One possibility--troll males have a *very* deep instinct of deference to women. Mind you, that's to woman *trolls*--but still, it might just feel wrong to kill a female if you can help it.
It might also be troll politics. They might have some reason for not wanting to antagonize humans just then. Or contrariwise, the troll might figure out "they left her here in our hunting grounds, they want us to kill her"--and refuse to do the hoomans' dirty-work, just out of sheer orneriness.
Of course, it can just be mysterious troll behaviour. Maybe the troll himself doesn't know. Maybe his spirit ally just told him, "Set her free" and didn't give a reason.
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