"Leave it."

There was a symphony in the air, a familar embrace like a lost love one being found again, a reunion that had left Nymeria unravelling by the seams as tears filled her red-rimmed eyes that had been ruined by chaos as the company flew through the skies. Her breath catching in her throat as she felt the wind caressing her face, fingers dancing through the clouds as she leaned up from the eagle's back and lost herself in memories of home, longing in her chest as her magic slowly began to heal, her peace returning and leaving her warm as the night began to slither back to where it came from.

She'd missed this, she'd missed it more than her lost limbs as her bottom lip trembled, hands clenching in the tawny feathers below her as she cried silently, tears dripping down her dirty face and somehow washing it clean. But the faè could feel the tension in the atmosphere, the fear, the worry from the others because of their king's unconscious body, still hanging limply from the sharp claws of the creatures that had been their salvation, their voices lost in the winds as they called out to him, begging for a response that they wouldn't get.

In a different setting, perhaps she would of shared their concern through carefully hidden malice, perhaps she would of tried to use her magic, though knowing that it had long since lost its blessed healing that had once glowed golden. But here, here where she was once powerful, strong and completely and utterly whole, she could barely find it in herself to care about anything other that her hair flowing though the breeze and the sharp sting of the cold air striking her eyes and making them ache...but even still, she refused to close them, refused to miss a second of her longing for the past.

The eagles carried them over the peaks of the Misty Mountains, the sun rising on the horizon and dipping the lands below them into an ethereal golden light. A sight that Nymeria knew she would miss when they finally began their descent towards a lone standing cliff, it's rough rocks resembling some form of shape that she didn't care to look at closer as she watched the dwarves practically leap off the creatures back, falling onto the floor and scrambling up to their feet to watch the majestic birds as they flew back off, blending into the skies with their calls echoing through the air in some semblance of a farewell.

She landed upon the ground with a quiet grunt, teeth baring into a grimace at the thunderous pain that ripped at her body and made her legs unsteady, trying to take deep breaths to calm herself as she took a step forward only to almost collapse onto the floor with a whimper, her hand catching a hold of something before she could and using it to pull herself back up...only to freeze when she found Bofur staring her down, his brows lightly furrowed...before breaking out into a half-smile as he patted her hand almost gently with a wink.

But whatever he was about to say was interrupted by Bilbo suddenly slamming into her body, forcing her to stagger back a few steps as she pulled him closer, chuckling weakly into his head of Auburn curls as her eyes ached with unurshed tears, content now that he was safe in her arms, no longer under the threat of being taken away from her by deaths hand...however, it seemed that the same couldn't be said for the King under the Mountain, as the last eagle flew on by overhead and placed him down onto a large rock, before delving off into the sky above.

They all watched with bated breaths, their eyes frantic and concerned as their hearts began to pound inside their bodies caged prison, blood pumping with fear as Gandalf threw himself on the ground, kneeling over Thorin's bruised, and quite frankly, wrecked unconscious form with a whisper upon his lips and only Nymeria could taste the thrall of ancient magic heavy in the air around them...there was a moment, thick with tension when she was sure he wouldn't wake, that he'd lost to the creature he'd despised, journey cut short cruely.

And then his eyes snapped open with a gasp of air, his body lurching up into the heaved as the wizard somehow, miraculously, breathed new life into the dwarven king, speaking to him softly in his effort to calm the sudden wildness of Thorin's gaze, searching for something, or someone and apparently not yet realizing there was no more threat, that they were safe, or at least as safe as could be for now. "Where's the hobbit? Where is Bilbo?"

Nymeria felt herself tense almost as soon as she heard his demands, her trembling fingers clutching tighter over her hobbits shoulder and pulling him just an inch closer in preparation with her hands that began to flicker with crimson briefly, her chaos worn out, struck by terrible exhaustion but still answering to her call as she got ready to defend him. Her hobbit was a hero, the reason that that dwarf still had breath in his lungs...and if he dared to speak to the small halfling by her side with anything other than the admiration he deserved...then she would finish Azorg's job for him and open up his throat like a butcher does a pig.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?" Thorin snarled, stalking towards the two on unsteady legs, a dark look resting upon his bruised features as blood continued to drip down the contours of his face and painting him a rather dangerous picture indeed as Bilbo shrank in on himself, frightened and as small as a mouse as he curled further into Nymeria's protective embrace, as if awaiting a final blow.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!"

