Bodies gleaming with black oil kept up a unified beat, moving together like a throbbing pulse of hairy flesh. They used their bodies like percussion instruments by rhythmically slapping on their chests and clapping their hands. Frightening guttural groans, deepened by beating upon their throats, added to the bedlam. The females joined the gang of males with a rhythmic chant and piercing whistles through their green, crooked teeth. They created a fearsome sight.
The sound of beating drums snaked down the cavern’s tunnel and sent stabs of fear into Zote’s stomach. He recognized the guttural cries as belonging to a tribe of dangerous oil trolls. Zote would have to safeguard Laelia from the cannibalistic trolls or his plan for Mt. Grieg would fail. This gluttonous tribe had caught him off guard and his initial fear turned to anger.
Hoggish snorts from husky throats and the females’ high-pitched chatter also bore into Laelia ears, shattering her sleep. Loud, vulgar tongues could only be from a vile gang of oil trolls. She was well aware that crazed oil trolls devoured young mountain trolls. Panic swept through her body and left her weak. Surely, Zote would protect her from these terrifying creatures ranting outside the cavern.
Zote realized that the maddening wails came from hungry oil trolls who were after the snake meat. He grabbed chunks of cooked snake and strings of the fattened mice hoping he could bribe the oil trolls and send them off without a fight. Fearing the trolls were crawling into the cave mouth, he pulled Laelia out of her cage before starting up to the top of the cavern. Along the passage to the cave’s opening, Zote wrapped himself in smelly bearskins. If the bribe of food did not work, he would have to frighten off the oil trolls with another trick. Zote’s gigantic hands pulled Laelia through the maze of tunnels. When they reached the top, he gently shoved her into a concealed niche close to the cave’s gaping mouth.
Nearly dizzy with fear, she must stay hidden and allow Zote to protect her. From her recess in the stone wall she heard, deep within the surrounding bog, wolves howling in protest of the oil troll drums invading their night. Laelia, hearing their soulful cry, longed to be with the pack of wolves that were her friends. Encouraged by the call of the wolves, she carefully peeked out of her niche and saw, to her horror, the faces of the oil trolls. She watched as they jumped and wiggled in dance, their senses heightened with the smell of cooking meat. The oil troll’s clawed feet, distorted with sticky bog mud, thrashed to the drum’s mad rhythm. The sour odor of sweat from their heated bodies reached Laelia’s nose; hoarse shrieks and foul smells muddled her senses.
Zote’s sudden appearance at the cave mouth caught the oil trolls off guard. His commanding posture demanded their attention. The sight of Zote and the smell of the bearskin in which he draped his body silenced the fiendish trolls; within the troll tribes, there was a natural fear of the fierce bear. They shuffled backward, tripping over each other, whining among themselves.
Zote stood tall and raised his hairy arms to the sky. Not one roar, not even a grunt, came from his mouth. His silence flustered the oil trolls even more than the warning in his black eyes.
Snake meat and its succulent aroma had drawn them here, but the thought of trying to steal meat from a powerful troll like Zote befuddled their small brains. Their hunger and the delightful aroma of cooking meat lingering in the air caused them to think about their empty stomachs. Once again, they moved toward Zote, gathering into their fighting stance. Revolting squeals escaped from their throats as some trolls clutched their staffs with crooks on the end, ready to drag Zote away from his cave.
Faces of oil trolls gnashing and grinding their rotten teeth had no effect on Zote. But Laelia, still hidden inside the cave, was afraid for Zote. His nature was kind compared to these monsters. After the dreadful noise outside the cave became unbearable, Laelia bravely stepped out of the niche. As she emerged from the shadows that hid her, the oil trolls caught sight of her. Stupefied, they gaped at the pretty troll, their eyes bulging.
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Infuriated with her behavior, Zote shouted for Laelia to stand back. He then reached into his pockets and, as he advanced toward the gang of oil trolls, tossed out strings of mice and snake meat. Many of the famished trolls grabbed at each other and fought over the food. Horrified by the spectacle, Laelia stayed behind at the cave entrance.
