“There’s a light up ahead.” whispered Sasha.
She quickly pulled up her cloak again and started to move quietly into the woods as the rest of the party awaited in a small patch of brambles hidden from the light.
“Light used to be a good thing.” commented Cedris dryly.
“That was before we got stuck on this forsaken place.” El-Dris replied.
Doric just nodded and pulled out his sword again waiting to see if his skills would be brought to a test.
Sasha moved closer to the light. She could see it was a huge bonfire. As she got closer she could see the fire was made up of huge logs, crates and pieces of some wooden structure. She started to creep forward. She was concentrating so hard she didn’t notice the tall dog like figure walk up next to her. She didn’t notice until it grunted after it stepped on a particularly sharp stick.
Sasha froze. No more then five feet away a Gnoll strode down the path. It was grunting to itself while swinging his huge spear back and forth, striking small limbs and removing leaves from the trees around him.
It was soon past her. She was able to see its profile as the bonfire picture framed its large body. Her lungs started to burn from holding her breath but as she started to release , she heard a crashing sound from behind her. She moved quickly to a small depression and tried to channel being a shadow. Soon the sound of yelping and snapping could be heard from beside her.
One of the smaller creatures was dragging a log behind it while two of the Gnolls were growling and snapping at another. The sound of was drowning out Sasha’s panicky breathing. They stopped right next to her. The largest one put its nose in the air starting to sniff.
In an instant there was udder chaos when one Gnoll lunged out and bit the face of the one it was growling at. Sasha could feel the ground shaking as the two creatures started to bite and strike at each other. Their feet struck the ground right next to her head. She could feel herself starting to panic.
There came a loud crack as the largest Gnoll barked and swung his spear into the ribs of first one, then into the other of the dog creatures. It seemed the bigger brute had the situation sorted and soon was moving along the path.
Before long the Gnolls came to the bonfire. The small one dragging the log heaved it upon the already raging fire. Sparks flew into the sky. The leaves started to burn off the branches of the log, floating into the sky like tiny kites into the night. The largest Gnoll snapped at the small one who placed the log on the fire, seeming to scold him for causing the sparks and leaves to fly into the night.
Sasha crept a few steps closer to spy upon the canid creatures, before slowly creeping back to the waiting party. As she turned away her concentration waned for just a moment and she brushed some dry twigs. The nearest Gnoll sniffs the air and turns.
The light from fire flickers on Sasha as she sneaks off toward the party. A howl goes up from the closest of the canid warriors.
Sasha turns back just in time to see all five of them staring directly at her. They start picking up clubs and spears. A low growl starts to harmonize together as they stand. Eyes were glowing with the bright light of the fire and laugh like howls come from the largest Gnoll. The nearest to Sasha starts a slow advance, a large club held high.
In haste Sasha pulls an arrow and lets it fly, missing badly as it goes crashing into the night. The dog like warrior starts to move faster toward her and swings his club back and forth, its blood red tongue lolling out of its mouth in anticipation of coming bloodshed. Sasha now panic stricken looses another arrow shooting it into the sky. She starts to turn and run when a battle cry erupts from the trees to the left. Doric pushes through the underbrush.
With a great cry Doric swings the pattern welded blade trying to take the legs out from under the Gnoll scout. The blade whistled as it cut the air landing on the scouts thigh. Doric twisted with the impact and attempted to slam the edge of his shield into the teeth of the beast. With a yap the Gnoll flinched back just dodging the blow.
A bolt of flame whooshed from El-Dris’s fingers, missing high sizzling the damp leaves of a nearby tree.
Cedris holds up his simple holy symbol calling on his gods grace the party and feels the holy blessing’s of Mithras take ahold on the group.
The scouts yapping and barking leap forward striking with clubs and spears at Doric. He is able to bash aside the first attack, but leaves himself open to a pair of strikes from the others. They grazed his arm and his upper biceps.
Sasha slips behind the closest jackal like creature jabbing her spear forward. He knocks her spear sideways with a massive force sending a numbing vibration down her arm. Cursing, she leaps back behind Doric to regroup.
