—Bilbo's point of view—
We returned to the ruined farm with Kili and Fili. Igris was still unconscious, while the rest were either chatting or busy with their duties. We approached Thorin and Halt. Thorin asked,
"Anything?"
Fili replied,
"Troll."
Thorin and Halt frowned. Thorin spoke again,
"How many, and where? What kind?"
I furrowed my brows. Kind? There are kinds of trolls? While I was pondering this, Fili continued,
"I only saw the footprints, but judging by their weight and stride length—cave troll."
Thorin nodded in confirmation, while Halt looked thoughtful. Gandalf came from behind and spoke,
"If it's a cave troll, they are clumsy and foolish. They sleep during the day and move at night. They're not as agile and fast as mountain trolls. Their skin turns to stone when exposed to the sun. Since they can't travel far, they live in caves, which makes them lazier. You can tell them apart by the spacing of their steps. This is the first time I've heard of a cave troll this far south."
Halt glanced at Gandalf.
"Can you deal with them?"
Gandalf stroked his beard and smiled.
"As easy as smoking a pipe."
Thorin let out a breath of relief.
"Good. Halt, have Gilan follow the tracks to their den. Let's finish this before nightfall."
"All right."
Halt turned and went to find Gilan. As for me, I exhaled with relief. I had heard trolls were the size of houses, and for a small hobbit like me, I would look no bigger than a kitten beside them. The thought made my hair stand on end. That Gandalf could handle them with such ease was both comforting and awe-inspiring. Thorin grinned at me.
"Bilbo, you need to learn these kinds of things well. They'll be of great use in your own adventure. Why don't you keep a journal?"
Yes, Thorin had started treating me better. Since the ambush at night, when I saved him and fought alongside the dwarves, he began respecting me. Sometimes he gave me advice, each word valuable knowledge for me—just like this one.
"Thank you, Thorin. I'm curious—how many kinds of trolls are there?"
Thorin thought for a moment before answering,
"There are six kinds: Mountain, Forest, Cave, Plain, Frost, and Desert trolls. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Cave trolls can see very well at night and move quietly, but the sun turns them to stone. Frost trolls like to attack during blizzards, but they fear fire greatly. Forest trolls are troublesome; they regenerate quickly, and unless you have poison, you cannot kill them. Plain trolls are more agile and swift, but their skin is thinner, making them easier to kill. Mountain trolls are stronger, their skin as hard as rock, but they're so stupid they can't even speak."
When Thorin finished, I nodded.
"Thank you, Thorin."
He nodded back, and I excused myself, heading toward Balin. I always enjoyed chatting with him, but just then, Gilan called out to me.
"Bilbo! Come here—we're going to track the troll's lair. It'll be a good experience for you. You should learn tracking."
I sighed. Apparently, conversation and tea break were postponed.
"All right."
I followed Gilan, and together we went to the mounted archers. Altay greeted us. They introduced themselves as Kuzaits, a nomadic tribe. They said they came from far away. Gandalf admitted he had never heard of them. The same went for the Vaegir kingdom. It was as if they had appeared out of nowhere. We knew Igris had summoned them, but we didn't know from where. Until Igris told us, it would remain a mystery.
Gilan spoke,
"Altay, I need men. Skilled in both close and ranged combat—and quiet."
Altay thought for a moment and sighed.
"Right now only two are available. The rest are on patrol, tending to the horses, or standing guard. Our women are also busy, cooking, tending to the sick, or mending damaged clothes."
Gilan smiled.
"No problem. Two will be enough."
Altay nodded and shouted,
"BAMSI! DOGAN!"
The moment I heard those names, my eyebrow twitched. Gilan had specifically asked for quiet men, but these two… too wild might be the right words. Just yesterday, while on patrol with them during a break, we ran into a bear and—Bamsi wrestled it. Literally wrestled it! The bear had attacked us, and when Bamsi realized what was coming, he threw down his weapons and leapt onto the beast. That's when I understood why Dogan called him "bear strangler." It wasn't his first time.
—Flashback—
—Third-person point of view—
Bilbo, Dogan, and Bamsi were patrolling the forest, about a kilometer from camp, checking for enemies. They entered an area filled with cherry trees. Suddenly, there was a sound in the bushes. Bamsi gleefully drew his two swords.
"HAHAHAHA! FINALLY! SOMETHING TO WORK MY RUST OFF!"
