The fire struggled to banish the morning’s chill, or at least take the edge off of the deep cold a hole in the ground could attain during the winter. If nothing else, it provided a warm, cheery light, though it did little to melt the chill in Elordria’s heart. Remains of the previous night’s dinner (still fish, with a few of the easier to gather nuts and plants to provide a little spice) sat to the side of the fire circle, waiting to be delivered to the now expectant bear.
Elordria, warm in a sleeping roll, and not wearing much of anything after the previous night’s activities, once again began to worry in earnest about what would lay at the end of the journey they were to embark upon this day. How would she possibly justify this to her xenophobic people? Could she manage to sneak out of Mienar Forest with Vognar and attain a safe distance before being noticed by a patrol?
Feeling the waves of worry coming from his beloved, Vognar stood, wearing little more than a loincloth, and gathered the food remnants in preparation to make his way to the cave entrance to give them to their furry, if moderately ill-tempered, neighbor. As Vognar scooped up his great-sword and finished grabbing the last bits of food, Elordria faintly heard the sound of a raven outside the cave. The distinctive sound tickled Elordria’s memory, and while she attempted to sort out her thoughts, Vognar finished his task and disappeared around the bend in the cave.
‘I love her too much to let anything get in the way! Somehow, it will be made to work.’ thought Vognar desperately as he worked his way up to the cave entrance. A dimming of the light streaming in from the entrance caused his eyes to snap up in alarm. The silhouette of a trio of Elves, swords bared, blocked the entrance to the cave. With a wordless roar, Vognar threw the offal from dinner at them and charged, drawing his sword...
Startled by Vognar’s roar, Elordria’s memories snapped into place. The raven call - there weren’t any ravens in the Mierani Forest this time of year, and the pitch and timbre were all wrong. With shock, she realized that call could only mean her brethren had found them. Mortal fear for her beloved sent Elordria surging out of her bedroll, heedless of her state of dress (or lack thereof)...
***
A heady smell of hibernating bear emanated from the cave entrance to the left as Lythar, and Shol members Fel’thusaar and Tyl’las, advanced into the rightmost cave entrance behind the waterfall. As the three entered, their eyes picked out a nearly naked human carrying what appeared to be the remains of a meal in his hands. Three sets of eyes also immediately locked onto the great-sword's distinctive hilt protruding from over his shoulder.
Lythar was known for fast reflexes, but he was entirely unprepared for the roar that emanated from the human, and the sudden rain of fish bones, heads, and other garbage that pelted him. The human was making a primal sound, outstripping even the thunder of the waterfall at Lythar’s back as the human’s sword led the way in a headlong charge.
Steel rang as Lythar barely brought his Elven Curved Blade up to parry the charging thrust of the large human. Lythar’s training took over, however, and he rapidly lowered, then raised his center of gravity as the Ulfen ran into him, ramming his shoulder into the Ulfen’s gut. The result, while better than being spitted, was almost equally catastrophic, as both warriors’ swords flew from their hands, and the Ulfen was launched headfirst into Fel’thusaar and Tyl’las, upending the lot of them into a large pile of tangled limbs.
Being thrown by the diminutive Elf, coupled with frustration that his nascent plans should be so suddenly crushed, was just too much for Vognar, and a haze of red rage descended over his eyesight. All reason was now gone, as sheer anger and desperation gained instinctual control over the Ulfen.
Lythar managed to avoid being entangled in the pile of struggling bodies by continuing the movement his throw generated with a roll that put him deeper into the cave entrance. Tactically, Lythar realized that this position would also allow him to block the Orodae from reaching Elordria, or what may be left of her. He finished the roll by tumbling lightly onto his feet, and turned just in time to see the enraged Ulfen stand up with Fel’thusaar and Tyl’las hanging off of either arm, like puny tree limbs. Abruptly, Vognar windmilled an arm, causing Fel’thusaar to fly right past Lythar deeper into the cave. A dull thud sounded from behind a surprised Lythar as the unfortunate Elf impacted the cave wall behind him.
Tyl’las, undeterred by the sudden and swift departure of his companion, used the tenuous grip he still had on his longsword to bash the human behind the ear with the hilt. Vognar, eyes glazed slightly, but he reacted instantly, by crushing Tyl’las into the cave wall as hard as his rage-enhanced strength would allow. The mighty blow caused the longsword to fly from Tyl’las’ hand, and so did the breath from his lungs as the cave wall seemed to rise up and swat him. Somehow, though, the battered Elf managed to consolidate his grip, and worked around to the rear of the thrashing human.
Lythar, not to be outdone, and concerned for the safety of both of his friends, chose that opportunity to rush Vognar, managing to hit him low just as Tyl’las yanked backwards - sending all three struggling warriors flying backwards. Their fall was unexpectedly short, however, as they impacted a large, warm, furry wall.
***
The mother bear had spent the month feeding her cubs, and enjoying the frequent snacks left by her new neighbors. While she didn’t like the little pink hairless creatures anywhere near her den, one of them had said such nice things, so she had tolerated their presence, and the interruptions and odd smells that emanated from their branch of the cave.
