- Chapter 15 -

She kept to herself the rest of the evening, silently fuming over her new nickname. She pulled her hair around her shoulder and yanked the tie out, only to run her fingers through the locks and then braid it again.

She looked around the campsite; her eyes watched Bilbo as he carefully balanced two wooden bowls in his hands, disappearing into the trees. She stretched her legs out in front of her, desperately wanting to take off her boots and stretch her toes. She hated the fact Gandalf was gone. Why did Thorin have to be so disgruntled by the thought of going to Rivendell? She had allowed herself to hope, if only briefly, that she would get to go back home and had even been excited about the possibility until Thorin shot it down in one fell swoop.

She pealed her eyes away from the camp before her and turned to look at the stars. It was when she had just started to drift off that Fili came crashing through the camp, shouting something about Bilbo and trolls.

On her feet in an instant, she snatched her bow from the ground. With surprising quickness, the dwarves were just as quick to react as Fili's words reached their ears.

"Show us the way," Thorin snapped as he stepped forwards. He turned to her suddenly, eyes narrowed into slits as he took in her bow. "Do you know how to use that thing?"

"I'm not the one you need to worry about," she snapped as her expression mirrored his. Gandalf was not here to tell her to keep her tongue in check, so she didn't even hesitate. He recoiled slightly at her words, almost looking insulted at her insinuation that his company couldn't take care of themselves, but there was no time to argue.

She had good eyesight, perhaps better than the dwarves, and easily maneuvered her way through the thick brush, silently wishing Gandalf had come back. While she could still hear her own breathing and light footsteps, the dwarves were even louder as they ran through the trees. She kept to the back, her heart racing with a sudden pulse of adrenaline. She'd read about trolls but had never seen one in person, nor did she know what to expect when they came across the light ahead, clearly indicating that was where Fili was leading them to. Desperate cries came from the ponies the trolls had taken and her heart lurched at the awful sound.

She wanted desperately to turn back and run the other way, knowing she was not prepared for what she was about to see when they broke through the clearing. Any sensible person would have assessed the situation first, and they might have even developed a plan of sorts on how to get Bilbo back safe and sound.

But, were the dwarves sensible? Nope.

Did they have a plan of action? Nope.

Did they burst through the clearing, weapons blazing, shouting curses at the top of their lungs as they charged full speed ahead? Yep.

She hunkered back, eyes scanning the scene before her with horror. Battle cries went up and swords and axes were brandished, swinging at the three huge, monstrous trolls.

She had no idea what to do first but when she spotted Bilbo between the flying dwarves and angry trolls, she dashed back into the trees and raced through more brush to get to the other side of the clearing to the hobbit. When she jumped out of the trees he gave a startled yell, falling backwards on the ground. She scrambled to help him up, shooting him an apologetic look.

"The ponies! We have to free the ponies!" Bilbo cried, and she looked at the makeshift pen the trolls set up. The ponies were the least of their problems but Bilbo's frantic cries were enough to swing her into action. Shoving the makeshift knife the trolls had obviously designed that Bilbo was trying to brandish aside, she drew her sword and easily cut through the frayed ropes.

"Stand back!" she told him, giving him a not so gentle push as the logs fell to the ground in a heap, nearly missing his bare toes.

The ponies were quick to discover their new freedom and bolted just as she jumped out of the way.

"We have to get out of here!" she cried to him but he gestured to the scene before them.

It was complete chaos.

Dwarves dashed here and there, jumping so much higher than she would have expected them to be capable of. They swung their swords and axes at the arms and legs of the trolls, making them scream in anger. She contemplated knocking an arrow to her bow before her hand gripped the hilt of her long blade.

"Bilbo, hide!" she said as a troll turned his attention to the two of them. "Run!"

They were sitting ducks and had lingered too long. Seeing the ponies gone, the largest troll let out a loud cry, rattling her insides to the core as he took one giant step towards them. Shyloh gripped her sword while shoving the hobbit backwards. He seemed rooted to the spot and she desperately tried to get him into the trees where she hoped he would at least get behind shelter.

Her attention lacked just the slightest as she gave Bilbo another heavy push and the troll took advantage. Before she even knew what was happening, a massive hand slammed into her front side, sending her airborne. She recalled the awful sensation of her accident years ago when the truck went airborne before rolling down the embankment for only a moment before her back slammed into the side of the tree, knocking the air from her lungs. More shouts and cries echoed in her ears as her head snapped back and she fell to the ground in a heap. Her sword landed just a few feet from her but clearly out of her grasp as she gasped for air.

