Lost Scout

[StarrNico]

Grishkah had expected the girl to object to the excruciatingly painful treatment, but was quick to take advantage when Ruby turned her head away to give her easier access to the wound. She placed the heated blade quickly to the arrow wound, keeping the girl still with her weight pinning her torso to the ground. She kept the blade in place for only a few seconds while Ruby screamed through the gag before removing it, the smell of burnt flesh touching her nostrils.

She looked down at the wound, pleased to see that the bleeding had stopped. "Lak'tuk!" Grishkah growled again at Ruby. She stood then, removing her weight from the girl, leaving her there while she went to get some salve to put on the burn.

Ruby closed her eyes, fighting to breath through the pain and the gag. First one tear then another fell into her hair as she lay there on her back. She was faintly surprised that she was still conscious, but that thought was quickly pushed aside as she tried to think.

 

[Frundette]

(That, and you're use of the word "you" I assumed it meant Gomez only... sorry! I don't know where we could stick in a previous meeting, but perhaps we could use it to explain why Gomez hates the humans so much... they rejected him.)

Gomez laughed, the ale was making him giddy even though his words weren't yet beginning to slur. He left the cup by his feet instead of taking another gulp... he'd had quite enough already.

"I'd say you--" He broke off mid-sentence when he heard Orkhan, Draugnot and Grishkah return to the camp. From the sound of their footsteps he could tell that a couple of slaves accompanied them, although he didn't know how many. "Sounds like your friends have been re-captured. Its really too bad that you won't have anything to return home with... if you make it back at all."

The cookhouse momentarily darkened as Orkhan stepped through the doorway. In one hand he carried his sword, still red with blood, and in the other he carried the severed head of Strider. Ignoring Gomez he strode to the edge of the cage and tossed the head towards Aelfric. With a devilish grin he growled, "you next."

Up until now Aelfric had taken some small comfort from the idea that Strider and the escaped slaves were well on their way to Aberdeen. But his eyes were drawn to the head that Orkhan held, recognizing his friend almost immediately as the severed head rolled toward him and it felt like someone had physically punched him in the gut as the head came to a stop with it's siteless eyes staring at Aelfric. His mouth tightened, his eyes narrowed, and his breath quickened through his nose.

During his conversation with Gomez, Aelfric had been sitting on the floor with his back resting against the wall, but after staring at the head for several seconds, he finally tore his eyes away from it and forced himself to his feet, knocking over the small amount of remaining ale. "You piech of filth," he half spat, half slurred toward Orkhan, straining against the leather bonds again, wanting nothing more than to reach through the bars and strangle the orc. "You ********** piech of filth! Yer heads gonna be decoratin' someones mantel before this ish over."

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Up until now Aelfric had taken some small comfort from the idea that Strider and the escaped slaves were well on their way to Aberdeen. But his eyes were drawn to the head that Orkhan held, recognizing his friend almost immediately as the severed head rolled toward him and it felt like someone had physically punched him in the gut as the head came to a stop with it's siteless eyes staring at Aelfric. His mouth tightened, his eyes narrowed, and his breath quickened through his nose.

During his conversation with Gomez, Aelfric had been sitting on the floor with his back resting against the wall, but after staring at the head for several seconds, he finally tore his eyes away from it and forced himself to his feet, knocking over the small amount of remaining ale. "You piech of filth," he half spat, half slurred toward Orkhan, straining against the leather bonds again, wanting nothing more than to reach through the bars and strangle the orc. "You ********** piech of filth! Yer heads gonna be decoratin' someones mantel before this ish over."

"Try me!" Orkhan spat back, spittle flying in all directions. He brought the hilt of his sword down on the bars of the cage in front of Aelfric with so much force that the cage rattled and vibrated in response. His lips parted in a jeering grin which exposed his yellowed teeth and hideous face suspended just a couple of feet in front of Aelfric's, separated only by the bonds and the cage bars. "Humie friends will all die." His voice grew quieter and he smirked as Ruby's screams crept through the open door. "You should never have come here, now you all slaves! All humies will be slaves!"

