Ash's POV

Bilbo seemed on edge. I didn't know why but I just brushed it off as I ate my stew.

"He's been a long time." He said. "Who?" I asked. "Gandalf" bilbo replied. "Ah.."

"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses. Here, do us a favor: take this to the lads." Bofur said, handing bilbo two bowls and sending him to fili and kili.

"Ah las ? Go with him would ya ? He's so short he might get lost in the grass and the lads might lose him" bofur asked. I nodded and tossed the rest of my bowl to bombur before getting up and following my tiny companion.

I watched as Bilbo went out in the dark to where Fili and Kili were watching the ponies. They were staring out into the dark and don't take the soup from Bilbo when he hands it to them. I laugh a bit. "What's the matter?" Bilbo asked.

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." Kili said.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." Fili joined in. "And that is ?" I asked, catching my hobbit friend off guard, he almost dropped the stew.

"We had sixteen." Kili said. "Now there's fourteen." Fili continued. "And this is why I kept my horse with me..." ash muttered to herself.

We all went over and examined the ponies. "Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili said. I nodded in agreement as I double checked. "Well, that's not good. That is not good at all. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo asked. I have him a look that basically said 'are you crazy?..'.

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it." Fili said. Bilbo went pale. "Well, uh...look, some­­something big uprooted these trees." He said. I nodded in agreement. "That was our thinking." Kili replied.

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous."Bilbo commented. "Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down." Fili ordered as the four of us quietly ran through the forest toward the light Fili had seen, and they hide behind a log when they realize that it is a fire. Harsh laughter sounds from near the fire making me flinch from the column.

"What is it?" Bilbo asked. "Trolls" I replied. Fili and Kili run toward the fire; Bilbo & I start to follow them, but bilbo returns to grab the two bowls of soup he left on the log. He then continues following us. I can't help but chuckle slightly. Bilbo hides behind a tree and sees a massive mountain troll walking toward the fire, carrying a pony under each arm. "He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something." Bilbo said.

"Yes; you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small." Kili said to bilbo. "I'm sorry what?" I asked them. "N-­­n-­­no­­" bilbo said in response, "They'll never see you." Kili said. "No, no, no..." bilbo kept muttered."It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you." Kiki continues. "If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Fili said. I was tempted to smack them over the back of the head yet I held my tongue.

Fili and Kili push Bilbo toward the fire. He begins whispering Fili's instructions to himself, trying to remember them, but gets mixed up. I sigh and follow him. "Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown­­once like a brown? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bilbo muttered. He turned around, but Fili and Kili are already out of sight. Dammit..

The three trolls sit around a fire on which a cauldron of something is cooking. One brought the ponies, another was cooking and the third wore a filthiest vest.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow." Muttered the cooking troll. "Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!" The troll who took the horses said. "Oh, I don't like 'orse. I never 'ave. Not enough fat on them." The filthy one said. "Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth." The cook said. I gagged and covered my mouth.. that poor man and his family....

Suddenly the dirty one sneezed, his snot floated in the stew.. "Oh, that's lovely, that is; a floater." Said the cook, "Oh, might improve the flavor!" Said the thief, "Ah! There's more where that came from." Said the filthy one as he tries to blow more snot out of his nose. The chef grabs him by the nose. Bilbo, unseen, gets behind them while I go to the horse, cursing myself mentally for not bringing my weapon. "Oh no you don't." Said the chef.

Suddenly someone turned around we dived into a hiding spot."I hope you're gonna gut these nags. I don't like the stinky parts." The filthy one commented. "I'm starving! Are we 'aving horse tonight or what?" The thief asked. The chef was getting annoyed from the questions. "Shut your cakehole. You'll eat what I give ya'." The chef yelled at them. The filthy one had a long knife on his belt. I looked at bilbo and nodded at him. I then ran to the not while he went to get the knife. I tugged continuously trying to make it loose. To no avail.

I glanced to see how bilbo was doing. To my horror The filthy one picked him up and used him as a handkerchief. I ran into the bushes and hid. Poor bilbo...

"Argh! Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me hooter !" The filthy one screamed, looking my horrified tiny companion.

The other trolls gathered around. He chatted amongst themselves and subsequently dumped bilbo on the ground.

"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?" One asked. "I'm a burglar­­ uhh, Hobbit." Bilbo replied. "A Burgla­Hobbit?" Another asked. "Can we cook 'im?" The thief asked. "We can try!" The chef yelled. They all swing to grab bilbo. I grabbed a thick branch as a pathetic excuse for a weapon and charged.