili got a few glares thrown in his direction.
Fili just laughed and tromped up to his brother and swatted at his head, "Really? How in the world could it have been any worse?"
Now when in the history of ever when someone said that had anything stayed all fine and dandy?
The ground at the tip of the cliff had been loosened, be it by recent rain or simply time itself no one could have guessed, but the harsh movement finally made it give way, and it crumbled beneath the youngest's feet.
There was a moment where time seemed to freeze.
Thorin looked absolutely terrified; Kili's face went from smiling to shocked as he went to reach out for his brother.
Fili missed the grab by less than an inch and he watched horrified as his brother plummeted.
Time sped up again; there was a collective shout, some ran forward in a vain attempt to snatch the lad up.
Bilbo was one of them, tearing off his coat, vest and shirt without a though as he got to the edge and kicked off, rocketing himself downward.
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Now a fun, and little-known fact about Hobbits, is that they are born with a set of wings.
Each family line in the Shire has wings that match a specific species of bird; the Brandybuck's had wings that resembled those of a robin. The Hamfast's were that of a blue-jay. The Took's had the wings of a woodpecker, the Baggins' of a snowy owl.
Long ago the wings were used for a literal 'fight-or-flight' situation. Hobbit's aren't fighters by nature, and if they were cornered by a threat they would simply fly out of reach and to safety. Yet nowadays not many venture tword the shire, and almost no one learns how to fly or feels the need to teach it anymore. They are kept tucked away and only shown to family members or lovers and it is almost scandalous to have them be seen in public.
Now that being said, Bilbo Baggins might have his father's name, but he is also a Took.
Back when he was young his mother had taught him the practically ancient art of flight. She wanted her son to always be safe. Belladonna wanted him to be able to escape the dangers she knew where in the world.
Little did she know that her foresight would change her son's life as well as the lives of others.
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Air rushed past his ears and he caught the dwarf under his arms and he let his white speckled wings spread to catch the air. He would be lying if he said that the sudden jerking of them being brought out into the air to serve as a makeshift kite didn't hurt, but he simply gritted his teeth and kept them open.
He hadn't used his wings at all during this entire journey so far, and in their disuse his muscles had grown weak. It took all he had to simply hold onto Kili and have them glide to the bottom of the chasm.
When they reached bottom he made sure Kili was safe on his feet (the boy immediately collapsed to the ground anyway) before he groaned and sat hard on the ground wings almost going limp.
While the two couldn't tell what was being said, shouts could be heard echoing off the walls.
Kili had simply been sitting there in shock, but quite suddenly his head snapped back to the Hobbit, eyes almost comically wide. In fact Bilbo probably would have laughed if they weren't stuck at the bottom of a gorge.
"How. What are- When did you get..."
"Oh for the love of Old Took are you both alright?" Gandalf's voice boomed, the words surprisingly clear. More magik he assumed.
"Yes, we're fine," He shouted, wincing however as his abdomen and back gave a pained spasm, his wings quivering, "I do think however that I've pulled something."
"Well of course you did. Haven't used them since the Shire have you? You are quite lucky they simply didn't rip off due the the wind resistance!"
Kili made an odd gagging noise at the thought of those beautiful wings simply tearing off. Bilbo ignored the young dwarf's discomfort in favor of huffing and snapping back, "So what would you have had me done? Let Kili fall to his death? Let the poor lad loose his life before it had honestly began?"
Behind him Kili made a face. 'Lad'? What did that mean?
The Hobbit didn't even have the start of a beard yet!
There was no way he was older.
Gandalf seemed to not have an answer for that one, as he was silent for a moment before speaking up again. "The area you're in is actually quite safe and would make a marvelous spot to camp tonight. I shall lead the rest of the Company down a safe path to you both. Stay where you are at and we will be down shortly."
Bilbo rolled his eyes, muttering about how he wished that they could have taken the easy way down. His brooding was interrupted however, as a hand lightly brushed one of his wings. The Hobbit about jumped out of his skin and Kili jerked his hand backward as if he had been burned.
"Sorry!" He sqwaked, holding his hands up as a if to ward off an attack. "I didn't mean to startle you! It's just... Where did you get these?" He murmured, carefully stroking one of the long primary feathers.
The older Hobbit groaned and turned to lay on his front, wincing as he let his wings spread out. "I'll tell you when everyone else is here, is that alright? I don't fancy telling this story more than once and I'm rather sore."
Kili thought about it for a moment before nodding and falling into silence.
Bilbo dozed off and missed the look of admiration as Kili watched him.