“Well, then we will find her!” Marganil volunteered their time, causing Finnvi to pinch her in the ribs. The hunter was closed off again, as all the way that this little quest could go wrong flashed through her mind. But even she could not deny the crying hobbit help... what cruel heart would not wish to help an elderly hobbit find her lost niece?
On the opposite side, Marganil was not worried at all about whether they would find the little girl or not. Traveling in the company of two of the greatest hunters of all time had its benefits, such as fresh hunt for dinner, warm campfires and finding lost hobbit girls. Therefore, neither the dark night nor the annoyed bickering of her friends disheartened her.
She had been right after all. At some point, Thurintos pointed to a few tracks on the mud for Finnvi to consider. A few hushed whispers and the two hunters straightened their backs. They beckoned to Marganil to follow, while they signaled her to lay low and be quiet. The muddy tracks led them to another set of ruins… low stones, covered with moss, vines and wild berries growing through each crack and crevice. The village must been almost a labyrinth to navigate; the buildings must have sprung like mushrooms in an unruly manner upon the hill. She imagined them being bundled close together for a sense of safety against their enemies. Did they escape those enemies to live another day or were they the village’s doom?
Now, the buildings were raised almost to the ground and in the center of them she could see a stone statue, only that the statue was the size of a troll (weird), and it was moving (even weirder). It was the scream of a little girl, piercing the night air that broke them out of their reverie.
“The girl! We need to save her!” Marganil rushed through the ruins, her heart racing with fear. “Hei! Leave that girl alone!” her scream stopped the troll a moment before it grabbed the little girl.
It turned around to face her. “Why?”
That question was so simple that got Marganil a bit off guard. Indeed why? “Because we have a… better snack for you!” With the corner of her eye, she saw Finnvi mouthing what the hell, next to her.
It was this moment that Thurintos took advantage of to move a bit to the side. He had been way more careful in approaching the monster than his companions and he had noticed a figure laying nearby. With silent steps, he moved towards the broken man and listened carefully at the events unfolding behind him.
“You just have to follow me”. Marganil was beckoning the troll over and away from Cami's niece. “I have a snack for you that is more filling than a hobbit child”.
“Indeed” Finnvi added her voice, unsure of how they would be able to talk a troll into following them. “There is a feast of uhm… hobbits. Fat and plump, waiting for you”.
The troll took a moment to consider and the two women held their breath. Thurintos kneeled next to the man. He was unconscious but alive and he seemed oddly familiar to him… he started searching for any wounds in need of urgent care. As his hands fumbled through the clothes, they touched a familiarly shaped brooch. This man was a kinsman, a fellow ranger!
“Alright” the troll announced much to the women’s relief. “But this tiny hobbit comes with me. In case there is no snack… or I get hungry on the way”.
The women exchanged a quick look but did not protest. The troll had already picked Cami’s niece in his hand. Marganil smiled at the little girl in an effort to reassure her. We will save you, she wanted to say, but she was afraid to put it into words. “This way, we better going before the plump ones run away!” and she led the troll towards the wilderness, hoping for inspiration to come to her.
It was the moment of his companions walking away that the fallen ranger drew a deep breath. “Kinsman, are you well?” Thurintos whispered.
The ranger was a bit slow to focus his eyes, his pale face grew even paler at noticing the troll carrying the girl away. He tried to move, but a sharp pain through his ribs caused him to fall back. “Go, save the girl”.
“We will take care of that beast and I will be back for you”, Thurintos promised before setting off to stalk his friends and their prey.
