"WENDELL! FALL BACK!" Jerrik shouted as he saw the dwarf covered in blood.
"Roscoe, keep the others safe." With that he jumped off of the wagon. He hit the ground and immediately drew his longsword, moving up to stand next to the hunter and his horse.
The battered boar is determined and digs in. It lashes out at Wendell with unfathomable raw animalistic hatred, driving him to the ground.
The other three Boar continue to engage.
Arim crouches low, flail held in both hands
"So, you're lunch eh? nice hide on you too. Shame to spoil it."
With that last the head of the flail comes whistling towards the beasts skull
...
Alfentinius sees Wendell go down and knows he has to act. He launches two magic orbs from the wand hitting the offending boar hard. Then seeing Chett looking down at his master spurs the Tiger back into the fray.
Chett... Kill the piggies!... Roscoe can you help Wendell?
Arim's flail smacks the boar in the face, tearing it's jaw off and sending the beast to the ground.
Alfentinius blasts the boar standing over Wendell's body. It lets out a loud squeal as it falls beside the unconscious hunter.
Roscoe, jumps to action at Alfent's command, "Yes, of course!" His hops out of the wagon and kneels by Wendell. He puts his hands on the dwarf but blood quickly begins to get everywhere. "I..I..I don't know what I'm doing, but this doesn't look good!"
Aleksara sees Wendell's fall and shouts.
"I got this one Arim! Go help Jerrik and Wendell!"
She then focuses on her own opponent!
Possible Crit!
Denied!
Jerrik growled as he looked from his fallen friend to the wild boar. He raised his sword high and brought it down swiftly. It gleamed in the light of the sun as it descended into the boar's neck. Blood sprayed out of the wound, darkening the blade.
Aleksara runs her blade between the boars shoulders and it falls motionless to the ground.
Jerrik slashes the last remaining boar deeply, it squeals and shows that it wishes to flee but Chett pounces on it with an uncontrollable veracity.
....
Alfentinius jumps down from the wagon and takes a look at Wendell and his wound.
I don't know much about healing but that's allot of blood coming from his leg. Someone hand me some rope or a belt so we can tie it off.
Quickly pulling out her potion of cure light, Aleksara will offer it to Al.
"Here see if he can drink this."
Something in the gnome kicks in. He takes a deep breath trying to stay calm and starts issuing orders...
I think he's stable... Good idea Aleksara... why don't you administer it... Wow so much going on...Roscoe can you get the horses under control... Jerik, Arim...we need to get Wendell into the Wagon Carefully... Can you load up the boars too... easily enough meat here to feed an entire Mite tribe... I guess that means some of us walk.
Chett Down boy... come here...
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It takes quite an effort to make Chett disengage the boar, but he finally obeys Alfentinius' command. Even then, he can't help pacing from one end of the wagon to the other.
Every loud noise or quick movement causes him to tense and growl.
Once Wendell is stabilized and in the wagon, Chett tries to jump up next to him but cannot find a place to rest. He chooses instead to shadow Alfentinius, walking under and around the Gnome's feet so closely that more than once it nearly causes him to trip. Chett rams his big furry forehead into Alfentinius any time the Gnome tries to stop for more than a second.
"Come on Wendell. Don't die on me here."
Aleksara tries to get the unconscious Wendell to drink the healing potion without choking him. She hopes she got the majority of the potion down his gullet.
"I can walk along side the wagon if needed from here. Let's dress the boars down quickly to reduce the weight, and get out of here before the scent of blood draws other predators."
"Does anybody recognize what kind of organ this is and is it edible?"
Alfentinius walks over and stops only to move several more feet closer when a tiger that is larger than him bumps into his back.
It's a kidney perfectly fine to eat but you have to clean it properly or...
Alfentinius cuts short at seeing the quality of Aleksara's work...
Um why don't you just give all the innards to Chett...He'll know what's still edible better than you or I and maybe it'll help calm him down. Just take your time with the other three Pigs. If you don't puncture any organs, and give all the insides to Chett we should be fine. Good idea field dressing the boars though.
Alekara will toss the badly cut organs to Chett in a pile and turn back to the remaining boars. Pointing a blood-soaked hand at the gnome she winks at him.
"I'm on it Al. You always inspire me."
With Wendell packed away the group is able to do a rough field dressing of the hogs and is ready to get underway in a half hour. It is still relatively early in the morning with the sun climbing in the Eastern sky.
After a few more hours you reach the mites den. Gretch jumps out of the wagon immediately when she sees it and scuttles into the half hidden entrance. A few minutes ten mite warriors come out including Grabbles.
Worry written on her face, Aleksara looks at Al.
"Al! You wanna do you language translation thing with me again?"