Without waiting for Aelfric's enraged response, he stalked out of the cookhouse, his heavy boots stirring up a small amount of dust. The troops needed to be mustered, Kagan needed to be notified, and he** was gonna break loose. He relished the thought with delight.

--

Gomez watched silently, enjoying Aelfric's reaction as much as Orkhan without displaying it as the orc did. As the brute left the room, he reached for his cup and downed the rest of the ale in one gulp.

(Be back in a bit!)

 

[Frundette]

Anna had to open her eyes as they both went over the edge. For a moment she was seven again, on a much smaller cliff yet still falling down it uncontrollably. She had been out with her mother and father on a picnic and had gotten too close to the edge, wanting to see the view better. That cliff had crumbled under her slight weight and she fell, breaking a leg before she came to a stop at the bottom. She had been terrified of heights ever since.
Her voice was locked in her throat as she released her grip on his arm, twisting to grab anything to stop her fall. Her mind kept wanting to return to that day but she fought it to stay in the present. She managed to grab and hold on to a tree branch, barely noticing as Leanthros continued to fall when she stopped. She made a small whimpering sound as she tried to get a more secure grip on the branch, only to have it start to break off. Risking everything she reached for another branch, swinging onto it just as the branch she had first caught broke off completely and fell down the rest of the cliff.
Anna wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and rest, but knew this tree wasn't safe to stay in for too long. Breathing heavily she glanced up then straight at the wall, assessing as much as she could in the swift glance. She had come to a stop within 20 feet of the bottom of the cliff, but couldn't force herself to look down to see that. Anna didn't want to move but the sounds from the tree she sat in convinced her she would be finishing her downward trip one way or another. She reached out shakily to get a grip on the cliff wall, then when that was secure, she made her feet find a grip, slowly making her way down and doing her best not to look until she reached solid ground. Once at the bottom she collapsed in a faint, unable to keep herself awake any longer.

"Anna!" Gytha found her voice several seconds later. "ANNA!" she yelled louder, but there was no response. The scout's hands shook as she made her way carefully, but quickly, down to the spot on the trail where Anna and Laethros had disappeared and she looked over the edge, trying to catch site of her friend. But all she could see from that vantage was the unmoving form of Laethros, his right leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

She gulped, expecting that Anna was lying dead at the bottom somewhere. Hands still shaking, she started climbing back up the trail, intending to make it back to Aberdeen to warn Lord Ragnar. She she got to the top, she turned for a moment, making a silent promise to Anna that she would come back to find the younger girl's body, not wanting the bottom of the cliff to be her final resting place...

--

In the cave, Charles coughed and sputtered, regaining his breath slowly. In the struggle, Laethros had shoved the younger man back against the cave wall so hard that he'd knocked the wind out of him, plus gifted him with a swelling goose egg on his noggin.

 

[StarrNico]

"Anna!" Gytha found her voice several seconds later. "ANNA!" she yelled louder, but there was no response. The scout's hands shook as she made her way carefully, but quickly, down to the spot on the trail where Anna and Laethros had disappeared and she looked over the edge, trying to catch site of her friend. But all she could see from that vantage was the unmoving form of Laethros, his right leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

She gulped, expecting that Anna was lying dead at the bottom somewhere. Hands still shaking, she started climbing back up the trail, intending to make it back to Aberdeen to warn Lord Ragnar. She she got to the top, she turned for a moment, making a silent promise to Anna that she would come back to find the younger girl's body, not wanting the bottom of the cliff to be her final resting place...

--

In the cave, Charles coughed and sputtered, regaining his breath slowly. In the struggle, Laethros had shoved the younger man back against the cave wall so hard that he'd knocked the wind out of him, plus gifted him with a swelling goose egg on his noggin.

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.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

"I didn't see 'em last night, lord," one of them men volunteered.

