The Northern Mountains

~Ten~

ten

Jon followed the dire wolves back to camp, a low chuckle leaving his throat at how the dwarves would react to such beasts. To his right, Ghost suddenly halted, letting out a deep growl. To his left, Morrigan's lip curled, baring her terrifying white teeth. Both of their hackles were raised to make themselves look bigger, more threatening.

Their walk became a slow, silent trudge as they approached a large, lit fire that brightened a small field. And what Jon Snow saw, made him want to laugh even harder.

Three huge, mountain trolls had several of the dwarves wrapped up in heshion sacks and turning over a fire, spit roasting them. To one side, he could see the hobbit trying to stall for time, going on and on about parasites.

But it wasn't until one of them, Thorin, Jon would recognize his arrogant face anywhere now, kicked two of them and they all joined in.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm."

'Oh, my dear Hartlyn, you would have loved to have seen this.' The man smirked slightly.

Both of the dire wolves began to growl. Loudly. It made all of the trolls, the dwarves, even those hovering over the campfire, and the hobbit look his way.

Jon sighed, knowing their cover was blown.

Morrigan and Ghost, looking like yin and yang, prowled forward through the bush and into the open, looking as big as the three mountain trolls.

One of them began to clap, giggling gleefully, "Ooo, puppies!"

The other two looked at him.

"Who's that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat him too?"

The dwarves fell silent, sensing their impending doom. They couldn't tell an animal of that size they had parasites and live. Let alone two! But they let out a long breath when Jon stepped out from the shadows between the two, large creatures.

The man in unsheathed his long sword with a deadly look on his face, the flickering fire casting shadows on his handsome face, before he looked each troll in the eye, ignoring the dwarves and the hobbit, before saying in an emotionless and dangerous tone, "Evening."

That one word cut through the silence, snapping the reverie that had caught everyone and two of the trolls roared running for him with their weapons raised.

Ghost snarled frighteningly and lunged for the larger one, his maw wide open, the firelight glinting off his red eyes. His teeth sunk into the throat of the troll, who howled in pain, trying to shake off the massive wolf, but failed. Black blood seeped from his fatal wound, coating the dire wolf's snow white fur.

The second didn't realize his brother was dead, as his fate was soon met with Morrigan's claws digging into his torso, ripping him open and spilling his guts for all to see.

In the very corner of the field, a certain hobbit turned away and emptied his stomach.

The last of the three trolls cried, obviously being the youngest and charged them but Jon leapt forward, swinging his sword. He landed on one knee behind the disgusting creature who froze, blood dripping down the sharp blade.

The troll made a gurgling sound and slowly it's his head slid off its body before collapsing to the ground.

The entire field was quiet except for the crackling fire.

Jon smirked. Finally, the dwarves were silent.

"May the dawn...take...you..."

"A bit late for that, Istari." The man looked up with a wider smirk at the gobsmacked wizard standing on a boulder above them all as the sun rose steadily in the east behind him.

"Morri!!" A girlish squeal filled everyone's ears as a familiar redhead raced towards the big black beast. It looked like it was about to lunge again, making the dwarves hold their breath, but it hummed and let its tongue loll to the side. It began to jump around lightly like it hadn't just killed a huge mountain troll.

Jon walked over to the white beast and patted its shoulder, ignoring the black blood. It bumped him back and the man shoved it lightly, making the creature narrow its red gaze at him.

"Don't you da-Oof." The massive beast collapsed on Jon with a grumble that could have been perceived as laughter.

"I see your dire wolves have joined us then," Gandalf said, a strained tone in his voice, "They definitely know how to make an entrance."

It took a second for everything to settle and suddenly the company, well, the short ones, erupted in a bout of cheers and laughter. They were alive. For now.

"Good girl," Hartlyn kissed the black wolf's nose and turned to the dwarves and the hobbit before looking to a flattened Jon, "I thought mountain trolls...well...lived in mountains."

Thorin glanced at Gandalf as they were all cut free from their sacks, "Where did you go, if I may ask?"

Jon had groaned lightly from the weight of his heavy dire wolf and moved his dark, amused eyes over a still sickly looking hobbit.

Hartlyn glided over to stand next to the halting before placing her hand on his shoulder, making him jolt in surprise, before looking up into her amused, emerald eyes as Jon's voice was muffled, "Well done, Master Baggins."

The Mistress tilted her head, "What did he do?"

"He stalled for time, saving the lives of the dwarves." Jon smiled, a sight rarely seen apart, from his soulmate of course.

"No, no, not really. I was, ah, just waiting for you to, to save us." The hobbit stammered.

The redhead smiled prettily, before bending down and kissing Bilbo's forehead, who's cheeks turned bright pink, "You did well little one. You saved them by distracting the trolls, waiting for the sun to rise."

"But, but, it was Jon and the w,wolves who-"

"Hush, Master Baggins," the man sighed, "You did good."

This made Bilbo grin brilliantly, being praised by the man who seemed to be a powerful warrior. He knew now, that he would be safe with the two of them.