Red Fang Chapter 2

The jarring shift in scale briefly disoriented Toli, as he entered the close confines of the town. Houses pressed in tight against the wall, their fenced-in yards and narrow alleys muffling the sound and dulling the roar of the battlefield.

"Sam?" Toli said, sucking in air as his gaze swept the confined space, searching for the Dwarf's stocky form. The men were all taking a moment to catch their breaths after the mad dash, with all of them exhausted after their long morning.
“Over here,” Samuel said, sweat streaming down his ruddy face. His skin bore the deep crimson flush of exertion. "I can't...run anymore. I'm done."
"Just a little further, I promise," Toli said, moving among the men, assessing each one with a quick glance for obvious wounds, ensuring they'd left no one behind. He paused beside Seagar, frowning at the deep gash marring the man's forearm. "You did well."
Seagar's eyes shone stark white against the blood streaking his face. "I can keep going."
Toli tore a strip of cloth from his belt, winding it tight around the wound to staunch the flow. "I'll tend to that properly when we stop."
Seagar flexed his arm, but the bandage held. "I won't bleed to death, captain. Not today."
“What now?” Dallon asked from his perch atop a barrel. He still had his sword, but his shield was little more than splinters at his feet. “Do you expect us to take the city by ourselves?”
“Not all of it, just one man,” Toli said, joining Samuel by the corner of the house. Beyond was a muddy alleyway, and the rear wall of a shed. A dog growled from under a step and bit at the rope looped around its neck. “All we have to do is capture the baron, and his men will leave the field.”
“When I said get stuck in, this wasn’t what I had in mind,” Samuel said, eyeing the poor animal. It was clearly terrified and desperate to get away, but trapped by an uncaring owner. He left the cover of the wall, raising his axe as the dog shied away. With a practised swing, he severed the rope.
"Maybe she knows where the baron is?" Ishan said, watching as the dog bolted around the corner.

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Nestled in the shadow of the Intraana mountain range is a vast land of marsh and forest. Rivers pour in from both the north and south flooding the region until it's more lake than land and yet it is home to more life than any outsider could imagine. Hidden among the reed beds are villages and farms, not all sited on dry land, some float. The villages of the marsh elves drift with the seasons, following the migrations of birds and fish, ignored by the humans as long as they don't get too close. A human king claims dominion and is ready to shed blood to prove it, not his but those of his men, marching them into the swamp to kill and needlessly die. But there are still places where people can hide from tyrants and create homes and communities of their own.

Parent Plot

The Red Fang

Related Characters

Related Organizations