83 Chapter 11 - Witchs Britches (1/2)
”Kragg thinks there can only be war. Every Furbolg must be annihilated if even one of their kind remains our entire species will be placed again onto the brink of annihilation,” huffed Kragg, the room filled with warriors and battle-ready werewolves growling agreement.
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The medicine had worked well, many on the mend even if their ravaged bodies still bore the scars of the foul disease. Yet missing patches of fur, the skin turned to scales of hardened boils worn like badges of honour and bellies filled with more meat than many had had un days meant that Kenji no longer felt afraid he'd be attacked and eaten.
”I disagree, a full-scale conflict would only weaken your forces. The attrition alone would be your undoing, even if you succeeded, you will have become so weak the humans could seize everything the same night!” Kenji added, realising it was a bit strange to refer to humanity as if he did not belong amidst their number.
”A sentiment the Elder agrees with,” the Elder yawned, his festering sides cleansed and on their way to being healed. Yet it would take weeks of rest, food, and medicine before his monumental strength could be unleashed in battle, and it seems that lack of strength similarly lead to a perception that his arguments were similarly weak as the werewolves scowled and muttered resentment.
”We cannot remain like this, but Elder, perhaps you could remind us of the reasons we hate the Furbolgs. Even as a pup we sung the lists of their evils, a list no doubt greatly expanded in my absence,” Tenko added, turning her pristine white-maned head to eye each werewolf in attendance. Claw's tightened and yellow eyes flared, hate spreading like invisible snakes through their collective psyche.
”It was in part our fault,” the Elder said, a great series of howls battering back at the Elder's words. ”Fine, the Elder will speak as you wish. After the Werewolf King lay claim to the whole forest, the Furblogs were the first to build an alliance against us. While long ago, and that alliance is now deep in its grave, it built the foundations for an on-going war. In open battle, they could not hope to defeat us, yet like the porcupine, they had an advantage in defensive engagements. So we ran wild and free, avoiding the Furbolg's domain so as not to fall to their cowardly magicks.”
Sighing long and whistling, the Elder rebuilt his strength to continue, ”over time our food supply dwindled. Then fell away. No prey came from the human lands, the mountains, nor the Furblog's domain. We were starving before we realised that the Furbolgs had cunningly convinced the creatures of the land of the region to not to enter our territory, and only once we were starving did they begin to allow a handful through. No one thought to check the deer, we were too hungry, and so the plagued deer were shared by all so that the warriors could continue to hunt and the pups would not starve. And so we all became sick... so terribly sick.”
Coughing up blood and mucus, the Elder wheezed while the werewolves watching fell into a deep brooding silence.
”The Witch traded our valuables for medicine, but it was too little for too many. And when word spread that the humans were trading medicine for work, many migrated. They returned as the Unsouled, the human's pets, and rounded up those who had not come willingly with force. In that time period, the Human Inquisitor arrived and broke the last of our strength when he stole away our dearest Tenko. It has been a slow, but inevitable, decline since.”
A howl rung through the caves, the werewolves ears poking up, as they growled towards the entrance. Stepping back into the darkness, Kenji watched as a pale girl with black smeared lips and eyes strode confidently amidst the werewolf pack. At her belt were a series of potions, pouches, a spellbook and wand.
”Hello everyone, you're looking well,” she said, smiling wide and flashing white teeth at the werewolves.
”Kragg wants to know why you are here, Witch girl. We have the medicine, we don't need your overpriced potions!” A series of howls and growls emphasised the point, the witch whipping out her wand in a moment, it's tip flaring green.
”Now now, I come on behalf of my mistress. You see we want to make the medicine cheaper, but we need a strong source of magic. If you've really recovered your strength, then perhaps the place we can get that source would be...mutually beneficial,” the apprentice witch smiled sinisterly as the werewolves brooded.
”The Elder wants more information,” the Elder grumbled.
”The Furblog's defences, so powerful aren't they? But did you know it's all powered by a single orb? Without it, they will become defenceless as rats, and you can tear them apart whoever you want. With that orb, my master can create enough medicine to heal every werewolf here, and become a powerful ally of your pack in perpetuity. A victory for all, is it not?”