Disclaimer: I own none of Tolkien's work, nor do I make any profit from fanfiction, I do this for fun.

Hello everybody :) I must admit before we go on that I wrote this chapter more for the fun of it than anything else, as well as to give me a bit of time to fully decide what I want to happen in the next chapter. I've been a bit slack with this whole linear storytelling malarkey today (I've already written the last three chapters and the epilouge and I haven't even reached Rivendale yet, priorities are desperately needed I think)

One of my gorgeous new reviewers (though not, obviously, as ravishing as my original reviewers. Sorry new guys, I help manage a pub for a living and know very well that regulars get preferential treatment), river, made a very good point about Kali's longbow that I had hoped no one would notice for a while yet. I won't spoiler my own story but please trust me when I say there is method to my madness which, I hope, will all make sense come the end.

I think that's everything said that needs to be said, so lets get back to the reason we're all here!

A Tale of Dragonfire

The next morning, after an uncomfortable night upon the hill side (Kali for one woke more than once, convinced each time that something or someone would be stood over her), the group sets off again. But the high spirits and jolly nature of the day before are not quick to return, from the very moment the ponies are packed and ready to leave the skies open and fat raindrops fall, soaking everyone to the bone. This continues well into the late afternoon, when they come across an old stone bridge over a swollen river.

Most grumble and complain as their ponies make their nervous way across, hooves sliding as the riders urge the unwilling mounts onwards, but to Kali the rain is friend, a gift from nature to hunters. She tries to explain this to Fili and Kili, whos' moaning has almost deafened her to the sounds of wildlife around them. "If we were granted a chance to hunt for deer we couldn't ask for a better day" she insists. "Rain is forgiving. Most game have sensitive ears and keen noses, but listen now and tell me what you hear" The brothers obey for a few seconds.

"Dori complaining" answers Fili eventually, drawing a smile from Kali's lips.

"Well yes, I will let you have that one, o my uneducated and impertinent prince" she says "but if, Mahal forbid, he were to fall silent for a few moments" this comment earns her a laugh from the brothers and from Gloin, who rides close enough behind them to hear her speak "you would hear nothing that cannot be explained away by rain. It snaps twigs and rustles leaves, it bends branches and creates strange echos. It also, and you would do well to remember this, as you never know when you are being followed, washes away tracks and scent from your path."


You and I know her words are true, we know that not nearly far enough behind them a great pale Orc, who rides astride a white Warg, grinds his terrible teeth and contorts his terrible face with frustration as the pack of evil beasts snort and sniff their way around the wet rock where, earlier this very day, the company had made camp, unable to find a scent trail strong enough to follow.

Azog the Defiler, chiefest and most monstrous of the Gundabad, looks to where the sun had risen earlier, behind the thick clouds. "East" he growls in the hideous dark tongue of the Orcs "if the one we seek is truly Durin - scum then East he is travelling. We will cut through the woods and meet them at the Last Bridge" (which I know, and now you do too, to be the bridge our friends have just crossed). The others seem less than pleased with this order, for already they feel too close to the home of elf - scum and know all too well the bite of their swords and the sting of their arrows, but they also know better than to question Azog when it comes to the dwarf who took his arm.

And, were it not for the hours wasted upon that hillside attempting to track the company, the Warg pack would have most likely have met them there as they tried to cross and our tale would be a much different, shorter, one. But as Kali said before, rain is an unexpected ally and thankfully the Orcs will not come across them until past the Last Bridge, and the Trollshaws beyond, when they find themselves in the presence of friends.


The rain lets off as the light begins to die and the sodden company dismounts near the ruins of an old farmhouse. Fili and Kili are ordered away to tend to the ponies and Kali, with nothing else to do, follows the king and the wizard into the skeleton that remains of the house.

Gandalf stands for a while and stares up at the ruins of the building, and the defensive stance he has taken makes Kali feel uncomfortable and uneasy. "A farmer and his family used to live here" he mutters, eyes narrowed. "I think it would be wiser to move on" there was something in the intensity of his voice that forces her to agree. "We could make for the Hidden Valley" Thorin's face becomes thunderous at the mere suggestion.

Kali, not willing to stand awkwardly on the edge of the argument that is obviously brewing between the two of them, walks away to try and find a place where she might be of some help.

A strong breeze from between the trees brings an unknown and unpleasant aroma to the attention of her keen nose, so awful it is that it makes her gag and sneeze at the same time. She looks around for someone to tell, though in truth she is not sure of what to tell them. Besides, as official hunter of the group, surely the task of 'investigating unexpected and revolting smells' falls to her? Either way, it would give her something to do beside stand around avoiding arguments she has no stake in.

