A Wildling Brood 1 (2/2)
“Nah. Most of’em are dead already.”
“That’s horrible!”
“Tha’s what happens when yer a clan of humans feuding wi’ dwarves. Dwarves don’t just hold grudges, they juggles them.”
“What?”
“Long story.” Mordecai paused, where the trail led down into a dark hollow, on the lee side of a hill. “C’mon. Now… you’re gonna see some stuff.”
“Stuff?”
“Jus’ stay out of it. Remember I’m fine wi’ it, wouldn’t be doin’ it if I didn’t love ‘er. An’ stay out of the hut till I gives yer tha all clear.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Good.”
At the end of the trail, sat a wooden and straw hut, with a thatched roof of woven sticks. Skulls poked out from it, capping the end of every stick. Big ones, little ones, mostly animal skulls… though Celia hissed, to see a few human skulls mixed in among them. Others were from creatures she’d never seen before, hollow eyes staring from weather-yellowed sockets. Smoke poured from the center of the hut, and a strange odor, spicy and strong, filled her nose and made her sneeze.
At the sound, the three youths on the porch sat up and peered at her with curious eyes. They wore mismatched clothes, half of sturdy cloth and half of leather and hide.
The youngest was about half Celia’s size, a little boy with green skin and yellow eyes, and short frizzy black hair that reminded Celia of her own. He hid a turtle behind his back, and stared at her for only a second, before his gaze slid to Threadbare and his jaw dropped open.
The one in the middle was built like a block of stone that someone had put muscles on. Thick and squat and about as tall as Celia, wearing a crudely-stitched suit of leather armor. He had the hilt of a battleaxe hanging from his belt, and though his skin was pink, he had his brother’s yellow eyes and two small tusks poking out over his upper lips. The overall effect was if someone had poured a boar into a human skin. He smiled and waved.
The third one was tall, taller than Celia, with wispy hair on his upper lip. Green-skinned like the youngest, he was all lean muscle, dressed in a bone-beaded leather shirt, a hide cloak, and a pair of trousers. His black hair was drawn back in a ponytail, and he had a bow slung on his back. Unlike the youngest one, his eyes were human and gray. Much like Mordecai’s, Celia thought. In fact…
“You never told me you had kids!” She burst out. But Mordecai wasn’t looking at her anymore. Mordecai was moving up, staring at the beaded curtain that led into the darkness of the hut. Then he drew his knife.
Celia stepped back, fumbled for her own daggers-
-and promptly dropped it, jumping backward in fear, as something inside the hut roared and charged through the curtain, bowling Mordecai over as they rolled across the grass.
It was green and brown and roaring, and it battered him with a heavy club, as Mordecai fought for his life, knife flashing. Blood sprayed and for a second she dared hope-
-but then he reeled back as the club hit his face with a CRACK, and Celia gasped as the two separated, staggering back to take stock of each other.
It wore a painted wooden mask, she saw that, and stood like a human did… broad and scarred and green and muscled, taller even than Mordecai, clad in a leather halter top and loincloth. Black, dreadlocked hair flew out from behind the mask as it snarled, and stalked back and forth like a beast, yellow eyes shifting in the holes of the mask as it stalked Mordecai. The skull-topped club shook, as the creature feinted, testing for weakness, testing for hesitation.
Then Celia blinked, as she realized what the curves under that halter top meant.
“That’s a woman?” She asked, putting her hand to her face.
The creature spared her a glance, filled with malice that she’d never seen and then Mordecai was on the thing, stabbing desperately, and with a great wail and a blur of motion the fight was back on. Celia turned tail and ran, hugging her bear tight, getting way the hell away as fast as possible. She reached the treeline, turned…
…only to see a limp Mordecai being dragged by one leg, hat off, into the hut.
“No!” She shouted, dropping Threadbare, and pulling out her daggers. “Animus Blade! Animus Blade! Anim-”
“Hey, s’all right,”
“Huh?” She dropped the last dagger, stared up at the tall, thin youth with the green skin. He’d worked his way around while she’d been distracted. The two blades whirled around, aimless, as she stared at him, nonplussed.
“Yeah, this is what they do,” The sturdy boy said, walking up from the side, with the smallest boy in tow. “Dad was away too long without telling Mom first, so first they’re gonna fight. Then she’ll heal him up and they’ll get to the other part.”
“That was your… that’s his wife?” Celia realized. “Oh my gods.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Wait, what’s the other part?”
“Uh…” The tall one shot a look at the fat one, who put his hands over the youngest one’s ears. Then he told her.
Celia blushed.
“Yeah, we don’t stick around for that part. Wanna come fishing with us?” The fat boy smiled.
“Yes. That would… yes.” Celia blushed more. Then as she followed them into the woods, a thought struck her, an old fancy, and she glanced back at the now-quiet hut. “Um. I read… there was a book, once. It had a knight on the front, and a lady with her shirt half-off. I think it was Mom’s. It was... interesting.”
“Yeah?” The fat boy asked.
“Do you think, ah, what, do you think it’s like that?” Celia asked, with something like desperation.
There was a pause. The three boys looked at Celia, then simultaneously the four kids, and Threadbare, turned to look at the hut.
With a crash, Mordecai’s head and torso rammed through the straw. He shot an arm through, grabbed one of the larger skulls, and threw it back inside. His wife shrieked, and pulled him back in, as he fought desperately for a handhold.
“No,” the tallest one said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, “I rather fink it ent like that.”
Feeling entirely out of her depth, Celia retrieved her fallen knife, and followed the trio into the woods.
THREADBARE'S CHARACTER SHEET
Spoiler: Spoiler
Name: Threadbare
Age: 8 days
Jobs:
Greater Toy Golem Level 7
Bear Level 4
Ruler Level 2
Scout 2
Attributes:
Strength: 47 Constitution: 54 Hit Points: 145 Armor: 22
Intelligence: 37 Wisdom: 55(60) Sanity: 92(97) Mental Fortitude: 12
Dexterity: 23 Agility: 33 Stamina: 65 Endurance: 32
Charisma: 34(39) Willpower: 27 Moxie: 61(66) Cool: 20 (30)
Perception: 37 Luck: 34 Fortune: 71 Fate: 7
Generic Skills
Brawling - Level 9
Climb - Level 6
Clubs and Maces - Level 7
Dagger - Level 4
Dodge - Level 1
Ride - Level 1
Stealth - Level 3
Swim - Level 1
Greater Toy Golem Skills
Adorable – Level 11
Gift of Sapience – Level NA
Golem Body – Level 5
Innocent Embrace - Level 2
Magic Resistance –Level 4
Bear Skills
Animalistic Interface – NA
Claw Swipes – 6
Forage – 6
Scents and Sensibility – 6
Toughness – 7
Ruler Skills
Emboldening Speech - Level 1
Identify Subject - Level 1
Noblesse Oblige - Level 1
Royal Request - Level 1
Simple Decree - Level 1
Scout Skills
Camouflage - Level 1
Firestarter - Level 1
Keen Eye - Level 1
Sturdy Back - Level 5
Wind's Whisper - Level 1
Equipment
Rod of Baronly Might - (Level 5 Club, CHA +5, WIS +5, +10 Cool )
Quests