They'd only left the Shire that morning, only been on the road a day, but already Kili was road-weary. Never especially gifted at sitting still for long periods, today it had been driven home to him just how much time he was going to have to spend sitting, on his rump, on a pony, as they traveled along the Great East Road.

When Thorin finally stopped the party for the night, Kili had practically leapt from Clover's back and hopped about trying to restore circulation to his feet and stretch cramped muscles.

"A little saddle sore—are you, brother?" Fili chided him. He dismounted with far more grace, affectionately rubbing Jasper's grey muzzle. "That's a good boy," he told him. "Let's get you some food."

"Kili, Fili!" Thorin raised his voice, "You're in charge of taking care of the ponies. Make sure they're fed, watered and rubbed down."

"Yes, Uncle," Fili responded. "We'll take care of it."

As Thorin set about tasking the rest of the party with their respective jobs, the brothers set to de-saddling the ponies and organizing the gear into piles.

"What's that light down the hill?" Kili asked no one in particular, eyeing the orange glow in the sky.

"That's the village of Bree," Balin told him.

"I've been there on several occasions," Bilbo told him. "It's a rather dirty little place."

"Aye, a place of Hobbits… and Men," Thorin nodded. "Not a place we need to show our faces."

"So we're not going there, then?" Kili seemed crestfallen. "I'd looked forward to exploring."

"No we are not," Thorin was adamant. "We camp here tonight and leave at first light."

"Come, Kili," Fili attempted to redirect his brother's seemingly boundless energy. "Help me lead these ponies to the stream."

Kili acquiesced and the topic was dropped. At least Fili had thought so.

Some time later, Bombur's stew sitting heavily in their bellies and laying next to one another on their bedrolls staring at the stars, Kili suddenly rolled to face his brother.

"I want to go into town, Fili," he whispered. "We can slip away and be back by dawn. The other will never know."

"Brother, are you mad?" Fili sighed. "Uncle will have our heads… and we need to rest."

"We can rest when we're dead," Kili insisted. "Let's go to the tavern and have a pint. I know for a fact you're out of pipeweed. We can bring back enough for the company. We'll be heroes," he smiled winningly.

Fili found it terribly difficult to resist his brother's cajoling. He rolled his eyes. "All right, Kili. We'll go. But only for a little while. And you stay by my side the entire time, or so help me—"

Kili leapt into his brother's arms and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Fili. I so didn't want to go alone!"

"Get Clover and Jasper saddled up," Fili told him. "I'll make sure the others are truly sleeping before we sneak off." By Mahal, he thought to himself, I surely hope I don't regret this.