Chapter 3

Violet skipped into the campsite with a pail of berries swinging from one hand. She stopped short. Kel'nar was crouching in front of her brother, and his face looked serious. She licked her dry lips.

Mum emerged from the path behind her. "Just put the berries …" Her voice trailed off.

But Kel'nar got to his feet and clapped Zaknafein on the shoulder. "Thank you for telling me that, Zak," Violet heard him say quietly.

Kel'nar turned toward them. "Zaknafein saw what may have been a baby troll," he said. "From his description, I'm fairly certain it was."

Violet's eyes widened.

"I want you all to get your weapons," Kel'nar went on.

Mum moved toward the wagon immediately.

"What?" Zaknafein's eyebrows shot up. "Kel'nar, you said you'd only kill it if it was necessary!" His arms were stiff at his sides, hands clenched into fists.

Kel'nar held out one hand, palm toward her brother. "Easy, Zak. I'm not planning to kill it. But if there's a small one, then chances are there'll be full-sized ones around too, and that's a risk I won't take when I have all of you to think of. Put on your weapons just in case. Then we're moving camp."

Violet hurried to the wagon and accepted the hunting knife Mum handed her. "Where are we going to camp next, Kel'nar?"

Her father glanced toward a misty area in the distance. "Somewhere farther from the moors, if trolls are venturing out this far."

Mum handed Zak his practice scimitars and weapon belt.

"But these aren't even sharp." Zak frowned as he buckled them on. "We just brought them to practice with."

Mum nodded as she slung her quiver and bow across her back. "At least it'll be something to stave 'em off with if it comes to that. Just swing 'em hard if you have to. And you already have your knife."

Zak's eyes were wide. He nodded.

Kel'nar's movements were sure and steady as he adjusted the weapon belt he already wore and made sure his scimitars slid freely in their sheaths. They always did. He widened his stance and hooked his thumbs behind his weapon belt. "If trolls enter the clearing," he said, looking at Zaknafein and Violet, "I want you two to hide under the wagon. Mum will shoot if there's enough room. If there isn't, I'll fight them with my scimitars." He glanced at Mum. "And Mum has her short sword too."

Mum nodded, buckling it on next.

Kel'nar turned back to Zak and Violet. "You get to safety and only use your weapons as a last resort. You haven't had enough training to attack, and to try to could be deadly." His eyes seemed to burn into theirs. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe, but you must promise to keep out of danger."

Violet swallowed hard. She and Zaknafein both nodded.

Then Kel'nar relaxed his stance a bit. "We'll pack up now, but don't worry. The weapons are just a precaution. We probably won't even see any trolls."

Mum nodded. "Let's pack up the shelter."

Just then, a bleating cry echoed through the forest, and a startled group of crows took flight. Something was crashing through the bushes. Something big.

Kel'nar pulled the panther statuette from his belt pouch and motioned with one hand. "Behind me! Under the wagon!" He set the figurine on the ground.

Zak and Violet dove for cover, and Mum nocked an arrow, quickstepping back.

Kel'nar drew his scimitars.

Three huge trolls came howling into the clearing. All were head and shoulders taller than Kel'nar and Mum. One had rippling gray muscles and a wrinkly face. The second had a combination of smooth and bumpy skin like a cucumber. The third was so fat that it waddled from side to side, and its grayish-green stomach protruded like a sack of grain.

"Come, Guenhwyvar."

Violet wondered how her father's voice could sound so calm.

He raised his scimitars. "Get out of here!"

Either the trolls didn't understand, or they didn't listen. They'd stopped short, but now they charged.

Guenhwyvar materialized and pounced into the chest of Cucumber Skin.

Mum shot arrow after arrow at Fat Paunch. One arrow hit its chest, but the other bounced off of its stone-hard forehead.

Wrinkle Face lunged at Kel'nar.

Kel'nar's scimitars weaved and cut, dark slashes appearing on the troll's neck and arms. Black ooze bubbled out.

Wrinkle Face roared and swept out a brawny arm.

Twinkle flashed out with a mighty chop, and the arm flopped to the ground.

Beside Violet, Zak shuddered.

Violet stared with wide eyes.

Fat Paunch ripped the arrow out of its chest and snapped it in two, then threw it aside.

Mum backed up and shot again, but the arrow went wide. She set a fourth arrow to the string and sucked in a deep breath. The troll charged, and she let the arrow fly as she exhaled.

Fat Paunch lurched backward. The fourth arrow had hit its eye.

Guenhwyvar weighed as much as a troll or more, and she knocked Cucumber Skin to the ground. Her claws shredded the troll's skin, and her powerful jaws clamped down on its neck.

Violet cringed and looked back at Kel'nar's fight.

Wrinkle Face didn't seem too affected by the lost arm. He crouched low and tried to grab Kel'nar's legs and trip him.

Kel'nar stumbled as he jumped back. He shouted something in drow that Violet had never heard before, but he quickly had his footing under him again.

Wrinkle Face howled and smashed down a huge fist, but Kel'nar dodged.

The troll turned, but Kel'nar was faster, already behind it now. Icingdeath gave a mighty chop to the back of the troll's neck, and its head joined its arm on the ground.

Kel'nar straightened up slowly, his breath coming hard. Black ooze dripped from both scimitars in viscous, sickening strings.

All three trolls lay motionless on the ground.

"Thank Mielikki," Violet heard Kel'nar say.

Mum looked over at him and smiled a shaky smile. "We need a fire," she said. "A big one."

Violet and Zak clambered out from under the wagon.

"You were amazing!" Violet exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. "Both of you! Guenhwyvar too! I want to be able to fight like that someday!"

Kel'nar wiped his scimitars on the grass and chuckled. "Like which of us? Guen?" His eyes twinkled.

"Kel'nar!" Violet protested. "I mean like you and Mum." She turned. "Wasn't that amazing, Zak?"

Zaknafein stood frozen in place, and his face looked pale. He was staring off behind her.

Violet turned, following his gaze. The little troll was at the edge of the clearing.