Today, however, all of the roaring, screaming, yelling, and thuds were most unpleasant, and not at all conducive to a wholesome family environment. As her cubs squealed in fright, the bear decided she had had enough, and proceeded next door to file a complaint utilizing the only method available to her.
***
The warriors had but an instant to register that something was amiss before, with a roar that was far louder than the waterfall, the bear took a mighty swing at the interlopers who had so rudely interrupted her rest.
Lythar, having had the good fortune of seeing the swing coming while also being low to the ground, managed to roll to the side as the bear’s huge paw swept past overhead. Vognar and Tyl’las were not so fortunate, and the mighty blow knocked both of them off the narrow ledge and into the fast rushing water of the falls.
The bear was quite satisfied with the direction her complaint was taking so far, and decided to take it up with the remaining little pink ones in the cave. She could smell one of them close by, and two more farther back in the shaft.
Deciding that his best bet was to find a cleft or other feature of the rock that might give him a chance against the bear, Lythar quickly fell back deeper into the cave. As he turned to begin looking for a cranny to stuff himself into, his jaw dropped in shock as before him he saw Elordria, who was bent down over Fel’thusaar. Seeing the bear beginning to lumber deeper into the cave, Elordria quickly stood, passing a blushing Lythar to stand between him and the angry bear.
***
‘How is it that I always end up facing angry bears?’ Elordria thought grimly to herself as the bear’s roar washed her in fetid breath.
Standing tall, Elordria began the process of soothing the angry bear, always dancing just out of range of the bear’s lunges and swipes while speaking gently and steadily to the angry animal, refusing to show any reaction to its frustrated roars and whuffs. Lythar, wise to Elordria’s skill with the creatures of the forest, concentrated on staying out of her way and not presenting a convenient target. A quick glance at Felthusaar confirmed that he was stunned, seriously banged up, yet not mortally wounded.
As the bear’s protests fell from murderous rage to mere “annoyance”, Lythar quickly scooped up his blade from where it had fallen and walked steadily past the large animal out of the cave. ‘I’ll teach that...human...to enter Elven lands and have his way with our women!’
Lythar’s passing alarmed Elordria as she realized that, in her current state of (un)dress, Lythar might not wait long enough for her to leave the cave before dispensing the justice authorized to any of the warriors charged with guarding the forest. Despite her rush of worry, however, Elordria knew that the bear wasn’t yet in a condition where she could be left alone. Until she was back with her cubs, the groggy mother was a threat to all in the area. Her mind torn, Elordria turned fully back to calming and soothing the huge animal as quickly as possible.
***
‘The river bottom is quite pretty...all those little stones and pebbles, and there goes a little fish...’, Vognar’s sluggish thought processes suddenly realized that there was a hand on the back of his head, and he was under water. The hand gave a sharp tug on his hair, and he began hungrily sucking in air as he became aware of two Elves covering him with their bows, as the third finished his bindings. His head felt like someone had pounded on it with a sledgehammer, and the sight of the rocks at the base of the waterfall reminded Vognar of where his head must have landed for him to feel so.
Tyl’las finished tying Vognar with the enchanted assassin vines that the searchers had been given by Kaerishiel with a neat knot. The semi-intelligent vines snaked in two loops joined by a short length around his ankles, connected to the vines binding his wrists together in front of him, and finished with a join to a neat loop around the neck, which began to tighten alarmingly as Vognar squirmed a little. The entire rig restricted Vognar to short steps and an unhealthy hunched position. A leather gag finished off the arrangement.
“You’ll be wanting to hold really still now, ye filthy Orodae.” Tyl’las rasped in Vognar’s ear. “Those vines, you see, are quite hungry for blood. And while they’ll behave so long as you do, they’ll not hesitate to squeeze your head clean off of your shoulders if given half a chance.” With that pronouncement, Tyl’las roughly helped Vognar to stand and led him shuffling awkwardly to the river bank.
Lythar rounded the edge of the waterfall and smiled at the sight of his brethren holding the human, walking gingerly with a slight limp over to the group. Seeing that the situation was in hand, Lythar pulled a small signaling horn from his pack and blew a recall signal.
As the clarion note of the horn faded down the ravine, Lythar turned and faced Vognar, who unflinchingly returned his stare.
“I name you Orodae, a trespasser in the Mierani Forest, murderer of Elves, and violator of an Elven Maiden. The punishment is death.” Lythar announced loudly in Common. At the final word, Tyl’las pulled the Ulfen over to a snow covered log, and roughly laid him out face down with his neck at the highest point, using his hold on the vine joining wrists and neck to keep the human still. As Tyl’las’ hand jostled the joined vine, it once again tightened reflexively, restricting Vognar’s air supply and painfully cutting into his wrists.
Stepping up beside the human warrior, Lythar announced in Elven, “The punishment shall be carried out immediately, the Forest and our People shall be avenged”.
Lythar’s blade, with water droplets glinting in the dapples of weak morning sun, rose high above his head. Lythar finished the upswing in one smooth, practiced motion, and the muscles in his shoulders and back bunched as the blade gracefully began to fall...
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