Through her dotted vision, she saw Bombur go sailing across the clearing as if he weighed absolutely nothing. Before the troll could snatch her, she twisted herself around the trunk of the tree just in time, his large and unruly hands grabbing only a handful of dirt. She jumped to her feet despite her chest and back screaming with pain, and snatched up her blade. When the troll swung his hand towards her again, she swung it will all her might at his fat, grubby little fingers. When she felt the blade make contact, the troll let out a scream loud enough to make her eardrums hurt.

"You filthy little rabbit!" he cried between roars but suddenly the troll turned its attention elsewhere.

"Bilbo! Watch out!" she screamed but the hobbit wasn't fast enough.

In one fell swoop the trolls massive hand snatched Bilbo off the ground and each of his limbs were stretched out to his sides.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off!" the biggest troll said.

"Aw damn!" she hissed.

The company could hardly believe their eyes. Thorin's eyes narrowed, his angry eyes searching the hobbits face as if he were contemplating whether or not he should listen to the trolls. Then, as if his conscience kicked in, Thorin was the first to lay down his sword. Grudgingly the other dwarves followed suit, except Shyloh. Still hidden behind the tree, she made her escape quietly into the darkness of the trees but not so far away that she couldn't still keep an eye on the dwarves. She watched as each dwarf and Bilbo were mercilessly stuffed into sacks and tied around the necks with a thick rope, then tossed into a pile. Some of the dwarves were stripped of their outer garments and ended up being tied on a spit over the fire; rotisserie style. It would have been funny, except for the fact the trolls were adding logs to the fire and she rubbed her hand over her face, contemplating what to do next.

"Why are we botherin' cookin' 'em? Let's just sit on 'em, and squash 'em into jelly." said the third troll.

"They should be sauteed, with a sprinkle of sage," the second one argued.

"Hey," one troll said suddenly as he turned the dwarves over the fire slowly. "Aren't we missin' one?"

The other two trolls looked around confused.

"What you mean we're missin' one?" the third troll asked.

"I mean the perty one with the white 'air."

Shyloh froze, her insides running cold. She should have known it would be too easy to just slip away unnoticed and she crouched down behind the bushes.

"I on'y seen this white one," said the second troll as he shoved a hand towards Balin, who was currently tied up in a sack.

"No," the first troll said. "There was a perty one too with the flurburobbit."

"We ain't got time for seasonings or to go lookin.' Dawn ain't far away, I don't fancy bein' turned to stone," the second troll said.

"Stop, stop, you are making a terrible mistake!" came Bilbo's voice from the pile on the ground, and slowly he stood on his two little shaking legs.

Shyloh crept around the edge of the treeline, always staying out of the line of sight of the trolls. She didn't know how good of eyesight they had in the dark so she pulled her hood up to cover her hair, hoping it would help her blend in a little better with her surroundings. She came to crouch just behind the dwarves on the ground. Thorin was closest to her and he was surveying the scene before him with a troubled frown upon his face.

She knocked an arrow to her bow and slowly drew it back as quietly as she could. Thorin's head tilted a tiny bit to the side in her direction while Bilbo had the trolls attention. He knew she was there, waiting, even if he couldn't see her. He heard the familiar creak of a bow being drawn and his lips formed a thin line. He nodded his head just the slightest so only she would see. But suddenly, one of the trolls picked Bombur up off the ground by his feet, dangling him over his mouth as if he were going to take a bite out of him right then and there.

She couldn't take the shot now, not with Bombur in the way. But whatever Bilbo had said made the troll fling the fat dwarf back on top of his companions on the ground. He landed with a loud 'oompf!' and Shyloh winced. Bombur was not a small dwarf by any means, unlike his kin he landed on. She adjusted her stance, preparing herself if the trolls happened to make another reach for one of the dwarves. They did, and the largest one stretched his hand out towards Bilbo, who almost fell backwards. She took her chances and aimed straight for the trolls eye. She knew their skin was tough, and that if she hit it in the shoulder or chest that it wouldn't do too much damage. But, if she shot it in the eye or perhaps even in the mouth, she might be able to maim it enough, and then she could go for the other two if she had a chance.

Sunk!

