A surprise encounter with trolls.

Chapter 2: Trollshaws

Bilbo did not know that travelling could be so boring. Nothing interesting ever happened; the only thing that changes was the landscape. Fíli and Kíli seemed to share his point of view as well. Bilbo preferred walking to riding on ponies, he was allergic to them than again most Hobbits were. At least he remembered to bring his handkerchief with him.

The Hobbit listened quietly to the hum of conversation. Dwarrow where not a quiet bunch but they were not being as rambunctious as usual either, being away from the walls of Thorin's Halls in Ered Luin seemed to have made them more cautious.

"I'm bored," whined Kíli for what seemed like the hundredth time. His brother and Bilbo rolled their eyes in exasperation; Kíli would not be pleased unless he made use of his bow and arrow. Whilst Bilbo agree with his brother's sentiments he would rather avoid even a small skirmish. He still did not feel completely comfortable using the sword that Thorin had forged for him, though he would never admit to that, he was trying so hard to prove that he was more than capable of joining them on this journey. He did not want to be sent back home, he was old enough to make his own decisions.

At night fall they camped at a small outcropping, hidden from sight. Most of the Dwarrow were already drifting to sleep. Howling broke the silence causing Bilbo to look around in surprise, not noticing the mischievous looks on his brothers' faces.

"Wargs and Orcs. There will be dozens of them down there, the low lands are crawling with them," said Fíli.

"They'll sneak up on you creak and quiet, without making a sound. Just lots of blood," continued Kíli.

Bilbo's vision whitened and for a moment he felt as though he was once again in that winter, the howling and the screams and when he learnt of his mother's death. He shook his head to clear in and was about to snap something at the young Durins when he heard them snickering. But he could do so Thorin approached them.

"You think that that's funny don't you? You think that a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

"We did not mean anything by it," said Kíli, remorsefully.

Balin then came and retold the battle of Moria.

Ah Moria, Bilbo always felt awed and fearful whenever he was told that story, though his admiration towards his uncle Thorin always increased. A hand on his shoulder made him start from his musings and he saw Thorin, who gestured for him to follow him.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured watching him in concern.

"I'm fine uncle, truly."

"I may have to be you leader and not you uncle on this journey but you come to me if you're struggling."

Bilbo gave him a small grin and nodded. Thorin than embraced him tightly and ordered him to go and get some rest, claiming that it was going to be a long day ahead on the morrow. When Bilbo saw the overly apologetic looks on Fíli's and Kíli's faces, he let go of his previous anger towards them. He snuggled between them and drifted off to sleep, exhausted after a long day travelling.

The weather, the next day was awful and pouring. It rained all morning and the Dwarrow were in a really foul mood. Travelling in the rain made them all miserable and they could not wait to camp beside the warm camp fire and dry off their clocks.

"Master Gandalf, can you do something about this deluge?" said Dori.

"It is raining Master Dwarf. And it will continue to rain until it stops. If you want to change the weather perhaps you should find yourself another wizard."

That caught Bilbo's interest, "are there other great Wizards?" Gandalf than started explaining about the blue wizards, whose names he forgot and the greatest wizard Saruman and he finally mentioned the brown wizard, Radagast.

"Is he a great Wizard," grinned Bilbo, "or is he more like you?" He could hear his brothers snorting in amusement, while Gandalf looked affronted at this and muttered something about him being a great Wizard, in his own way.

"I think you managed to upset our resident Wizard," grinned Kíli, as he threw his arms around him.

The company approached a rundown farm house and Thorin ordered them to set camp here for the night. Bilbo watched as Thorin and Gandalf, walked away whispering furiously to each other. Bilbo was curious and wanted to sneak next to them to listen into what was being said but he was helping the rest of the company unloading the ponies and was about to start helping Bombur with dinner while his brothers had to go and look after the ponies, Thorin's punishment regarding their comments the previous night, though Bilbo would be joining them later. Bilbo's thoughts were interrupted by Gandalf storming away.

"Gandalf?" questioned Bilbo, in surprise, but the Wizard ignored him and the Hobbit looked at Balin in worry and the Dwarf simply gave him a look of exasperation.

