A Monster Life

09 - Rescue

The long, grassy, downward slope behind the next forest revealed the low mountains marking the border to orc territory two days later. Iphigenia watched the plains before them with the occasional tree along a wide, shallow river, and a herd of woolly cows grazing at a distance. She looked at Ulric and pointed at the pine forest at the foot of the range. 'That's where we're heading for. The orcs live on the other side of those mountains.'
He peered at the ridge for a moment. 'We have to cross them or is there another way?'
'We'll have to go over as far as I know.'
He hummed at the thought of nothing but bare rock around them. 'I hope you packed warm socks. It doesn't look like it'll be a cosy walk.'
She chuckled. 'I think I know something better to keep me warm.' she said and stroked his neck.
He smiled but Elzbieta cleared her throat. 'Can you please keep things decent while I'm around?'
One corner of Iphigenia's mouth went up. 'Hmm? A little jealous maybe? I've noticed you've been looking at Wolfie often lately.'
Elzbieta huffed and looked away. 'No way I'd be jealous about this mutt! I just don't want weird things happening again!'
Iphigenia stroked Ulric's muzzle. 'Oh, but they're wonderful weird things. You should try it.'
Elzbieta's face turned red. 'Why would I want to do that with him!?'
Iphigenia grinned. 'Did I say anything about doing it with Wolfie?'
Elzbieta's mouth opened but she was speechless.
Ulric sat up straight and held up his paws. 'Girls, girls, no bickering.' he said and looked at Elzbieta. 'There's not going to be weird things happening. We're facing serious business soon over there.'
Elzbieta took a deep breath. 'Indeed. So let's go before the day is over and we're still out in the open.' she said and marched off.
He looked at Iphigenia. 'Don't tease her so much. She's a serious girl.'
Iphigenia chuckled and kissed him. 'She's been so tense lately, I just want her to loosen up a little.'
He nodded. 'Just give her time to get used to the situation. Even I feel less strange about being here sometimes.'
She smiled gently and stroked his neck again. 'All right, I'll behave.'

***

After a brief pause at the river to freshen up with a quick bath in the cool water, they reached the edge of the forest well before dark. Ulric peered into the light shade farther in between the trees. 'Camp here or continue until dark?'
Iphigenia looked at Elzbieta. 'I think it's better to go in. We didn't see anyone in the plains but it would be best not to have a fire out here attracting unwanted attention.'
Elzbieta nodded. 'I agree. We're too close to orc territory to take risks.'
Ulric stretched. 'In we go then.'
The farther in they walked the more the hushed silence weighed on Ulric. The constant noise of city life back home was something he was so used to that silence in nature seemed worse to his ears. And they were larger and more sensitive on top of that as well. He tried to focus on the soft sounds of insects buzzing around, the occasional creaking of a branch, their footsteps on the soft underground, the faint crack of a whip.
He froze and pricked up his ears.
Iphigenia looked at him. 'What is it, Wolfie?'
He put a finger to his lips and waited. Another faint crack confirmed it, he had heard it indeed. 'Something up ahead. Sounds to me like a whip.' Wood cracked and chopping sounded. 'I think they're felling trees.'
Elzbieta placed her hand on her sword. 'Might be orcs but might be others as well. I suggest we take a careful peek.'
They tread more silently towards the noise and Ulric picked up voices soon. Harsh, throaty voices. 'Orcs?' Iphigenia and Elzbieta drew their swords and kept a watchful eye around while they continued on.
From the cover of a bush they saw into a clearing how several gruff pig faced orcs ordered slaves around to chop down trees and clear them with the help of woolly cows. Their whips cracked and when they hit one of the human or elf slaves they laughed terribly at their cries of pain. Ulric growled low and shifted his fur but Elzbieta stuck out her arm to hold him back before he stood up. 'Do you want to free those people?' she whispered.
'Of course!'
She gestured to an orc at the rear gesturing in the air. 'That orc is probably tatting. If we attack them just like that we'll alert all of them to our presence. And there are too many of them to take on directly without trouble. They might even use the slaves as shield or kill them before they can escape.'
Ulric gnashed his teeth but she was right. They'd cause more harm than did good if they attacked now.
'We could try a sneak attack in the dark.' Iphigenia said.
Elzbieta stared at the site. 'That might work.'
'Take them out silently one by one when they're separate from the rest.' Ulric said when one orc stepped away into the back while loosening his breeches.
Elzbieta nodded. 'They're probably less alert after their meal.'
He growled low when an old man was beaten while he tried to help an elf woman who had tripped. 'Then we'll do that. And if we still alert the rest it's too bad.' he looked up at the darker blue sky. 'It better be dark real soon.'