The arrow hit its target straight on and with a loud roar that made her eardrums hurt, the largest troll stumbled backwards. He rammed right into the troll behind him and toppled over, causing the pot of stew they'd been cooking prior to the dwarves interruption to crash to the ground, spilling its contents all over and dousing the fire in its wake. With a flurry of smoke, the fire died, making the dwarves above it to cough and sputter.

"The dawn will take you all!" a voice cried and a loud crack split the air. The bright, morning light illuminated the trolls campsite, and with roars of anger and pain, the trolls turned to stone before their very eyes.

It took everyone in the camp only a moment to grasp what had happened and happy shouts and cheers came from the dwarves. Shyloh stood and looked up at the figure before them on the rocky ledge that had been split in half. A tall figure with a pointy hat was silhouetted against the morning sun and she smiled.

Gandalf had come at last.

Slowly but surely the company of dwarves were released from their sacks or cut loose from the spit but Shyloh wasn't as eager to release them as she probably should have been aside from perhaps Bilbo. The hobbit looked up at her with wide eyes as she untied the rope around his neck and gave her a grateful smile once he was able to peel himself out of it. He straightened and brushed himself off, then walked to look at the troll with the arrow sticking out of its eye. It was a perfect shot and now it would be forever embedded into the stony statue.

Gandalf came to stand by Bilbo, and also took to admiring the arrow shaft that stuck out from the middle of the trolls left eye. He gave a satisfied nod before turning to Thorin.

"Nasty business," the wizard said and then added a little more cheerfully, "Still, they're all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar," Thorin said, giving the wizard a look out of the corner of his eye.

"He had the knowledge to play for time," Gandalf reminded him. "None of the rest of you thought of that."

"And your elf? She ran from the fight and then hid."

Shyloh heard him from across the campsite as she helped untie Ori's legs and she gave him a hard glare. Thorin must have felt it, because his face sobered as he met her stare.

"She did exactly as I would have done. Not to mention she saved Bilbo's life. If she hadn't made the shot, the troll would have killed Bilbo before I could have stopped him," said Gandalf with a pointed look. Thorin pressed his lips together and gave a small nod, knowing the wizard was right. She knew the dwarf was just trying to find ways to point out she'd screwed up, but she hadn't and a smug smile played at the corners of her mouth.

"Gather your things, and spread out," Thorin said to the company. "There is a troll cave nearby, and we will find it."

"Troll caves are foul places," Gloin said with an obvious shudder. "We should get the ponies and leave."

"We will find the hoard," Thorin said firmly, and without another word they spread out and searched the face of the rock cliff that towered upwards at the edge of the wood.

It didn't take them long to find it, and the only reason was because of the smell that drifted out from the opening. She made a face at the stench and stepped back from the opening but she wasn't the only one. None of the dwarves seemed keen on going inside but Gandalf stepped forward carefully, Thorin right behind him.

They slowly walked into the cave, lighting torches as they went but Shyloh had no interest in entering. Gloin, Dwalin, and a couple others were brave enough to follow while the rest of the company spread out on the rocks away from the opening and stench, and waited. She checked over her gear while she sat and Bilbo came to sit next to her, eyeing her bow curiously.

"That was quite the shot you took earlier," he said slowly. "I never did get the chance to thank you."

She offered him a small smile. "I heard what you said to the trolls while you were stalling for time. Very clever of you."

He smiled sheepishly and opened his mouth to say something else but the others were coming out of the cave just then. From the looks of it, both Gandalf and Thorin were sporting new swords but Gandalf held a much shorter blade in his hand as well. He called Bilbo over and the little hobbit did as he was asked.

She was just shouldering her quiver when a shout erupted from the trees behind them. In seconds the company was on high alert, their blades drawn and they scampered down the rocky embankment into the trees.

"Stick together!" Gandalf cried as he followed the company.

Shyloh trailed after them, her bow in hand. What ever she had been mentally prepared for, it wasn't what she saw next. Jumping out of the brush weren't orcs or more trolls, but instead, the largest rabbits she'd ever seen in her life. She jumped back out of the way as the massive bunnies came to a sliding stop before them. But the rabbits probably weren't the strangest thing about the entire scenario. Behind the rabbits, was a long wooden sled that instantly reminded her of something an Iditarod racer might use in Alaska for dog sledding, except, the funny looking man was anything but a musher.

