Expecting nothing but a gruesome death, Finley closed his eyes, his last sight of a claw swinging down towards him. He felt the wind squeezed from his lungs as though something heavy had hit his chest. Thinking death was a peculiar thing, being as he could smell the most putrid of odours, he decided to open his eyes and see what was going on. He flinched and felt breathing much easier, as he was just in time to see Karesh pull the strange beast from off the top of him. “I’m not dead,” he said, lifting his hand up to his face just to check that was indeed still the case. “I killed it!” he heard Karesh saying as the orc leant down to help him up.
Feeling as if every muscle and bone in his body had taken a beating, he winced as he stood. He looked down to where the beast was now lying, still and motionless with the sword still protruding from the back of its head. “Thanks,” he said looking over to where Karesh was stood. After kicking the beast a few times with the toe-end of his boot, he picked up his staff and did likewise with that, “Just making sure,” he said, looking over to the orc who had just saved his life, seeing him now in a new light.
Finley leant down, and grasped the handle of the sword and pulled. The blade made a squelching, scraping sound and was quite difficult to shift. Karesh had indeed used some force in shoving the blade in, so much so he had to use his boot to push against the beast to pull it out again. When it finally did come free, he stumbled back a little, although quickly regained a safe footing. The blade was covered in the thick black blood, which he tried wiping off on the thick hair of the dead creature on the ground. “Here,” he said handing the blade back to Karesh, “You can keep this,” he said. Although the gesture was only a small one, the orc seemed pleased with it nonetheless, taking the blade and holding it aloft, pointing the tip skywards before returning it its leather sheath.
“You think this is a creature of the darkness?” Karesh asked stepping over towards him. Finley was not sure, and although he did not want that to be the case, he answered in the affirmative. What else could it be? “I think we should take some proof back to Lochgorm,” he said after staring at the beast for a few moments. Karesh nodded, and grabbed one of the creature’s limbs and started dragging it. “I don’t think we need to take it all, just a claw or the head or something,” Finley said shaking his head the orc’s stupidity. Karesh nodded, and pulled the sword out once more, bringing it down with such force it removed one of the beasts clawed hands in one swift strike. Karesh picked up the severed claw and shook it flicking the dark blood across the forest floor. After looking around for something to wrap it in and finding nothing, Karesh tore part of his shirt and used that.
They were just about to head back when Finley’s attention was drawn to another noise. This was not a threatening type of sound, but more one that was crying out, a whimper almost. He listened again and was drawn to where he had first seen the creature in the small clearing. Lying on the ground next to another one of these strange beasts was a dead wolf. He stepped nearer and noticed another, just a little smaller than the first, and two smaller shapes. Finley felt saddened by their deaths. Evidently the male and female wolves had been protecting their young, fighting to their last breath in a bid to do so. To their credit, they had managed to bring down one of the creatures, as he noticed the throat of it ripped open. The two pups had not stood a chance, and he felt unsure that he should just leave them there for the crows to feed upon.
He turned sharply, as he heard a faint whimpering sound again, and was at first unsure as to where it had come from. He looked around at the dead wolves on the ground, the larger male, having suffered horrendous injuries, probably having been the one responsible for taking down one of the creatures. The noise came again, and it was to the female wolf he looked, moving the corpse just slightly, to reveal a third pup that had been trapped beneath her. “Hello little guy,” he said reaching down to pick it up.
The moment his hand touched the pup, something strange occurred. The pup’s eyes turned from their natural dark colour to bright blue, and Finley suddenly felt its pain. Images flashed through his mind, not of his own making. These were the events as seen through the eyes of the pup leading up to its parent’s gruesome deaths. In his mind, he could see the male wolf being clawed apart, but yet still managing to leap up and clasp its powerful jaws onto the throat of one of the dark creatures. It had clung on, despite its injuries until it had succeeded in ripping it apart, killing the beast, but sacrificing himself in the process. The female and her pups had been somewhat easier prey, and despite the mother putting up a valiant last stand, she was not powerful enough to overcome the second beast. However, in her falling she had inadvertently landed on her smallest pup, trapping it beneath and unknowingly saving its life.
Finley quickly came to, although the images were gruesome, the feelings and senses he got from the pup made him feel wonderful. He looked down at the small life in his hand, probably little more than a few day’s old and had already seen more than its fair share of pain and death. “Woah! What just happened? Did you see the wolf’s eyes…look they are the same colour as yours. What did you do?” Karesh asked, firing off one question after the other without waiting for the previous one to be answered.
Finley looked up at the orc, “I don’t know, but I can sense how it feels. I saw how its mother and father died. Strange.” There was no other word for it, at least not one that sprang instantly to mind. “Perhaps you’re a druid” Karesh suggested.
“Pfft. I doubt it,” he replied, although without any conviction as to whether he actually thought that was the case. “Come on we need to get back, in case any more of these things are lurking about,” he said tucking the wolf pup into his tunic, before leading the way through the trees.
Chapter 16.
