The Whispering Woods: The Companions [Book 1]

[26] Ambush

"Dag."

"What is it?" whispered Wess.

Haygen held up a hand noting danger ahead.

They kept to the edge of the northern trail, so Wess could keep easily search for pits and snares. Wess wasn't comfortable with being exposed on the trail, but with Haygen by his side, he tolerated it.

Haygen pointed just up ahead. Eight big Orcs donned in mail dug into the road with shovels and picks. One stood guard and supervised. The pair stepped into the thick woods and spied on them.

"There," said Wess pointing at the darker rows of dirt crossing the trail at twenty-pace intervals. "Spike pits...no doubt."

The Orcs dug their trenches to break the legs of horses. They would drive crude, sharpened stakes into the bottom of the pits so the soldiers of Corfé would fall and impale themselves. A soldier riding at full speed would not notice them, but the careful eye of the knowing rogue spotted it easily.

Wess smiled. "I say we kill them."

Haygen tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "I also say we kill them."

"Good, let's do this." Wess lifted the ties that held his crossbows down in their leather holsters.

"Wait!" Haygen warned, his teeth clenched together. "You go around the other side and we'll make an Orc sandwich." He pressed his hands together to further his point.

"Well, that sounds disgusting...and a bit cannibalistic on your end," said Wess.

"You know what I mean," said Haygen. He drew Icefang from its sheath.

Wesley drew his crossbows. "Okay. It'll be just like that time in Trelafesh."

"No. Trelafesh we had the Kowluun Elves with us. Nothing like Trelafesh."

"Ya got me there," Wess agreed. He put hand to chin. "What about Garost...?"

The Tribesman thought for a moment. "That makes more sense." He made a 'shoo' motion with his hands. "Go on, we haven't got all day."

"I'm going, I'm going." Wess ducked into the thick of the woods to the east and crept around the back of the working Orcs.

Wesley fired a well-placed shot and struck the orc in the back. The poisoned bolt worked quickly. His victim keeled over and fell into the very pit he worked at.

Haygen charged in with Icefang, his first strike removed the head of an unsuspecting victim and left a smooth, icy surface at the base of his neck.

Six Orcs remained. They reeled in panic, their instinct being to defend themselves with the instruments in their hands. Two of them swung at Haygen. The tall Barbarian blocked the first with the shaft of his ax but shouldered the second and it opened a wound from yesterday's battle. Haygen grimaced, but kept fighting on. He jabbed the Orc in the face with his ax head to stun him. The monster contorted his face in pain. Haygen brought Icefang down next to the Orc's neck in a large, winding arc, nearly cleaving the orc in two.  The other Orc swung his shovel at Haygen's head. The Barbarian blocked the shovel with his forearm and broke the wooden shaft, sending the shovel head straight to the ground.  Haygen smiled and punched the Orc in the face breaking many of its long, deformed teeth. The Orc slumped to the ground. The Barbarian brought his ax down onto the unconscious orc's chest like chopping wood and left a cold, gaping wound.

Wess was having just as much fun. An Orc, who was sharpening stakes with a dagger, charged him with a raging scream. The monster stopped his charge short and threw his weapon to surprise the Faeling. Wess slid under the flying blade and fired his second crossbow. The bolt struck the Orc in its stomach, taking the air from him in a large exhale. The Assassin holstered both his small crossbows and Ravenwing sang from its sheath. Wess hurled the magic blade at a wild-eyed Orc wielding a shovel high overhead. The dagger spun and found its home in the Orc's throat.