It was nightfall and the Wizard still did not make an appearance. Bilbo finished giving all of the Dwarrow their dinner and he could not help but voice his thoughts to Bofur.

"He's a Wizard," laughed the hated Dwarf, "he does what he chooses. Here take this to yer brothers."

With a sigh Bilbo took the two plates and headed off to where Fíli and Kíli were. He handed them their food by they ignored him. Bilbo was about to nudge them when they both turned to look at him with worried eyes.

"What have you done?" asked Bilbo.

They gave him an annoyed look, "what makes you think that we did anything," said the dark haired Durin. He then hesitated and exchanged a look with his brother.

"We were supposed to be looking after the ponies," he said finally.

"Only we encountered a slight problem..." continued his brother.

"We had sixteen..."

"Now there's..fourteen..."

Bilbo let out a groan of frustration and put the dinner aside. Together the three brothers crept forward to where the tree where uprooted. A source of light caught Bilbo's attention and he gestured for the other two to follow him. They heard rumbling and mocking laughter and an awful smell that Bilbo never encountered before.

"What is it?" he questioned in concern.

"Trolls," said Fíli in disgust. Turning to face him the eldest Durin said, "Bilbo go and tell uncle about the trolls. We'll hold them off but we need help."

Bilbo was about to protest, he did not want to leave them here, it was not in his nature to leave them behind. But he saw the urgent look on his eldest brothers face and in spite of his hesitation he turned and left.

Bilbo ran so fast that when he arrived at the camp fire he was completely out of breath. Someone grasped his shoulder and he looked up to see Thorin's concerned gaze.

"Trrrolllls..." he gasped, "Fíli and Kíli are there."

Thorin's gaze hardened, he barked an order in Khûzdul and the other Dwarrow scurried to pick up their weapons.

"Bilbo, you stay here," he ordered, "we'll be back soon."

Bilbo was about to protest again but the look that Thorin gave him silenced any other objections that he might have said. Bilbo watched dejectedly as he watched his companions disappear in the shadows of the trees.

Time passed and no one came. Bilbo was getting impatient. Finally fed up, Bilbo grabbed his sword and followed the trail that the other Dwarrow took.

Thorin did not know how it ended like this, all of them bundled up in sacks while some Dwarrow were about to be roasted alive. When one of the trolls grabbed his youngest nephew he did not hesitate to lower down his sword. He wondered if Bilbo was doing fine and that he was wise enough to stay away.

"We better finish cooking this lot up before sunrise. I don't fancy being turned to stone," said one of the trolls. His companions snorted in agreement. Thorin felt himself getting frustrated. It could not end here, the quest has barely begun.

Then a voice that he dreaded came from the trees.

"Wait you are making a terrible mistake."

Bilbo appeared through the trees looking incredibly calm for someone awfully small facing tree fully grown trolls.

"What are you?" said one of the trolls.

"I'm a spirit of the forest," he said glaring at them, "and you really should be cooking these Dwarrow."

"He's right. Nothing wrong with a bit of raw Dwarf," said another, grabbing Bombur, "nice and crunchy."

Thorin watched as beads of perspiration appeared on Bilbo's brow.

"Not that one he's infected. He's got worms up his tubes. He's infested with parasites, they all are."

Protests rose from every corner as the Dwarrow voiced their anger at what Bilbo said. Thorin however saw what Bilbo was getting to and kicked his companions, silencing them. They turned to look at him and finally understood what was happening. Bilbo was buying them time, till it was sunrise.

They then started shouting about who has the largest parasites while the trolls looked at them in suspicion.

"I know what you're doing," sneered one, "this ferret is taking us for fools."

"Ferret," cried Bilbo in offense.

"The sun will take you all," shouted Gandalf, appearing out of nowhere.

The trolls turned round just as Gandalf broke the stone and the sun rays entered turning them to stone.

Thorin watched as Bilbo collapsed next to him with relief and started to unbound him from the sac.

He really was going to talk to that boy about following orders.