“Huh? Pardon?” Billy says still eating a blueberry muffin which tasted absolutely wonderful.
The Bounder mutters, “I says we’re doin’ the best we can of the wolves problem!”
Poppy cries out (and she has a rather large cry Billy notes as she is right next to him), “But yer gotta do somethin’ about me family’s farm!”
The Bounder sighs, “There’s a few other farms as well that’s been prowling with wolves yer know…” Poppy huffed then marched away with Billy soon following her. “We can still save yer farm though! We dunna need those bounders – I mean I solved the mystery of the pie without ‘em…”
She gave a weak smile, “Thanks but what can we do…?” Billy just gave a sort of ‘I’ll-think-of-something’ stare, then Poppy just went off wondering about something. It has been a few days since Billy arrived at Budgeford, not much has happened in those days apart from trying to help Poppy save her family’s farm and eating muffins…
“Psst. Come ‘ere!” a hiss came from behind his back. Billy turned around only to find a familiar face. “Fosco Underhill!” Billy gasped in surprise. “What are yer doin’ ‘ere? Weren’t yer at the Forsaken Inn ter the east?” Fosco Underhill was the queerest hobbit you would ever meet, for starters he only visits Staddle once a month or so and even less of the Shire, he was an experienced hunter and all in Staddle knows that.
“I’m jest ‘ere on business. But I hear tha’ many farms ‘ere is filled with wolves. I can offer me services ter yer.”
“Why would yer want to help?” Billy asks suspiciously.
“I’m jest helpin’ a friend who lives ‘ere.”
“Fine then.” Billy mutters.
“Yer’ll need a weapon though…” Fosco mutters then grins, “Here – yer can take me ol’ bow an’ a couple o’ arrows as well as a dagger.” Then he pass them along to Billy.
“But I can’t use any of this… I jest dunna how ter…” Billy mumbles.
“Yer’ll pick it up… Come on than.”
Billy could not argue, he slipped a dagger through his pockets, his arrows through a quiver and he equipped both the bow and quiver along his back then he followed Fosco.
“Here…” Fosco mutters. “Let’s test yer skills against these wolves.” They arrived at Poppy’s family farm indeed and it was lurking with wolves…
“But I never used these before…”
“Jest try it out!” Fosco barks out. Billy did so, he took out an arrow from his quiver then he placed it through the bow, he held back the bowstring as far as he could then let go when he was sure his arrow was pointing to a wolf. When he saw the wolf drop dead, he looked surprised. “Good ‘nough. Yer had hidden potential fer ages… Yer’ll need to work on tat aim an’ accuracy. But now we shoot…”
The wolves howled at the pair when one of their kind dropped dead almost immediately, most charged at them but some fell back into the wood of Bridgefields howling in fear. One by one, wolves dropped dead or ran back injured, Billy was amazed of his sudden skill on the bow and arrow but also horrified, he couldn’t help a single shred of pity for those wolves – after all they were being wolves, weren’t they?
But the stronger wolves fought back and they fought back hard… “Shoot them at the heads or necks!” Fosco suddenly bellowed. Billy obeyed and did so till the farm was filled with dead wolves, the survivors retreated back in fear. This farm was certainly rid of wolves.
Fosco then mutters, “Well, that’s that done… I should be working on another farm or at least givin’ sum help up north at Scary or Brockenborings…”
“But yer bow an’ arrow an’ dagger…”
“Keep ‘em. Yer git sum real talent at th’ bow an’ arrow… Keep practising, ‘praps yer’ll be as good as me!” Fosco beams.
But Billy had another question, “Why yer chose this farm first though? Yer know this farm aint git the most wolves an’ I know yer well ‘nough ter go fer the biggest o’ things…”
“I saw how yer look at her.” Fosco simply says.
But Billy frowns, “What’s tat supposed to mean?” But Fosco didn’t elaborate on that, instead he muttered farewells and left Billy in a confused expression.
“Oh my… Yer did all of this!” a familiar voice cried out in amazement.
“Uhh…” Billy stammers when he turned around.
“How did you…” Poppy starts then she eyes Billy’s bow and quiver full of arrows.
“Wait till my parents find out!” Poppy beams at him then she grabs Billy’s hand and then storms off to her parent with Billy just behind her.
“What! I’ll believe it when I see it!” shouted her father – who was called Tomegar Bolger by which he did see it and his wife (Daisy Chubb) looked astonished.
“Billy… Yer saved me family’s farm… I’m ever in yer debt!” Tomegar croaks.
Billy didn’t want to take all the credit so he says, “But…”
“I always thought yer were a decent lad ever since yer shared tha’ pie with us!” Daisy exclaims.
“I didn’t…” Billy started again.
“Come! Yer should have lunch with us! Least we can do!” Tomegar grins. Billy thought it was no use and joined them for lunch, which went surprisingly well.
Soon after they finished, Billy strolled along Budgeford to find many faces looking at him with amazement of what he’s done, he immediately turned around and headed for the farm he and Fosco just saved to escape the constant cheers of the hobbits here. When Billy arrived on the farm, he saw three wolves and a rather large bulky wolf in front but as the sight of him, they fled.
Instantly, Billy followed them wanting to test his bow and arrows more but as he trailed the wolves, he got himself lost in the Bridgefields… Then he heard howls of wolves behind him, a whole pack of wolves – the survivors of the ones from the farm looking for one thing only. Revenge… He looked around him there were bats… He could only run forward which he did with all his speed but then he stumbled on a tree root and felt pain…
The pain of a wolf biting your leg… He moved out of consciousness then he remembered no more…
