It probably takes a pretty good grab to get Dennett still, which is a testament to the troll's reflexes, if nothing else, and suddenly the whole shark-killingthing seems a great deal more probable.

For a long moment, even after the screeching of the rat ends in a sudden 'plop' in the water, he can't quite pull himself together, hands clutched over his throat, trying not to hyperventilate. Even if he didn't have a phobia of rats....

He feels some warmth over his fingers, and squeezes his eyes shut. "T-tell me that's not red." Please. LIE TO HIM DAMMIT.