The fiercest of the oil trolls was their chieftain. He was also the most reluctant when it came to accepting the food Zote offered. This stouter and more intelligent troll spoke in a slow, deep voice, calling his gang back toward him. He did all the talking with his gang clustered tightly around him. In his strange and threatening language, he told the trolls to step aside. The gangs broke into small groups, all muttering in disagreement. They watched their leader move close to Laelia; he studied her carefully with his cruel eyes.
He could see she was a pretty troll. Should he keep her as a slave for himself? He changed his mind as hunger stabbed at his stomach. She may taste sweeter than snake meat. Since he was the alpha troll, he was determined not to share her with the rest of the oil trolls. The alpha wolf roaming the nearby forest had more integrity than this chieftain.
Hungry and angry, the trolls were aware of their leader’s selfish ego. They began to whine and sputter in protest, quarreling amongst themselves, which was always dangerous with stupid trolls. Many said Laelia was too pretty to eat; they wanted to keep her as a slave. Others argued for a meal of young troll meat.
As the chieftain returned to his squabbling gang he angrily told them of his decision to keep Laelia for himself. He said they were to be satisfied with the snake meat and mice Zote had thrown. Tempers smoldering, the gang began to oink in protest.
One oil troll sneaked away from the tangle of enraged trolls and moved around Zote, who was still trying to toss snake meat and mice to the gang. He crept up close to Laelia, who was overwhelmed by the chaotic scene, and swung his lasso high over her head. His attempt failed, but her scream caught the attention of Zote, the chieftain, and his throng. The gang, excited by the defiant troll’s disobedient behavior, all turned and watched their leader, waiting for his reaction.
A fierce shriek and stern look from the chieftain caused the attacking troll to back away. This gesture toward their fellow oil troll made the gang even angrier. They began hissing and spitting in their witless manner. With piggish oinks and growls, some pushed past their chieftain and wormed their way toward Laelia . Soon others followed and, in unison, their squirming bodies gleaming with black oil, moved ever so close to Laelia. Nostrils flared as they sniffed at her body. Drool spilled over their purple lips while hungry spasms rolled within their stomachs. The oil trolls’ sharpened teeth ground in anticipation of more snake meat along with Laelia as their newfound delicacy.
Surrounded by the oil trolls, whiffs of their stinking bodies made Laelia feel faint. As she took in the sight of this writhing mass of disfigured trolls, her mind screamed, “They are uglier than Zote!”
Zote saw the oil trolls moving toward Laelia, their lecherous eyes upon her. He moved toward Laelia and pushed her aside, then circling the oil trolls several times he suddenly stopped to face them. His rage took complete control. Zote’s shaggy body instantly became the threatening spirit of a ferocious bear. His hairy feet pounded the ground while he swayed like a raving beast. Red spittle from the betel nut dripped from his blackened teeth onto his whiskers. Beating on his burly chest, he created his own terrorizing howls and growls. Oil trolls, deathly afraid of bears, believed he was a reincarnated bear.
Like most wild animals, the oil trolls were easily frightened. Hanging back with silenced drums, the trolls began to sway back and forth and, of course, began picking their big noses and scratching their rumps as all oil trolls do when outsmarted. Whimpering pitifully, they turned and scuttled away, the females carrying empty baskets. Like the rest of the trolls, the chieftain turned in fear of the angry bear and retreated with his gang.
Zote feared that one day this gang would return. They had discovered this fine female troll. She would be a sweet morsel of food or a slave.
Somehow, out of the turmoil of crazed trolls with biting teeth and glaring eyes, Laelia had caught sight of a young, weak troll whose eyes were sad but kind. As Zote returned her to the cage deep in the cavern, she thought much about this troll. He seemed helpless and his nature was different.
Laelia’s heart swelled with gratitude for Zote and his protection. She was again impressed with his courage, but not enough to trust him. She still feared Zote’s great strength and the dullness of his brain.