With skill Nochw'Wa actually impales the struggling creature, lifting it off the ground. As it writhes, the other ankheg flees into the darkness. Korz lets out a triumphant shout, raising his face to the dark sky.
Out of it comes an answer.
A horrible screeching call, piercing their ears. Even as it dies the ankheg scrambles to escape that noise. The Shonati can hear the flap of wings in the night. It must be close.
'Come, we must hide!" But even as Noche'Wa goes to do so, he realizes the insect is stuck on his spear.
The Shonati can hear the dim chorus of the past in his ears, those who used to live here. Humans, orcs, other more distant and shadowy. It fills him with hope.
Then, he sees the tumbling ankheg throw him into the air. Out of the darkness a draconic shape appears, dark blue against the black night. A set of jaws clamp onto the offered prey, the large body curling around the dead creature. With a roar, it savagely tears the carapce open.
Using the chance, Korz and Noche'Wa hide.
They hide under some bushes and watch the beast overhead tear apart the ankheg like it was made of paper.
Noche'Wa recognizes it as a wyvern. A few times he has seen them hunting above the Korvosa plains. Savage and strong, they are skilled hunters and powerful b easts but nothing compared to the true dragons.
The flying creature lands, tearing apart the ankheg. In a few moments it has destroyed the carcass, ripping it to shreds. With a grunt it turns tot he dusty land around the spring. Snorting, it seems to smell something, following a trail...right toward them.
"We have three options." Korz says, part of an a insane smile on his face. 'We fight it, hightail it for the caves, or just try to outrun it. What do you like?"
Korz mutters, 'I'd rather have fought." Be he tasks to his heels too.
Together they pelt across the rocky, dusty terrain, dodging boulders and brush. behind them, the draconic figure looks up, roars and gives chase. Flapping the great wings it surges into the sky, wings beating, neck outstretched.
They barely manage to outrun it, diving into a small dark cave. The wyvern's jaws snap behind them, just missing Noche'Wa's left leg. The frustrated creature roars again and scrabbles at the stony entrance, trying to dig at them, but the ground is iron-hard. For awhile it paces outside the cave, screeching and roaring in aggravation.
Finally it takes off, moving on to hunt easier prey.
Then Korz smiles, "Exciting." A pause then, "I think we could have fought it."
Without further incident they climb out of the cave and make for an isolated spot. Together they spend the night, listening for the flap of wings of the screech of a hunting wyvern. But the sun comes up without a second attack.
"I feel like the chief in ucieczka. Hunted and unable to strike back." Korz says, stretching. 'Still, we survived. Which means we win the game."
Then, they hear an odd thumping noise, a deep rumble int he earth.
"Earthquake?" The orc says, unsure.
Noche'Wa has felt earthquakes before, that is not what this is. It seems to be louder toward the north.
The shaking rumbling is rhythmic, constant. It doesn't sound like it is moving though, closer or farther.
Korz looks at the sun, the lay of the hills and points west, "That way lies Skull Hills, our destination." Noche'Wa can see nothing among the maze of stone and dry hills.
The orc frowns as they hear the distant thumping. Korz is obviously weighing the same debate in his mind. "What do you think, Shoanti? Shall we explore what is making the Skittermounds leap and dance like this?"
Kora nods, 'This is wise, I think. It is better to eat the rat in hand, then lose it seeking for two in the mines." The orc grins then, "I prefer our version to your one about birds..."
Then his face sobers, 'If we go back to Trunau. Other paths may lay before us.'
They head west, the hot sun on their backs. The orc proves to be a good guide and they avoid any problems, although the odd rumbling tugs at Noche'Was awareness. The land seems shaken, scared, as if something was violating it. There are no signs of ankhegs (or wyverns).
Then, as they are crossing a valley, they see shapes moving along the bottom, following a dry stream-bed. There are five of them, all obviously orcs. Three are soldiers, with shield and sword, dressed much like Korz. The other two are robed, heads down (but in the lead).
'What is this?" Korz breaths, crouching behind a large, sand colored rock. "They are of the Black Sun tribe, the warriors."
he shakes his head, "But the robed ones...this is not right. They are of the Steel Eaters but in the robes of wizards..how can this be?" The orc seems puzzled, and more then a bit concerned.
Korz frowns, peeking back over as if to assure himself.
'The Black Sun, they were the tribe of Belkzen himself. Very proud, very honorable. They sell themselves as.." He pauses, brow furrowing, 'What is the word...sellsword. They sell themselves as warriors for the great clan fights. Why would they be here..."
A pause then, "The Steel Eaters are a tribe and not not a tribe. They are the engineers and book-learned of our folk. They make the weapons and other tools of war. They do not use magic...why are they here and why the Black Sun?" His voice sounds worried.
Korz does not return the smile. 'This...this is may be more important then our rats. An outsider may not understand but this is wrong, these tribes together, here...something is happening." Rare for him, the orc warrior seems in doubt.
Korz nods, still unhappy, "It is not good to try to do two things at once, but I must discover what is happening here."
Together they shadow the five orcs, climbing from ridge to ridge, keeping away from showing themselves against the bright clear sky. Their quarry walks along the base of the hills, keeping to the low ground of the old stream bed. Here and there they pause in front of old ankheg caves, as if inspecting.
