The Company's Fifteenth Impromptu Member

The Stench of Trolls

The sword that Kili handed to me felt heavier than I was used to, but it was a familiar feeling that I completely welcomed. I missed the feeling.

I just wished it was under better circumstances.

"Trolls," I spat. "I can smell them."

The four of us were checking to see how many of the ponies we had left. We were missing almost half of them by now. I let out an exasperated groan. Of course it had to be trolls.

"Should we wake up Thorin?" Bilbo was visibly nervous, anxiously glancing around. I doubted he'd ever been in a dangerous situation like this before.

"No, no, let's not worry him." Fili's response was rushed. "We can handle this."

"You said it was trolls?"

I turned to Kili, who was the one who spoke to me, and I nodded with a disgusted expression. "I'd know that stench anywhere. They're going to eat our ponies if we don't hurry."

The brothers were already nodding, beginning to run off in the direction of where the ponies were. I briefly glanced towards Bilbo with a worried look before reluctantly following after the two, ignoring my limp and keeping my borrowed sword in hand.

I sat impatiently at the edge of the trees, worriedly watching Bilbo. Despite my concerns, Fili and Kili deemed Bilbo to be the best candidate to rescue the ponies, given his hobbit-given abilities and his smaller stature. But even with that, I couldn't leave him on his own, and promised him that I would be close by if anything should happen. Even with my injury, I could still fend the trolls off long enough for the others to come.

"Come on, Bilbo, you've got this.." I knew the hobbit couldn't hear my mumbled words, but I still worried. Trolls may be stupid, but they were still dangerous.

Even so, I didn't fully understand why the brothers sent Bilbo. Sure, their explanation seemed fairly solid, but it seemed... almost practiced.

Maybe if Bilbo actually does well and saves the ponies, it'll put him in a different light with Thorin and the others? Maybe that was what they were thinking. I couldn't tell. I barely knew any of the company.

And yet, fate seemed to have a different idea on that particular thought.

Within mere moments, Bilbo went from the quiet burglar trying to free our ponies, to snot-covered and very much in danger.

I barely thought. My body was moving on its own long before I realized what was happening. The weight in my hands hit flesh, a howl leaving one of the trolls.

"Another one?! Where did it come from?!"

"I don't care, grab it!"

My hands twisted the sword in my hand around, my body moving into a fighting stance in front of Bilbo. My leg already felt on fire, but I did my best to ignore it. Now that my conscious self was back in control, I needed to make sure Bilbo made it to safety. I pointed the tip of my sword directly towards the nearest troll, hopefully to keep it at bay for a couple more seconds.

"Bilbo, run!"

But before the poor hobbit could even attempt to flee, the entire Company came through the trees, with battle-cries and weapons calling for blood. Why was I surprised that the first two I saw were the Princes?

After that, it was complete pandemonium. My sword hit home on the trolls, body instinctively ducking from danger. The others were a blur, I just trying to keep the fowl-scented creatures away from me and my comrades.

Comrades...?

"Elaina-!"

A flash of tainted silver passing impossibly close, something liquid hitting my face. The troll's arm that was reaching for me was nearly broken under the massive hammer. A howl of agony, and the troll was gone from my vision.