Lost Scout

[StarrNico]

Grishkah returned a few moments later, a glob of a greenish-brown jelly-like substance in her right hand. The orc strode back toward Ruby and used her left hand to pick away the tattered bits of torn and burnt shirt that were near the wound before slathering the blistered burn with the salve. The substance, though it smelled rather pungent, should help sooth and protect the wound. Finally, she placed a bandage over the wound, jostling Ruby slightly as she threaded the cloth under the girl's armpit and back around over her shoulder again, trying to keep it in place. The result was a somewhat sloppy bandage job, but it seemed it would stay in place if the patient didn't move her arm too much.

Satisfied, Grishkah grinned down at her crying slave. "Mir?" she said in a questioning voice as she pulled the gag out of Ruby's mouth.

Ruby blinked her eyes open and watched the orc bandage her arm, wincing when her arm was jostled. When the gag was removed she took in a deeper breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out "Mir?" She repeated the strange word. "I don't know what you are saying" She said giving her head a slight shake.

 

[Frundette]

When Anna woke it was dark all around her. Groaning in pain as her cuts and scratches from the fall made themselves know, she staggered to her feet. She looked around the moonlit night and tried to get her bearings. "Gytha?" She tried to call out, but her voice was choked and her mouth dry. She looked around again then headed for the water she could see nearby.

By this time, almost the same time that Ezra was making his appeal to Lord Ragnar, the scout was already hiking up the narrow, rocky trail that lead back toward the main road and the sun was beginning to poke its rays over the horizon. Somewhat refreshed from the night of sleep, Gytha moved quickly at first, though found it difficult to keep up the pace for long as she was much weakened from the week of poor nourishment and mistreatment.

--

As Anna moved toward the river, she would see Laethros lying nearby, eyes closed and moaning softly.

--

In the dark, Charles was eventually able to locate a torch and after a few more minutes of fumbling through his belongings, managed to find his tinderbox and get it lit. Still woozy from the blow to the head, he was not sure he could survive another fight with Laethros, so hurried deeper into the cavern, retracing the same path he had walked the night before with Gomez. It would take longer, but would bring him out on the other side of the river. Where he'd go then... well, one step at a time...

 

[StarrNico]

By this time, almost the same time that Ezra was making his appeal to Lord Ragnar, the scout was already hiking up the narrow, rocky trail that lead back toward the main road and the sun was beginning to poke its rays over the horizon. Somewhat refreshed from the night of sleep, Gytha moved quickly at first, though found it difficult to keep up the pace for long as she was much weakened from the week of poor nourishment and mistreatment.

--

As Anna moved toward the river, she would see Laethros lying nearby, eyes closed and moaning softly.

--

In the dark, Charles was eventually able to locate a torch and after a few more minutes of fumbling through his belongings, managed to find his tinderbox and get it lit. Still woozy from the blow to the head, he was not sure he could survive another fight with Laethros, so hurried deeper into the cavern, retracing the same path he had walked the night before with Gomez. It would take longer, but would bring him out on the other side of the river. Where he'd go then... well, one step at a time...

Anna paused at the sound, looking around until she saw Laethros. She stood uncertainly for a long moment then hesitantly moved closer to the prone man. She stopped again just out of his reach "So you survived too. I suppose I will have to patch you up and take you in." She said, looking him over. She tried to hide a wince at the condition of his leg, but wasn't very successful at that.

 

[StarrNico]

(I'll take one!)

Ezra looked quickly at Ragnar, not expecting the man to give him an opportunity to speak at all. "Uh," he stammered, blinking under their hot, determined gazes. "Orcs, lots of them. We accidently stumbled across their camp while searching for Gytha. Aelfric and Strider stayed to rescue the slaves that have been held captive and they need help. We seen at least twenty orcs but there are likely more. They gave every indication that they are gearing up for some kind of attack, we must stop them!"

--

Near the front of the crowd a shorter man watched with curious eyes as Ezra recited the story. His name was Terrowin, a recently inducted member of Ragnar's sworn men. He didn't speak out initially as his seniority in the room was rather low, but he listened intently and held on to every one of the farmer's grave words.

(Yeah, I will too)
A dark haired man with a warriors build sat to one side of the gathering, silently listening. His name was David and he had been with Ragnar for a long time. He never spoke much, just listened and watched everything around him. This caused some people to think he was slow-witted, when in fact he wasn't.

 

[Frundette]

(I'll take one!)

Ezra looked quickly at Ragnar, not expecting the man to give him an opportunity to speak at all. "Uh," he stammered, blinking under their hot, determined gazes. "Orcs, lots of them. We accidently stumbled across their camp while searching for Gytha. Aelfric and Strider stayed to rescue the slaves that have been held captive and they need help. We seen at least twenty orcs but there are likely more. They gave every indication that they are gearing up for some kind of attack, we must stop them!"