***

Slaves were driven into wooden cages at dark and the orcs gathered around loudly stuffing themselves and drinking until some yawned and retreated to the back under the cover of hides held up by poles.
One orc belched loud, dropped the bone with meat he was eating, and unsteadily got to his feet to stagger outside the clearing looking for a spot to relieve himself. He had barely found a good place to squat when powerful paws covered his mouth and clawed his chest and a sharp pain hit his throat. He shook for a moment before eternal void accepted him.
Iphigenia nodded at Ulric and wiped her sword while he laid down the dead orc silently and Elzbieta kept an eye on the rest of the orcs.
After a while another one staggered to the back to get some sleep. He crawled down on all fours, grabbed a blanket and pulled at it when it was stuck underneath a fellow orc's shoulder. He grunted and shoved the other. When he didn't stir he pulled him by his arm and let out a surprised grunt when he saw the sliced throat. Before he could call out two paws grabbed his head and twisted it.
The crack satisfied Ulric but the loud squeal coming from an orc who'd stood guard between the slave cages didn't.
The orcs at the fire sprung up on their feet and faced the two women jumping out of the shadows with swords at once. Ulric rushed at the guard and jumped out of the way from a slash of his sword, and spun around to hit him with his spiked fist. The orc cried out from the pain in his ripped face but was silenced quickly by another hit to his throat.
Iphigenia evaded the counter attack from the orc and slipped nimbly around him. He cried out at the deep cuts in his side and she ended it with a stab through the back.
Elzbieta deflected the blow from her opponent with her left arm and hew down into his neck. The orc gargled a grunt, dropped to its knees, and fell forward onto the ground.
Ulric walked up to them. 'You girls all right?'
They nodded and stepped towards the cages where all the slaves had awoken to witness the unexpected fight. Elzbieta lifted the iron lock that held the door with a chain. 'Damn. We need to find the key.'
Ulric touched the thick poles of the cage while the slaves inside reeled back. 'Don't tell me you can't cut through this.'
She huffed. 'Of course I can!' she said and turned to the slaves inside. 'Stand back!'
She spun her sword and chopped at the pole in one corner while Ulric picked up an orc sword and hacked at another cage. Iphigenia meanwhile cut at the binding ropes of a third cage.
The slaves cried and laughed at their sudden freedom and thanked the three profusely. An older elf woman hugged Ulric and others who hesitated at first at the sight of a bloodwolf followed. The old man who they'd seen before shook Elzbieta's hand. 'Thank you! Thank you all! You did what I could not!' He gestured at the people. 'I tried to save them when I stumbled across this camp and foolishly believed I could on my own. I should have known better.'
An elf woman came to his side and held his arm. 'But you were brave enough to try.' she said and gave him a warm smile. 'You have a good heart.'
He blushed. 'I try.'
Iphigenia and Ulric joined Elzbieta. 'Are there more of you around here?' she asked.
The elf woman shook her head. 'No. this was the only camp on this side of the mountains. We moved around through the forest from time to time.'
'All right, then we can go on crossing them.'
The man raised his eyebrows. 'You mean to go into orc country?'
Iphigenia nodded. 'We need to do something there.'
The man watched them for a moment. 'If you really do, don't take the main path because orcs move around on it. Instead, there's a smaller unused path to take unseen but it's likely more dangerous.'
Ulric growled low and Iphigenia nodded. 'We'll take the risk. It's best if they won't find out about us.' she said and looked back at the dead orcs. 'Although that probably won't be for long.'
'Unless we make everything disappear.' the man said and looked at the elf. 'We could bury everything and make it look like the camp moved to the other side of the forest.' He looked back at the three. 'They'll be searching around for some time and have no idea what happened.'
Iphigenia smiled. 'That would be great!'

***

When everyone was done hiding the dead bodies, their gear, and their tools in deep holes outside the clearing and only a sign was left pointing in the direction the camp had supposedly moved, the old man led the three to a pile of junk thrown together by the orcs. 'They threw my stuff in here thinking it was worthless but I'm sure it'll be of great value to you.' he said and dug through broken tools, torn hides, bones, shreds of cloth, and anything else the orcs had no use for. 'Ah! Here!' He pulled out a pair of armoured gloves and a scabbard with sword.
The three looked at the gloves made from black, stone like material and grey leather, and the wide, tapered double edged blade attached to a long cross handle. The sword was heavy at first, then became lighter while holding it. 'What's this?' Elzbieta asked. 'I've never seen a sword like it.'
'This sword and these gloves have been in the Hameas family for generations of which I, Sibelius Hameas, are the last of the direct descendants. I received them from my father, who received it from his, and so on. I don't know where it originally came from but I'm too old to fight now and decided to retire, and since I have no child of my own to pass it onto, I'd like you to have it. There is some sort of magic on these. The gloves are like a shield and will deflect sword and arrow, and the blade has never grown dull, no matter how hard I hit any armour or blocked another sword.'
Ulric glanced at Iphigenia's sword. 'Volundrus.'
Iphigenia and Elzbieta looked at each other. 'Yes.' they said and Elzbieta sighed at the sword, then held it out to Sibelius. 'We can't accept this.'
'Why not?'
'This must be a weapon forged by Volundrus and is thus too valuable to just give away. You could sell it for a fortune and live out your life in luxury.'
He smiled gently and pushed her hand back. 'This sword is made for a purpose and I believe you can do much good with it, more than when it's just used as an expensive trinket. And I don't want a lot of money.' He glanced at the elf woman talking to some of the other elves and smiled softly. 'In fact, I will spend my last years with Winea and her elf kind. We became close during my time here.'
Ulric smiled. 'I'd say he found something better than money.'
Elzbieta held the sword tight. 'I will try to bestow further honour on you and this sword by fighting evil wherever I can.'
Sibelius smiled and received her own sword and gloves for protection on his journey with the elves, and after more farewells the three set out towards the path Sibelius had recommended.