The journey back to the camp's outskirts took the better part of a day. The path was not long, but Vagra had intentionally established their temporary camp far enough away for absolute isolation. Three weeks of training a mutated ratling in swordplay and axe-work needed privacy from prying eyes, it seemed.
"Thank you for your assistance, Tarlak," Vagra stated, not breaking her stride through the thinning boreal trees.
"Don't mention it. It truly was my pleasure helping you train warrior Femi," Tarlak said as the familiar, fortified clearing came into view.
Beside them, Femi trudged, the hood of his new grey coat pulled low over his snout, concealing his features. He had one hand in his new leather pockets and the other rested on the smooth pommel of the short sword sheathed at his hip. Hearing his name, he immediately replied.
"Ahh, no, no, no, the pleasure is mine. And I hope you may continue to help me in my time of need in the future," Femi insisted, rubbing his hands together with the brightest, most sincere grin he had. How could he not acquire such a steadfast friend? Only a fool would say no to such a thing.
Varga snorted.
Femi glared at her; of course, she would have a problem with his actions. He couldn't blame her. How would he expect someone like her to understand the power of socializing with strong, dependable individuals?
"Of course. You may doubt, but that day I swore an oath to aid you was the truth. For saving our lives, no task is too difficult," Tarlak said, fist thumping his chest.
Femi could only grin. Truly, dependable suc… friends were the best.
Yippp … yipppp!
As if sensing Femi's thoughts, Victim, who had been following from behind, made his presence known to his master.
"Eh… maybe when you grow bigger than me and shoot fire from your mouth. Then maybe I will consider you useful."
Yippp…. yipppp!
That seemed to satisfy the vacuum that took his food, as it continued to bounce like a king who saw a fair maiden.
As they passed the sentry post, a familiar ugly krag guard glanced at them and frowned lightly.
"You're finally back, Vagra, Tarlak. And you brought back your pet. Thought you'd killed him and dumped him in the White. HaHaHa," he mocked.
Vagra frowned, while Tarlak stepped forward.
"Don't worry, your daddy is home," Femi answered before Tarlak or Vagra could. He had lowered his hood and spread his arms out, as if he wanted to give the ugly krag a hug. Femi remembered clearly that it was this ugly thing that had caused him to fry on the pole for days.
The ugly thing, whose name Femi couldn't remember, just stared, rage evident on its pig-shaped forehead. But before he could do anything, Vagra stood in front of him.
"The last time you stood in my way, I allowed you to keep your life. I won't be so kind a second time," she stated coldly, already drawing her blade.
Hesitation finally appeared on his face when he noticed Vagra was serious and unlike with the ratling, he doubted Arieus would punish one of his lieutenants for killing a grunt like him.
"My mistake. I was only jesting with the ratling. You may pass," the ugly krag conceded as he stepped out of the way.
Vagra continued to glare before deciding it was not worth it. She and Tarlak sheathed their blades, and with an amused Femi and a growling Victim, they all entered the camp.
Femi's whiskers twitched in a silent smirk as he pulled his hood back up. That guy is a fool to be picking fights with Vagra. Even if every krag here is a fighting maniac, there is such a thing as knowing your mate. He thought about it, and it didn't make any sense to challenge someone who strong pass you. Well, many people seem to lack common sense in this world.
Femi sighed. How pitiful. He shook his head before shifting his attention back to his surroundings.
"wait..o, this place has upgraded." Femi couldn't help but admit.
The camp had transformed in their absence. The haphazard lean-tos and tents were now sturdy log structures that looked like barracks. There was even a watchtower. The population had swelled too, with many unfamiliar faces. There were a lot of krags, all in varying shades of green.
"Arieus has been recruiting," Femi observed
"You could say that." Varga answered coolly.
That sounded like she knew more but wouldn't tell. Was this payback for him keeping secrets? If so, thats petty of her.
"Yes, it seems news of what our band is attempting has spread, and more brave warriors have come to join our ranks. What great joy!" Tarlak spoke with such fire in his voice that Femi thought he was a Sunday pastor.
