FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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CHAPTER 19

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We rode hard, following the graugs tracks towards the tree line. There were trees uprooted or badly damaged from where the graug had forced its way through. I got off the wagon and followed the tracks while the others followed in the wagon. It was not going to be difficult to track this graug down, but if it was still capable of this level of destruction we needed to be careful on our approach. A wounded animal was the most dangerous kind of animal there was.

Fifty yards into the tree line the light was already beginning to fade. The dark forest once again living up to its name. The gentle cooing from the dandos told me that they could not sense the graug nearby. Its scent was incredibly faint, I could just make it out by enhancing my sense of smell with my nen. The repulsive scent of burnt flesh was not hard to differentiate from the natural scents of the forest.

"Hold on!" Arman called out in a hushed yelled from the wagon. Jovani brought the wagon to a halt and Arman pointed off to the right. "That's the area where we were attacked up ahead."

"You're sure?" I asked.

"Positive." He nodded. "We pass through this area all the time when we go out hunting. There is a stream with fresh water nearby we always stop at."

We followed the tracks further. Sure enough they were heading in the direction Arman had pointed out. It was strange that the graug had returned to the scene of the initial attack. Was it just coincidence? Did it run this way in blind panic or was this simply the fastest route to its lair? I was getting a bad feeling about this suddenly. A fleeing beast would not normally flee towards a location where it had encountered an enemy. But then graugs were unnatural beasts at the best of times.

I smelt the blood before I saw the first body. This was where the hunting party had been attacked. I paced around the area carefully as the others parked the wagon and followed on foot. There were five bodies littering the area. The one nearest me, a Zangarian, had obviously been thrown into the trunk of the tree he was slumped against. The unnatural angle of their neck told me it was broken.

A bull lay in the middle of the small clearing, a large battle axe lay a short distance away from his body. I walked over to him, his body was badly crushed. I knelt down and checked his pulse. He had been trampled under foot by the graug. Whether that was what had killed him, or if it happened when he was already dead I couldn't be sure.

A leopard was impaled on the branch of a fallen tree trunk. The tree had fallen on top of him, the branch had pierced through the leather armour and gone right through his chest and into the ground beneath him. I checked his pulse, he was dead. I hoped that it had been a quick and painless death. It would take some work to free his body from under the tree.

I said a quick prayer to Shal'Naresh. Hoping that their passing had been quick and painless. I didn't have time to waste though. There should still be another body around here, and I still needed to locate the graug.

"Jacques and Garth died the moment the graug burst from the tree line." Arman pointed at the the leopard and the Zangarian. To my right I could see the shattered stump of the tree which had fallen on the leopard. The graug had burst through here. "Leon and Patrick ordered us to retreat." Arman's voice was choked with emotion. He was trying not to cry, but his eyes were welling up with tears. Jovani placed a supporting arm over his shoulders.

Why did the graug chase the two Zangarians to the town? The animals they had killed during their hunt lay in the middle of the clearing. Once the others had fled they didn't pose a threat to it. If it just wanted food it had it. Something wasn't adding up here. I walked over to the shatter tree trunk and the scent of burnt flesh got stronger. The graug had retreated through here. I motioned to the others to be silent and cautiously crept forward while suppressing my presence. A short distance away I saw a large hollow that sunk into the ground.

The graug had made its home here. They dug large hollows like this for shelter. I crept towards the opening of the hollow and stared into the pitch darkness that lay before me. The stench was stronger here and I could make out the sound of heavy, laboured breathing from within. The graug was in there!

I drew my sword and motioned the others to stay back as I entered the cave. The hollow was perhaps sixty feet deep. The scent of soil and decomposing plants were helping to cover the scent of the graugs burnt flesh, but it was still extremely unpleasant. My eyes adapted to the darkness quickly. I could make out the prone form of the graug laying helpless on the ground, its breathing heavy and laboured. It was in pain. I approached slowly to catch the beast unaware. I would need to land a fatal blow immediately. If the graug woke up and still had the strength to attack the tight confines of its lair was not the best place to fight it.

I would go for the throat. Its hide was weaker there and if I could cut an artery or its wind pipe then its death would soon follow. As I prepared to channel my nen for the final strike I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I paused and then lifted my sword towards the shapes I saw and channelled my nen into the blade, using the runes to light up the hollow so I could see. Eggs. Three large eggs!

That was why the graug attacked! It thought the hunting party was a threat to its nest! But this graug was male. The elongated fangs protruding from its lower jaw identified it as such. So where was the female!? It wasn't in the hollow that much I knew. I needed to get out of here fast! I focused my nen into my blade and just as the graug began to rouse from its painful slumber I lunged forwards and drove the point of my blade into its throat and then sliced sideways. The graug flailed. I couldn't dodge in time and it caught me with a glancing blow that sent me flying into the wall of the hollow.

