False Impression
by
James Bailey
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
False Impression
Copyright 2011 by James Bailey
[email protected] https://mywritingaspiration.blogspot.com/
*****
The two men looked down on the small camp of orcs from a ridge above them. Peering through the leaves and branches the two counted five of the creatures, a very small party. Two males, a female and two of their young offspring. The two males looked to be hunter types armed with crude bows and rusty swords they had no doubt stolen or pillaged from a body. The female was nursing one of the children while the other played at her feet in front of a camp fire. The smell of smoke wafted up to the two men’s noses, breaking through the morning mist.
“I thought there would be more of them.” Bron said.
“Agreed, it doesn’t make sense, they always run in tribes not families.” said Rast, Bron’s younger brother.
“Well a job is a job, this just makes things easier.” Bron said.
The two men were mercenaries, paid for their swords to kill or protect, whether it be escorting caravans, fighting in armies or hunting down bandits. A local town had noticed cattle going missing and there had been reports of a small party of orcs in the woods, the two were commissioned to dispose of them. The two mercenaries were apprehensive at first on taking this assignment without knowing how many orcs there were but they had seen many battles in their time and were confident they could deal with how ever many there may be, that and the fee was quite sizable.
“How do you want to do this?” Rast asked his brother. Rast always deferred to his brother’s experience, being five years Bron’s junior.
“The two of us could take this lot out right now if we wanted. We will wait till one of the males leaves to hunt though just to be sure, one orc and a female will prove no challenge at all.” Bron said.
“Why are they here though? The closest clan is miles away.” Rast said.
“You think too much Rast. It doesn’t matter why they are here, just think of them as a nice easy pay day. Better a quick easy job here than fighting for that Baron’s army we would have got stuck with up north,” said Bron.
Rast grunted. “Fair enough.”
“Come on lets step back and get ready, we can be back before evening and collect our money.”
Slowly the two crept back from the hilltop. They had left their armor further down the slope so that they could move easier and more quietly. Quickly they put on their battle-scarred but serviceable chainmail shirts and attached their sword belts. Both men wielding long swords and a small buckler to deflect incoming blows, large shields too cumbersome for constant travel.
“Did you see any cattle carcasses?” Rast asked as they readied themselves.
“What? No none, why?” Bron asked.
“Cattle is missing that’s why the town got suspicious right? So where are these dead cattle? Five orcs don’t eat that much meat.” Rast said.
Bron thought about this a moment. “You have a point perhaps we..” Bron trailed off as he saw something moving behind his brother.
Rast turned around, hand on his sword to see what had caught his brother’s eye. A huge green scaled beast approached them slowly in the distance. It’s head was as big as Rast himself, wide and with a large mouth ringed with teeth. It’s body was almost twenty feet long, bulky and muscular with four short legs and a long tail behind it. Blood rimmed it’s mouth and stained it’s teeth making it look even more fearsome. It’s two small black eyes showed no emotion as it gazed at the pair.
“I think you have your answer Rast.” Bron said quietly, unsheathing his sword.
“How do you want to do this?” Rast asked just as softly as his breath quickened and his pulse soared, adrenaline surging through his veins.
“Flank him, he’ll turn for one of us, the other take him from behind.” Bron said.
Rast nodded and began circling to his right, the creature kept walking towards them slowly, it’s breath misting in the morning cold. Rast had seen his share of strange creatures during his travels but had yet to see a beast such as this. He was surprised at how light footed it was, it made little noise as it approached, likely how it had eluded the townspeople for so long.
As the two warriors separated the creature turned towards Bron, and began moving faster, branches and leaves crackled underfoot as it charged forward. Bron quickly moved up the slope that overlooked the orc camp, putting trees and bushes between the two of them to slow the beast down.
Rast followed the beast as it chased his brother, approaching it from behind and gaining ground as the creature struggled to avoid the trees and other foliage. Reaching the tail he swung hard, his sword digging into the scaled length and taking out a chunk of flesh. The beast roared in pain and swung round towards him, whipping it’s tail around and knocking down several small trees in the process.
“Don’t worry Rast I’m coming!” Bron shouted from behind the creature, Rast could here Bron running down the slope to attack the creature.
The beast snapped at Rast’s face, it’s fetid breath almost making him gag as he dodged out of the way. As he moved however, the beasts injured tail swung around and slammed him in his chest knocking him to the ground. Scrambling he quickly crawled backwards as the creatures maw snapped at where he had been lying.
Rast heard Bron let shout a battle cry and saw him leap in the air swinging his sword from behind the creature, with a roar of pain the beast whirled around, snapping at Bron who had dug his sword deep into the beast’s already injured tail. The tail now hung limp past the spot of the injury, dark red blood staining the forest floor. Realising that they needed to do more than simply damage it’s tail Rast discarded his buckler and ran towards the creature. With a leap he jumped upon it’s back, scrambling along the slick scales to find purchase. The creature stopped moving towards Bron and shook his body to try and throw Rast off. Grimly Rast held on, pulling a dagger from his belt and stabbing it into the beast to drag himself further up it’s body until he was just below it’s neck line. Bron seized the moment to attack the beast from the front, slashing at the beast’s head with his sword. Rast raised his long sword, ready to drive it into the beast’s neck when the creature suddenly raised itself up in the air on two legs, flinging Rast backwards off of it’s body. Rast landed hard on his back, knocking the wind from him. Breathless and in pain he struggled to his feet, looking for his brother. With a cry of hopeless rage Rast saw the beast standing over Bron’s body mouth open and about to rip into him.
