The Übersreik Chronicles - Blood Bowl Fan Fiction

Chapter 9

Benni was already focused on the ball. It had been snatched up by a player called Paschal Darr, who was trying for a Rottfurt season record for distance carrying the ball. Benni's spying told him that, if Rottfurt received, he would be the player most likely to try to pick up the ball and charge through their lines.

Moritz was on the other side of the field to Benni, racing down the left flank. He was far away from the dugouts and any further coaching advice, but Benni told him all he needed to know. He made sure to wave his hands wildly in the air, as if signalling. The Rams wide receiver, Baamu Hershef, was not an intelligent teammate and Benni told Moritz that the home team's coach had had to tell him off more than once during their training session to stop chewing the astroturf.

The wild gesturing made Hershef turn his head and, instead of running into an area which would be ideal for receiving a thrown pass or could force the Renegades to defend deep, he began to chase down Moritz.

Now, Schrunk knew beastmen were fast, but he bet none of them could manoeuvre like he could and he set course for the two piebald players with menacing yellow eyes who formed up in front of the ball carrier.

Lucas tugged and pulled as if his life depended on it. He saw the Rottfurt wide receiver heading his way at speed. With an almighty yank, he succeeded in tearing the red Rams shirt from the comatose Khnum. It was torn in half which would work better than an intact jersey. Lucas waved it above his head like a flag and ran a covering run around the back of the Renegades defence and off of the pitch completely.

When Lucas and his flag appeared from behind Conrad, Greta, and Sasha, the charging players turned and looked. All they saw was the bright red rag waving and flapping. They turned as one, swivelling towards their new target.

Paschal Darr was making ground and, if Benni didn't stop him, he would get into their half and make up a lot of ground before the Renegades could reorganise. He now had two bodyguards who would flatten Benni before he could tackle Darr. And if their frontline of blockers knocked out the wall of Renegades players, then the Rams would surely take an early lead.

Baamu Hershef was only thinking about being a hero. If he could wipe out this human catcher with a swift arm bar to the neck, he would no longer be an option for their thrower to get the ball to. And he might even force a fumble if the ball was thrown. Or he might be the first Rams player to ever make an interception. He, Baamu of the Hershef herd, would be a legend. A 'barn of famer'. He chuckled at that joke. He had always been the funny one in his flock. Baamu was always saying things which made others laugh. If Blood Bowl didn't work out, maybe he could try writing some comedy, perhaps do some stand-up. Chaos worshippers are not all blood sacrifices and village pillaging; they needed a way to relax, to blow off some steam. There might be a growing comedy circuit in the towns in the northern Chaos wastes. Maybe even Naggaroth. Maybe that was too much. You wouldn't want to offend a witch elf as she could rip your still beating heart out before you could say...

Lucas timed his run perfectly. At almost the last possible moment, the players who were bearing down on the Renegades defensive line, saw Lucas appear as if out of nowhere. Lucas crossed the side line, level with the two huge blockers. Their eyes were locked on to the flapping red shirt; nothing else mattered and nothing would distract them.

The beastmen were anticipating a hit from the front. One or more of these little human babies might just be foolish enough to try to push them out of the way. Even if they fell, they felt that they would take three or four of the humans down with them, leaving the path clear for Darr to sprint home. And if that happened it would be double feed for dinner.

What they didn't anticipate was an impact from the side. They failed to see Moritz running at them as their peripheral vision was limited at best. They also failed to see Moritz swerve away from them just when it seemed more likely that he would try to tackle them. That meant that they were truly shocked to be met with the dipped horns of Baamu Hershef, whose place in the team had been assured because of his power rather than his ability to carry out plays any more complex than 'hit the little guy'.