Healing, Magic, And Unexpected Adventures

Chapter Five - Winston and The Wizard

The troll cave wasn't far from the camp - no more than a hundred metres. I didn't want to risk the dwarves stumbling across some good healing supplies without realising their value, so crept into the cave with Thorin and several of the others.

'Oh, what's that stench?' Bofur said, wrinkling his nose.

'It's a troll hoard,' Gandalf said exasperatedly. 'Be careful what you touch.'

'He's right though, it does smell terrible,' I pointed out. Gandalf sighed.

I made sure to watch where I was stepping - I had no intention of making bare skin contact with most of the things in here. Something glimmered at the back of the hoard, and I went to see what it was.

'This place may not be empty,' Thorin warned.

'If there's another troll here all we have to do is go outside,' I said, walking over to what was an old chest. The glint I had seen came from one of the bronze latches - the other was too rusted to shine.

I undid the latches, opening it up. Clearly the troll's fingers had been too thick to open it, because I doubt they would have any need for what was inside.

I lifted out one of the books that was inside, blowing dust off of the cover. On skimming through I found it was a healer's manual, only - these weren't your ordinary methods of healing.

'What in Mahal's name...'

I picked up another of the books - the only difference between them was the state of the covers. Page after page of handwritten remedies, all of them looking more like magic than anything else and bound in a leather cover with no indication of its previous owner.

This was quite clearly the chest of a healer, although their credibility could be questioned. Apart from the books there were herbs and bandages. I would be a fool to simply leave all of this lying around.

I grabbed a bag and stuffed it full of antidotes and bandages, managing to crowbar three of the books in there as well.

'Let's get out of this foul place,' Thorin said, just as I closed the bag. 'Come on, let's go.'

He turned towards me as I picked my way carefully in the direction of the exit, eying my bag as if I had some sort of grand weapon hidden inside.

'Don't you have enough supplies.' It wasn't a question.

'You'll thank me later,' I said, walking past and stepping over Nori's bent leg, whilst he, Bofur and Gloin were preoccupied with burying some gold.

Dwalin and I shared a look, and although we had never spoken - unless you're counting the brief exchange of words at Bag End - we both agreed that it was utterly useless burying gold when there was nobody around to take it. We looked back to the three dwarves, and I raised an eyebrow.

'We're making a long term investment,' Gloin said defensively.

When we were finally outside and away from the stench of the troll cave, I wasn't entirely sure what to do. The natural thing to do would be to talk to Ori, but he had been made responsible for keeping watch over the ponies, and they weren't in sight.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned to see Bifur looking at me. He signed something.

'He's saying thank you,' Bofur told me. 'For saving us from the trolls.'

'I know,' I said. 'I do know sign language.'

'You are very nice to us,' Bifur signed.

'You would have done the same,' I signed back.