She and Bilbo had lost Thorin, and after an hour or so of running amuck through the halls of Rivendell, Bilbo had called it quits and turned in for the night. Kali had spent another half hour looking and she too snuck back into the Company's small little site. 

 It was tucked away in her corner that she'd been jostled awake, "Miss Silverarm."

 Well, she'd tried to have been jostled awake. The jostler had a tough time and left for a moment, returning with an extra set of stronger hands, "I am awake!" Kali half shouted, finally opening her eyes. It was Balin who was at her side first, and Dwalin had apparently been the extra hands, "What's happening?"

 "We're leaving," Balin told her, reaching out a hand to help her up, "Thorin's orders."

Thorin's... "Did I hear you correctly there, Balin?" Kali took his hand. He helped her up, "Did you just tell me it was Thorin's orders?"

 "To leave, yes," Balin nodded, retracting his hand with a smile, "Best get a move on, now."

 "Why?" she questioned, following the brothers down staircase after staircase, "It was to my understanding Thorin wanted me gone."

 "Aye," Dwalin grunted, "However he had some guilt about leaving you in the presence of elves."

Of course he did, "I am glad of it, then. I need some meat in me." Dwalin snorted, but said nothing more on the subject, "Aye, you go on up ahead, I need to find where my bag went."

 The two nodded and kept on. As soon as they were out of sight Kali ducked inside the stable, earning and whicker from her pony, "Sh-sh-sh, please, Nonoro. I am here for my bags," Kali whispered to him, sliding on her quiver, bow and satchel (the satchel could have stayed, but it had her various non-perishable foods inside). "Goodbye, boy. Be good for the twins, please," she kissed his muzzle and ran back out into the open.

 The dwarves were going back the way they'd entered, Kali knew that for sure. The slope seemed steeper as she made her way up to where they were disappearing one by one. Soon Bilbo, standing motionless, was even with her which meant the ground had stopped ascending.

 "Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild," Thorin warned, "Balin, you know these paths; lead on."

 Balin nodded once and started towards the front of the pack, "Aye."

 Thorin noticed Bilbo, still watching Kali make her way towards them, "Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up."

 Bilbo half turned towards him, "I am waiting for Kali to catch up before I go."

 "She can care for herself," Thorin veered around to follow the others, "Come on."

*

 It was absolute chaos for the Company. Crossing the Misty Mountains had proved to be none too easy to begin with, but with a raging thunderstorm overhead the crossing proved itself even more difficult. Dwarves are stocky beings, you see. That take up a lot of room, especially with the cloaks and clothing and bags and weapons they're carrying with them.

This being said, the trek was far too dangerous with many factors adding on. The rain made everything slippery. The Company was forced to walk slowly in single file, and if one slipped so did the rest. Another thing was the width of the path. It was merely two feet wide, and even Bilbo was having a hard time keeping his footing (with the large Hobbit-feet he's got on him, you'd think this would be an easier task for him). The third add-on to this wondrous walk was that on one side of the path was a wall of solid rock, unable to be moved and hard to step around, especially when it jutted out into the way of the ledge. On the other side of the path was a sheer drop into darkness, down the mountains. Kali disliked this the most, and therefore moved extra slowly, and therefore the others behind her were forced to move extra slow as well and they didn't like that one bit as they'd all wanted out of the rain. (Kali, though, loved the rain and wanted nothing of that part to end).

Thorin's shout was half drown out by a clap of thunder, "Hold on!"

Hold on to what?! Kali refused to look down; if she did her tears would break free and her pride refused to be injured like that. She'd no time to voice her question, though, for behind her Bilbo mistepped. The ledge beneath him crumbled, his feet slipped and Dwalin (who was walking behind Bilbo) had just enough time to grab the hobbit before he fell to a rocky death below.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin shouted back again, and this time his words reached Kali. Not very clearly, but she still understood.

Dwalin's loud shout from behind her, however, rang through her head like a bell, "Watch out!"

All heads snapped up and found a massive boulder flying through the sky. It can't be... Kali ducked her head and pressed her back to the mountain like the rest of the Company, just as the rock hit overhead. It shattered, the large pieces falling down through the heavy sheets of rain.  

"This is no thunderstorm!" Balin called out, "It's a thunder battle! Look!"

Kali squinted through the rain to find a looming, edgy silhouette out in the near distance. It reached to the top of a peak and ripped free another boulder, readying it to throw. 

"Well bless me, the legends are true," Bofur whispered in awe, "Giants! Stone giants!"

Just something to brighten this already lovely day, Kali thought with a frown. Her eyes widened, "What is it doing?!"

Sure enough, the giant was in fact doing something with his acquired weapon. He raised his arm and tossed it straight through the air. The Company watched it hit home in the face of another giant that had stepped from the mountain behind them. The ground began shaking and everyone held on harder to something, anything, to steady themselves from the vibrations in the earth, "Take cover: you'll fall!" Thorin's shout had a hint of worry in it, those of them that heard him noticed the underlying tone.

"What's happening?" Kili swiped hair from his eyes and looked around. 

The mountain itself seemed to be shaking, rattling from the inside out. Before any of the fifteen of them could comprehend left from right, the ground split open and began moving apart. Fili and Kili were on the edges, reaching out towards one another, "Kili! Grab my hand! Ki..."

By now Kali was back in protect, determined to put her life on the line for the others. Whilst holding on for herself, she also made sure Bilbo (at least Bilbo) did not fall as well. Kali did this while not looking down and ignoring the battling giants.

