Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.

A/N: This is a re-write of the original, hope you enjoy! Please share your ideas, I would appreciate it.

Ereona yelped and sighed as she burned herself with the fire she had attempted to get going. Though due to the close air and stone wetness, it proved very hard even with the amount of wood she'd collected. As she leant back, certain that she'd never light the fire at all, there was a high screech that echoed through the trees she sat on the edge on. Sharply she grabbed for her dagger, waiting breathless as she pointed it at nothing. Exhaling she started packing her things back into her large bag, her teeth gritting as she muttered one word.

"Orcs."

Wincing in pain as she trudged through the deep forest, her bruises swelling as she hitched her bag on to her back. She knew she was lost, not that she was going to admit it. The woods were always dark, especially at this time of night. Sharply turning to the left of a tree, she ran her fingers harshly through her matted hair, realising that she'd been walking in a circle. Giving up, she sat on a nearby boulder, examining her raw fingers; she ignored the call of her stomach and the harsh scratching of her throat. With no food, water or company, she came to the conclusion that she would die soon. As her vision suddenly became blurred, she cursed under her breath; pushing back the tears that had started to fall.

"Dammit, stop it." She whispered wiping her cheeks roughly. Not that she was an emotional person, she could be, but if anyone had found a crying she-dwarf on her own, her dignity would have been lost. Grumbling, she tried to close her eyes; her surprisingly warm cloak protecting her comfortably. Though however many times she tried, she found it hard to sleep within the eerie, dismal centre of the forest, even in the comfort of an idle rock. She'd had company once, she was rather happy once, she'd known where to go, once.

Bolting her eyes open, she tore around the sight of her now empty camp. Curious of the noises the night before, she'd slept under the shelter of a torn-down house. Though she'd warned her fellow dwarves, they simply laughed for being so worried, certain it was only because she was a woman.

"Ziria?" She whispered for the leader of their group. Though she had never admitted he was her leader, she was rather independent anyway. Standing up clumsily, she yanked at the deserted bed rolls, most had been torn. The fire they had foolishly lit was dying, whipping the smoke high into the air. Their weapons had been left, everything had been left. Slowly turning to the bed of Ziria, she gaped at the sight she'd been greeted with. There sitting on the edge of a black knife, was his head. His beard torn, mouth agape, eyes rolled. Disgusted at the sight, she sank to her knees, her eyes not leaving the bewildered sight before her. As she regained composure, she crawled forward, dabbed her finger in the pool of dirt that had splattered on a cloak. Tasting it, she immediately spat it out, ill by the taste of Orc. Trying not to look at the head of the dwarf, she walked away, gathering the last of the necessaries though not succeeding to claim many. Finally adjusting her bag, fitting her knives within her belt, she gave one last look at the camp. Noticing the agonising sight, she briefly walked to it, dropping her belongings as she did. Grabbing a nearby blanket, she threw it over the head, trying to ignore the sickly scent of blood waft through her nostrils. Quickly yanking it off the tip of the sword, she threw the head into a bush and spat on the poisoned sword.

"You haven't killed them all." She whispered, suddenly feeling nausea within her body. Pathetically vomiting within the pot that hadn't been used, thankfully, she wiped her mouth and eyes clean, grasping her bag again. With shaking hands, she quickly plaited her hair, her eyes fixed on the sword that balanced into the earth. Exhaling once more, she spun her feeble body and made towards any positive looking route.

Blinking rapidly, she leant up from where her head had been leaning on the rough trunk of a tree. She looked up at
the invisible sky that had been covered by the thick foliage of the trees. Closing her eyes tightly, she prayed, prayed to whomever, prayed for Ziria, for her Father, for all the dwarves in Middle Earth and for herself. Her life had slowly begun to merge into unhappiness. Fingers still shaking, she played with the ends of one of her rough plaits, ignoring nature's calls around her. Turning, she noticed a pony in the distant. Being alone, she'd never witnessed such an animal. Dwarves weren't exactly animal friendly. Clicking her fingers, the pony slowly approached her sniffing her hand. Ereona smiled as she felt its warm breath on her skin. As it started licking her bloodstained fingers, she pulled back chuckling as it looked up. Suddenly, its head jerked left to where the she-dwarf had been sitting. Startling her, Ereona slowly tucked an arrow between her fingers, her bow still strapped to her back. She watched as the small pony suddenly galloped away. Relaxing, her grip on the arrow loosened until she saw a grey hand swing and grab the scared animal within its arm. Eyes widened, she leant up, noticing another equally beautiful pony was tucked uncomfortably within the other. Looking around, she stumbled out from her faithful boulder and tip toed closer to where the huge creature was heading.

"Mountain trolls?" She whispered, peering out from a tree. The silhouette of the large beasts, were struck against their fire. There were three in total, two more sat around a large cauldron. Quickly ducking behind a much closer rock, her eyes narrowed as she heard their conversation. Gulping, she could almost hear their teeth gnashing as they spoke.