He charged at the bushes. Dogan shouted from behind,
"WAIT, YOU MADMAN! WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS!"
But Bamsi didn't care.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Bilbo stared, dumbfounded, at the charging Bamsi. Dogan sighed heavily, then ran after him.
"Don't fall behind, Bilbo!"
Bilbo snapped out of it and ran.
"O-Okay!"
The two dashed after Bamsi, pushing through trees and bushes. Bilbo tripped and fell. Dogan, not noticing, kept running, shouting in panic as he tried to catch up with Bamsi.
"STOP, YOU LUNATIC! YOU'LL GET US ALL IN TROUBLE! WHAT WILL I TELL ALTAY?"
Dogan disappeared into the thicket. Bilbo scrambled to his feet and ran again.
"DOGAN! BAMSI! WAIT!"
After running, he came into a clearing, surrounded by trees and brush. Bilbo stopped, looking around in panic. It was the first time he'd been alone. He didn't know what to do. He shouted,
"DOGAN! BAMSI!"
But there was no answer. Only the sound of birds nearby. Even though it was midday, Bilbo didn't feel safe at all. He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, ready to fire just as Gilan and Halt had taught him, and began moving cautiously. He kept calling,
"BAMSI! DOGAN!"
After a while, the bushes rustled. Bilbo tensed, approached cautiously, drew his arrow back, and spoke,
"B-B-Bamsi? D-Dogan? O-or whoever you are?"
He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and continued, not forgetting his hobbit gentlemanly manners.
"If I may… could you please step out and show yourself?"
The bushes shook violently, and a large figure stood up, sniffed the air, then looked at Bilbo. Bilbo froze, lips trembling. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, unable to utter a word. He tried to figure out what he was seeing: thick brown fur, round ears, a long snout, sharp teeth, and claws. Bilbo thought quickly, remembered something: he had seen a similar pelt in front of the fireplace at his relatives. That day he had learned what it was, and he smiled triumphantly. He was sure he was right.
"Excuse me, you're a bear, aren't you?"
The bear answered with a growl, surprisingly polite in tone.
"ROOOAAAAARRRR!"
Bilbo's eyes went wide as he screamed,
"BEAR!!!"
In panic, Bilbo loosed an arrow, but it bounced harmlessly off the fur. The bear scratched its belly as if tickled, glanced at the arrow on the ground, then snarled. Bilbo also looked at the arrow and did the only sensible thing a rational person would do. He cleared his throat and spoke in a polite tone,
"Pardon me, sir—or madam bear—for disturbing you. I'd love to stay and chat, but I just remembered I left my meal on the stove. If I don't go now, it will burn. Good day to you!"
He ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The bear blinked in surprise, then roared in anger and gave chase. Bilbo glanced back mid-run and instantly regretted it—the massive beast was barreling toward him. He ran faster than he had ever run in his life.
"HEEEEELP! THERE'S A BEAR!"
"RRROOAAAAAAAARRRRRR!"
Voices echoed through the forest, and Bamsı, who had been running, came to a sudden halt. He looked back to see Doğan rushing toward him, bewildered.
"Brother! Where's Bilbo!?"
Doğan froze, glancing over his shoulder—shock washed over his face.
"He was just behind me!"
RRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR
"HEEEEELP!"
Bamsı instantly turned back.
"Brother, run! Bilbo was entrusted to us! If anything happens to him, I won't be able to face our people!"
Doğan chased after him, shouting furiously.
"Damn it, bear strangler! This is all your fault! Why do you have to go after every sound you hear!?"
The two sprinted at full speed toward the cries, praying they weren't too late.
Meanwhile, Bilbo, just as Halt and Gilan had taught him, was sprinting through the woods, weaving through thickets and dense trees, using obstacles to keep the bear at bay. But the bear thundered after him. Sometimes it circled obstacles, sometimes it smashed straight through branches with brute strength. Bilbo's foot caught on a root, sending him sprawling to the ground. He rolled several times before staggering to his feet, dazed—but froze when he felt hot breath on his neck. Trembling, he turned. The bear loomed over him, sniffing. Bilbo scrambled back only to bump into something solid. A quick glance showed it was a boulder. Trapped, he pressed his back against it, panting heavily, staring at the beast. Death was upon him.
The bear reared up, roaring so loudly it shook the forest.
ROOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!
The sound echoed like thunder. Bilbo was paralyzed, closer to death than he had ever been. His life flashed before his eyes. Just then, a voice rang out.