--

Near the front of the crowd a shorter man watched with curious eyes as Ezra recited the story. His name was Terrowin, a recently inducted member of Ragnar's sworn men. He didn't speak out initially as his seniority in the room was rather low, but he listened intently and held on to every one of the farmer's grave words.

Next to Terrowin stood Josef, a man whose hair and beard had turned mostly grey and looked older by at least a decade than the lord he served. His arms were crossed over his broad chest as he listened to Ragnar and then Ezra. "Twenty at least, you say?" he said thoughtfully, thinking back to the expedition over a decade ago. "If these be of the same stock as those orcs in the great north, then surely each of us are worthy of at least two of them, if not better!"

But another from the back of the room seemed more cautious, "What indications do you mean that they gearing for an attack?" he asked of Ezra.




Josef:

 

[Frundette]

The wooden cage rocked forwards when he threw his weight into it, causing the back end to lift slightly off the ground before it slammed back down. Realizing that he was unlikely to get anything useful from the man at this point, Gomez returned his cup to the shelf and turned to leave. "Let me know when you're ready to talk." He called over his shoulder to Aelfric as another figure appeared in the doorway.

This time it was Ghegari, the hideous orc cook who was still sour over losing Danielle and Ruby to Strider. She lumbered ungracefully into the dimly lit cookhouse and eyed Aelfric disapprovingly. An old man was nothing compared to the taste of a young female, as if Mulush thought he was making it up to her. She snorted at the thought and began tidying up the mess that had been left behind after the struggle, the sooner they got rid of these pesky humans the better...

Even in his drunken state, Aelfric realized quickly that his efforts to knock over the cage were futile, but he could not shake the imagined image from his head of the scream being Gytha's. Were they killing her or maiming her? Before Gomez was out of earshot, he shouted after him, "Wait! Spare.. spare the girl! Let 'er go and I will tell you what you would know!"

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Ezra made eye contact with Josef when the man spoke out. "I cannot speak of their similarities to the orcs of the north, but these looked like pretty fierce warriors. Armed and dangerous. And yes, at least twenty of them in total from what I seen. They are building a gigantic wall around their camp, it looked like quite the operation from what I could tell. We did not stay long, or get close enough to provide any more details. They were patrolling the forests nearby."

This is something like how I picture Terrowin... somewhat:

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Even in his drunken state, Aelfric realized quickly that his efforts to knock over the cage were futile, but he could not shake the imagined image from his head of the scream being Gytha's. Were they killing her or maiming her? Before Gomez was out of earshot, he shouted after him, "Wait! Spare.. spare the girl! Let 'er go and I will tell you what you would know!"

Gomez paused with one foot in the doorway and one foot out. He looked coldly back towards Aelfric and ambled leisurely back towards the cage. He knew the girl was not Gytha as Aelfric likely expected, she was in the cave with Laethros and Charles... but either way, Aelfric didn't know that. And what he didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

"Tell me about Aberdeen," he hissed through the bars. "And if I hear even a slight hint of a lie in your voice I will kill her myself, and then you'll have two heads in your collection. How many men does Ragnar have at his disposal? Why did you come here?"

 

[Frundette]

Ruby blinked her eyes open and watched the orc bandage her arm, wincing when her arm was jostled. When the gag was removed she took in a deeper breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out "Mir?" She repeated the strange word. "I don't know what you are saying" She said giving her head a slight shake.

Grishkah spoke nothing of the common tongue, so did not understand Ruby's statement, but seemed satisfied by the response. "Mir," she repeated, this time without the questioning tone. The fact that the human was so alert was a good one, she thought, and a strong indication that the girl would survive the arrow wound and the rough treatment.

A sudden loud blast from the horn made Grishkah look away from Ruby and toward Kagan's hut. She had been looking forward to a rest after spending all night hunting the humans, but it seemed that would have to wait a little longer. Not wanting her new slave to escape while she was away, the orc fashioned a loop into a length of rope and placed it over Ruby's head, tightening it until it was snug around her neck, but no choking her, then tied the other end to the young tree that held up one corner of her tent. That, combined with the girl's hands being bound behind her back, seemed enough to keep her prize from wandering away.

 

[Frundette]

Anna paused at the sound, looking around until she saw Laethros. She stood uncertainly for a long moment then hesitantly moved closer to the prone man. She stopped again just out of his reach "So you survived too. I suppose I will have to patch you up and take you in." She said, looking him over. She tried to hide a wince at the condition of his leg, but wasn't very successful at that.

The man was barely conscious and though he turned his head slightly toward Anna, his eyes did not seem to focus on her. As she looked closer at his leg, she would see the bone was fractured almost in the middle of his calf, making the skin protrude unnaturally and very badly bruised and swollen.