Doric strikes just as the closest Gnoll is distracted by Sasha. He cleaves down ripping through the leg removing it from a suddenly silent creature. The creature looked down as blood streams from its amputated leg pumping jets of blood all over Doric, as it starts to slowly fall over, dead before it hits the ground.
With a howl, one of the larger lieutenant slams his spear at Doric, who easily brushes it aside.
Doric calls out “What do you think that was you skamelar”
Cedris steps up next to Doric swinging his new found mace at the closest Gnoll to him connecting solidly.
Doric again gets hit on his shield arm causing it to go numb and making it impossible for him to hold up his shield.
Doric grits his teeth shaking his arm and yelling at the enemy closest to him.
Sasha slips in the mud and goes down hard on her back. Her spear bounces from her hand as the breath is knocked from her.
El-Dris raises his staff and softly says “fúmë” The Gnoll next to Doric starts to snore loudly and falls over on his face.
With a barking cry the dog like creature rushes toward a prone Sasha raising his spear in triumph stabs down attempting to pin her to the ground. At the last second he also slips in the mud and starts to flail about missing her completely. The other three move forward two lashing out with spears the other swings his club catching Cedris on the forearm.
Doric lunges forward with the black patterned blade but it is parried aside by the largest of the Jackal like creatures.
Cedris blocks one of the creatures blows with his shield. Holds his hand up looking to the sky calling on Mithra’s power to heal. touches his hand to Doric’s arm and a cool white light infuses him.
El-Dris dodges behind a large boulder he flings a firebolt at the apparent leader of this pack. It sizzles as it splashes off his leather breast plate.
Sasha squishes around in the mud pit she finds herself in. She is able to swing her leg and catch the knee of the Gnoll that is lording over her. Causing it to leap back and yelp in pain. She regains her feet and pulls a Crude Dagger from her boot. She flings is at the Gnoll that was attacking her it sinks deeply into the right arm of her attacker.
“Finally something” Sasha breathes to herself.
She starts to move around to where her friends are engaged realizing that she is much to exposed in her current location. The Gnoll she hit pulls the Dagger out of its arm and flings it back at her. She is able to dodge the blade but the hilt smacks her in the cheek leaving a deep purple bruise. She tests her teeth with her tongue finding them well in place she backs away from the beast.
The savage leader spears Doric’s shield and attempts to rip it off his arm. Doric is able to keep his shield but it wrenches his wrist badly. Doric pulls back on his shield suddenly and with a overhand strike is rewarded with a unhuman cry as he carves a deep groove in the leaders shoulder.
“By the stone of the mountains you shall break your spears on my shield, and my kin shall sing songs of your tears.” Doric roars.
The smaller creature looks taken aback but quickly strides forward. swinging down at Doric’s head. Doric parries aside the blow with contemptuous ease. Cedris swings his mace and connects with the dog creature in front of him but not seeming to phase it very much.
The swirl of battle continues as each side attempts to connect with life stealing blows. Nether group seems to be able to get the upper hand. Sasha moves the the right side and lunges forward when she senses a slight lull in the battle. She catches the smaller of the Gnolls unaware sliding her dagger between its ribs. For one second everything seems to stop it jerks back and pulls the Dagger out of Sasha’s hand. It reaches down pulls it out of its body as it does blood spurts out once then twice then it falls to the ground. Blood specked foam flowing out from its snapping jaws.
The party is pressed back to the Rocks that El-Dris is using as cover as the largest of the beasts press there advantage.
A spear strikes out catching Doric in the side forcing him down onto one knee with the force of the blow forcing a grunt out of the taciturn dwarf. Doric grabs the spear with his shield hand trying to pull the beast closer. As he does a bolt of flame explodes across the face of the Gnoll it attempts to scream but only manages to inhale the bust of flame. It falls to the ground and writhes with pain for a fraction of a second before going still. With that the other creature turns to flee in fear. Cedris attempts knock its legs out from underneath it but only manages to bruise its thigh before it flees into the trees. Cedris rushes to Doric’s side as the dwarf starts to tip onto his side.
“Its done, You can rest now my friend” Cedris says softly.
Laying the dwarf on the ground as he starts to look to his wounds.