The Company was split in two, standing on the third giant's knees. The half with Thorin, though, had the chance to jump to somewhat-safety. At least that half is safe, Kali was thankful for that, but then horror ran through her, Dwalin is with us over here! He's Thorin's right-hand! If anything happens to Dwalin Thorin is in danger! There was no time to dwell on the facts, though. 

The giant has been beheaded by a rock. It was just noticed now, as the side of the mountain was hurdling towards Kali, Bombur, Dwalin, Bofur, Bilbo and Kili. Impact was inevitable and all they could do was brace for the impending crunch.

Though the sound of flesh and a bones being crushed and ground between two fast-moving rocks never met Kali's ears. There was an indent in the rock, a landing just big enough for the six of them to pile onto it, "Kili!" he hadn't stepped off quick enough and Kali, being the only one on her feet, had to lunge quick and grab his hand.

Kili lost his footing and the two toppled backwards, into the pile of dwarves, "Thank you," Kili breathed out.

"Kili!" Thorin's worried face appeared around the corner; he'd thought the other half of his group had been squashed like bugs under a boot and was thankful none had been.

"Fili!?" Kali and Kili jolted but still hadn't stood, nor disentangled one from the other.

"We're alright!" Balin called, "We're alive!"

Bofur's cry was loudest, "Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?!"

Everyone began looking right away, but it was Ori who found him. Bilbo had slipped and was, at the moment, dangling from the edge of the mountain by only his fingertips, "There!"

"Grab him!" Dwalin shouted.

Ori dove to his knees first, reaching for Bilbo. Bilbo, in return, fell a bit more and caught another handhold just in time. It didn't help that he couldn't see where to reach or whom to listen to. The storm was too much.

There was shouting and grabbing from every member of the party, even Bifur who could only shout in Ancient Khuzdul. It was Thorin who jumped into action first. He dropped to a small ledge beside the hobbit and hoisted him up to the others. Nori and Ori pulled him up. Thorin, however, had begun slipping and even Dwalin couldn't get a good hold on Thorin's wrist quick enough.The Company was in a frenzy, but none too many dared step too close to the edge, even to help their leader. Those who did hadn't had long enough arms or dry enough hands to steady themselves and grab Thorin.

Kali took Thorin's other wrist with both hands, (not caring if she fell to her doom), holding it in a vice grip as she and Dwalin heaved Thorin to safety. Kali only released him when she knew there was no fear of Thorin falling. Dwalin looked at Bilbo but spoke to Thorin, "I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"He's been lost ever since he lost home," Thorin stated darkly, casting an unreadable glance at Bilbo, "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us," there was a glance cast at Kali as well, as if Thorin was about to say, The girl has no place amongst us either. but no comment followed the glance. Thorin turned and began walking away best he could, "Dwalin!"

The Company moved, one by one and slower than turtles as the storm raged on overhead. What exactly are we looking for?! "Does Thorin even know where he is going?" Kali asked Dori, who was inching along slowly ahead of her, "He got lost twice in the Shire, I've a feeling he's no sense of direction!"

Even in these dreadful times, there was a ghost of a smile as he called back, "I trust him, dearie. Perhaps you should give him a try, too."

I have tried already and look where that got me in life. Up ahead Thorin and Dwalin had disappeared, "Dori where have they gone?"

Dori perked up, "They've found a cave!"

As everyone filed in past Thorin and Dwalin (who were standing on either side of the doorway), from the back Kali could hear Thorin's low voice, "Search the back; caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied," when Dwalin disappeared, he briefly stopped Bombur at the 'door', "Where's the girl?"

Bombur was the quietest one out of the entire group, never speaking, so he did not verbally reply to Thorin's demand. Bombur simply gave a motion that stated, 'in the back' and was pushed gently ahead by Thorin. Ahead of Kali, the others were ushered in. Kali kept her head down, watching her feet as she made to follow Dori. Have I any time to throw myself from the mountain? All was going smoothly until a midnight blue clad arm reached in front of her, "I need a word."

Slowly, Kali looked up to meet his gaze, "It's pouring freezing rain in sheets upon us, we're at risk of being struck by lightning, or worse falling to our death, I can barely hear you over the water hitting the mountain and overhead thunder," she listed off loudly, "and you wish to have a word out here?!"

Thorin grabbed her arm and took her further out into the storm, back towards the small clearing where Bilbo had almost died moments before, "Yes, I do wish to have a word with you. Out here."

The close proximity of him made Kali unnerved, but she knew it was only to hear him better that he was so close, "Alright, I am listening."

"What were you thinking?" he snapped, "You could have gotten yourself killed, trying to aid Dwalin like that."

Kali arched an eyebrow, "I was aiding him in helping you back to safety, Thorin. I believe that you should be saying thank you instead of scolding me."

"I don't need to thank you," Thorin frowned, taking a small step backwards. Kali noticed him start a small bit when thunder sounded once again, "I should have known you would do something stupid, it was clear to me the moment you did not listen to me when we left the burglar's home," as a somewhat afterthought, Thorin added, "I should have listened to him when he said to leave you in Rivendell."

Kali's mind was reeling, "Bilbo told you to leave me in Rivendell?"

 "Yes!" Thorin came back to reality, his hard glare on her, "and I should have listened. Now, you do what I did not and listen for once. You may stay on this quest until we come across a safe place to leave you and until that happens you do not do anything as foolish as what you had done before. Understood?"

Thinking it was a rhetorical query, Kali simply nodded. Her tone was somewhat sarcastic, however, "Of course."

"Now get inside," Thorin began walking back towards the cave in which he left everyone, "You'll catch a cold out here."

Kali watched him disappear and a small smile showed up on her face, "You're welcome."