Avenge Thy Fallen Brother – Chapter Two

Avenge Thy Fallen Brother – Chapter Two.

The sun was starting to peak over the mountain tops, the morning was cool, but warming up quickly. I was only a few hours out from the thieves’ territory and should be able to reach the valley by nightfall as long as I didn’t run into any trouble along the way. Before setting off I took the bread I had packed and broke it in half, placing the other half back in the pack; I ate quickly, dusting off the crumbs. I loaded up my horse and was off again.

I rode until I came to a cobble stone pathway that split off in 3 directions, an old wooden post sat on the edge with three wooden boards each with a direction, the top read North a small crudely etched arrow pointing straight ahead, the middle read East, pointing down the right path and the final board pointed left, it read West. I looked towards the mountains to the North, the air started to become more humid, a storm was on its way. I nudged my horse down the northern path. I was entering enemy territory from this point on I had to be on my guard.

I continued slowly along, the wind was starting to pick up; the sky was turning dark, the low rumble of thunder in the distance echoed across the land. A few moments later I felt a rain drop hit my nose, then another. Soon there was a light downfall of water falling from the sky. Every now and then I would shake my head to keep the water from collecting and matting my fur to my face. Suddenly I sensed something, I pinned my ears back and dismounted my horse. Off in the distance I could see three figures approaching at a quick pace, before I knew it they were upon me. Hyena’s, they each stood about five feet tall, walked with a slouch. They all were wearing tattered brown shirts; leather pauldrons covered their shoulders, large scimitars on their hips.

“Well well, what do we have here?” Snapped the stranger in the middle, shooting glances to his partners. “A little far from home are we canine.” The other two snickered at his remarks. I remained silent, gripping the handle of my sword as I eyed each one of them up and down. “Cat got your tongue, dog?”

“I am not looking for trouble; now please remove yourself from my path.” I said calmly.

“Hear that boys? He says he ain’t looking for trouble and he sounds pretty serious to me.” Cackled the middle one.

“Hehe and Boss don’t forget he did say please.” Replied the hyena on the left while crossing his arms.

“You know what you’re right, he did say please and you wanna know what I say to that?” Pausing as if to wait for a response from his colleagues. “I say give us everything or…..how should I say this?” He said shrugging “You die!” The other two just laughed.

“You really don’t want to do this.” I said as I slowly pulled my sword from its scabbard. Rain still lightly falling, a bolt of lightning flashed behind me, a loud clap of thunder following closely behind making my horse retreat to cover under a nearby oak tree.

The hyena on the right finally spoke. “Hey moron, there are three of us and only one of you.”

My sword was now drawn and at my side, I smirked at the three strangers that stood in my path as I took my stance. Rain water ran down the blade of my sword and down my arm. The hyenas were no longer laughing and now each had swords drawn as they started to spread out around me. I was now surrounded on all sides.

“WE TRIED TO WARN YOU KID!” Screamed the one behind me as he ran full speed at me with his scimitar raised to attack. I quickly ducked down right as he swung his sword downward, lifting him up and over me making him land flat on his back with a thud. The hyena to my right made his move, coming at me just as the first did, full force, dragging his scimitar along the wet ground, it scrapped along the rocks with a chilling sound. I stepped back just in time to watch the sharp edge of the sword go past my face, making out my reflection in the polished metal. With one quick motion I grabbed the hyena by his scruff and with all my force, put my knee into his chest. He let out a sputtering cough as all air was knocked out of his lungs.

The first attacker, rolled over and picked himself up off the ground, covered in mud he picked up his sword and lunged at my chest. I swiftly turned my body to the right; I watched the sword is slow motion pass right by my body. I decided I had had enough toying with them, one smooth swipe of my rapier I took the hyenas paw off. Blood spurted from the freshly given amputation; his sword fell to the ground the metal clanged against the rocks. The hyena dropped to his knees screaming out in pain

“YOU BASTARD!” He bellowed.

The other hyena still lying motionless on the ground groaned and coughed, still unable to recover from the blow he received. Before I could think, I found myself thrusting my sword through the back of his skull, giving it one final twist before pulling it back out and placing it back in position at my side, the rain and blood mixing on my sword an dripping off into a puddle on the ground.