The thumping sound grows louder as they slowly head toward it, following their quarry. Then the group vanishes around a bend, moving out of sight.
Just before they round the last few rocks that would reveal the group of orcs Noche'Wa can hear the sounds of shouting and blows being struck. Carefully Korz peers over a brittle dry bush. After a moment he waves the Shoanti to do the same.
When he peeks over, Noche'Wa can see the two robed figures standing face to face, obviously arguing. The larger one is waving his arms, while the smaller one cowers back. After a moment the bigger one gesture and a warrior punches the cowering figure int he stomach.
The robed figure crumbles and the hood is pushed back. Noche'wa can see a glimpse of a young orc face, pale but crisscrossed with tattoos of some type. Another warrior kicks the fallen orc, the standing robed figure glaring impassively.
Korz nods but looks troubled.
In the clearing the beating continues, more violently. The fallen orc starts to cry out but the others ignore it. Boots stomp on him, kicking him in the face, one warrior beats him with the flat of his sword until Noche'Wa is sure he can hear bones breaking.
The orc shakes his head, "I can't hear from here. A member of the Steel Eaters being hurt by common warriors. Something is amiss." The orc shakes his head, "They will kill him."
The beating goes on, the orcs catching up in a frenzy of violence. As was the way with orcs sometimes, the sheer thrill of violence and killing excites them, pressing them onward. The blows fall faster and harder, shredding the dark cloak on the prone figure. It is hardly moving now, rapidly turning into a savaged piece of meat.
Korz turns to the Shoanti, with an odd look. "What do you wish to do? Say what you will and I will honor it. I give you my word." The words are baited as if they are a test of some type.
But what is the right answer?
Korz watches Noche'Wa's indecision then eventual decision not to act. A sneer crosses the orc's face and he spits on the ground at the human's feet before turning back.
It is soon over. The fallen orc stops struggling and lies still. After a few more savage kicks the taller robed figure beckons, and they all leave. The sun burns overhead, making the Skittermounds dance with heatwaves.
The flies begin to buzz, appearing almost as if by magic.
"Let us find out.."
Korz breaks cover and lopes over the fallen and beaten figure. Without decorum he strips the figure of the thick dark cloak. It reveals a smaller orc, with pale skin. He has been beaten to a pulp, his face crushed and bones bent at odd angles.
His skin is...branded. Whirls and lines of text loops all over. It is strange and foreign to both of them. A smashed wooden mask lies in one hand.
"I..I do not know what this is. This is no Steel Eater. He has no tools, no clan markings..." He looks around, "Much is strange here. Perhaps you were right to not interfere but he may have old us much."
Noche'Wa actually leads the way this time, following the trail of the orcs. Again the orcs stick to the easier lower paths so the Shoanti and Korz stick tot he higher ridges.
The thumping rumbling sound grows louder until finally they reach a large valley, filled with huge boulders and many ankheg caves. There is the middle is a milling crowd of orcs. Noche'Wa spots some wearing the dark robes but others not, instead wearing belts of tools and other items. Around them, in a protective ring is a circle of Black Sun warriors, dressed for battle.
At the very center of the crowd is a...very strange thing. It is a huge cylinder of metal on a massive wagon. It seems to have moving parts but Noche'Wa is baffled. What is it?
Then slowly the center of it rises, pushing up out of the cylinder. The tool orcs swarm around it, cursing, kicking, tightening ropes. Then one barks a signal, a winch is turned and the whole middle section falls with a loud rumbling thump on the ground.
So that is what causes the sound, but why?
Then, at the base of a nearby hill, he gets his answers. Out of tunnels, anhkegs come pouring out, snapping and chattering. A squad of orcs armed with nets and pikes descend on them, corralling them and tying them together.
'Someone is perparing for war." Korz says darkly.
Noche'Wa counts perhaps fifty orcs in the valley below. Only five are the dark robed ones, faces and features hidden. About ten seem to be the Steel Eaters, the craftsman working on the huge machine. The rest seem to be Black Sun warriors, either guarding or corralling the captured ankhegs.
'Using ankhegs is not unheard of." Korz whispers, "But it is a tedious process. Only the largest of clans can gather any meaningful numbers...such as this."
For now it appears they are merely being chained together, as well as beaten and prodded by armed orcs. It is an unstable herd of chittering and biting beasts but the orcs are capable, if rough, masters. A few of the warriors have obviously done this before and handle the insects with practiced skill.
The chains are big, thick and ugly, but the locks look clumsy and easy to break. Everything is rusty and poorly taken care of.
Korz looks over, "Do you always sit and wait?"
Korz looks out and points, "See that one with the red stripes? That is the female. Frankly, I'm surprised they captured her, most groups say they are too wild to tame....Are you thinking what I am thinking?" The orc grins.
The orc shrugs, "This was your plan, Shoanti. I will help you, but I know little of magic or beasts. But I do know it doesn't take much to panic ankhegs, doubly so with wild ones."
Below the orcs are still chaining and gathering the skittering insects together, the robed orcs in some sort of deep conversation.