The faè felt her jaw drop in shock as her hobbit was literally torn away from her arms and into Thorin's as the dwarf pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him and practically lifting the stunned halfling off of his feet, hugging him firmly as the dwarves around them all began to chuckle and cheer, slapping each other on the back and obviously ecstatic with their kings acceptance...and she only felt herself relax when she saw Bilbo hugged him back, smiling breathlessly even when the king pulled away. "I am sorry I doubted you."

"No, I would have doubted me, too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar." Bilbo shook his head with a small smile as the company laughed around them, before he looked over to where his faè still stood, staring at him with her loving gaze, with pride at the small being that had bewitched her soul, a small thing with a mighty strength that no creature could ever hope to match...but it seemed that him turning to look had brought Thorin's attention over at her, that same smile stretching over his face as he moved towards her, arms spread out to either side of him.

"And you-"

"How about a hearty handshake dwa- Thorin." Nymeria said as she stepped back quickly, a certain wildness in her gaze, a certain panic that begged him not to take another step closer...and although he faltered, almost looking offended for a second at her abrupt words, he soon took her offered hand with a smile, shaking it once, twice, three times...before he caught sight of something over her shoulder, blue eyes wide with wonder, staggering towards the end of the cliff with the others following him, staring at that same sight in absolute awe.

"Erebor. The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth." Gandalf announced, patting Thorin on the shoulder as the company stood with him for another few moments, taking the time to appreciate that their goal was now already in sight, quite literally because of the mountain that seemed so close now that they could almost reach out and touch it...perhaps it was still a long ways away yes, but they were closer now than they had ever been and filled with new a strange hope and overwhelming excitement.

But after all was said and done, the awe-inspiring view had soon lost its appeal the longer they stood around, and that was because there was an exhaustion hollowed deep in all of their bones, painful and agonising, refusing to allow them to continue any longer now that the adrenaline had left their bodies begging for rest. And the company had been quick to take that chance, setting up camp just under a large looming cliff, still somewhat hidden under the cover of trees and stone, out of view for prying eyes and perfect for them to all finally tend to their needs that had been neglected in their fight for survival.

Nymeria would be lying if she said she wasn't grateful for the break, no matter how long or how short it ended up being, because the truth was she didn't know how much longer she could of went on for, how long she could of continued to fight with her hands that glowed red, her chaos taking its toll upon her until she felt suffocated by it, drowning in it, with every passing moment leaving it harder and harder to breathe as her back ached...the scabbed scars that laid there dormant ripped open anew, and no doubt refusing to close again for some time.

She could feel the phantom weight of her wings every time she moved, could feel the pain of it like they'd been torn from her again and leaving the gaping wounds that were nothing more than gorged out holes in her skin.

However, she hadn't realised just how intolerant she was to pain until she'd been forced to endure it...but she refused to make it known, refused to show herself as weak even with the reluctant trust she'd formed with the others as they all sat around the fire, the warm glow bathing their face in its ethereal light, fire cackling, roasting some animal that hadn't been quick enough to escape Kili's talented arrows, the company seemingly in rather good spirits as they chuckled and talked amongst themselves, living to fight another day and more than happy to spend it with each other.

Bilbo seemed to be enjoying himself, enjoying the dwarves praises as they clapped him on the shoulder, Bofur even going as far to sing a song of his supposed bravery that had them all breaking into howling laughter...all the while he was safe under his faè's watchful gaze as she sat just away from them, towards a small dip in the earth with her legs hanging over the edge of it, looking out towards the horizon occasionally but always finding her gaze wandering back to her hobbit, making sure he was alright, making sure he was content as she felt his elation through their ever-lasting bond.

"I take it you're not joining us then?"

A familiar voice suddenly broke her from her musings, and she risked a glance over her aching shoulder to see Fili strolling towards her, away from the warm fire that the others were enjoying with two steaming bowls held in his calloused hands almost delicately, his footsteps careful not to spill a single drop as he came to a stop beside her before he sat down next to her, their arms brushing as he shifted into place to get comfortable on the hard ground...and there was something inside her that couldn't bare for her to turn him away through her usual malicious attitude.