The air was driven from my lungs and a large amount of soft dirt poured atop me. I scrambled free of the dirt, spitting it out of my maw. The graug let out a painful whine and a sickening gurgle as its body went limp. My attack had done its job. I picked myself up, wincing at the pain in my side. I walked over and picked up my sword that lay on the ground in the middle of the hollow.

Right now I needed to get out of here and warn the others. We needed to get away from here before the female graug returned. Female graugs were bigger than males, and far more aggressive! If we got caught in the open there would be serious trouble!

"Young Master are you all right!?" Jovani asked, hurrying over to support me as he saw me favouring my right side.

"I'm fine but we need to get out of here now!" I said. "It's a graug nest! There will be a female some where! We need to get out of her before she finds us here!"

"Fuck!" Arman cursed looking around nervously. "But what about the bodies!?"

"We will come back for them!" I promised. "We need to deal with the female. When those eggs hatch they will undoubtedly attack the town. We need to deal with them before that happens!"

Half way across the clearing to the wagon we paused. Heavy lumbering foot-steps shook the ground. We turned just as the female rounded a tree and spotted us. She snorted, dropped the carcass of a dire wolf she was carrying before roaring at us. This close to the nest she would attack us without hesitation!

"RUN!" I yelled.

I drew on my nen and pulled out my sword. I would try and distract her long enough to allow the others a chance to escape. The others made a run for the wagon while I propelled myself towards her with my wings. She swiped at me, I barrel rolled and then flew upwards to avoid her massive, grasping paws. I barely managed to avoid her grasp!

She was bigger than the male, at least five foot taller if not more. Her black eyes stared at me with a ferocity that shook me to my core. She was determined to kill us and protect her off spring. She grabbed the fallen tree that had pinned the body of the dead leopard beneath it and flung it at me. I descended rapidly to avoid being struck by the mass of wood and was showered in splinters as it struck another tree. I was so focused on the tree truck I didn't notice the chunk of earth she had ripped from the ground until it was just a few feet away from me.

I tried to dodge it, but I just didn't have enough time! I managed to avoid being struck full but I was still knocked sideways into a tree trunk and then plummeted fifteen feet to the ground below. My injured side screamed at me from both the impact with the tree and with the ground. I forced the pain to the back of my mind and rolled over and up onto my foot-paws.

I leapt away just in time to avoid the graugs massive fist. She struck the trunk of a tree and it shattered into a hail of splintered wood. She was quick to continue her assault. She tried to stomp on me with her massive foot-paw, but I leapt away just in time and then as she tried to crush me with her fist as I leapt between her legs. Just as I had done during my fight against the male graug I swiped at the back of her knee with my nen charged blade as I dove through her legs.

The blade cut into her hide, causing her to stumble forwards. Using the momentary respite I sprinted towards the hollow where her eggs lay. She didn't fail to notice the direction I was heading in and when she managed to get up she came lumbering after me at full speed. This would give the others the time they needed to get away.

"OVER HERE YOU BITCH!!" I heard Arman shout.

I turned round just in time to see the idiot running towards the graug. He drew on his nen and slammed his stave into the ground. I large chunk of earth flew up, out of the ground, and in one swift motion he channelled his nen into his stave and struck the chunk of earth with it, sending it hurtling at the back of the graug chasing me.

His attack struck her in the back. She turned and bellowed at him; the very air shaking with the force of her roar. Arman repeated his previous attack, striking the graug in the chest and forcing her back a step. The graug roared at him and then looked at me. She was torn between who to attack.

"RUN YOU IDIOT!!!" I shouted at him as she turned towards him.

He went wide eyed as she ran at him. I couldn't blame him, it was truly a terrifying sight to behold such a beast bearing down upon you. But he collected himself, gathered his nen and suddenly two ragged pillars of rock shot up from the ground and blocked the graugs path. She slammed into the rock pillar, the rock snapped audibly but still held.

As she began to grapple with the rock blocking her path Arman began so sort of complex dance, spinning his stave around him and channelling his nen. As he thrust the stave in the direction of the graug another pillar of earth shot out of the ground between them, and struck the graug in the stomach. She stumbled backwards and fell to her knees from the force.

Arman was a powerful earth bender! Certainly the most powerful I had seen. His nen was easily that of a Master level bender! Had I known this about him before I might have used his skills earlier! But he had given me an opening! I sprinted towards the exposed back of the graug as she began to stand up once more, and with a powerful gust of wind directed into my wings, leapt into the air and landed on her back.

She noticed me immediately. But before she could try and shake me off I drove the point of my sword into the base of her neck with all the strength I could muster. The blade sank six inches into the thick hide and struck bone. I held onto the sword as she began to flail around and try and swipe at me. Her claws came close to catching me several times, and the force she was throwing her body around made it so I was barely able to keep a grip of my sword, my legs and body swung this way and that as I tried to keep a grip on my sword.

