A/N: This is my first AUish like story about Fili and Kili's past. Rate and review and above all else, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tolkien's fantastic works.

I Am A Lion

When The Lion Roars

He clenched his hands into fists and closed his eyes tight against the anger boiling up inside him.

That was when he heard it.

It was coming. It's soft footfalls echoed out of the inky blackness, followed by cold blue eyes. It was all that he could see: sapphire eyes, as it stalked its prey from inside the darkness. A snarl burst out from behind it's fangs as it leaped forward, teeth bared and claws extended as the great tawny creature reached for him, shaking back it's golden mane...

...His sapphire eyes flew open, cold and filled with rage, and with a snarl he leapt forward...

oOo

...Fili groaned and picked himself up from where he had fallen. He glared at the inn he had been forcefully thrown from, and began to walk home.

'How had this happened?' his mind asked of him. He had no answer to his question no matter how much it burned in his mind. But one thing was certain, something had to be done about this. It hadn't even registered to his mind that the fight had been surrendered to him. What if next time there wasn't someone to restrain him? He might kill someone and not realize it. What if he did realize it in time and still killed someone? He could still hear the snarl, still see the blue eyes that were his own, inside his head. The battles he fought at the Beast's bidding made him want to kill. Fili shuddered involuntarily. Fili hated to brawl, but he hated the Beast even more, and it's complacent purr was far preferable than it's demonic roars.

Fili shook his head, something needed to be done, it had gone on for far too long, but he didn't know how to fix it. For one brief second Fili thought of speaking to Thorin about it, but it was quickly suppressed. If anyone ever found out, he would surely be sent away like all the other madmen. Madman. That was what he was, a madman. The Beast's echoing roars confirmed that much. Helpless tears slid down his face as Fili gripped his head, gathering up fistfuls of his hair.

"Alright, alright! You win! You can stay for now! I won't try to make you leave! Just stop!" Fili shouted to the night sky.

The Beast within his heart began to purr and allowed Fili to catch his breath. Fili blinked and took in a deep shuddering breath.

"This isn't over...I'll find a way to be rid of you yet..." Fili whispered to himself.

I know, I know, it's really short, but it just seemed the perfect place to end this chapter. Upcoming chapters should be much longer. ;-)