"Perhaps I just wanted to enjoy the view, dwarf. All I ever seen in the Shire was Hills and small folk, perhaps the occasional horse or two." She told him with a barely there smile, nothing more than a mere curl of the corners of her bloodied lips as she looked away from him, looking back up towards the night sky where the stars had begun to dance, shining in their silver glow that seemed like they were blessed by the moon herself, making her homesick for...not quite a place, no, but a memory of the past, a good one, the only real good one she could remembered that hadn't been ruined by vile intentions.

Fili chuckled quietly, not wanting to speak too loud lest he break the small, comfortable peace the two had found themselves in, and then he remembered what he'd came for in the first place as he reached across the space between them to hand her a bowl of something that Nymeria thought looked and smelled delicious, her stomach rumbling at just the thought of it as she took it from his grip, their fingers brushing against each others for half a moment before she pulled the bowl close to her body, humming softly at the heat that spread over her freezing hands that never seemed to warm.

"That should help regain your strength."

"I wouldn't worry about my strength, I have plenty." The faè replied curtly, bringing the bowl close to her mouth and taking a sip, her eyes fluttering shut soon after in complete and utter delight as the warm stew struck her tastebuds, thick and full of flavour, filling a certain ache that had lay in her stomach due to her hunger that she kept in denial in her constant desperation to feel far stronger than she ever felt, like admitting to being hungry, to being thirsty, to being tired was a weakness that she couldn't bare even though it was simple mortal nature.

They ate in a peaceful silence for a few minutes, only the sound of their spoons hitting the bottom of the bowl breaking it alongside their quiet breaths and the calls of nature all around them and the company's roaring laughter behind them...but she could see the blonde stealing glances at her every few moments, his eyes lingering upon her face as if seeing something new everytime, and she felt her lips twitch in amusement at his less than subtle attempt at disguising his stare. "Is there something of interest on my face, dwarf?"

He cleared his throat uncomfortably as soon as he was addressed, no doubt embarrassed at being caught with the tips of his large ears burning a blushing pink as he quickly gained his composure and then gestured over to the bruise upon her eyebrow, mottled blue and purple against her usually unblemished skin. "Aye there is, have you been to Óin about your wounds? You need to get them properly seen to lest they get infected."

"No, they'll heal on their own if they're given enough time, there's no point in wasting any of his supplies, best save them for those who actually need it." She waved a nonchalant and bloodied hand through the air as if physically waving off his concerns, though the simple movement made her whole body give a sudden tremble in absolute agony that she hurriedly disguised as a yawn...deciding to keep to herself that the blows that had been bestowed upon her back would probably slow her magic down, especially not that there seemed to be no threat to face, leaving her to wither in her own misery.

"If you're in pain, Nymeria, then you do need it."

"And just why do you think I'm in pain, dwarf?"

"Because for the past half hour you've barely moved without wincing. You're hurt, Amrâlimê, and you need to be cared for." And there was that word again, the word he spoke with his own language, the one she didn't even have the faintest clue on what it could mean...but it was said with something in his voice that was different from the usual roughness, almost softer, gentler, like a whispered promise of a lovers embrace, far too kind on her cruel ears, far too sweet to be spoken to she who bathed in chaos and who had been ruined into millions of pieces with no hope of ever truly stitching herself together.

Her teeth bared at his tone, at her own resentment that had festered inside her as she glared towards him, slamming the bowl that had been resting in her hand down upon the ground with more force than necessary as it threatned to break in her red-tinted grip, cracks beginning to form in the wood that hadn't been prepared for her dangerous magic as she spat cruely, always so quick to spew hatred, and always too late to see tenderness when it had been offered. "I'm fine. Go bother someone else with your fretting, you're getting on my nerves."

Fili stared at her, brows furrowed and blue eyes a oceanic haze that made her breath catch alight with rage, with something uncontrollable, before he stood up and walked away, leaving her sitting there, her face twisting with regret as she groaned quietly, rubbing her palm down her face as she looked back out towards the sky, deciding to just be grateful for the peace...until she head footsteps coming towards her once more and she turned to see the blonde coming towards her, her bag hanging limply in one hand and Òin's medicines and such in the other.