So, more battle-hungry mad people have come. Such joy, Femi could only mumble to himself as they continued to make their way towards their own campsite.
As they reached the camp's center, Tarlak decided to split off. Saying his farewells and promising to meet up later, as he headed to his own campsite.
It was now just Vagra and Femi, accompanied by Victim, who for some reason no one in the camp batted an eye at as he followed them in.
"Hey Vagra, why is no one chasing my dog out of the camp? It is a wolf, after all," he asked as he watched Victim walking like he owned the world.
Varga responded without much hassle.
"It's not surprising that your kind wouldn't know, but owning and raising a dire wolf is a common practice among my people. Though practiced more by the Tarakiri horde, who live deeper within the White Wilds. Arieus says, they raise direwolf as their way to counter the wargs of the Northern clans. They both have a feud." She finished while nodding to a passing krag.
Femi listened to what she had just told him, and one thing stood out.
"Wait, what do you mean, 'dire wolf'? Victim is a wolf," Femi asked, confused.
Vagra looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Victim is a dire wolf, Femi."
Femi stared at Vagra and then at Victim dubiously. Victim, a dire wolf? Vagra must be high on something. He watched Victim as it continued to walk beside them. It had gotten a little bigger since the time he found it as a pup, but that was because it was a pup, and like all things, most grow.
Femi shook his head. There was no way Victim could become one of those dire wolves that had nearly taken his life. He was just his breathing vacuum. Yes, Vagra must be high. It must be the weather; she had been working hard beating him up lately.
Nodding his head, Femi didn't notice that Varga had stopped
"We have uninvited visitors."
She was right. A new group had set up camp at their own campsite. Their large tent occupied the whole space, as the intruders were lounging on fur rolls.
Five krags: three young males and two females. One of the males was lying down with his eyes closed, his black hair tied in braids, muscular with a lean build similar to Tarlak's. He was just lying there, facing the sky. The other males sat flanking him, both having lighter green skin tones than the recumbent one, engaged in a spirited conversation. Lastly, the two females.
One was dressed like a juju priestess, carrying a staff that reminded him of the goblin shaman that had attacked him and Vagra back then. She wore a robe made of thick white fur from some exotic beast; her hair was also braided in a similar style to the lying krag. Her gaze flashed over them, and Femi saw that her eyes were ember-colored.
The other female also had ember-colored eyes, her dark hair tied back in a ponytail, but she was dressed in the common outfit Femi had come to know as standard for krags. Leather pants and and top with fur lining both. She just sat cross-legged to the side of the priestess-looking one, staring at Femi.
They were lounging around and seemed to be relaxing.
"I don't have time to deal with whelps. Femi, get these troublemakers out while I go and give Arieus my report. Victim, come."
"Yippp!"
"What? You are leaving me with them? Wait, Vagra, don't go!" But it was too late; she had already left after speaking, Victim, his disloyal dog, running after her while abandoning his master.
What does this woman think I can do here? And that disloyal dog? Has he forgotten I am the one who feeds him? Femi lamented as he walked over to the group, trying to look bigger than he felt at that moment.
Let's get this over with.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I don't want to sound rude, but you are in our spot. Well, my spot, since my partner had an errand to run," Femi announced as calmly as he could.
One of the male krags stood, shrugging. "Who are you, shorty? Never seen a krag so small," the light-green-toned krag with a sword at his hip measured Femi with his eyes.
"We've been here for weeks. And no one stopped us when we took it," the other one with an axe and a tattoo on his face stepped forward to meet Femi, too. "And we warriors like to speak face to face."
"Ah, forgive me, I didn't introduce myself." His hood fell back to reveal the brown, furry muzzle, his big brown eyes, and the round ears of a ratling.
"My name is Femi, and I am the partner of Vagra the Truth Seeker. We were on a mission for Arieus. That was why we weren't here," Femi replied, making sure to stress Vagra's name and title, hoping it would have some effect.
"A ratling here in the North? So the rumor I heard about a ratling in camp was true? Kovar, look, it's the ratling! Haha!" The sword-wielding krag laughed as he pointed at Femi.