Dressed in ragged brown robes and a heavy flat topped hat with side flaps, his long scraggly beard whipped about his face as he spun his head frantically from side to side, taking in all of the dwarves individually with wide brown eyes.

"Radagast!" cried Gandalf as he stepped forwards quickly. "Radagast the Brown. What on earth are you doing here?"

The man named Radagast spun around and Shyloh almost recoiled a little when she caught sight of the right side of his face. Chunky looking white mud drooped down his forehead from under his hat. It looked to be caked into his hair and she couldn't grasp what exactly it was. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before he sought out Gandalf.

"I was looking for you Gandalf. Something is wrong! Something is terribly wrong!" the wizard cried.

Gandalf raised his eyebrows, expecting Radagast to continue but the brown wizard just looked around confused.

"Yes?" Gandalf pressed. "What is it?"

"Oh! I had a thought and now I lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tongue."

Shyloh frowned warily at the wizard but it was obvious she wasn't the only one. The dwarves were clearly not impressed by this new wizard and shuffled away one by one as if to get away from him and his gigantic rabbits, who had taken to scratching themselves or rubbing their front paws over their ears. Some had even stretched out on the ground, their long legs splayed out behind them like they were dogs.

"Oh!" Radagast breathed, his eyes growing wide. "It's not a 'hout 'hat 'hall."

He stuck his tongue out and Gandalf leaned forwards. With two of his fingers, and much to Shyloh's disgust, Gandalf reached out and pulled something off of the tip of Radagasts tongue. It was thin shaped, and its legs twisted as it struggled.

"It's just a little...stick insect." Radagast smiled then and Shyloh shuddered. She hated bugs, and couldn't fathom how one had ended up in his mouth without his knowledge.

Gandalf handed the insect to Radagast who put it on the top of his hat and she shook her head slowly. Clearly this wizard was slightly mad.

Radagast's eyes looked around the small clearing then and his gaze fell on her again. He stared at her for so long that not only did she grow immensely uncomfortable, but Gandalf had to snap him out of his trance.

"So it's true..." the wizard said quietly at long last.

"Er, I believe you had something you wanted to tell me? You made it seem like it was rather urgent," Gandalf said, breaking the wizard once and for all out of his own thoughts. He shot Shyloh a warning look so she snapped her mouth shut and retreated with the dwarves. This was wizards business after all, and it didn't include them.

To give themselves more privacy, Gandalf and Radagast moved off a ways from the company so they could talk. While the dwarves took to minding their own affairs by checking their weapons and supplies, Bilbo cast Shyloh a worried look and then glanced at the wizards, then back at her. He looked like he was about to say something but before he could, a howl split the air and all the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood up straight.

"Is that a wolf? Are there wolves around here?" Bilbo asked frantically as he spun his little head around to look about their company. The dwarves were on their feet in an instant, looking just as alarmed as she felt.

"Wolves? No that is no wolf!" said Bofur, his eyes widening.

The snarling came first and then a small shower of rocks came down the hillside above them. The monstrous creature had a horrible resemblance to an over sized wolf that was suffering from rabies. Its long snarling snout showed a nice array of sharp pointy teeth, and the sound that came out of its throat was unlike any she'd ever heard before.

Within seconds of spotting them, it crouched down like a tiger and leaped towards them like a spring, scaling down the hillside in a shower of dirt and rocks. Instinctively she knocked an arrow, surprising herself with her own quickness, and shot the beast straight in the chest. It stumbled as it went a few steps before another arrow was shot, taken by none other than Kili himself.

The beast fell to the ground and for good measure, Thorin's new blade slashed down on its neck. More howls rang in the distance, echoing through the trees and sending a violent shiver up her spine.

"Wag scout," Thorin announced as he drew his blade out of the beasts neck. "Which means an orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo said, his eyes wide with fear.

"Who did you tell about your quest other than your kin?" demanded Gandalf, taking a few strides towards Thorin as he spoke.

"No one," stated Thorin but Gandalf's eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Who did you tell!"

"No one, I swear!" cried Thorin firmly. "What in the name of Durin is going on?"

"You're being hunted," Gandalf said, and he looked around at the forest surrounding them frantically as if trying to determine the best route for escape.

"I'll draw them off!" Radagast said, surprising everyone as he launched himself forwards toward his sled.

"These are Gundabad wags," Gandalf argued. "They will out run you!"

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits," Radagast said calmly, pointing behind him towards his sled. "I'd like to see them try."

So they ran.