Ragnar narrowed his eyes in irritation, not yet suspecting the treachery of the men, but annoyed that they would disappear without informing him. But he'd deal with them later. He scanned the gathered crowd and each seemed to straighten up a little under their lord's gaze. "Men, we face a grave threat. Orcs have returned to the Greywoods. Ezra, please tell them of what you saw..."

(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.

 

[Frundette]

Ruby closed her eyes, fighting to breath through the pain and the gag. First one tear then another fell into her hair as she lay there on her back. She was faintly surprised that she was still conscious, but that thought was quickly pushed aside as she tried to think.

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.

 

[Frundette]

"Try me!" Orkhan spat back, spittle flying in all directions. He brought the hilt of his sword down on the bars of the cage in front of Aelfric with so much force that the cage rattled and vibrated in response. His lips parted in a jeering grin which exposed his yellowed teeth and hideous face suspended just a couple of feet in front of Aelfric's, separated only by the bonds and the cage bars. "Humie friends will all die." His voice grew quieter and he smirked as Ruby's screams crept through the open door. "You should never have come here, now you all slaves! All humies will be slaves!"

Without waiting for Aelfric's enraged response, he stalked out of the cookhouse, his heavy boots stirring up a small amount of dust. The troops needed to be mustered, Kagan needed to be notified, and he** was gonna break loose. He relished the thought with delight.

--

Gomez watched silently, enjoying Aelfric's reaction as much as Orkhan without displaying it as the orc did. As the brute left the room, he reached for his cup and downed the rest of the ale in one gulp.

Aelfric heard the muffled scream of a female and couldn't help from imagining that it was Gytha enduring some kind of torture at the hands of one of these foul creatures. As Orkhan strode out, the half drunk, enraged swordsman lowered his shoulder and slammed it into the cage in an effort to knock the wooden structure over, not caring about the jolt of pain the impact sent through his back.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Aelfric heard the muffled scream of a female and couldn't help from imagining that it was Gytha enduring some kind of torture at the hands of one of these foul creatures. As Orkhan strode out, the half drunk, enraged swordsman lowered his shoulder and slammed it into the cage in an effort to knock the wooden structure over, not caring about the jolt of pain the impact sent through his back.

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...

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Orkhan wiped each side of his blade on the grass before returning it to the sheath on his belt as he walked quickly towards a well constructed hut within the camp boundaries. On the outside it looked very similar to every other hut in the camp, but on the inside as he pushed open the half open door it was clear that this one was unlike any other. The hut was divided into two rooms, one large and one small. At the far end of the largest room, a tall, burly orc stood facing the wall with his back to the door that Orkhan had just entered through.

He turned around slowly as Orkhan knocked tentatively on the doorframe. "Kagan," he dipped his head quickly to show his respect and closed the door behind him. The room was instantly plunged into blackness, the only light coming from the cracks and imperfections in the wall, of which there were few.

"Tell me you have good news, Orkhan." Kagan crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked down sternly at his henchman.

"I ah," he averted his gaze once more, seeming reluctant to give the news. "We had a break in last night, the slaves escaped but we contained them and their rescuers. By my count only two are still missing."

Kagan's eyes narrowed. "Your job was to supervise the slaves, Orkhan. And yet again you have failed to do so."

Orkhan's feet shifted nervously as the black orc drew his blade and brought it dangerously close to his neck. He couldn't help but think of the last orc who had failed in the eyes of their Master...

"If you hadn't been such a faithful servant for so long I would kill you now... but I think you can still be of use to me. It only takes one mouth to break a secret, the word is probably on it way to a human settlement now. We must act quick before our element of surprise is wasted completely." He turned a scathing glare on Orkhan. "Gather the troops now, I am calling a meeting in one hour from now. GO!"

Orkhan scrambled backwards and out the door before Kagan could change his mind. A couple yards in front of him was a large, brass horn shaped instrument attached to a wooden post driven into the ground. He grabbed it in his mouth and blew hard, emitting a loud, deep bellowing sound that could be heard for about one mile in any direction. It was the signal to rally at the camp so that Kagan could address them as a group.