Run It Back Again (Part 1)

Chapter 9

I smiled as I shifted back into a troll and charged.  Avoiding stepping on the dwarves, I tackled one of them and punched him in the face.  The others grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from their companion.  I pulled myself free and shifted back to a dwarf, dodging under their feet.  After a little bit, I noticed the trolls quit fighting.  Instead, they pushed us away from them.  I froze as it dawned on me.

"Bilbo!"  Kili and I both yelled at the same time.  However, Thorin and Fili caught us before we could go after them.  The trolls simply smirked at us.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off."  I growled as the trolls nodded at me.  "And she has to cooperate, or we'll hurt him."  I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Thorin shaking his head at me.  I quit growling and hung my head as the others set down their weapons.

Soon enough, we were all tied up, and the trolls were debating what to do with us.  They'd already decided that they were going to keep Skyrena and I alive, but the others were going to be eaten.  I cringed as one of the trolls came over and stuck his face in mine.

"So, what are these ones, anyways?  They seem normal enough to me."  One of the others smacked him away from me.

"We don't even know what they are.  For all I know, they could be poisonous..."  I swallowed hard as the third one picked me up.

"This one don't seem poisonous to me."  I kicked him in the face, making him howl in pain.  "She just has a really bad attitude."  I grunted as he dropped me onto the ground.  The second one batted him away from me as well.

"Maybe we can find some Orcs who'll trade some real meat for her..."  I swallowed hard as I struggled to pick myself up while the trolls went back to argueing on how to cook and eat the dwarves.  If I could just...

"Wait!  You are making a serious mistake..."  I looked over at Bilbo, who was on his feet.  "I mean, with the seasoning."  The second one came up and crouched down beside Bilbo, causing the poor hobbit to tremble slightly.

"What about the seasoning?"  Bilbo seemed to be rambling on now.

"Well, have you smelt them?  It's gonna take more than some sage to plate this bunch..."  The second one rolled his eyes.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?"  The first one swatted at him.

"Let the flurberahobbit talk..."  Bilbo's mind seemed to race as he thought of what to say next.

"The secret to cooking dwarf is..."  He seemed stuck, but I knew what he was doing.  He was trying to buy us all some time.  I shook my head.

"Don't do it, Bilbo!  Don't tell them!"  Bilbo looked over at me, frowing until he realized I was playing along.  The troll kneeling before him glared at me.

"You know it, too?"  I nodded, a plan forming in my mind.

"Of course I do...  Everyone knows the secret to cooking dwarf, or, at least, all the greatest chefs in Middle Earth know it."  He glared at me as he came over and picked me up, holding me by the scruff of my neck.

"I AM one of the greatest chefs in Middle Earth.  I can make the worst of meats taste fit for a king!"  He turned back to Bilbo.  "Now, tell me the secret, or..."  He tossed me up in the air and caught me around the waist, tightening his grip until I cried out in pain.  Bilbo's eyes widened as he thought quickly and finally looked defeated.

"You have to skin them first..."  The troll dropped me right in front of Bilbo and and knelt down beside us both as he turned to the other trolls.

"Bring me filleting knife."  All around us, the dwarves protested.  As I knew he would, the third troll raised an eyebrow.

"That's ridiculous!  I've eaten plenty of dwarves with their skins on."  I sat up and shook my head.

"It gets rid of the worst of the smells the dwarves carry.  That's why I travel as a dwarf...  The smell covers up what I really am!"  The third one got down to get into my face.

"And what exactly are you?"  I swallowed hard, my mind racing.

"I'm..."  What if these trolls weren't as stupid as they seemed?  What if they do know what a shapeshifter is?  "I'm an elf who knows enough magic to change my appearance."  The troll looked me up and down.

"Never had magical elf before..."  I shrugged, trying to think of a way to distract them without getting myself eaten.

"That's because we don't usually come out.  We are too powerful..."  I smirked a little.  "If I really wanted to, I could turn into a troll and destroy all 3 of you with my heightened stregth."  He chuckled a little.

"Why haven't you?"  I thought for a moment, trying to think of a smart answer.  He took my silence as a "I don't know."  "Perhaps you're too weak...  Or, maybe you're lying!"  He swatted me with the back of his hand, sending me flying into a tree right next to some of the dwarves.  "I say we eat all of them."  I groaned as someone nudged me.  It was Thorin.

"We have to do something..."  His whisper blew across my ear as I sat up against him, trying to catch my breath.  Nearby, the first troll had picked up Bombor.

"Nice and crunchy..."  Bilbo's face lightened up.

"I wouldn't do that!  He's got worms...  In his tubes."  The troll threw Bombor down in disgust as Bilbo continued.  "In fact, they're all infested and crawling with worms.  It's nasty business, and I wouldn't risk it."  I bit my tongue in order to avoid smiling as the other's began protesting.  Bilbo may still save us yet...

However, all the dwarves were calling Bilbo a liar, which made the trolls hesitate.  I nodded at Thorin and earned a nod back as he kicked the others.  Finally, they got the hint and started agreeing.  However, the third troll had his doubts.

"What do you suggest we do with 'em?  Let 'em go?"  Bilbo faltered.

"Well..."  The third troll shook his head.

"You don't think I know what you're doing?  This little ferret is taking us for fools!"  Bilbo and the second troll shot him strange looks.

"Fools...?"

"Ferret...!"  Suddenly, Gandalf showed up.

"The dawn take you all!"  He broke the nearby rock and let the sun rise and turn the trolls to stone.  After a little while, we all started cheering.