"Horses? I hate horses!" One shouted, hitting the one who'd grabbed the ponies on his bald head. The other roared, rubbing where he'd been bashed. Soon they'd all began to squabble which gave Ereona an easy dart to a bush near to the 'pen' the innocent creatures had been thrown into. Creeping slowly to a knot of a rope that restricted the ponies escape, the small figure glanced warily as the trolls continued to fight and knock each other, only causing them to become even angrier than before. Shushing the ponies, she silently grabbed one of the knives she'd carried and started sawing. Certain her mission will be accomplished; she smiled reassuringly at the animals, who still screeched. Suddenly she was hit by a familiar hand.

"Oi, what you doing?" One shouted as the dwarf lifted her head. Noticing she'd been knocked several feet from her previous spot, she stared up and gritted her teeth. As another hand quickly tried to grab her, she sliced his hand with her knife, running as the troll squealed.

"It cut me!" He squealed, sucking on the cut she had made. The two others groaned as they darted for her, considering their size, this was rather foolish. Stopping for a quick breather, she quickly grabbed an arrow and threw it, grinning as it stuck directly into the forehead of another. Unfortunately, it simply pulled it out, snarling angrier than ever. Ereona panicked. Running in between, one of their legs, she sliced her knife along the inside of its ankle, jumping out of the way of its crumbling body. Focussing on the two others, she jumped out of the way of a foot, but received a hard punch as she was flung back. Tasting blood on her tongue, she spat it out and growled, finally slicing two fingers off one of their beastly hands. Panting out of breath, she felt the blood on the back of her head, soaking her hair. The trolls glared at her as she smiled playfully, knife tight in her hand, as one leaped at her, she ran only to be greeted by a hand that squashed her body. Failing, to stab it, she gave up. She'd been caught.

"What are you?" The one holding her snarled. Staring at his yellow teeth, she swallowed, refusing to say anything.

"Speak!" Another shouted. She stared back at him. Noticing there were only two, she turned her neck at the sight of the other. Who wept as he bandaged the remains of his fingers up. Smiling gladly she looked back at the other two only to have her removed of her weapons and stuffed into a sack. Wrinkling her nose at the smell, she called up to the trolls.

"Couldn't you have put me in something less smelling of…yourselves?" She inquired. All three growled as one placed a rough gag into her mouth. There was no point in struggling that would only make it worse. Trying to ignore the rough material raw on her skin, she winced in the new pain on her head as she was thrown into the shadow against a sharp rock.

oooOOOooo

As Dori plated up stew, Bilbo waited anxiously to take it to Fili and Kili. They had been sent to look after the ponies and surprisingly, he had grown rather close to his, Myrtle. Going into the forest, he spotted them out quickly but stopped when he noticed their worried expressions.

"What's the matter?" He asked as Kili wiped his brow nervously.

"We were supposed to be looking after the horses…" He said looking at his older brother. "Only we've encountered a slight problem. We had sixteen. Now there's fourteen." With that the three of them ran deeper into the forest determined to find the cause before they told Thorin. They passed a large tree that had been pulled out of the ground and followed a distant light. Hiding behind a large boulder, Bilbo found it difficult to see what they were. Only to find out sooner than he'd expected.

"Trolls." Kili said in disbelief. He could see their fat figures against the fire. In the corner, they spotted a small pen were one troll was just throwing two more ponies into. So now they had twelve.

"We have to do something." Bilbo said as the brothers looked at each then to the Hobbit who was shaking in-between them. Sudden realisation came to Kili's handsome face as he straightened up and began slowly guiding Bilbo closer to the clearing.

"Yes you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid and you're so small. They'll never see you. It's perfectly safe. We'll be right behind you." Bilbo nodded not exactly sure what the young dwarf had just said to him. The older brother caught on, also pulling the Hobbit closer, though sneakily taking a few steps away.

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a brown owl." He said before he and his brother sprinted away. Bilbo repeated these instructions though when he turned around to check if they were right, he soon discovered that he had been left alone. As the quivering Hobbit slowly crept closer, he could hear the trolls' conversation regarding the ponies.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow."

" Quit your whining. These ain't sheep. These is fresh nags."

" Oh, I don't like horse. I never have. Not enough fat on them."

"At least we got that she-dwarf, she looks sweet, and she'll be dessert."

It took Bilbo a moment to understand what they'd said before he turned to see a silhouette in the shadow of a large boulder she was near. He squinted his eyes, trying to detect her but due to the darkened night, he failed to do so. He did notice that her mouth was gagged and the only noise he could hear was her attempt to breathe. The trolls carried on nattering still oblivious to the silent hobbit who was attempting to release their dinner. It was only when Bilbo had tried to grab a knife that one of them had finally got him. As he blew into a mangy, old bit of cloth, Bilbo was covered in slime, causing him to feel sick.

"Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me hooter. It's got arms and legs and everything!" He cried as he lifted Bilbo up. The others surrounded him and Bilbo could see from the corner of his eye, the female staring at him confused. They poked and prodded him, throwing him from one to the other until Bilbo felt as though he'd had enough and slipped rather roughly on to the floor. Of course, this angered them as they made a grab for him; gradually they failed to get him due to the hobbit's light feet and fast movements. Though soon as he bumped into one of their tree trunked legs, he was grabbed upside down, left to try and communicate with the female who seemed to be looking in the opposite direction.

"Oi you! Stop talking to our dessert!" One of them bellowed turning him so he was left to stare at their flabby stomachs. "Are there any more of you little fellas hiding where you shouldn't?" He continued bellowing. Scared stiff, he shook his head but was interrupted by a brave Kili who had jumped out of the bushes.

"Drop him." He commanded staring playfully up at the beasts that towered above him. As the trolls stared at the dwarf, Bilbo attempted to signal the female to Kili but failed to do so as the dwarf stared confused at him.

"You what?" The one holding Bilbo grunted. Kili stared back at him almost amused at the sight.

"I said drop him." He snapped back positioning his sword. He was replied with a snarl. Though as the troll raised his arm, the rest of company ran out of the bushes, lead by Thorin, they were armed and prepared to fight unlike the trolls who were still wondering when their tea would be ready. Laughing, the troll holding the startled Halfling threw him towards the dwarf. As he clambered off him, Bilbo pulled Kili up.

"Kili, the girl." He breathed, bending over as he had a sharp stitch in his side. Kili gave him a questioning look before slicing one of the troll's legs. Bilbo merely pointed as he ran to grab a knife that had fallen from one of the troll's pouches. Kili turned and looked at the shadowed figure sat, watching in awe and disbelief. Nodding at the hobbit who looked at him from afar, he dodged out the way of an approaching foot. Noticing his brother nearby, he shouted to him and pointed as he ran back into the battle. Fili turned and noticed the figure before running over to untie her. Quickly cutting off her gag, she muttered a thank you as she slipped it over her head, though before he could cut her from the sack; a cry was heard throughout the scene.

"Bilbo!" Kili screamed as the whole action came to a standstill. Everyone else's eyes were on the helpless hobbit who was held by the trolls. Smirking, they stretched his arms out, dangling their precious burglar in front of them. Thorin was the first to notice as the grip on his sword loosened slowly.

"Lay down your arms." One of them sneered as Bilbo stared at everyone terrified. He looked over at the female; her face unclear to see with Fili knelt in front of her. Both had frozen as they watched him. "Or we'll rip his off." The troll continued, weakening the group. Slowly, they placed their weapons down with a clang as they were shoved into sacks like the female had been. Due to their number, the trolls chose a certain number to be attached to the spinner as they watched the fire, desperate to avoid it. The others were thrown into a pile with the female who sat looking at them in disbelief. Watching their spinning friends, they grumbled, bumping into each other as they squirmed.

"How did you get here?" Kili hissed to the female who like Thorin, remained still. She'd heard him clearly but didn't bother to reply as she watched the approaching trolls. They laughed at her face, harshly placing another strip of fabric across her small face. She jerked and squirmed but to no avail, they'd still managed to tie it tightly.

"Oi pretty boy, quit talking to our dessert, we don't want her ruined!" They cackled as they harshly poked the girl. The girl stared back unable to reply, while the dwarfs shot daggers at them. One, who'd been spinning, poked Fili roughly as he stared at it in bewilderment.

"Didn't think you'd be able to save the damsel, did ya?" He sneered at him, continuing to spin the handle.

"She's no damsel, she cut my fingers!" The bandaged handed one sneered as the girl stared, bored at their conversation. "May as well eat her now and the rest of them…" He smirked, making his way towards the pile. Ignoring, the sudden shouts of the dwarfs and their ponies.

"Wait!" Bilbo shouted, catching the attention of everyone. "You are making a terrible mistake." He continued. Ereona rolled her eyes, of course they were, and getting eaten by trolls wasn't exactly at the top of her to do list. "I meant with the uh- with the seasoning." One of them looked at him as he said this and approached him, obviously interested.

"What abou' the seasoning?" He said crouching down closer to the hobbit.

"Well have you smelt them?" Bilbo reasoned with them, not entirely sure what to say. It seemed to working though as the trolls gave a small sniff of Bofur and pulled away. "You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." He said now fully standing. Everyone stared at him, how could he just offend them so? Many of the others started shouting back at him; while the she-dwarf watched not exactly sure what was up this creature's sleeves.