Suddenly arrows began to embed themselves into the creatures head and body. The creature squealed in agony, high pitched and ear piercing. Another volley of arrows followed, one embedding itself in the creatures eye.
Rast ran towards the beast with his long sword, not bothering to look for who these new allies were. As he reached the beast Rast braced his sword with his body and stabbed upwards below the creatures head driving his blade up into it’s brain. Hot blood gushed down over his arms as he twisted the sword inside it’s flesh before yanking it out. The creature’s squealing grew even more high pitched as it wrenched it’s head backwards and stumbled away from him. A few unsteady steps later the creature collapsed on the ground, dead.
Rast stood there staring at the creature, breathing heavily, blood dripping off his arms. Pulling himself together he looked for his brother, seeing him lying on the ground a few meters away.
“Bron!” Rast shouted as he ran over to him, throwing his sword away in panic.
“I’m okay.” Bron said with a croak as Rast crouched over him in concern. “Think I cracked a rib or three though, creature stomped me when he threw you o
ff.”
Rast laughed in relief. “A few broken ribs will mend, are you sure you are okay, can you breathe alright?”
Slowly Bron sat up, wincing in pain. “It hurts but I can breathe. How did you kill that thing? I thought I was gone.”
“We had help.” Rast said remembering the arrows. He rose from his brother’s side and looked around in the direction the arrows came from. The two orc males from the camp they had scouted earlier were walking towards him tentatively, arrows nocked and ready to fly.
“Bron. We may have a problem.” Rast said reaching for his sword then realising he had thrown it to the side a few feet away
Bron turned his head and saw the orcs approaching. “Wait Rast, if they wanted us dead we would be already.” Bron said wheezing as he spoke. “Let’s see what they want.”
Rast waited nervously as the orcs approached. He had never been this close to an orc without a sword in hand, he knew how physically capable the creatures were and was struggling to resist the urge to dive for his sword.
One of the orcs circled past Rast and his brother and moved towards the creature to inspect it. The other walked up to Rast, slinging his bow over his shoulder and putting the arrow back in it’s quiver. The orc looked to be of a similar age to Rast and just as battle hardened, white scars marked his dull green skin on his arms, his rough leather armour notched from numerous blows.
The orc held his hand out towards Rast in greeting. In shock Rast grasped his hand and shook it firmly, he almost winced at the strength of the orc’s hand. Reaching down the orc then held his hand towards Bron. Bron grinned at the creature and grasped his hand letting the orc pull him to his feet.
“I, Klod,” the orc said pointing at his chest.
“Rast and Bron.” Rast said slowly pointing at himself then his brother. “Thank you for your help.”
“Big monster, happy to kill it.” the orc said with a thick accent, shrugging his shoulders.
The other orc walked over to them with a gruesome smile on his face showing all his teeth.
“Beast dead Klod!” He shouted at his friend as he approached.
Klod smiled at him with his own toothy grin.
“That is Blok, my brother.” Klod said gesturing towards the other orc.
The four stood there in an awkward silence for a moment before Rast broke the silence.
“So why are you out here? Your kind tend to stick to the hills I thought.” Rast said.
The two orcs glanced at each other. “Had fight with leader, clan wanted war, we didn’t. We left.” Klod said.
“You left because you didn’t want to fight?” Bron asked in surprise.
“Fight long time, don’t want to fight now, have little ones now. Find new home. Safe home.” Klod said, Blok nodding in agreement.
“If you are looking for a new home, here is not a good place. Too many people nearby.” Rast said.
Klod grunted, a low guttural sound. “We not here long, pass through forest, heading north.”
“The mountains?” Rast asked.
Klod nodded. “Yes mountains, fought there many years ago, liked it there. Make new home.”
Rast looked at his brother who was staring at the two orcs with a look of both incredulity and amusement.
“What do we do Bron?” Rast deferred to his brother.
“They saved our lives, we owe them.” Bron said then reached into a satchel on his belt pulling out a folded up map. “Klod, can you read at all?” Bron asked.
“A little, learn from human tribes in hills when we trade.” Klod said.
Bron had heard of human and orc interactions in some areas but had never seen any himself. He unfolded the map and began showing Klod the best path to take to find their new home.
Rast turned to the other orc. “Helping your big brother out are you?”
Blok nodded and smiled. “Brother show me how to fight, he go I follow.”
Rast smiled in return. “I understand completely.”
Once Bron was satisfied Klod was on the right path the orc shook his hand in gratitude.
“Thank you Bron and Rast.” Klod said inclining his head.
“You saved our lives, thank you Klod and Blok. Safe journey.” Bron said.
“Yes thank you, I can’t tell you how surprised I was when those arrows started flying.” Rast said .
Klod barked out a laugh. “Just in time eh? Farewell humans.”
The two orcs walked off in the direction of their camp, Klod turned and waved before they disappeared around the edge of the hillside.
“What are we going to tell the villagers?” Rast asked his brother.
“The beast either killed or drove off the orcs, it was that thing that was killing their cattle anyway. They’ll just be happy we killed the thing before it started eating them. Come on let’s cut off a trophy to show the village before we drag them out here to see the body.” Bron said.
“You ever seen orcs like that?” Rast asked as the pair started walking towards the dead beast.
“No, but then I have never seen one that I wasn’t swinging a sword at before it could speak.” Bron said with a chuckle.
“Maybe we were wrong about them.” Rast said.
“Maybe. I am just happy they helped us live today. Come help my cut out one of these teeth.” Bron said.
Rast sighed, and pulled open the beast’s mouth.
“Stop complaining Rast, nice easy pay day just like I told you.” Bron said with a grin.
###