The Hollow Grove: The Companions [Book 2]

[15] The Problem With Bogu

Otis elbowed Haygen.  "Take this one if you would."

Haygen nodded.  He thought it best since he was in new territory to barter with the locals and form a bond no matter how hideous they appeared.  "Hail, Bogu. This one is ours as you can see."  He pointed to Anyu and the Kuhdaki she tamed.  "Mayhaps we trade other goods with your tribe?"

Anyu slipped her rope loop inside the Kudaki's mouth as homemade reins.  She climbed up on its back, held firm to the reins, and pulled her longsword free from its scabbard.  She slashed the air with a swift twirl of the blade.

"You have many horse...lizard...things," Haygen said working through his words.  "We have one." 

Bogu let out a gutteral war cry and took a few steps towards Haygen and had to look up Haygen to make eye contact.  Though Bogu was big for a Man, he was not as tall as Haygen.  "No!  Bogu fight Orc for Kudaki." 

"No." Anyu slid down from the lizard's back and casually strutted toward Bogu.  "My touch first.  Bogu and Anyu of the Tushkar must fight."

Haygen gritted his teeth.  The alpha was nearly twice Anyu's weight and appeared skilled.

The alpha cackled.  "Bogu no fight Tushkar Skuuda!  Come, Orc, and fight Bogu."

The companions didn't know what Skuuda meant, but seeing the Ranger's eyes flare and her mouth turn down made them think it wasn't a kind name in the eastern tongue.

Haygen remained still and placed the head of Icefang onto the rocky surface showing Anyu that the contest was hers.  The four friends gave encouraging nods to her. 

Wess shouted, "What are the terms?"

"First blood!"  Shouted Anyu. 

Bogu smirked, laughed, shrugged his shoulders and replaced his spear for a sword.  Bringing it up to a guard position he repeated the terms with a crooked smile.  "First blood."

Bogu came in first with a vertical strike to Anyu's head.  With slight movement, the Ranger side-stepped the blade.  The power of the strike blew the loose strands of her auburn hair wild. 

The four friends' eyes widened at the opening move.  That was not a strike of a contest, but of a death-dealer.  The terms were changed, but they saw Anyu still fought with her fiery gaze.

Bogu raged and came in with three more eager strikes.  Anyu's sword moved like fluid steel.  Three quick parrys flashed out and with a single slash, she cut low and hard across Bogu's lead leg.  He went down to one knee, his mottled, bulbous face grimaced in pain and he bit back a scream.

The Ranger didn't look to Bogu, but glared a challenge to the seven other Wastelanders.  She began to chant, "Kee Okeeok Paduu...Kee Okeeok Paduu..."  Hearing this ancient incantation, normally only sung by the primitive race of Shimita whose tribes dwell deep in the shadows of the Tethyan jungle (or a Ranger foolish enough to endure their barbaric rites of passage to learn the songs of wild beasts) the Kudaki lizards became restless.  They reared up on their hind feet ever so slightly.  The Wastelanders tried to steady their mounts.  Bogu's black lizard whipped its tail hard on the rocky ground.  Anyu pointed her longsword at Bogu's eyes, her other hand was lazily stretched out with her fingers entwined in a mystic shape.  She continued her song as she glared down at him.  "Kee Okeeok Paduu.  Kee Okeeok Paduu."

Blood ran from Bogu's wound, but he was not maimed.  All knew Anyu went short with the cut.  The alpha took the wound as an insult. 

"You mock me, Skuuda?" asked Bogu.  "Your Wild Songs do not scare."