Bugbears and Moe

[Kell_Durand]

Cike was speaking quietly with Milla outside the gates about the Wolves of Narfell when suddenly a pack of goblin grenadiers fell upon them. Moe screamed from the gates for them to watch out as Cike quickly drew sword and shield to defend Milla. Splattered with Goblin blood they ran to the gates as Lilin drew bow and covered their retreat.

Moe took up the front line defending with his large halberd as goblin upon goblin threw themselves at the defenders. Lilin spotting the approaching bugbears drew sword and shield casting greater invisibility and distracting them as Moe stepped back greatly injured. Milla new to the lands and a hardly a seasoned warrior yet tried her hardest firing arrow after arrow at the bugbears, but hardly scratching their tough hide and armor.

As the night wore on moon light peeked from behind the clouds and Lilin cried out suddenly clutching at her head before changing. The curse of lycanthropy was still with her and before the stunned defenders and bugbears she changed into a Were cat. Cike cried out to his love as she started to attack friend and foe alike. Crying for Moe to get back he stood before her diverting her relentless slashing attacks from Moe upon himself. Before the killing blow she ran off into the woods to the east Cike clutching at his wounds stumbled after her calling out once again to Moe to stay and guard the gates.

Following the bloody trail and dismembered goblins ahead of him Cike easily found his love lying unconscious in a pool of blood before the entrance to the Druid’s Glen. Cike quickly prayed that the calming and peaceful Glen would keep her from changing again and lifted her gently, carrying her in. He laid her down by the pool of water his blood mixing with hers and the goblins.

Ignoring his wounds he quickly started to wipe the blood from her as she stirred. Cike quickly soaked a cloth and placed it over her eyes holding it there as he finished cleaning much of the blood off her nails and hands. As she roused and complained of a headache he quickly took out his Belladonna and fed it to her still keeping his hand firmly on the cloth covering her eyes. Her hands itched and she could not keep from rubbing them feeling a deep sickness within her. She could not know what she did, what had happened, how she almost killed him. Not yet. He needed to talk to Tindra; he needed to find the Werewolf that did this to her … he needed help.

He spoke softly to her as dawns rays filled the glen asking her to promise that she would feel no guilt of ever harming her. That she would understand that she could not harm him and it would pain him more to know she felt bad for any err on her part. Confused she could only accept what her love said before he removed the cloth from her eyes.

He pushed those thoughts from his mind and asked Lilin to stay in the safety of the glen. She reluctantly agreed to wait, still confused and shaken by an unsettling feeling she did something wrong. Cike left his love and snuck back to the gates of Norwick an eerie quiet covering the gates. As he entered Milla cried from upon the archer’s tower telling him that Moe and Calendel fell to the bugbears and were dragged off. Cike’s mind reeled with the news and he quickly sent Milla off to Jiyyd to get aid.

Cike followed the trail and grimly stood looking to the South west as the drag marks and blood spatters lead to the Bugbear warrens. As he returned to the gates awaiting the rescue party he restocked his quiver and made a quick prayer to Bast to keep his love from harm and changing. Naiya and Wolf came running up to him asking him what happened and relating that Milla had told them of Moe’s capture. Cike pointed to the drag marks obvious to even unseasoned trackers and the dead Bugbears about them.

The group waited all they could for more to show but when none did they departed, Cike, Naiya, and Wolf. As they entered bugbear territory an owl hooted in the night putting the group on edge as a cold wind started to blow. The wind coming from the east masked their scent as Cike scouted the woods searching for where Moe and Calendel were being held. Finally finding the warrens where the blood and drag marks were he returned to Naiya and Wolf telling them to follow him. As they reached a tree just east of the warrens the wind shifted to the North West. The group cursed their ill fortune and Cike went to scout again.

Spotted by an assassin however he brought it back to Naiya and wolf where the group quickly killed it before it could raise an alarm. Covering themselves with the dead Bugbears stench they continued on. Cike able to distract the Bugbear with a rock quickly motioned for Wolf and Naiya to follow him. His timing off however as they reached the warrens the Bugbear Blackguard returned spotting Cike. They killed him after a long hard battle but not before he could raise a cry that echoed throughout the forest. They ran into the safety of the warrens praying that those inside heard not the cry.

If they had not heard the Dieing Blackguard from outside surely they heard when wolf tripped the sonic alarm screaming their presence. A lone soldier came to investigate and the group fell on him stifling his cries as they attacked and killed him. The party crept their way along the warrens following the trail of blood to double doors, screams within told them Moe and Calendel were there. Suddenly a thumping was heard, Cike quickly told the druids to morph into badgers as he hugged the wall tightly hiding in the shadows. A shadow Druid ran by quickly and the group crept in.

However what the Druid missed a soldier quickly attacked Naiya, she morphed back into human form and retaliated as Cike popped from the shadows to aid her. He felt a sting in his back as an assassin leapt from the shadows as well striking him as Wolf changed into human form to join the fight. The soldier was felled but the assassin still struck out as them. The group opened the door and tried to take the fight into the hall way but Cike was trampled and knocked unconscious as the assassin followed Naiya and Wolf out.

Awaking with a large bump on his head Cike regained his senses and they entered the alcove again to find Moe and Calendel retrieving their packs from a corner. After a quick greeting the group made its way out a flood of Bugbears rounding each bend. They made for the door and exploded out into the daylight chased by an odd number of Bugbears all the way to Norwick. The rescue party looking worse than those they rescued collapsed on the floor panting.

Moe had to leave and get rested from the ordeal but the glare in his eyes and his summons of Cike later that week told that he wished to speak of Lilin. Cike swallowed hard and agreed as Moe walked off to rest. Cike now free of the burden of rescue turned his thoughts once again to his love wondering if he had power and strength enough to see her though this. He bowed his head and prayed Nobanion give him the strength he needed and Bast see his love through this.

//Thank you GobbleGobbly what a scared little scout I was!