Arman seemed to get the gist of my plan and continued his assault. Firing chunks of rock and earth at the graug to distract it from me. It seemed to work and as it lumbered towards him I drew on every drop of nen I could. Including the nen of the spirit within me. I felt the spirits need for blood and death wash over me once more. I gathered all of that nen into my arms and sword and then into the neck of the graug.

The graug shrieked in pain as the nen I was pouring into began to take effect. When foreign nen was forced into the body of another it damaged it. Against such a large creature as a graug such an attack would take the nen of three grandmasters, unless it was focused into a particularly vulnerable spot. By using my sword to channel the nen into a single spot into the creatures neck, my nen would attack the nerves there, killing them off paralysing the creature. I also pushed then nen up into its brain from there. After a few moments the graug fell to its knees and then keeled over. I was sent tumbling over the ground. My injured side screamed at me once more and I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my maw.

Our eyes met. The graug groaned before the life slowly faded from its eyes. I felt bad that I had to kill this creature. It was just trying to raise a family. The most basic of drives for any life form. But these creatures were too dangerous to be left so close to the town. The needs of the many... at least that was what I told myself. It didn't make me feel any less guilty for killing an innocent creature. Callen had taught me that all life was precious, and that no life should be taken without remorse.

"Young Master are you okay!?" Jovani leant over me.

"I'll be fine." I grunted as I sat up. I wrapped my arms around my torso as the sharp pain shot through me. "Nothings broken. Just a few bruises."

"Thank goodness!" He sighed in relief.

"You are one crazy bastard!" Arman grinned. "Running in and taking on a graug like that!"

"You're one to talk!" I countered.

"Heh! Takes a crazy bastard to know another I guess!" He grinned, offering me a paw up.

I grinned and took his paw. He was one hell of a fighter. One hell of a bender. I was sure now that that family crest he bore was not just for show. He was truly a descendant of the Killik house. And a potential heir to the house which has been empty and leaderless for many winters now.

"You ever thought about returning to Zangar?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Quite." Jovani added. He seemed to catch on to what I was also thinking. "Given your heritage and skill, you are a valid candidate to take the seat as head of the Killik house."

"I'd considered it..." He said. "But what do you mean take the seat as head of the house?"

"Since the last head of the Killik house passed away the seat has remained empty. He had no direct heirs left in Zangar, and most of the Killik line left Zangar after the fall." Jovani explained. "Tradition dictates that anyone with a direct lineage to the family line, and who has the skill of a Master bender can claim the seat as their own."

"And you want me to take it!?"

"Why not?" I asked. "You're certainly the strongest earth bender I've ever met."

True he was young. Only a couple of winters older than myself at most, but he was courageous, strong and determined. He felt guilt at not being able to help his fellow warriors when the graug first attacked, and it drove him to action. He was willing to put his life on the line to redeem himself. If that was not the mark of a great leader than I don't know what was. Zangar would certainly benefit from someone of his skill as an earth bender, to help train the next generation as much as anything else.

"Well... I won't deny I've thought about returning to my ancestral home... but I never thought about taking any sort of leadership role."

"You would need to prove your lineage of course." Jovani added. "I'm sure Lady Anaris would be more than willing to write a letter of confirmation as evidence of your heritage!"

"Whoa! Lets back up here! I'll think about it okay... but my home is here. Everyone I know is here."

"It's fine." I assured him. "Just thinking aloud."

"Quite. I apologise if I seemed rather forward in suggesting you assume the mantel as head of the Killik house." Jovani bowed his head in apology. "I just know how much it would mean to Master Kaldor, and the rest of Zangar to have a Killik in power once again."

"No, no... you're fine." Arman waved his paws. "I'm honoured you think I'm suitable for the role. It's just..."

"Politics." I said.

"Yeah. I'm just a warrior. It's all I've ever been and all I ever aspired to be."

"Trust me I know what you mean." I said. "I was raised in a wolven village. An outcast my entire life. Fighting for survival every day. But when I got to Zangar suddenly I was someone of importance."

"And you did exceptionally well proving yourself." Jovani smiled at me. "If you do decide to try and take the seat, I'm sure that Master Kaldor, Lord Callidus, the Young Master and myself will do everything we can to help you."

"Thank you." Arman bowed his head. "That means a lot."

"But in the mean time we should get to work before it starts to get dark." I said. "I'm sure that Lady Mai will have the funeral pyres ready by the time we get back."

And so we got to work gathering the bodies of the deceased. I found the last body of the missing hunting party just beyond the tree line. Leon, a chestnut coloured stallion was laying in the under brush between two trees when I found him. I bent down to lift him when they groaned. He was still alive! Alive but in critical condition. We hurried and loaded him into the cart. Moving him was a gamble. It was dangerous to move him, he could die from it, but we didn't have the medicines to treat his wounds out here. Getting him back to town as quickly as possible was the best chance he had!