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As the others worked to staunch the flow of blood from the dwarf or gut the boars and ready them for travel, Jerrik simply stood by watching. His grief got the better of him and in this moment of action he froze. He didn't know what to do, or rather, he knew what to do but couldn't force his body to do it. He was grateful that the others were not paralyzed the way he was. He envied their level headedness.
It was at that point that his heart began to look for faith. He sought guidance of a sort. Something more than he was. He began to look deep within himself, then to the earth beneath his feet, and finally to the heavens above. He vowed to do better. To keep his friends safe. To keep everyone safe. He was snapped out of inaction as Aleksara directed him and Arim. He nodded and set to lifting his unconscious friend and loading him into the wagon.
He climbed up and took the reigns, guiding Jasper and driving the wagon back to the old sycamore tree. As the armed mites came out, his hand reflexively went to the pommel of his longsword, but he stifled the instinct to draw the blade.
Alfentinius casts comprehend languages on Aleksara.
I don't think that we have too much to worry about. If they were looking for a fight they would have brought the bugs. Still... No telling how they will react to finding out the Kobold's are not all dead. Let's start though, by reminding them why they like us.
The Gnome starts walking towards Grabbles and the other Mites with open arms and a big smile on his face.
Grabbles snaps his fingers and several mites step forward to recieve the slain boars. He has an over confident grin on his face.
Once the meat is dragged down into the lair Grabbles says briefly, "Gretch is happy with her bugs," then turns to go below as well.
...
When Grabbles snaps his fingers and the Mites come forward to take the meat Alfentinius speaks up...
Alfentinius turns from the Mites and heads back to wards the group.
Well we have work to do to be ready for tonight.... And I think Grabbles is planning on betraying us...
"Sure Al, we'll follow your lead on this one."
Aleksara casually keeps her hand on her sword hilt as they progress.
Arim checks on Wendell in the wagon
"I'm worried about Wendell, shouldn't we be getting him some help? I'll take a horse and get him back to Oleg's. I don't think we're going to get what we need here"
"It would be safer to just take him in the wagon Arim. Jerrik? I can stay here with Al and ride back on Arim's horse together with him. You two can take Wendell on to Oleg's for now if you wish. We will be following along shortly enough."
Um.. It's like a three day ride through untamed and hostile territories... Isn't it? I don't think it would be safe at all. Can't Jerrik heal him in the morning? I figured we could camp here where we at least know what the dangers are.
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Wendell walks alone in a dry and empty field towards a dark expanse of forest that is many miles away. The sky is white and the clouds droop low like rotten apples on the branch.
Just up ahead a thousand crows quork and fly in circles like a cloud, so dense where they land it is a black mass on the landscape. When he draws near they kick up and scatter with a roar. For a moment it sounds like they are calling him "Dead...Dead...Dead."
Curled up on the ground before him is a familiar form, but the color and features are all wrong. Red blood stains the fur that was once orange and white and beautiful. A tangle of thick worm-like intestines have crawled out of the creature's belly to dry now, half-eaten in the sun. The tiger's head is missing. Not eaten by crows, but severed clean and taken for trophy. "Chett..." Wendell whimpers, reaching out but unable to touch his friend.
"Dead" quorks a crow.
Suddenly the mangled form stirs, then stands. Clotted blood runs from the open stump where his proud head once rested. The nest of worms drags on the ground as he begins to shamble towards Wendell. The big cat, his dearest friend, brushes up against the Dwarf as he always did when he was hungry or needing attention, leaving a dark red smear of blood across his midsection. "No...Chett, please...I can't go on without you." Tears roll down his cheeks and he begins to sob.
The beast that was Chett turns from him and begins to run towards the dark forest in the distance, growing smaller and smaller until he is out of sight.
"Dead" quorks a crow. "Dead."
Wendell stirs in his sleep, his feet twitching. He is cold to the touch.
"I don't know how far it is to Oleg's from here, or even if I remember the way. Besides, we don't know what we'd encounter between here and there. Alfentinius is right. I can heal his wounds in the morning and then we can make for Oleg's. Let's eat, try to solidify this truce with the mites, and Chett and I will stand guard over Wendell until morning. Alfentinius can drive the wagon while I sleep in the back."
Smiling at Jerrik's mother hen attitude, she waves him off with her free hand.
"Fine by me. Arim is the one who wanted to take Wendell off on horseback. I was only suggesting the wagon to help mitigate any
discomfort in the journey."
Grabbles is surprised and retreats down into the pit visibly unhappy. You are left with most of the day to do as you need in preparation for tonights festivities.
Roscoe speaks up while you discuss options, "I know Olegs, it's a long days ride from here. 40, 50 miles maybe."