The axe-wielding krag, apparently named Kovar, frowned as he looked at Femi. "You are the ratling that follows the Truth Seeker and slew an Erin. You?"
"Ah, so you heard that tale. No, I just helped. It was Vagra that struck the killing blow," Femi replied, doing his best to seem unfazed by how they seemed to be slowly flanking him.
"Helped, he says. What could a rodent like you have done to an Erin?" The sword-wielding krag came close to Femi. It was no surprise that he was looking down on Femi, both literally and figuratively, at that moment. Femi took that moment to gauge the others' reaction to him.
The remaining male krag with black braided hair still lay with his eyes closed, seemingly unbothered by what was going on.
"Why is the pest still alive, Tuck? I'm trying to rest," the female krag dressed like a savage priestess complained from her spot without looking at Femi, as if the sight of him hurt her eyes. The other female krag, on the other hand, was still.... staring at Femi.
That one is dangerous.
"Why are you quiet, rodent? Are you scared?" the krag named Tuck mocked, as his hand drifted towards his sword.
"Tuck, remember the rules," Kovar said, frowning.
"Our youngest Weaver has spoken. I don't think anyone will mind if we take out a rodent. We can't look weak in front of everyone now, especially not to some rodent," Tuck sneered, his eyes glaring at Femi.
"Three times." Femi began.
"What?" Tuck asked with a confused frown.
"Three times, you useless, jobless, castrated he-goat called me a rodent. I can see you are partly insane, no… you are completely mad," Femi glared at the young krag. This foolish krag was really testing his patience.
"What… What did you just say?" Tuck stammered, unable to believe what he just heard.
"Ah, so you are deaf, too. I don't blame you; I'm sure you get your stupidity from your useless, ambitionless father."
Tuck's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "What did you say about my father, you… you overgrown rodent?" he growled.
Hahahahah!
Femi's sudden laughter cracked through the air, drawing attention from surrounding krags. Even the lying krag cracked open his amber eyes to stare at Femi.
"Ah, I am an overgrown rodent now? Wonderful, amazing. Well, at least it is better than your father, who could never achieve anything in this life other than bringing a fool like you into this world."
Femi laughed again.
Tuck's face twisted with rage, his grip on his sword tightening. "You… you…!" he sputtered, his words dying on his lips. Kovar had already taken hold of his axe, knowing what this would lead to.
Femi's grin was sharp and savage. "It can be said that you are the accumulation of all his failures in life. Is that not the reason you are in the middle of the bush, arguing with a 'rodent'? Look at you, idiot," he finished, his voice dripping with contempt.
Tuck was speechless, his face a picture of fury and humiliation. He drew his blade and slashed at Femi, his movements wild and uncontrolled.
Ah, what a fool. He fell for it.
Femi moved too, closing the distance first. He reached out and grabbed his opponent's sword hand as it slashed down to cut him in two. Femi grabbed the wrist and then dashed behind him, twisting his larger opponent's arm behind his back. A quick kick to the back of Tuck's leg sent the young krag to his knees, and before he could regain his balance, Femi was beside him with an axe blade at his neck.
Femi's eyes glinted with amusement as he rested his axe against the young krag's neck. "See now, this is who you are," he said, his voice mocking. "You are a victim," he grinned.
"Now, that this fool…" Femi began to say before he saw an axe in his face.
Abandoning his hold on Tuck, Femi dodged the axe that would have taken his head.
"You are quick and shrewd. So, I won't make the same mistake as my 'foolish' companion," Kovar said as he began to block Femi's escape route.
Tuck, who had just been humiliated by something he believed to be below him, was fuming with rage. He roared, getting up and glaring at Femi with 'I will kill you' eyes, which Femi did not find pleasant. The lying krag had finally sat up and was now watching the exchange like this was some kind of Christmas special. And the female priestess was now glaring at Femi as if it was her own father he had insulted. The other female, as usual, was just staring at him… no, she seemed to be… vibrating.
That was not good.
Femi was outnumbered and surrounded.
Varga, you see what you have left me with, Femi cursed.