The Half Breed Ranger

Chapter 7: The Light Of Dawn

The trolls tied several dwarves -Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Ori and Nori- onto a spit and and began roasting them over the large fire. While the others were stuffed into bags and thrown in a pile. Amanda sighed as her head rested against Kilis stomach and Fili's head on ther legs.

"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." The troll called out with a grumble.

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." The troll spoke as he moved his hand like an chef. Amanda groaned at them arguing. That all trolls really ever done.

"Is this really necessary?" Dori called out as Kili looked down to Amanda. He could see she was in pain, no dobut by the trolls strong grip.

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." A troll said as the spit was twisted, turning the dwarves around above the hot fire.

"Untie us, you monsters!"Oin called to them.

"Take on someone your own size!"Gloin yelled aswell. Amanda rolled her eyes and looked to them.

" They will never listen to you." She muttered to them.

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." One of them spoke giving Bilbo a thought. He then came up with an idea and stood up in his sack. Amanda watched the little hobbit curiously.

"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." Bilbo called to them, gaining their attention.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Dori told Bilbo.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Bofur asked back from the spit being turned around. Bilbo made sure he had a steady footing and looked up at the larg trolls.

"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." Bilbo told them trying to make something up to keep them talking.

"What about the seasoning?" The Troll cooking asked the Hobbit with a sparkle in his eye.

"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." Bilbo said stating a fact. Many of the dwarves growled at him and called him a traitor.

" He has a point." Amanda cringed finally smelling some of the group.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" A troll growled while still turning the spit with the dwarves tied to it.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." The chief Troll growled to the other and leand towards ilbo. It was then it click in Amanda's mind on what he was doing. She looked to the sky and smiled.

" Oh Bilbo! Your a genious!" She smiled whispering to herself, Thorin must of heard her because he looked to the sky and clicked on as well.

"Uh, th--the secret to cooking dwarf is, um--" Bilbo said as he thought over what to say.

"Yes? Come on." The troll rushed him as Bilbo struggled to find something in his mind.

"It's, uh--" Bilbo began.

"Tell us the secret." The chef grow impationt

"Ye--yes, I'm telling you, the secret is ... to skin them first!" Bilbo said finally coming up with an idea. But it had to be that. Amanda rolled her eyes and sighed at his words. If she could move her hand it would be covering her face.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife." The chef called waving behind him to the other trolls.

"If I get you, you little--"Gloin called to Bilbo angrily.

"I won't forget that!" Dwalin joined growling at the poor hobbit that was only trying to save them from being eaten.

"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all." Another troll yells knowing that what Bilbo said was a lie. Bilbos eyes then catches movement from behind a tree.

"'e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." A troll said as he grabbed a hold of Amanda. He lifted her up and held her over his mouth. Amanda gagged at the stench of his breath.

" Amanda! Let her go!" Kili yelled as Fili joined in.

"Not--not that one, sh--she's infected!" Bilbo called out thinking on his feet to save his friend.

"You what?" Another yelled in slight fear as the Troll holding amanda looked to Bilbo.

"Yeah, Her's got worms in his ... tubes." Bilbo called out and the Troll holding Amanda launch her back to the pile in disgust. She landed on the dwarves and they let out a soft grunt.

" Sorry." Amanda mumbled to them as she groaned herself. Landing on dwarves was not the softest thing in Middle Earth.

"In--in fact they all have, they're in--infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." Bilbo said to trolls trying to stop them from eatting the company. But as always his efforts were put down as they company minus Thorin and Amanda began to angrily yell at him offended.

"Parasites, did he say parasites?" Oin asked.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili yelled to him as Amanda glared at him unseen.

"What are you talking about, laddie?" Gloin asked Bilbo and soon enough the whole company was messing up the plan by yelling at Bilbo.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm." Oin called out catching on as Thorin kicked Kili.

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili changed his speech and looked to the trolls.

"We're riddled." Amanda pitched in.

"Yes, I'm riddled."

"Yes we are. Badly!" The dwarves yelled out in hopes of being let loose.

"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" The troll asked Bilbo who made a face saying that may be a good idea.

"Well..." Bilbo trailed off.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!" The troll growled pointing to Bilbo.

"Ferret?" Bilbo asked taking offence to the trolls words.

"Fools?" A troll said taken a back.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf yelled as he stood up on a large rock. Amanda looked up and smiled seeing the old wizard.

"Who's that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat 'im too?" The trolls spoke their last words as Gandalf brought his staff down to strike the rock and split it in half. Allowing the light of dawn to shine through and onto the trolls. The Suns rays instantly got to work and began to turn their leathery skin into stone. Within a few seconds their yells silenced and there now stood three solid statues in their place. Everyone cheer happily as they had been saved. The dwarves on the spit asked to get released from their ties.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin called uncomfortable. Amanda chuckled at him and forced herself to stand up in her sack but fell as a she tripped over herself. Gandalf caught her with a gentle laugh.

" Come on, let's get you out of this sack." He chuckled to her.