Karesh and Finley made their way from the treeline, revealing the large lake before them. Lochgorm built on the island at its centre appeared still to be some way off despite the fact they were nearly on the lake’s shore. Karesh explained that was apparently sometimes the case, although he had never actually seen it for himself. Apparently, depending on the weather, the island at the centre looked nearer or further away to those on the shore, but as to why that was the case, he did not know.
Finley felt the little wolf pup fidgeting inside his tunic, peering its tiny head out of the front to see where it was they were going. As they walked along the shoreline towards the bridge gatehouse, he was beginning to wonder whether he would be allowed his new furry friend into the keep. After all, in the time he had spent there, he not seen a single animal. Perhaps they were not permitted, although he had already decided he was going to keep the pup as a pet whatever the outcome.
“What are you going to call him?” Karesh asked reaching his large three-fingered hand out to touch the animal’s tiny head. The pup yapped and snapped as the orc’s hand neared, causing Finley to laugh, although he quickly stopped when he realised Karesh did not like it. Instead, he stopped walking, and reached into his tunic, lifting the little pup out, “Here you can hold him if you like,” he said handing the wolf over. He was not sure as to the reasons why, but he felt this time the pup would not see Karesh as a threat as if the animal was feeling as he was.
Karesh wasn’t sure at first, clearly expecting to be snapped at again, “Go on,” Finley reiterated. The young orc rather gingerly took the pup, and after a hesitant moment or two, ever so gently stroked the fur on the back of its head. The wolf, as white as the winter’s snow, with the same piercing blue eyes as Finley, wagged its short stubby tail, before licking the orcs hand, making him laugh. “You should call him ‘Sessi’. It is old orcish for snow, like the colour of his fur,” Karesh suggested. Quite why he was not sure, but the little pup seemed pleased with the moniker as if agreeing that was the name he wanted, a feeling it seemed to share with Finley.
“Come on then, you can carry Sessi back to the gatehouse, although I might have to hide him to sneak him in from there,” he said, feeling glad that he had also made Karesh happy. Each day
since his arrival he kept seeing the young orc in a new light. This was not one of the brutal baby eating beasts he had been led to believe all orcs were, but a vulnerable child in an orc's body. Clearly his mother loved Karesh as if he had been her own son, and while he was sure that same love was not yet so prominent between her and himself, he could not imagine her not being around, despite all the tedious meetings and restrictions, as to where he could and could not go.
How to how he was going to explain about sneaking out from the safety of Lochgorm, and almost getting himself killed in the process, he was not yet sure, although he hoped she did not go too harshly on Karesh for joining him. After all, the young orc had been the one who had ultimately saved his life, albeit cutting it rather fine as far as his timing was concerned. He glanced over at Karesh and smiled, and noticing they were within sight of the guards at the bridge gatehouse, suggested he give Sessi back. “Come on brother,” he said tucking the little pup away from sight in his tunic, “let us go and see if we can get back in.”
The guards on the gate were clearly there to cause Finley grief. Both elves and dressed in very smart uniforms, they had strangely shaped bows over their shoulder and two long narrow swords at the waist, one on each side. “Can we come in now…Please?” he asked for the third time. He looked as the two guards glanced at each other, clearly enjoying being awkward and not letting them pass. “Sorry kid, this is not a town for strays like you and your orc friend here,” one of them said mockingly causing the other to chuckle.
“I’ll tell my mother!” Karesh shouted out, probably thinking he was helping. Finley rolled his eyes back, realising just how immature that sounded. However, one of the guards seemed a little less self-assured, and somewhat less cocky, as if some uncertainty had set in. Deciding to work on that, and although he felt it embarrassing to do so, Finley reiterated Karesh’s comment, adding to it further. “Our mother is Leyna…You know her,” he said looking for a reaction. The one he got was just what he wanted, “You are the one they are all talking about…the half-breed!” one said with the look of disgust.
That glare may have been hate filled, but Finley didn’t care, as both guards signalled for the portcullis to be wound upwards just enough for them to pass under, before being shut down quickly behind them. Aside from another dirty look, no further words were passed between them as Finley and Karesh headed out across the bridge. As if knowing it was safe for him to do so, Sessi poked his tiny head from within Finley’s tunic wanting to look at the waters of the lake as they walked.
Entry through the town gate was not quite so traumatic, as they decided to explain who their mother was from the outset, hoping it would save any further trouble. No sooner had they stepped through the gates, when a very stern elven faced woman was stood before them. Hands on hips and undoubtedly not very amused, their mother tapped her foot as if waiting for an explanation. “Uh oh! I think we are in trouble,” he whispered over to Karesh. The orc remained silent, and Finley thought it was only fair he took the blame for the whole thing.
He stepped a little nearer his mother, and although still only a child himself, looked down at the glaring eyes peering back at him. “Sorry!” he said, hoping it sufficient, for starters at least. “I forbade you to leave, and you both disobeyed me. Do you know the dangers out there?” she snapped, clearly not as impressed by Finley’s apology as much as he had hoped she would be.
“Yes mother,” Karesh piped up, “We killed a beast look,” he said revealing the clawed hand that he had severed.
