[Primrose Bolger]

Broga sported a makeshift eyepatch over his left eye – an old piece of leather from one of the pouches they’d gotten when they’d raided the Whittleworth’s for gold. A piece of thin cording, appropriated from one of the Orcs packs, served to secure it round his lumpish head. Walking about in the dark, he’d discovered was difficult with only one eye. Distances were hard to tell, and several times he’d stepped down hard in a depression that was deeper than he’d thought or banged his toes on a rock that was higher. Grimm, of course, had hissed at him to keep quiet; they were supposed to be sneaking up on the camp.

They lumbered toward the little camp, trying to stay upwind from the horses. And trying also to make as little noise as possible. That is, until they drew near the picketed beasts.

‘Is it time now?’ asked Broga knife in hand. ‘Cut the rope, eh?’ he whispered as they arrived at the tree to which one end of the picket line was tied.

‘Wait til that fellow marches by with his bow. And keep real quiet til you can’t see him no more,’ Grimm returned. The two Trolls retreated a bit and hunkered down behind a rocky outcropping, their eyes peeking over the top at the horses. The sentry came and went. Broga and his brother crept nearer the line. The wind shifted for a moment, and the horses, nervous from their previous encounter with the Trolls, began moving restlessly at the dreaded scent.

Broga cut the line with an upward thrust of his blade. Snatching the large iron pot he’d placed on his head like a helmet, he beat upon it with the metal pommel of his knife, making a deafening racket. Added to that was the loud yelling Grimm had started. Both brothers ran after the horses as they fled, herding them in the direction of the other pair of siblings.

At a sign from Grimm, Broga broke off his horse chasing and headed back to the pre-arranged rendezvous with the Orcs. From their vantage point among the trees, the unwholesome alliance watched as the men and Elves struggled up from sleep and attempted to deal with the escaping equines.