The Lonely Mountain [1]

Lost Blades and Hidden Passages

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked Gandalf after all the company was free from their various confinements.

"To look ahead." Gandalf said as Amara walked up.

"What brought you back?" She asked.

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, you are all in one piece." Gandalf muttered tapping one of the trolls on the head with his staff.

"No thanks to your burglar." Thorin said glancing at Amara. He knew she had already grown fond of the hobbit.

"He and Amara had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Gandalf said as Thorin looked repentant. The three of them stood there and looked at all the trolls.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." Amara thought out loud.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked

"Not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf said as Amara and Thorin tensed up. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby." Amara said.

Just as Amara had predicted, the company found a large cave nearby. It was full of all the treasure the trolls had been hoarding. Amara looked on in disgust at not only the smell but the sight. Amongst all the treasure there were bones littered around the floor.

"What's that stench?" Nori asked as they walked down the tunnel.

"It's a troll horde. Be careful what you touch." Gandalf warned them. As they entered further into the cave most of the dwarves started to cough and retch at the pungent smell. Further inside they discovered piles of gold coins and treasure caskets.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lying around. Anyone could take it." Bofur said looking at the gold.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Gloin said trying not to draw to much attention to himself.

"These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin said as Gandalf and Amara walked up to him. He handed Gandalf one and looked the other over himself.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf muttered drawing the sword he had out of its sheath a few inches.

"These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age. My kin." Amara eyes raked over both blades.

Thorin started to put his down in disgust but Gandalf stopped him.

"You could not wish for a finer blade." Thorin looked at the sword and reluctantly kept it.

They all walked back outside as Gandalf handed Bilbo a smaller, elfish made blade. A rustling sounded through the woods; something was moving fast and heading straight towards them.

"Something's coming!" Thorin called out to the company.

"Stay together! Hurry now! Arm yourselves!" Gandalf said as they walked out into the woods.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" A peculiar man in brown on a sleigh pulled by rabbits stopped in front of them.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown. What on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf said as Amara gestured to everyone to lower their weapons.

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Radagast said hurriedly before pausing.

"Yes?" Gandalf pressed.

Radagast opened his mouth to speak, but shut it. He did it again and they all realised he had forgotten what he was about to say.

"Just give me a minute. Oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was right there, on the tip of my tongue." Radagast said as he curled up his tongue but he looked surprised. Amara wondered what was going on. "Oh, it's not the thought at all; it's just a little-" Gandalf then proceeded to pull a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth. "-stick insect!" He finished once the insect was removed.