Whether it was the sight of the claw or the black blood that once more dripped out of it, Finley was not sure. Whichever the reason, it certainly had the effect of changing their mother’s demeanour. She no longer seemed angry, but that was now replaced by the look of fear, as she quickly looked closer at the claw Karesh was holding. “Come with me…Quickly!” she snapped turning about and walking off up the main street at some considerable pace. Both he and Karesh obediently followed. “You might want to stop waving that thing around,“ he said pointing to the claw, “It’s still got blood dripping everywhere,” he added pointing down to the black spots at Karesh’s overly large feet.
Finley felt more nervous now, at the possibility of having to face his mother’s wrath than he had when tracking the beast in the forest. She was clearly not best pleased, and moreover, he had not even told her about Sessi yet. Luckily the young wolf pup seemed to know it was probably for the best to stay hidden from view, as he noticed his mother look back over her shoulder just to check they were both following as ordered.
At least with their mother leading the way, entry through the gate leading into the keep yard went without incident, as the guards merely stood aside and let them pass without question. She led them in through the main doors and down the steps in the main foyer. Keeping up a quick pace they walked down the steps in silence, before being led into the room just off to their left. “Please wait in here,” she said sternly but far more calmly than before. As she neared the doorway, she turned back, “And don’t think I can’t see you hiding something in your tunic.” Finley gave a rather bashful smile, thinking he had managed to conceal Sessi by holding his cloak over the fidgeting bump; clearly not as well as he thought he had.
If his mother knew about the wolf pup, Finley thought it pointless trying to keep it concealed any longer. After pulling out Sessi from inside his tunic, he placed him on the table-top and watched. The pup, whose eyes were now as bright as Finley’s, looked around the room before turning towards the open doorway and yapping. “Get that creature off my desk!” came a very stern sounding voice. Finley turned to see who it was, and on seeing it was a soldier, decided to do as he was told.
The elf walked with a certain air of authority as he stepped inside and walked over to the only chair in the room. Dressed in full military uniform, with several markings on his sleeve, he could only assume the elf was someone of high ranking. “You have something to show me?” The soldier asked sitting and looking up at Karesh. The young orc nodded, before dropping the severed claw down carelessly onto the desk. It landed on a few papers, and the elf soldier snarled with annoyance as it then started to leak blood out.
Their mother returned with two others, one of whom was human and carried a staff; whom Finley assumed was probably some kind of magician. Both he and Karesh were asked to stand to one side, which they did without argument. The other four then all had a go at prodding the claw as if they were expecting it do something out of the ordinary, before the questions started. Knowing he was already in trouble with his mother, Finley thought it pointless not to answer truthfully.
There were two creatures, just a mile or so into the forest. One was dead when they got there, “the other we killed…Well, Karesh actually killed it…I just kept it busy,” he added correcting himself as he went. He noticed his mother frowning, staring without so much as blinking, and giving him a look that said ‘You are in so much trouble’.
Finley did all the talking, and Karesh seemed happy for him to do so. He described the creatures as best he could, and as proof, they had thought it best to bring back a sample, pointing to the claw on the table, still oozing blood out. The questions kept coming, although Finley thought he had already given the answers and that he was now repeating himself. After about twenty minutes, they finally stopped. “Leyna. Could you show your boys out please?” the man sat in the chair said waving his hand towards the door.
As they stood in the corridor, Finley thought they were going to get a severe telling off, but noticed his mother looking at Sessi instead. She looked more closely, even stroking the small pup on the head, before looking straight at Finley. “What happened? Have you made a link with this animal?” she asked. Finley didn’t actually know what he had done and was about to say as much when Karesh decided he was going to tell her instead. “The pup’s eyes changed Mother,” the orc said excitedly. “And Finley said he could see the memories of the wolf as it recalled watching the beasts killing its mother and
father,” he added looking rather pleased with himself.
“Is this right?” she asked looking firmly into Finley’s eyes.
“Yes. I suppose so. I just touched Sessi, and, well I don’t really know how it happened.”
“Sessi?” his mother asked looking puzzled as to who they were on about. Finley apologised and pointed to the wolf pup in his hand. “Orcish for snow,” Karesh added.
“Yes I know what it means dear,” she said patting the orc on the arm as if to say well done anyway.
“I have never seen a druid physically alter the appearance of an animal before. Strange.”
“That’s what I thought. Strange.” Finley replied. After a few moments more of looking at the pup and himself, his mother finally told them to go to their rooms. “We’ll discuss your punishment later,” she said sounding much calmer than either Finley or Karesh thought she might be. “Oh and if Sessi makes a mess, you two are clearing it up!” she added before returning to the room they had just left.
After stopping off just briefly to get some milk and a few small pieces of meat for Sessi, they made their way back upstairs to the small suite they called home. Once back inside he placed the wolf pup on the table and poured the milk out onto a small saucer and watched as the pup lapped it up. Neither he nor Karesh was sure if Sessi was old enough to start eating meat, but after cutting into tiny pieces, they tried anyway. They both laughed as the pup jumped around excitedly taking the first piece from Finley’s fingers and pawing it for a while before eating it.
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