"What do you know about cooking?" The troll controlling the spinner snarled, bearing his chipped, yellow teeth. Though the other edged closer to him as though beckoning for more.

"Shut up; let the uh- flurgeburberer-hobbit talk." Bilbo sent a relieved smile before hopping around in his sack obviously thinking of something off the top off his head. As the troll hurried him, he sent nervous glances to the pile he had once belonged in.

"To skin them first!" He cried out as though it was the right thing to say. Though the trolls, well one of them believed them as they requested a filleting knife. Picking out of the pile in sacks, one picked up Bombur who shook madly with fear.

"No! Not that one!" Bilbo shouted, noticing the tears starting to form on Bombur's chubby face. The trolls looked at him curiously. "He's infected, they all are, they've got worms in their…tubes. They infected with parasites, I wouldn't risk it if I were you." In disgust, the troll dropped Bombur who landed rather awkwardly on the pile before the others realised what the hobbit had said.

"Parasites? Did he say parasites?" Someone shouted.

"Yeah, we don't have parasites. You have parasites." Kili replied rather childishly.

"What are you talking about, laddie?"

With sudden realisation Ereona looked at the Hobbit who rolled his eyes discreetly as the mumbles died down.

"mm mave morms, moads!" She struggled to shout against the rough material against her teeth. The trolls, as well as the dwarves all stared at her. Kili slightly shuffling away as she nodded vigorously. The Halfling smirked as he watched the trolls stared at the girl, probably rethinking their capture. With a swift kick from Thorin, Kili suddenly realised and he too started shouted, followed by the others who made up rather awful excuses. The trolls looked at each other and then to the hobbit who stood gingerly in front of them.

"We're riddled!"

"Middled!"

"I've got the most worms! I have!"

"They're crawling through my beard as we speak!"

"Mo mi mave me most!"

The trolls grunted as they stared in disbelief as they looked around at all of the dwarves. Looking at Bilbo who shuffled clumsily in his rotten sack, obviously rather pleased with the result of this plan.

"What would you have us do then? Let 'em all go?" One roared looking around at what would have been his dinner. Ereona looked rather relieved at this decision as she started nodding, hoping she'd be able to be freed.

"You cost Will two fingers, you do!" He said pointing to the troll who had a bandage on his dirty hand. She shrugged and leant back, not entirely caring. The dwarfs looked at her then looked at the trolls who had circled Bilbo again.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools." One of them snarled glaring down at him, attempting to grab him as the poor hobbit took several steps away. In the distance, he noticed the sun rising but kept his eyes on the beasts.

"Ferret?" He spluttered looking at him offended. Before the trolls could answer, the silhouette of a certain wizard appeared stood upon a large rock. Behind it the sun started to rise as everyone stared back at the grey pilgrim.

"The dawn will take you all." Was all he had to say before he threw his staff down onto the rock, causing it to split into exposing the sunlight. Soon enough, the grey wrinkled skin of the trolls had hardened and within seconds they had become nothing more than statues. There were cheers of delight and sighs of relief as the wizard helped his companions, who then helped each other. Fili approached the female who had been missed out due to her unfamiliar appearance and carried on cutting her. She smiled slightly back at him as she ripped the entire sack. After tapping one of the statues with his staff, Gandalf made his way over to the girl. Bilbo straightened up from where his small body had been crumpled and looked at the girl who was now able to stand up. As the sun had spread through the clearing, he was able to look upon the stranger. She was a dwarf, there was no doubt about that, she had long matted hair that'd been tied into plaits. Though blonde, the hobbit could see the scarlet blood drastically dirtying it. With her back faced away, he noticed she'd been wearing men's clothing. Trying not to look at her too much, he noticed how skinny she looked and pale. She was weak.

"Now, who are you my dear?" Gandalf said leaning on his staff staring down at the she-dwarf. As she managed to reclaim her weapons and baggage, she walked towards him and curtsied which proved rather difficult without a dress. Clumsily, stumbling she regained her balance before looking up at him, biting the inside of her now red, raw cheeks, she didn't look as though she wanted to answer. The dwarfs, now together with their weapons edged closer to her. Though the wizard simply kneeled in front of her, noticing the ragged scar below one of her eyes and dirtied face, he could see she must have been in shock.

"How may I ask, did you find yourself in the path of three mountain trolls?" He asked her curiously, trying to get her to speak. She did not but stared back fumbling with her red fingers.

"That-" Thorin said, being the only one who had not approached the girl. "Is something we can discuss at camp." He finished before turning on his heel and walking back through the bushes. Reluctantly, the others followed, still fixing their eyes on the she-dwarf, who walked next to Bofur. Bilbo smiled, he was always one of the friendliest. Before approaching the woods, he stared back at Gandalf, who had a stern yet confused expression on his face.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please rate and review, I'd be happy for any ideas!