"Very well"
Arim spends the day attending to his kit, his blade in particular has taken a bit of a battering and he restores it lovingly to a practical shine.
That done he begins to amass a vast quantity of firewood from the surrounding area, arranging it into a huge bonfire.
"This would be so much faster with Wendell's help... lazy sod"
He then spends the late afternoon dosing under a tree.
As there is much to do, everyone starts to chip in with great excitement for the feast.
Arim is able to collect some fallen branches and bark from the Old Sycamore, together with dead grass from the surrounding hills there will be no problem getting enough of a fire going.
Aleksara vaguely recalls a method to smoke meat with peat. Although this area is quite drier than the bogs she grew up in there is certainly an abundance of sod.
Okay we need to dig 4 holes and get some fires going. Aleksara Roscoe do you want to start digging the pits? Arim don't forget we have 2 bundles of fire wood in the wagon but we definitely need more. Roscoe and I will gather rocks to line the pits. We can prep the boars while the fires burn down. CHET!!! Guard Wendell.
Alfentinius leads Roscoe off and the two tie the canvas from one of the tents to a horse. They hit the surrounding country side looking for rocks to line the pits with and soon come back with their first load.
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Wendell is in Restov, standing outside and looking up at the sign hanging over the door of The Cracked Cauldron. He holds a beautiful bouquet of dried wildflowers in his right hand. The sign is just as he remembers it, but the exact image is a blur no matter how hard he looks.
Through the window he sees Delilah, beautiful as ever. She is harvesting bats for their alchemical properties. The teeth, the wings, the fur, the saliva. Wendell opens the door and slides inside.
"I knew you would come today," she says without looking up. She smiles and her face is rosy.
"These are for you," he says and holds out a handful of wet noodles. His arm is heavy as lead.
She takes the noodles and holds them close to her nose. "They smell wonderful." Delilah grabs him by his collar and pulls him close as she shuts her eyes for a kiss. Wendell leans in, his eyes wide open, but some force keeps them apart.
"I have something for you, too" she whispers in his ear, her lips so close he can feel her breath. She disappears into the back room and returns with a roasted pig. The fat crackles as it smokes and steams. "Over eight hundred pounds," she says.
"Pork, my favorite." Wendell takes a serrated knife and large fork, but when he tries to cut into the soft flesh the metal sparks and bends and everything begins to fade. "But I didn't get to eat it yet" he whimpers.
Wendell smacks his lips lightly. Spittle runs off his chapped lips and down his cheek.
Alfent and Roscoe are able to find all the rocks they need and the horse drags them back without too much strain. Aleksara is able to dig one of the holes in that time.
Excited by what she is doing, Chett begins to dig as well and finishes two more holes in the same time.
Sitting on the wagon seat, Jerrik looked on as the others made the preparations for the feast. He was in no mood to celebrate what with his friend laid out in the back of the wagon. Still, he understood the need for the gathering. They needed to solidify relations in the surrounding areas if they meant to provide peace to the area. He needed to help out, but he wouldn't leave Wendell while he was vulnerable. He would wait for Chett to finish.
"Hey Alfentinius. When Chett is done, have him come sit with Wendell and I'll do some work."
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Once Chett has burned his energy off, he instinctively returns to Wendell on the cart. It has taken all his willpower to keep away from the fourth boar. Wendell usually feeds him well, and just now the big cat's stomach growls.
On the cart again, Chett rubs his cheek on Jerrik's hand and buts his head into the man's thigh. He stretches mightily and yawns, then curls up beside Wendell and begins to lick himself clean of all the dirt on his paws and nose.
Alfentinius begins trying to arrange the rocks for the first fire pit but it becomes quickly apparent that he is struggling with the weight of the rocks.
Seeing Alfy struggling with the rocks Arim saunters over to lend a hand
"point the way my Liege"
He offers with a deep bow
Preparations struggle on as the travelers are tired from the several days out in the wild.
Jerrik and Arim are able to assist Alfentinius and the fire in under way.
Alfentinius starts thinking about prepping the boars and then looks off in the distance... Are those wild leaks? And there are plenty of edible weeds around. I bet there are some more natural ingredients to find.
By the time the fire burns down the hogs all have some extra ingredients from the surrounding country side added.
The boar roast in the earth for hours. The day passes lazily and as dusk starts to fall the mites slowly crawl out of their lair. Curious of what this whole impromptu event is, the whole lot empties out onto the dirt below the Ol' Sycamore.
Uncovering the meat, you find everything has gone quite well. The addition of the local ingredients pairs well with the locally sourced boar.
Grabbles starts to fidget nervously. (Under Common)"Present the feast to the might of the Mites!" He calls out, utterly unsure of what to do in these situations.