By this point the hyena that had just lost his paw scurried behind the final one standing in front of me. Their leader stared at me with great intensity, his tail swayed side to side behind him as he contemplated his next move.

“You’re tougher than I thought.” He finally spoke, pointing his sword in my direction. I stood there in silence. He inched closer to me, starting to side step making a circle around me, looking for any weak point I might have. I followed his every move, soon just making slow circles around the path, slowly getting closer and closer together. There was another bright flash of lightning and an immediate clap of thunder that drowned out the sounds of both of our blades finally meeting. We stared into each other’s eyes, as our blades slid along each other until we were shoulder to shoulder. We pushed each other away and paused. We both expected the other to make the first move. His impatience grew.

“Come on!” He shouted, taking a swing with his blade. My metal met his with a loud clash. He pulled back his blade for another strike, swing at me from the side. I jumped back and swung back, just barely missing his arm. He turned his blade and reversed the direction of his swing moving forward. As fast as I could I placed my blade in position and blocked his strike. I saw my opportunity to strike; I punched him in the face to daze him and slashed in a downward angle right to left. My blade made contact with his pauldron and down his chest. He fell to his knees then landed flat into the middle of the pathway, motionless as blood began to seep out from under his body. I stood in the same position for a moment before finally returning upright. I flicked my sword to the right, and then returned it to its scabbard. I closed my eyes and turned my head toward the sky, letting the rain fall over me, taking a deep breath I turned my attention to my final attacker.

The hyena missing a paw was on his knees clutching his arm that was still bleeding at an alarming rate, staring at me with a look of pure fear. I reached down to the freshly fallen body on the ground and ripped off a long strip of the shirt. I approached the hyena; he fell back and started to try to get away, feet kicking at the wet ground. I knelt down next to him grabbing his bleeding arm as I tied the cloth around it making a tourniquet. I spoke calmly to him

“You need to find a blacksmith; they can stop the bleeding, and then find a doctor.” I stood up and whistled for my horse that came running to my side.

“You’re just going to leave me here?” The hyena spat out.

“You have made your choices, now you must live with the consequences.” I shot back as I mounted my horse and set off again. After I had gotten some distance away I could hear him shouting from behind.

“You’ll pay for this! Mark my words, you will pay!”

Part of me knew that leaving him alive was a bad idea, but my mind was in too many places to think that he would be causing me anymore trouble and then again maybe I was just being paranoid.

The rain continued to fall; I was close to town and would be able to rest for a while before venturing into the valley to confront the man who took everything from me. I rode for what seemed like hours, in the distance I could see lanterns burning. I slowly entered through a giant iron gate, a wooden sign to the side read “Bandits Only.” I was tired, my muscles ached. My grip on the reins was starting to become weak. The buildings were old, the wood rotting. Few were roaming the streets, those who were watched me carefully as I rode by. I could feel their gaze, though I could not blame them. They knew I was an outsider and outsiders were generally not trusted.

About halfway into town I noticed an old sign hanging off a building “The Half Moon Inn” it read, the sign barely hanging on by a rusting chain. I decided this would probably be the best place to dry off, get some rest and maybe a hot meal before hitting the road again. I dismounted my horse and tied her off to a post. I walked up to the door and took a deep breath before pushing it open. The inside was dimly lit and smelled musty. A fire pit sat in the middle of the room surrounded by a few tables and chairs. No one paid any mind to my appearance as I made my way to a lone inn keeper stationed at the bar, a skinny calico cat wearing a gypsy tunic and gold jewelry lining her arms, her amber eyes watched me closely as I crossed the room, finally taking a seat on one of the open stools. She placed a paw on the counter a spoke.

“Can I help you?” She asked with a sarcastic tone to her voice.

“I am in need of a room and food.” I replied, dropping two gold coins on the counter. The cat eyed the gold pieces for a moment.

“That will cover half of it.”
I sighed impatiently as I pulled two more coins from my pouch and tossed them onto the countertop. The cat collected the coin and hid it away inside of her tunic.

“I shall return momentarily.” She said dragging her claws across the wood then disappearing through a curtain to the back.

