Mel rose to her feet, returning the gesture Saeril made towards her, she smiled at the other she-elf and watched her disappear into the distance towards the mountain before Mel made her next move. She made her way across to where she saw Bard walking through the Lake people giving them instructions to find food and shelter and to help the sick and wounded to travel. 
"Where will you go?" she asked him, worry clear on her face and in her voice. "Others will begin to look towards the Mountain now, for it's wealth...or it's position."

Kili tried not to let his exhaustion show, but his feet were beginning to feel like lead and trying to wade through the collosal piles of gold and jewels became harder and harder the further in they went. One wrong step could bring an entire mound raining down upon the searching company, and then their search would have to be halted to help rescue the dwarves in trouble before they could continue. They had been looking for so long that Kili almost doubted they would ever find the Arkenstone; if it was in here surely they would have found it by now? But he quickly dismissed the thought; of course the Arkenstone was here! He only hoped someone would find it soon, before they all collapsed from exhaustion....