She collects her bow and arrows from her pony and takes a moment to reassure the brothers who watch over them that she will be back soon. Night is falling fast and the two argue that one at least should accompany her, but she knows she will move slower and with less stealth if they do. By the time they give in to her argument she has already lost the light, but she sets off regardless. Once in the woods, Kali is actually quite glad to be away from the other dwarves and amongst the trees, listening to the water drip from the leaves. As much as she finds their company palatable, the noise they make is like nothing she has ever experienced before and she does occasionally miss the silence.

That's another good thing about the rain, she thinks to herself, how it softens the ground, lessening the sounds of her footsteps until not even she can hear them. She moves silently and slowly, feeling almost completely at peace.

The moon rises, a waning full, offering some light even though it is pale and full of unfamiliar shadows. She begins to wonder if perhaps there is nothing to find at all and considers making her way back to the camp before the food is gone when the smell hits her again, completely wiping all thoughts of a meal from her mind. She must be drawing closer now for the stench is nearly overpowering, as though it were physically reaching down her throat and turning her stomach. She crouches back into the dark and, pulling her collar over her mouth and nose to both muffle the sound of her breathing and lessen the smell, makes her way towards the source.

Up in the most shaded place in the forest, under the shadows of the hills and trees, she finds the cave responsible for the noxious aroma (it is so dark and the smell becomes so pungent the closer she gets that it is almost impossible to find the entrance, which could in this light be mistaken for a slightly deeper shadow, and she walks past more than a few times) and while its inhabitants are no where to be found, a few seconds searching by the moonlight turns up three sets of huge, human-like footprints. Kali stares at them for a while, her mind trying to make sense of the information presented to her. Empty farmhouse, hideous smells, giant, humanoid footprints, moves at night...

"Oh" she mutters, following the footprints with her eyes as they head, in a far less roundabout way than she has come, back in the general direction of her camp (you have already guessed what caused those prints and hideous smell, but you are clever and know this story from beginning to inevitable end, whereas to to Kali everything is as new and strange as the first time you heard this tale) "trolls" she has never seen one for herself, but travellers from the North would happily tell you all they know about them in exchange for a pint of ale. Her eyes widened suddenly, as though the weight of what she has found has only just struck her.

She runs, following the tracks that are her only point of reference in the dark, back down the hill, not even bothering to disguise the racket she makes as she crashes through the undergrowth. As she sprints between some trees, which had she been more in control of her senses at the time she would have noticed are bent and buckled as though pushed aside in much the same way you or I might push aside long stalks of grass, she sees a light that she assumes must be her camp.

She charges in and freezes when she finds herself in a camp as she thought, but not the one she wanted. The trolls pause, one of them dangling Gloin over his open mouth, and stare at her. "Stop!" She cries, not really sure of her plan after that.

"Blimey Bert, there's another one" exclaims one of them, nudging the one moments away from consuming the red-headed dwarf. "What're you? Another burglarhobbit?"

"No" she answers, panting from the run "I'm..." she looks to the others for advice on the situation and sees Bilbo willing her on with a pleading look in his eyes "I'm here to stop you from making a terrible mistake" she finds more confidence as the hobbit nods enthusiastically at her. "You mustn't eat that one he's... um... he's..."

"Infected!" Shouts Bilbo, struck with sudden inspiration. The trolls look horrified and Bert drops Gloin back into the writhing pile of dwarves, though Kali seriously doubts that much, if any, of the food they eat is not foul and rotting, judging by the smell from their cave.

"Yes!" She agrees. "I'm a healer and I can confirm that he's ridden with parasites! They all are!"

"Kalliste!" Exclaims Fili with insult in his voice, and a few others voice the same sentiment.

"It's true!" Adds Bilbo, drowning them out, and if the situation weren't so desperate the deeply offended looks on the dwarves faces would have been too much to bear, it takes all her self control not to let out a terrified giggle as it is "they've got worms in their... tubes. Terrible business. I mean, I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't"

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili shouts, struggling against the bag that has been tied around him. A swift kick from Thorin and they all quickly change their tune, however.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm!" Gloin exclaims

"Mine are the biggest parasites! I've got huge parasites!" Kali has to fight not to laugh, despite everything, at Kili's typically competitive comment.

"We're ridden! Infested! Contagious!" The other dwarves chime, each of them fighting to declare themselves the most unwell.

"What would you have us do then? Let 'em all go?" Asks the troll who had tried to eat Gloin (identified previously as Bert), suspicion in his voice.

"Well..." answers Bilbo

"For the sake of your health..." adds Kali.

" You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret and 'is 'ealer are taking us for fools!"

"The dawn will take you all!" From a large rock behind the hideous trio Gandalfs voice resonates impressively, though the effect is rather spoiled by the trolls uninspired last words.

"Who's that?"

"Can we eat him?"

The wizard brings his staff down with a mighty crack upon the rock, splitting it and allowing the dawning light to flood down upon the trolls, who distort horribly as their flesh and bone turn to stone.