I turned around on my stool and studied the room. A table of three coyotes sat in the far right corner talking amongst their selves, every now and again shooting glances over at me. Another table a passed out hyena sat alone, part of me wondered if he knew the three I ran into on the road in. A table near the fire sat two mangy looking canines. Finally on the far left side of the room someone caught my eye, a dragon, his scales as black as the night’s sky, white tribal markings covered his body and tail, large wings on his back. He sat sharpening a long curved dagger.

“Here you are dearie” said the soft cat voice behind me.

I turned around just as she placed a key and a decently sized plate in front of me filled with steaming hot beef, mashed potatoes, and a small pile of cooked carrots. It was a lot more than I expected.

“Thank you.” I said as I started to dig in.

“Very welcome lovely.” She replied.

“By the way my name is Faux Pas, but most of my friends just call me Faux. I don’t think I caught your name.”

She laughed a little “My, what a peculiar name, but I like it. My name is Elsie, but most of my friends call me Elsie.”

I returned a laugh. “Are you the owner of this fine building?” I questioned with genuine curiosity.

“More or less.” She shrugged.

“So it’s safe to say you have been here for a while?”

“What are you after?” She questioned as she leaned against the counter, putting her head on her paw.

“I am looking for someone in the valley, a white tiger who goes by the name of Raven. Have you heard of him?”

“Sure, everyone here has. What’s your interest in him?”

“It’s personal.” I replied.

“Well then I am afraid I cannot help you.”

“Thanks anyway” I said as I pushed the empty plate away from me, grabbing the key off the counter and headed toward my room.

“A word of advice.” Said Elsie, making me stop walking. “ Personal is a good way to get yourself killed.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I said as I continued walking.

I found my room on the second floor, tucked away into a small corner of the inn. I opened the door and examined the room. There was a small hay covered bed with a deer pelt on top, a table with an unlit oil lamp and book of matches, and a large flat topped chest on the floor, a small key sat in the lock. I removed my sword and armor and placed them on top of the chest, then trudged my way over to the bed and flopped down falling asleep almost immediately.

“AGAIN!” Demanded a tall, slender manned wolf.

I slowly picked myself up off the ground and brushed the dirt out of my fur, still clutching the wooden sword in my paw. “Yes Master!” I replied, taking stance at the opponent across from me. “I’ve got you this time Irvine.” A young german shepherd, about 15 years old, stood before me, a wooden training sword gripped tightly in his paws.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you a chance to beat me this time, I’ll give you the first four strikes. Sound fair?”

I swung my sword at his, which he blocked with ease. I pulled back and took another strike at his opposite side, blocked again. I took my two final swings then felt a sharp pain in my face as his sword met my muzzle, knocking me back to the ground. I laid there for a moment in pain, spitting blood out onto the ground.

“Damn it!” I shouted, punching the ground with my fist.

“Faux, you are impatient and that is your weakness. He knows this and that is why he allows you to attack first, you must force him to make the first move, then you must find his weakness and use it against him.”

“But Master, how do I find his weakness?” I asked.

“If I were to tell you that, I would not be a very good teacher, would I?” He chuckled. “Now, again.”

I put my sword to the ground and used it to hoist myself back up on my feet. ‘How was I supposed to get him to make the first move?’ I thought to myself.
I looked Irvine straight in the eye and wiped the blood off my face, staining my white fur a light red color. I put my sword at my side and just stood there, staring down my foe, the only thing I could think of was to wait him out.

“Your strategy is to bore me to death?” Asked Irvine mockingly. “Alright then, have it your way.” He said as he took a step forward swinging his sword at my torso.

I blocked his hit and his next one, but they just kept coming, blow after blow. Slowly I was being backed into a corner, I needed to make a move or risk losing again. On his next swing I blocked, made a forceful push back knocking him off guard and swung making contact with his left arm. I made the mistake of thinking I had beaten him finally as I felt the wood of his sword whack me up the side of my head. I fell to the ground dropping my sword in pain, I clutched my face, pulling my paw away expecting to see blood, but to my relief there was none. I went back to holding the spot just below my ear where I had just been hit. I stared at the ground, still dazed as tears began to fill my eyes. I did my best to hold them back. A black paw appeared in front of me, I looked up to see Irvine, arm outstretched.

“Come on bud.” He said.

I reached out and grabbed his paw; he helped me to my feet. He put his arm around me and we walked back together.

The End of Avenge Thy Fallen Brother – Chapter Two.

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