"Oh, would you give it a rest! I can take care of myself, dwarf."

"No." He said simply, not even sparing her a glance as she froze at his abrupt tone in shocked indignation, the blonde seemingly far too busy placing everything onto the uneven ground beside her, crouching down low as he muttered to himself quietly, trying to remember what the healer had said about the certain ointments, like which ones were for bruises and which ones were for cuts, but his mind had gone completely blank, just like it always did when he felt Nymeria's eyes upon him, searing into his very soul.

"No? What do you mean no?"

"I meant no, you obviously can't take care of yourself, so I'll be doing it for you. You're stubborn lass, I'll give you that...but so am I, and I'm not leaving until you at least clean your wounds." Fili told her, like he was the adult and she was a mere child, finally looking up from the mess on the ground to stare at her, unfazed by her glare and instead holding her gaze evenly with something bubbling beneath the surface of his emotions, not looking bothered in the slightest even when her eyes began to glow red with threat...and she managed to break the contact first with a scowl.

"Fine. Give it here then." Nymeria snapped dangerously when it was obvious he wasn't going to budge to her divine will, snatching the cloth that smelled like some kind of herbal medicine from his hands and began to get to work as she slathered it over where she was assuming her wounds lay, hissing and cursing every so often quietly when she'd catch a raw edge, feeling her skin tear even more so in ruins and trying her hardest not to whimper in pain at every mere brush, every stretch, every movement that made her ache.

She really didn't think this all through it seemed, especially considering she couldn't actually see herself...and after a few minutes of struggling in which her whole body continued to roll with agony, she finally lowered the cloth back onto her lap and looked over to Fili, almost ashamed at what she was about to ask. "Can you help me?"

And in all honesty, she expected alot more from him, she expected him to scoff mockingly, to shake his head, to smirk or just simply do something smug at her needing his care...but he didn't do any such thing, instead he simply nodded, took the rag from her trembling hand and began to pat it against her cheek, softly, gently, like she was made of some delicate glass and adding the smallest amount of pressure would have her crumbling into pieces by their feet...and she couldn't help her suprise at hands that seemed so large and callous could be as gentle as he was.

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a while, Fili working to care for her wounds while she desperately tried not to lose herself in his tender touches that left her flesh feeling hot, like she was being burned alive from the inside out, only it didn't hurt, it just felt warm...and eventually, she broke the silence by speaking, nothing more than a whisper really, her voice quiet, reminiscent, but most of all, it was filled with longing as she sighed. "I used to be able to heal you know, not just myself, but others too...you could of been on deaths door and I'd be able to breathe new life into you with a mere brush of my finger."

"But not anyone?"

"No...not anymore." The faè muttered, and there was something about the pain, the trembling of her words that made Fili quiet, unable to ask her anything else on the matter and deciding not to, continuing to move around in their hesitant peace...until he moved towards her back, about to gently pull her tunic up and press some of the salve into the wounds he knew had torn her back apart...only to have his wrist suddenly grabbed in her cold grip that brimmed with chaos, her dark eyes not moving from where she stared out towards the horizon with barely even a change of expression. "Not there, dwarf. Don't ever touch me there."

"Nymeria-"

"No...just no...please."

He finished what he could in silence once more, slightly shaken from the vulnerable side to her, from the fear that had laced her words, the pain, the grief, the horrifying resentment, and when he'd done the best he could, he began to pull everything back into one of the bowls by their feet, ready to leave her to her peace and give them back to Óin...only to feel her hand wrap around his wrist once more, far more gentler than the last time as she slowly glanced over her shoulder to look him in the eye with something shining in those haunted shrouds of red. "Thank you Fili, for caring for me...you're kinder than I deserve."

And he wanted to tell her that that wasn't true, that he truly believed she deserved the world and more...but his throat had dried out and closed off the moment she'd looked at him with that expression on her face, no glare upon her brow nor snarl upon her lips, just looking peaceful, serene in the glowing moonlight that bathed down upon her like a blessing...and so, he simply nodded his head towards her and moved away as fast as his legs could carry him, cursing his weakness, cursing her beauty...and cursing himself for not telling her that he would care for her the rest of his life if she let him.