Chapter 4 Episode 2

A small, ugly troll stood in the shadows at the edge of camp, his grayish skin glowing in the dark.

Owen jumped to his feet. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“I am Olog-hai the Uruk,” he said with a proper British accent. “I’ve come to kill you.”

“Izzat so?” Floren gave a belly laugh. “Why don’t you run along while you still can? I’ve squashed bugs with my thumb that are bigger than you, little worm.”

“Blimey. Is that supposed to scare me?”

“It should. Especially if I lose my temper.”

Olog shook his head. “You’re just an overweight dwarf with anger issues.”

“You’re no beauty queen yourself.”

Their insults continued, and they began to circle one another while Owen, Misa, and Calebth watched. Olog pulled up a small tree by the roots and knocked Floren down. He grabbed the dwarf by the head and was about to punch him when Owen drew his sword and started slashing away. Mowg ran over and started chewing on the troll’s ankle. But Misa was the smart one. She put a spell on him. He stumbled around the camp. “Blimey, I can’t see a thing!”

Calebth helped Floren to his feet. “Are you all right?”

“Of course.” The dwarf wheezed. “I’m indestructible.”

They heard a splash when Olog fell into the river.  “I’ll get you for this and your little dragon too.”

Floren spat into the water. “Take that, you ugly little troll!”

Later, when they were all sitting around the fire, Calebth turned to Owen. “Do you think I’ll ever learn to be as good with the sword as you?”

*  * * *

Between chores, and cooking and training with Owen twice a day, Calebth’s next few days were busy ones. One afternoon Floren and Misa watched him practice.

“I think Calebth is improving, don’t you?” Misa said.

Floren snorted a laugh. “He’s got a long way to go. I saw him lop the head off a wildflower the other day. And probably only because it was rooted to the spot.”

Misa narrowed her eyes at him. “Give the boy some credit.”

Later, they were sitting around the campfire after a stew of roast rabbit and wild onions.

Owen finished his and reached for more. “What was in the stew?”

Calebth ducked his head. “Aww, it was just one of Granny’s recipes I happened to remember.”

Floren smacked his lips. “I have to admit it was right tasty.”

Misa agreed.

The compliments made Calebth warm all over.

After supper, they lounged around the fire. Mowg was snuggled up in Floren’s lap, chewing on his beard. “Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?”

Owen frowned. “What do you mean?

“First, we have no gold, second we have no boat to take us to Dragon Island, and third, we have a baby dragon gnawing on me like I’m his supper.”

Floren shook his head. “I guess we should have collected the bounty on the dragon.”

“That would have been cruel,” Misa said. “We couldn’t have done that to Mowg’s mother.”

“You got any better ideas?”

“Mowg is in danger. We have to find a way to take him home to his family. He’ll be safe there.” Calebth thought about his own father and how much he missed him.