Hilda Greenhill's Diary, 7th Entry
Dis was not happy when she visited Kili for the first time after he had woken up because he got out of bed while I had gone to fetch him something to eat. He had reopened his wound. As a result, Dis set Skafid to keep an eye on him when Dis or I couldn't. Kili was not happy about that because Skafid had a tendency to make more of a fuss than Dis did, and he began to refer to Skafid as the "old snap-dragon" behind her back. Fili, Gimli and Ori found it hilarious. I think it embarrassed Kili somewhat to be watched over like some small child, especially when all she did was knit. It was difficult for me as well, because although Dis and I encouraged Kili to take things easy, Skafid took it to the extreme and wouldn't even allow him to play a game of Hnefetafl with me. Ori was sympathetic, because he had to put up with his mother's fussing all the time, and it was a relief when she left when evening came. Fili would visit then and tell him what had been going on in the mead hall that day. I don't think Dis wholly approved of it because she thought he should be resting, but if Thorin failed to return then Kili would need to know what had been happening. When Balin explained the logic to her, she tolerated it.
Kili was on the mend by the fifth day after the accident, of which I am glad. Seeing him injured so badly had made me fear that he would die too and too soon after the loss of my family. Because he was well on his way to recovery, Skafid went back to spending time in the mead hall. There had still been no word of Thorin and he had yet to return. The snows had come back.
As it was taking so long, Fili had decided that he would take a party consisting of Dwalin, Gloin, Nori, Dori and Oin to search for Thorin and the others once the storm had passed. Kili would have joined the party too, if Dis had let him. Instead, she'd asked me to keep a close eye on him, which I was glad to do, especially now that Skafid wasn't around.
Just like on the morning of the boar hunt, the dwarf women saw Fili and the rest of the party off. Kili was absent, and still in bed. After we had seen them off, I decided to go to the mead hall and get him some breakfast. Dis went with me because she wanted to help Balin with any business that came up during her eldest son's absence.
When I brought breakfast to Kili's room, he was not there. I set the food down and went in search of him. He was no where in the cottage. I was beginning to get worried. It was Trotter that gave him away. The dog had not left Kili since the accident and I saw the dog outside the stables. When I entered the stables, I found him saddling up Bungo.
"You mean to go after them," I said. It was a statement, not a question.
"I have had enough of sitting idly by. Fili and I got you here safely. My uncle is out there in the wilderness."
I could see the determination in his eyes and that no amount of arguing with him would dissuade him from heading out. There was only one course of action I could take.
"Not alone, you're not. If you're going out there, I'm coming with you," I said. I expected him to object, but I guess I had the same determined look that he did.
"Alright," he said.
"I'll meet you at the edge of the edge of the settlement after I've got some supplies," I said, while stroking Trotter's head. "He's coming with us as well. His nose is good. He will be able to follow Fili's trail if more snow falls." And I didn’t add, though this was my primary reason for wanting to accompany him, I can make sure that nothing happens to you.
"Agreed," Kili said. "Just one problem -I'll need to sneak past mother some how. She has eyes like an hawk."
"She's up at the mead hall, so there's no need to worry," I said. "Oh, before I forget, I brought you some breakfast. It's up in your room."
Within the hour, we'd had breakfast, gathered supplies and were following Trotter on Fili's trail.