"I'M HERE, BILBO!"
Bamsı came charging in. He dropped both of his swords without hesitation—there was no chance of killing a bear with mere blades. Their hides were too thick, requiring a spear or a heavy crossbow to pierce. He bellowed:
"Brother! My swords are in your care! HAHAHAHA!"
With a mighty leap off the rock, Bamsı hurled himself onto the bear, locking his arms around it. Man and beast tumbled down the slope in a violent roll. Doğan arrived, pulling Bilbo up, brushing the dirt from his clothes as he apologized breathlessly.
"I'm so sorry, Bilbo! I thought you were right behind me—I truly am!"
Bilbo, still in shock, stared blankly around him, struggling to process what had just happened. After a few seconds, he stammered:
"The one who jumped on the bear just now… was that Bamsı?"
Doğan paused, scratching his head with embarrassment.
"…Yes."
Bilbo scrambled to his feet and peered downhill. There, Bamsı and the bear circled one another like fighters in an arena, eyes locked. Bamsı grinned.
"A bear, huh! Perfect! Just my kind of opponent!"
The bear growled and lunged. Bamsı planted his feet, spread his arms wide, then struck—his palm cracked across the bear's face with a thunderous slap. Stunned, the beast staggered back, only for Bamsı to follow with a left hook, then a right, and finally an uppercut. The bear reeled, snarling in fury, before it rose and slashed with both claws. Bamsı dodged at the last instant; the claws tore the earth, sending up clouds of dirt. He leapt onto its neck, clamping an arm around it in a headlock.
The bear thrashed violently, shaking, trying to fling him off. But Bamsı held firm, tightening his grip. The struggle went on until, suddenly, the bear charged at full speed toward a tree. Realizing the danger, Bamsı released his hold just before impact. The bear slammed into the trunk, shattering it into splinters.
"Heh! Not bad, big fella. Good try."
The bear snarled, staggering before it barreled at him again. Bamsı sidestepped, the beast rushing past. It wheeled around and charged once more. This time, Bamsı met its rush head-on. As they closed, he leapt, clasped both hands, and smashed them down onto its skull. The blow rattled the bear, but before Bamsı could regain balance, it lashed out. He raised both arms to shield himself, his leather bracers tearing as claws scraped his flesh.
Doğan, bow drawn, loosed an arrow. It struck the bear's eye. Roaring in agony, half-blinded, the beast turned its gaze from Doğan to Bilbo, then finally to the bloodied but grinning Bamsı. With a last growl, it spun and bolted into the forest.
Bamsı shouted after it in outrage.
"Don't run, Brother Bear! Come back! I was just warming up! Let's fight a little longer, pleeeease!"
He started to give chase, but Doğan's angry voice cut him off.
"BAMSI! We have to go back! Now!"
Bamsı halted, glancing at him with a sulky, wounded look. Doğan continued sternly.
"We should've returned already! The camp must be worried sick. We're heading back immediately."
Bamsı pouted like a child denied his toy, sighing heavily.
"Fine."
As they made their way back, Bilbo finally spoke. He was still trembling, his breath uneven, sweat dripping from his brow. He had brushed far too close to death.
"Bamsı."
The warrior blinked, embarrassed, meeting Bilbo's gaze. His reckless nature had nearly gotten Bilbo killed—if that had happened, he would never have forgiven himself.
"Yes?"
"That was madness… but you saved my life. Thank you."
Bamsı laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Think nothing of it, little friend. If anything, I should apologize. My recklessness almost got you killed…"
Bilbo smiled, accepting the apology. Doğan chimed in.
"Don't worry. That's why I call him 'Bear strangler.' Back home, whenever Bamsı couldn't find an enemy, he'd climb into the mountains just to wrestle bears. Honestly, you could call it his daily—or weekly—routine."
Bamsı scratched his head, sheepish.
"Hahaha! What can I say, brother? When there are no enemies, I get restless. So I go looking for bears or lions in the mountains…"
Bilbo gaped at the two of them, still unable to understand why Bamsı reminded him so much of Igris.
---Back to the Present------Bilbo's Perspective---
He wouldn't… wrestle a troll too, would he? Why do I suddenly not feel safe anymore? Will we really be all right? Haaaah…
As these uneasy thoughts filled my head, Bamsı and Doğan arrived, offering their greetings.
"What's the matter, Altay? Why did you call us?"
