Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OC and any quotes from the movie do not belong to me.
Author note: Thank you all for the lovely reviews and support for this story. I shall update soon. As always, enjoy ^_^
Chapter 6: Dinner
Phera awoke from her nap to find the campsite abandoned, the bowls of stew tossed carelessly aside on the ground. Grabbing a large stick, she frantically searched the parameter of the camp looking for signs of which way they went. She spotted patches of destroyed branches and twigs leading away from the camp where Fili and Kili were supposed to be with the ponies. Tightening her grip on the bit of wood, she followed the path, hoping over small logs, and stumbling over the uneven terrain. The further into the woods she went, the dim orange light grew brighter, and a chorus of disgruntled voices grew louder.
What the fuck are those?!
Her eyes grew wide with a panic as Phera looked around. The large, hideous creatures were crouched around a fire, with a handful of dwarves being turned about on a large log. Tears begin to swell in her eyes as the dwarves cried out in pain and fear each time their bodies hung over the flames. Phera pulled her eyes from the fire and searched for the others, hoping that they had not already been…eaten.
"Fuck…" she cursed, spotting the rest of the dwarves. They were too close to one of the trolls to even attempt to sneak over and untie them. Think Phera, Think! She willed herself. The frantic woman examined the area around her, nothing but sticks and rocks. There was nothing with in arms reach that could possibly be used as a weapon and Phera herself did not carry anything. Having giving up the search, Phera dodged behind a large log, trying to get a better look, then she saw it, at the very edge of the clearing a gleam of mental. The dwarven weapons were tossed in a pile, the closest weapon to her was Kili's bow. However, she could not risk sticking her neck out that far, so using the branch she picked up earlier, she began to make a reach for the bow.
At first, the company had the advantage by having outnumbered their foes, battling the three trolls that threaten to eat their ponies, and kidnapped burglar. However, though their attempt was brave the trolls had gotten a hold of poor Bilbo, threatening to pop his little legs and arms off his small body. The company reluctantly threw down their weapons and were forcefully bound and thrown into a dwarf pile to await 'dinner time'. Their defeated leader looked up and cursed under his breath as the three filthy trolls continued to tie his kin on a giant log and eventually raised them over a raging fire. He cursed again, slamming his eyes shut, I have failed…failed everyone!
His eyes shifted over to his two nephews, both where tied like himself in soiled burlap sacks. Kili had been thrown next to him and had been trying to shimmy out of his sack. And, Fili who was on the ground face down, was trying to sit upright.
After a few moments, Fili finally was able squirm into a comfortable position, his light sky blue eyes scanning the tree line. Fili had hope that the great wizard had heard their struggle and was coming to their rescue.
"No…" Light blue met muddy brown, Phera had come. Fili became anxious, as his gaze stopped and focused on a rather large rotted log.
Thorin saw how Fili's intense glaze fell, his brows knitted together, his expression full of worry. He followed his nephew's gaze and almost…almost let out a sigh of relief. The woman was there hiding behind the large log, she was crouching, her hands gripping what looked like a good sized branch. He looked at her quizzically, what on middle earth is she doing here? Thorin struggled to sit up, he could not see over Kili's head. Phera kept a steady look towards the trolls and every so often she would lean out of her hiding space and stretch her arm out, then curse under her breath, and retracted back into the shadows. What…NO! You foolish woman! He mentally screamed at her. Phera again started to scrape at ground, she had been trying to make a reach for Kili's bow. Thorin struggled to get her attention, he tried to wiggle a hand free, but Kili's body weight would not allow him too. He could only watch Phera's futile attempts, his breath caught in his throat whenever she made a loud noise, causing the trolls to stop and look around.
Phera began to panic, she tried and tried, but with every attempt the bow appeared to only get farther away. Fuck! Her last try only pushed the bow an inch further from her reach. She was utterly useless.
"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." The hobbit had gotten on his feet and hopped over to the large troll. Phera held her breath as she saw her friend so tiny next to the massive troll.
What is he doing?! Phera lifted her head a bit higher over the log to get a better view of Bilbo, she noticed his eyes dodging back and forth from the troll to the edge of clearing. What is he staring at?
Bilbo continued to converse with the trolls, something about seasoning and skins? That was all Phera could pick up over the pounding of her own heart as she continued to look for a longer stick. If Bilbo can do something…then so can I. Somehow even if she believed it herself, behind what little courage she had, Phera felt doubt.
"Not that one, he-he's infected!" Bilbo's cry caught her attention. Poor Bombur was hanging by his feet as one of the trolls dangled him over his wide open mouth. Phera let out a short gasp, turning back to her task, she batted away the tears, tossing leaves and such away.
Ori… Phera had found Ori's sling shot tossed aside on the forest floor, it was not a lethal weapon in her hands, but it will have to do. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a handful of pebbles, carefully positioned herself behind a large log opposite from the company, took her aim, she pulled back, and with a shaking hand released. As the pebble left her hand, Phera squezzed her eyes shut and prayed that it hit one of the trolls.
The troll dropped Bombur on kili and thorin, yelling in pain; something had struck his beady eye.
"MY EYE!" The troll brought his hands to his face and backed into another.
"We missed one!" roared another troll. "Find 'em!"
Quick on her feet, Phera had already moved to a different position, and readied another pebble. Two of the trolls were distracted looking around, while one stood in front of Bilbo and the dwarves. Breath, steady woman don't fuck it up… Taking the shot Phera let the pebble loose, it hit the large troll on the back of his head. With a roar he whipped around and stomped towards Phera's hiding spot.
As all three trolls back were turned Bilbo quickly turned around and tried to help Fili with his knots. The hobbit was utterly confused, he thought he saw Gandalf, but why did he not use his magic or sword to save them? As he began to untie Balin's sack, the thought struck him, Oh dear, no no no no, she- no.
"Phera!" Thorin screamed, one of the trolls charged at the log turning it into splinters. The woman was alive but shaken as she just barely escaped and hid behind a large boulder. The largest troll growled in frustration and charged at another log that lay near Phera, whom was trembling. However, she readied another pebble and aimed it at the largest troll, and shot it as his large nose.
"GRAHHH!" The large troll now infuriated charged towards Phera. She managed to dodge the large club of a fist and rolled out into the clearing. The large troll laughed as he took two wide steps towards her, his hand reaching out to strangle her. The once brave woman, was too scared to move, with her mouth a gape Phera just sat there, motionless. The sounds of the company urging to her to move never reached her ears, nor did she see Thorin jumping to his feet and running towards her. All she could focus on was the huge, smelly, furious troll that had her clenched in his fist and squeezing all the air from her tiny lungs.
Author Note: I know it's a cliffhanger…and I'm sorry but it must be done.
FanFicGirl10: oh you have no idea how jelly he is, but we'll find out soon just why he is.
gogo2625: thank you lol