Kili, for want of a better word was sulking. He'd wrapped himself in his blankets and refused to budge from his bed. It just wasn't fair!

He'd woken that morning to the sound of hushed whispers from outside the door to the room he and his elder brother shared. Rolling over to get Fili's attention he realized that the blonde dwarf wasn't there. That was strange Fili was always there when he awoke, perhaps he had gone to fetch a drink. However unable to wait for his brother's return and due to his extreme nosiness Kili inched towards the door.

"So what do you say?" he knew that voice it was his mothers and it sounded as if she were chiding someone. "It's not everyday your uncle offers to take you to see the mines now is it?". Kili's childish brain wracked through who she could be talking to, who else would have an uncle in his house and then it dawned on him. Throwing the door open he had run into the room to be confronted by the sight of his mother, brother, uncle and Balin illuminated by the light of the hearth.

"Kili what are you doing out of bed?" his mother had asked scooping him up into her arms. He struggled in her grip turning to face his brother.

"Tis not fair" he'd muttered darkly "I want to go to the mines too!"

"Aye, but you is too wee laddie" Balin smiled at him kindly. "It's dangerous for those as small as you." Kili had not liked the words of the kindly elder dwarf and remembered now with an impish grin sticking his tongue out, earning him a murderous glance from his uncle.

It was soon after this that the part of three had departed and Dis had reprimanded her youngest for his rude behavior and put him back to bed. She had to admit now that perhaps it was a little unfair that Kili had been left behind when he and his brother were so inseparable, then again when Thorin grew old it would be Fili that took the throne and therefore her eldest needed to learn the lore of his people. She consoled herself with her thoughts as she continued to cook up a breakfast that would convince Kili it wasn't so bad being left behind, little did she know her younger son had ideas of his own.

Maybe he was to young to be left behind but he would show them. Throwing off the blankets, his idea over taking any thoughts of sulking he snuck out of his room, across the kitchen and into his mother's room. There with quite a bit of effort he hefted her sheep skin rug over his little shoulder and marched back to his own room.

Dis looked up hearing the bedroom door close and thought that at least Kili was now up from under the blankets. Maybe it would be best to leave to little dwarf to his own devices for a little longer, after all the food she was preparing wasn't quite ready yet.

Kili set about busying himself with the task at hand. His mother probably wouldn't be very pleased with him later he thought as he ran his fingers through his otherwise neat if a little sleep tousled hair. There was much to do, which saw him stomping about in his room pulling his wooden toys out of their box where they were meant to be kept when he wasn't playing with them. With great precision he lined them up in rows, all of them staring in the same direction. Pleased with his work thus far he continued with the other part of his plan.

Dis looked down to see her youngest son looking up at her. He smiled broadly in a way that made her want to scoop him into a hug.

"Drink please Mama" he smiled. Dis smiled back and obligingly went to fetch water for her youngest, who wasn't quite tall enough to get to the taps himself quite yet. With his mother distracted Kili wandered to the hearth and picked out a piece of wooden blackened at one end. After an experimental swipe on the floor and a charcoal line appearing he was satisfied. Hiding it behind his back with one hand he took the drink from his mother and then when her back turned he scuttled towards his room. Well, at least he was occupied with something she thought to herself.

It wasn't long until she heard the door opening and in tramped her brother looking rather disgruntled followed by Fili. Unlike his uncle the young boy seemed quite jubilant.

"What are you too doing back so soon?" she questioned wondering if Fili had misbehaved.

"You're son convinced me that I couldn't leave Kili behind and perhaps we could look at some less dangerous mines so the little one could accompany us." Dis wasn't entirely sure what to say, her brother had listened to her son and shown a soft side he seldom showed to anyone other than his two nephews. She was about to reply as to how she thought Kili would appreciate that when a small yell came floating out of the bedroom occupied by said young dwarfling.

Wondering what was going on she made her way over to the door, carefully she pulled it open. The sight before her made her place her hand over her mouth to stop a laugh escaping her lips. he beckoned for Fili and Thorin to come join her and the three of them peered around the doorway together. There before the lines of wooden toys was Kili, sheep skin rug wrapped around his shoulders, hair pulled out into a frizzy if somewhat shorter replica of his uncle's vast mane and a smudgy charcoal beard spread most of the way around his little face. He seemed totally oblivious to the two adults and his brother watching him as he stomped about a very impressive scowl upon his face.

"Now I wonder who he could be imitating" Dis smiled turning to look at her brother. She had expected a similar scowl to be on his face as the one being replicated by her youngest son but instead she was pleased to see Thorin was smiling at his nephew.

"You know what I think he might have some future in this imitation business" her brother replied, closing the door on the scene before them and allowing his little nephew to continue bossing about his collection of toys. "I think I'll take them to the mines tomorrow, Kili for one looks like he's having enough fun for today"