Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 14

After careful thought Zenkoh decided she was just going to have to split what she had to defend both Foxpine and Stoneholde. She was going to send Valka, Ushka, and about 25 Gnolls, around a third of her clan, to Foxpine. Feraga and another 25 Gnolls would be sent to Stoneholde, this would allow her to defend these places and still have enough to hopefully defend the citadel. Once she was done with figuring all of that out she went to find Thorn so that he could gather everyone up.

Everyone Zenkoh was going to send out had gathered in the main hall.

Feraga: Thorn said that you had something you needed us to do?

Zenkoh: Yes, with the looming threat of another attack from whoever is controlling the Witherlings I am preemptively moving some of you so that you can defend our territory before it gets hit again.

Valka: Where are we being sent?

Zenkoh: Valka, you and Ushka will be leading a group of Gnolls to defend Foxpine. Feraga, you will be taking a group of Gnolls to defend Fort Stoneholde.

Feraga, Valka, and Ushka: Yes, Chieftess!

With that they left Gloomfang Citadel for their designated locations. Zenkoh went back to where Leon, Riya, and Rose were, she needed to ask Riya something. Upon arriving she opened the door to see that Leon was still in bed but awake this time, Rose trying to have as much of her body as she could on the bed with him, hugging him but not using much strength as she didn't want to make his injuries any worse.

Zenkoh: Riya, there is something I need to ask you.

With that Riya got up from Leon's bedside and made her way over to the door.

Riya: Yes?

Zenkoh: With your mother likely going to be something we are going to have to deal with now that we know where the enemy was going was your clan's burial ground, I think it might be pertinent to know what your clan was like before Hraga did what she did.

Riya: Right. Clan Ashmaw had been in trade with several non-gnoll villages, we had figured out that it was safer in the long term to form trade agreements with the other races when possible instead of raiding all of the time. That isn't to say we never raided, we did, just only when it was necessary or when someone would provoke us.

Zenkoh: That explains why you had no issue with Leon, you were used to being around those who weren't Gnolls.

Riya: Yes, in fact I tended to be more open around the other races, of which I'm sure my mother noticed.

Zenkoh could see Rose walking over.

Rose: Mom, I'm not sure how to ask this but Dad said he wants some fresh air.

Zenkoh raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Riya: He can't even walk right now.

Rose: I mean, I could carry him.

Riya was weighing if it was even worth letting him outside with the threat of Witherlings being a possibility.

Riya: No, it's too dangerous. I can understand he doesn't like being cooped up in the citadel but Witherlings, or worse, could show up at any moment.

From across the room they could hear Leon.

Leon: Oh come on! I hate being cooped up in here, you act like I'm going to die if I go outside!

Both Zenkoh and Riya gave him a blank look while Rose was snickering to herself at what was happening.

Rose: Well, you heard Mom! No going outside.

Leon: I hate it here.

After a moment Riya slowly started to smile at his antics. She knew he was just trying to help the mood but he really needed to focus on rest.

Morga had been sent to scout out Gloomfang Citadel. She was shocked to see it since the last time she had seen this place it was just a ruin, but she guessed that could be expected since she had been dead long enough for one of her daughters to have a cub. If she had to guess it was likely Riya since Mu really wasn't one to get too attached to others, other than her sister of course.

As she was scouting she could see that the battlements of the citadel were still filled with Gnolls, the place was clearly being defended. As she continued further to the side she ended up at the mountain the citadel was built into. Upon further inspection, way to the east of where the citadel met the mountain there was some kind of cave. Morga entered the cave to scout it out and after traveling for what felt like forever she could hear voices.

Riya: You need to focus on resting.

That sounded like her daughter! As she continued the voices continued to get louder.

Leon: I think I'm well enough to talk and spend time with our daughter.

That must be Riya's mate, just by the voice it was impossible to tell anything other than the fact they were male.

Rose: I'm the one that asked him to Mom. Please don't get upset with him!

And that would have to be Riya's daughter, her granddaughter.

Riya: I'm not upset, I just want him to actually recover.

After a short while longer she came up to a wall. Upon inspecting the wall it seemed like it might be thinner than the rest of the citadel. That was when heard some kind of voice in her head.

Oshka: Break it down! Leiko and a group of Witherlings are on their way.

Her body did as it was commanded and she raised her two-handed war hammer and then swung into the wall as hard as she could, shattering a hole in the wall large enough for her to get through.

On the other side Morga could see Riya, Rose, and Leon. She was overjoyed to see her daughter was really alive and that she had a granddaughter. That was when she noticed that Leon wasn't a Gnoll, he was a Vulpine! Then she noticed that part of Rose's mane was the same color as Leon. With what she remembered of Riya it wasn't as surprising as it would have been to another Gnoll, rather she found it more shocking that Leon wanted to be with Riya.

Morga was then horrified as her body, against her will, began to raise her weapon to get ready to fight. She was going to be forced to fight and kill her daughter, her daughter's mate, and her granddaughter. She mentally screamed that she didn't want to do this, but her body paid her no heed. The Gnoll that had resurrected her had complete control of her body and she had to watch it happen.

Riya's eyes were wide with shock and she looked as if she was about to be brought to tears.

Riya: M-mother?