Lost Scout

[ChickieBooBoo]

"Kill it!" Orkhan snarled at Draugnot, tired of the crazy animal running into them all the time.

By this time Draugnot had made it back to his feet and had regained his breath from the first time Rosa had run over him. Feeling equally as annoyed, he was quick to string an arrow, aim, and fire the deadly weapon towards the fleeing horse. He also wanted it to serve as a reminder to all the remaining slaves that they were serious in their threats to kill, and perhaps even enjoyed doing it...

 

[StarrNico]

"No" Ruby called out, turning towards the two orcs. She took a step towards them but turned to watch Rosa, hoping the mare would get away. "No" She said again as Rosa fell. She shook her head and took off towards the mare. She didn't stop until she reached her and dropped down beside her. Ruby held Rosa's head, gently stroking the dying mare and murmuring soft words to her.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Draugnot slowly lowered the bow as Rosa fell and watched emotionlessly as Ruby threw herself down on top of her ailing horse.

Orkhan tightened his grip even further on Strider and dragged him into the centre of the small clearing which had been used as a camp. He could see most of the slaves and orcs who had been involved in the fray, and knew that he had their attention now.

"See this?" He spat, turning in a full circle with Strider so that all of them could see from wherever they were standing. "This is what happens when humies defy orcs." He pulled the dagger away from Strider's neck and kicked the man forward so that he fell onto his face into the dirt without his hands to break his fall. As the ultimate sign of humiliation, he placed his boot on Strider's upper back and forced his head downwards even further, than spat on the ground next to his head. "You are subjugates under orc rule, don't ever forget it again. Or else," he looked directly at Ruby. "My next example will be one of you."

--

Danielle buried her face in her hands and leaned miserably into Luella. She had never witnessed such cruelty before being brought to the orc camp, it made her sick. Until now she hadn't even thought it possible for one living thing to do such things to another... but then again, the orcs were hardly living. They were dead inside, soulless, heartless...

 

[StarrNico]

Strider grunted under the weight of the orc's foot. He could see Ruby and hoped she would get away. 'run, baby. get away from them' He thought but didn't say.

Ruby pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, seemingly not paying attention to the orcs or the camp. She was waiting for a moment when she wasn't being watched so closely, her bow and quiver were still on Rosa's back, secured with the saddlebags. If she could get to them...If she could find Stone...if she could make it to the settlement and warn Lord Ragnar.

 

[Frundette]

Vorgak actually laughed at Mark's threat to kill him. As if the weak creature coughing and sputtering on the ground could harm him! Not seeing Bagira hidden away under the nearby brush, the orc kicked the human man again just for good measure, then crouched, grabbing Mark's arm as he roughly forced the human onto his stomach, intending to bind his hands behind his back.

--

Grishkah sprinted after Luella, imagining the shame that would fall upon her if she let the human woman get away. Her quarry plunged into the trees and Grishkah hurried after, but slightly slower as she took care not to hit her bleeding, injured arm against any small tree limbs along the way. What luck! she thought as her prey almost collided with another human girl. She could almost taste victory as she slowed her approached, not wanting them to run again, as it appeared Orkhan had their full attention. She growling something in the orc tongue as she stared at the girls, pointed her club back toward the makeshift camp.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Mark grimaced and doubled over with pain again, still gulping hungrily for air with the utmost urgency as it felt like he was suffocating on dry ground. "You're a monster!" He spat into the ground as Vorgak rolled him over onto his stomach and grabbed both of his arms. Thinking of Milly, he tried desperately to jerk his hands free before Vorgak could bind them. For her sake, he refused to give up and submit voluntarily.

--

In stopping to watch Orkhan and running into Danielle, Luella hadn't forgotten that Grishkah was still after them. She watched the female orc approach them slowly with weary, frightened eyes. If it hadn't been for Strider lying face down in front of Orkhan she wouldn't have hesitated to run again, knowing that her chances of escaping were slim, but better than if she waited.

The situation as it was, however, forced her to unwillingly obey Grishkah. She would never knowingly abandon another human, especially one who had risked his life to save her as Strider had. The orcs, she knew as well as any of them, were very serious in their death threat... and so she and Danielle followed Grishkah's command and stepped slowly back towards the camp with their hands slightly raised in submission.

 

[Frundette]

As Mark yanked his right hand out of Vorgak's grasp, the orc grunted in aggravation and leaned his knee into the man's back, holding the human's left wrist pinned tightly and bent almost up to his shoulder blade. Not wasting time trying to catch Mark's right wrist again, he picked the club off the ground and simply slammed it down violently on the man's right shoulder, ready to do it again if he didn't cease his struggling.

--

Grishkah followed the two human females, a victorious grin plastered across her face despite the blood coating her arm and dripping from her nose. Too injured to bind the girls' hands, she stood close behind them to guard them.

 

[Frundette]

"I doubt it" Anna said softly as Gytha took the makeshift weapon from her. She picked up the hammock and stood. "Now how are we going to use this?" She asked

"Set ourselves on either side of the door and hope one of those two traitors open it up?" Gytha suggested, unable to think of anything more clever off the top of her head.


--

Charles was not sure how many hours had passed since Gomez had left the caves, but he lay staring at the cavern ceiling by the light of a single candle flame, Laethros snoring nearby loudly enough to keep him awake on a good night. But he found sleep even more elusive tonight as he thought of the two girls held prisoner in the small room not far away, wrestling with his conscious over their fate and the fate of Aberdeen.

If only he could go back in time and warn Lord Ragnar of the plot, he would do so without hesitation. But to do so now? When Ragnar would have no time to send for help from Wedmor? Surely Charles had chosen the winning side. So why couldn't he sleep!? He sighed and rolled over, unable to shake the thoughts of how both Anna and Gytha had trusted him better than he deserved right up until he had betrayed each of them.

In the end, it was that which finally compelled him to rise. Quietly, so as not to disturb Laethros, he picked up the candle and approached the room being used to hold Gytha and Anna...

--

The scout had given in to her weariness and was fast asleep by the time Charles approached the door, though one of the hammock rods lay near her hand.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Mark winced and let out a loud gasp of pain as Vorgak leaned further onto his back with his knee and pushed his left wrist higher. He continued flailing his right arm madly, searching blindly for a stick or something that he could hit his attacker with. With his head pinned in the other direction Mark didn't have a chance see Vorgak raise the club to hit his right arm and didn't even flinch or try to avoid it.

When the end of the heavy weapon struck his shoulder his whole body spasmed wildly for a second, then lay still. He was sure that he had heard something crack, but he was still able to move all of his fingers and his wrist. Not that it made much difference though, the pain was still searing and unbearable. He forgot about the 'tough' image of a man and screamed in agony, his fingers curling into tight fists on both hands. His right arm finally lay still on the ground for Vorgak to grab, but the rest of his body heaved up and down as he struggled to breath under the orc's knee, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

--

Luella glanced behind her for a moment but didn't dare meet Grishkah's eyes, she was afraid that the female orc would strike her out of spite if she even looked the smallest bit cross. Both her and Danielle held their hands at about shoulder height, raised to show that they weren't going to run again. In return they expected that Orkhan would spare Strider's and their own lives. Although, she considered for a moment that a quick death would perhaps be better than returning to the camp... but that thought she pushed away quickly. No, you can't give yourself up for death! She chided herself mentally. Be strong... like Strider...

 

[StarrNico]

Anna had agreed with Gytha, It was the only thing she could think of as well. She had sat against the wall, trying to stay awake, but time and the darkness along with being tired had taken their toll and she was asleep also.