Bamsı, whose arms were still bandaged because he was injured, eyes gleaming with excitement, asked eagerly:
"Is there an enemy!?"
…He rubbed his hands together like an eager child. That alone was enough to make me shiver. Would we really be all right?
Altay answered calmly.
"You two will accompany Gilan into the forest to track the creatures known as trolls. Do exactly as he says—"
Before he could finish, Bamsı cut in with a roar of laughter.
"Hahaha! Finally, some fun!"
Gulp. Even Gilan stiffened at that. Altay barked sharply:
"Bamsı! Don't you dare cause trouble. If I hear even one complaint from Gilan, I'll put you on horse-tending duty until Lord Igris wakes! Do you understand me!?"
Bamsı instantly deflated, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.
"…Don't do that, brother. I'd go mad with horse duty."
Altay's gaze hardened as he locked eyes with him.
"Do you understand, Bamsı?"
Bamsı hesitated, then sighed in defeat.
"I understand, brother."
"I didn't hear you."
"…I UNDERSTAND, BROTHER."
"Good. Everyone here is a witness. Doğan, he's your responsibility—keep him calm and safe."
Doğan, who had been grinning throughout the exchange as though watching a comedy, puffed his chest proudly.
"Don't worry, brother. This bear is in my care."
Bamsı shot him a glare, muttering.
"Traitor."
I looked helplessly at Gilan, who just shrugged and said:"Let's move. We need to finish before nightfall."
Following Gilan, we headed east of camp where Kili and Fili were waiting. Normally, only Gilan or Halt would patrol, but now our party was larger. The Khuzait archers and swordsmen had proven their skill, while the Vaegir warriors patrolled the camp's perimeter. According to Dwalin, the Vaegirs were adept with axes, though still had much to learn.
Gilan turned to Fili.
"Let's head to the spot where you found their tracks. If we locate the trolls' lair in daylight, we can finish this before nightfall—without even needing Gandalf."
Fili and Kili stared at him in surprise. Fili asked cautiously:
"You already have a plan?"
"Something like that. First, we find the cave they live in. Then we'll see."
Fili nodded, taking point and leading us deeper into the woods. My eyes drifted to Bamsı. He wore a bright smile, idly twirling his mustache. Noticing my gaze, he winked at me before asking cheerfully:
"How are you feeling, little friend?"
I sighed. From the moment I'd met this man, that smile had never once left his face. Then again, he had wrestled a bear with his bare hands—fearless to the core. I answered honestly.
"Nervous."
Bamsı chuckled, clapping me on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. I won't repeat yesterday's mistake. This time, I'll never leave your side."
I smiled despite myself.
"Thank you."
He laughed again. As we walked, Gilan glanced at me, grinning slyly.
"Bilbo, this is what adventure is. You never know what you'll face—you just prepare and keep moving forward. You may be nervous, but aren't you also excited?"
Excited? I blinked, startled. Then I thought of everything that had happened since I'd left the Shire. In truth, yes—I had enjoyed myself. I'd experienced things I never could have imagined at home. Smiling, I answered:
"Yes!"
"Good! You and Kili had better be ready. I'll be testing you on tracking footprints in the forest. Don't disappoint me—or you'll earn yourselves a punishment."
I froze. Kili stumbled, nearly tripping. Together, we shouted:
"A TEST!?"
Gilan chuckled in a devilish way. The punishments he and Halt gave us were sometimes frightening and exhausting.
Kili and I exchanged a glance, swallowing nervously. He was the first to speak, his voice tight.
"G-Gilan?"
Gilan smiled brightly, almost too cheerfully.
"Yes?"
Kili steadied himself, shaking off his hesitation, and spoke in a firm tone.
"Gilan, we're on a mission right now. We can't waste time in the forest! Haven't you and Halt always told us to stay focused on the task at hand?"
Seeing his brother's serious face, Fili began to chuckle. Even though he tried to cover his mouth with his hand, his shoulders were shaking. Doğan and Bamsı laughed as well.
With a mischievous grin, Gilan replied,
"Don't worry. We'll stay focused on the mission. But we'll also follow any tracks we come across! Fili and I will take care of the troll tracks. As for the other tracks we encounter—you'll analyze them and tell us what they belong to. Whoever makes the most mistakes… gets punished!"
Kili and I froze, stunned, and turned to look at each other again. His lower lip trembled for a moment, while sweat had already started to bead on my forehead.
I just hope we don't run into any animal tracks…