The Travels of Rose Ashmaw

Chapter 32

Ezlana exited her tent to see the early morning sun rising above the trees. Looking around the camp she could see Varna leaving her and Leiko's tent.

Ezlana: Hey, Varna!

As she said this she made her way across the camp to her. Varna had looked in her direction at hearing her name.

Varna: Oh, what is it, Ezlana?

Ezlana had stopped in front of Varna.

Ezlana: So what Leiko told me last night, about how you two met. Was it true?

Varna: Yes, it was. Hard to believe I started out not wanting him near me, isn't it?

Ezlana shook her head.

Ezlana: Not at all, you had just been injured and had just found out that your own mother had put a bounty out on you. You likely didn't want anyone around, right?

Ezlana followed Varna as she walked to the edge of the camp.

Varna: No, I didn't want anyone near me. And it was because I didn't know what to do at that point, but even if I didn't show it at the time I was glad he didn't just leave me there. Things could have ended very differently.

Varna turned partway toward Ezlana so that she could look at her.

Varna: I'm going to be heading out so that I can hopefully catch something for us to eat later.

Ezlana: Okay, Leiko and I will try to make sure the pot is ready when you get back.

Varna nodded before leaving the camp. A few minutes later, Leiko came out of their tent. Spotting Ezlana sitting near the fire pit he decided to sit on the log next to hers.

Leiko: So, I take it that Varna already left to hunt?

Ezlana: She did, we should have more than enough time to get the fire pit and the cooking pot ready by the time she gets back.

***

Three white-furred Lupines were making their way through Dark Wood. Each stood at around six feet tall and they were wearing faded gray leather armor that had cracks and cuts in various places. On the back of their armor was a white wolf skull that was tilted up, as if howling, and surrounded by a snowflake. It was the symbol of a group of bandits from up north, Frost Howlers.

Akira: You want to explain to me again why we are here? It's way too hot for this to be worth it.

Akira had a nick taken out of his right ear and a scar that ran from left to right across the top middle of his muzzle.

Luna: You know why we are down here, The boss heard about one of those Leporines leaving the forest they stay holed up in. Could be valuable to the right individual.

Luna had a scar that ran from her left cheek across her muzzle and to her right cheek.

Maya: I think there's a camp ahead, you two need to shut up before you alert someone.

Maya wore an eyepatch over her left eye and had a scar just under her right eye.

Akira: Yeah, yeah.

As they creeped towards the edge of the camp they could see a pink Vulpine setting up a cooking pot over a fire pit. As they looked around, Luna eventually pointed toward the middle of the camp.

Luna: Look.

As the other two looked where she was pointing they could see a Leporine make their way towards the Vulpine.

Maya: That would be it, which means that we're going to need to grab it and get it back to the boss.

Akira: What about the Vulpine though?

A few minutes of silence passed.

Maya: Don't really see many Vulpines that color, might as well take him too.

***

Just as Leiko had finished placing the pot on the fire pit his left ear twitched and he froze in place.

Ezlana: Is something wrong, Leiko?

Leiko: I thought I had heard—

As he went to get up, three white Lupines ambushed them. Akira struck Leiko in the back of the head with a small club, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.

Ezlana: Leiko!

Before Ezlana could do anything the other two had restrained her before applying pressure to the back of her chest, causing her to be unable to breathe. After a few minutes, Ezlana had passed out and the Lupines placed leather sacks over both of their heads and began hauling them off in the direction they had come from.

***

Varna had just returned with a small buck. As she entered the camp she stopped dead in her tracks, dropping the buck in the process. She could see that the camp was in ruins, the cooking pot thrown aside and the tents torn down. She slowly moved over to her and Leiko's tent, some vain hope that he would still be there. After searching what was left of the tattered tent she could only find his sword and shield, and that would have meant that whoever had done this had gotten the drop on them. Varna sobbed as she whispered to herself.

Varna: No, no, I should have been there...it's just like last time.

Varna had memories of finding Leiko dead in Zenkoh's arms flash through her mind. Eventually, her sobbing had stopped and she placed Leiko's sword and shield on her back and grabbed her war hammer. She began sniffing the ground until she eventually found the scent that shouldn't have been there and began to follow it, a look of fury and determination on her face.