The company of Thorin Oakenshield is on the quest to reclaim their homeland, Erebor from the fire breathing dragon, with the help by Gandalf the Grey. The Wizard knows that the company will need all aid they can get to win the Mountain back; he bri...
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When they stopped in the shadow of an abandoned farmhouse, Thorin was pleased with the progress they had made. "We'll make camp here!" Thorin called while Gandalf pressed him to reconsider. The Would-be King glared at the Wizard, arguing with him before he took his leave of the company. Thorin was glad for the Wizard's absence, he needed a little more time with his kin that understood that his word was law. It sounded cruel but Thorin didn't need to be butting heads with the Wizard.
As the Dwarves filed into their various tasks of setting up the camp, Thorin looked at the key again that Gandalf gave him. The runes written into the metal made him long for the mountains. He knew that his Company was behind him and that he needed to trust in their faith. But he was still worried. He didn't like the idea of Gandalf pushing the Elves on him. He didn't need their help. He would never ask it.
It was closing into the night and the moon already replaced by the sun. Bilbo was told to bring the youngest the supper; there was a silence that settled over the camp as they were separated. It was too quiet, and Thorin didn't like it. He called the company to him, working their way into the woods to find his kin, the woman and the Hobbit.
"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies, but a few of them are missing," Kili told Bilbo as the Hobbit had arrived, still holding on the bowls of supper. "Well, that's not good... that's not good at all, shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo stated, but Fili shook his head, "Nah, let's not worry him." He didn't want to sound foolish to his uncle to not have an eye on their ponies earlier. The Dwarf-Prince didn't want to disappoint him.
Bilbo understood Fili and didn't bother to argue. What surprised Valerie and even Kili was to hear that the Hobbit actually wanted to find the ponies and make use of himself, he was after all part of the company.
"Something big uprooted these trees." He said examining the ground and fallen trees, "It's our thinking too." Valerie added, walking beside them, "It's something very big and possibly quite dangerous."
Fili spotted something from afar, "There is a light." He mentioned them to follow ducking down to hide behind a fallen tree, deeper within the forest. There was a light, a fire camp of the sort. WIth large shadows, and laughter. "What's that?" Bilbo asked as he had only heard about trolls in tales as a child. As they were hiding another troll stumped down not far away, walking to the camp. Under each arm were two ponies, struggling and frightened.
"He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're gonna eat them. We have to do something." Bilbo whispered as he was showing another side of himself, to be brave. Valerie admired the courage that suddenly filled him.
Kili and Fili both turned their gaze at the Hobbit nodding. "Yes, you should." Kili carefully rose to his feet, kneeling, still keeping quiet not making any noise.
"Mountain trolls are slow and stupid." He said, "True. They won't see us." Valerie thought of an idea, Kili and Fili looked at her as she carefully rose from her hiding spot moving to take cover behind the nearest tree. Getting a little closer to the trolls camp, she turned her gaze back at the two dwarves and the hobbit.
"Fili, Kili you go and tell Thorin now. Bilbo follow me." She waved her hand for him to follow her, and the brothers didn't have much to say as they ran back to camp to inform the others.
A plan was made; Valerie and Bilbo would free the ponies quickly, they are small and wouldn't be seen by the trolls. Meanwhile, Kili and Fili would get back to the camp and tell the others.
Valerie and Bilbo were slowly approaching the camp of the three mountain trolls, who seem to be brothers by the way of speaking to each other. They were doing some kind of dinner together, which gave an awful strong smell. The three of them had an conversation about the food; which brought the woman and the Halfling the time that they needed.
Watching the ropes which were tied to the gate into a mess; strong enough to kept the ponies from escaping. And the trolls haven't made it easy either the ropes were tightly tied together, it would take more time to undo it than what they had, only daggers could cut through these ropes.
The woman reached for her daggers hidden in her boots, handling one over to Bilbo and they began to cut through. With so many layers of ropes upon each other it took time for the blades to cut through, which causes them to be careful not to be seen by the three trolls.
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it doesn't look like mutton again tomorrow," Bert said to his brothers. "Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These are West Nags!" Tom added.
"Oh, I don't like 'orse. I never 'ave. Not enough fat on them." William continued. "Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of my teeth." The way the trolls spoke how they had eaten an innocent family made Valerie's heart to burst, but she knew that the troll's faith was near and they will eventually turn to stone by the daylight.
Then William, one of the trolls, sneezes loudly into the pot the three have boiling over a fire. Bert wasn't happy about that and glared at William.
"Oh, that's lovely, that is; a floater." Said Tom trying the food with the spoon. "Ah! It might improve the flavor! There's more where that came from." William there begins to sneeze some more in the food, making his brother not so happy. and Bert grabs William by the nose.
"Oh no, you don't!" Bert throws William down. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" William cries and Bert orders them to sit down.
"Where is Gandalf when we need him?" Valerie kept her voice down, but at that moment, she heard something from the forest. And then the ropes cut open, and the ponies were free. She and Bilbo opened the gate wider together letting the ponies leave and run into the forest. Getting far away from the three trolls.
At that moment Bert, Tom, and William turned to see what just had happened. Seeing the shadow moving closer, both Valerie and Bilbo knew they had been seen by the trolls. At that very moment, the company arrived with roars and weapons raised high. Valerie could feel her tension in her own shoulders leaving her, as she heard the group of men come to the aid. She took out her own sword and joined the fight, Bilbo would throw rocks he could find and throw at the trolls, it did little and it was better than doing nothing.
