Sven ran into the small tunnel in the mist, a thin burning stick in his mouth and a scroll tied to his back. Rethia watched him disappear nervously, but they had no other method to reliably reach the caravan. Shouting brought them only so far.
“He’s through,” commented Kaska, eyes aglow. “They’re moving aside.”
“Good,” muttered Marwin.
“That’s the signal. We can start whenever.” (Kaska)
Rethia took a deep breath and straightened: “Get ready, everyone! Just like we practiced with the other cave!”
She stood in the back and watched the fire-illuminated scene. Shadows danced along the walls in the flickering light. Warriors were in front, archers in the back, close to standing torches.
Kaska directed the mage to the first spider. A puff of wind, followed by a fire arrow, hit the spider. It clacked angrily and moved away, in the short moment it was illuminated.
“It’s coming close. The other spiders have started moving, too. That direction.” Kaska pointed randomly into the mist – at least it looked random to Rethia. Must be some kind of magic that lets her see through there.
She flinched at the sudden sound of something clashing against metal and turned to her right. The horrid beasts jumped out of the mist wall that blocked the path – and were utterly slaughtered by the excited Wanderers that were waiting for them.
A glance to the other side of the blocked path showed a similar situation. By the time she looked back at the cave entrance, there lay a dead spider on the ground, a warrior pulling his axe out with a big grin.
“Of course they are nocturnal – when I have no chance to go anywhere else,” mumbled Rethia, her talons nervously scratching into the stone ground.
“Looks good so far,” said Marwin with a smug smile.
Flag, whispered some part of her mind, immediately drowned out by a question. What does a flag have anything to do with this?
An ominous feeling crept up on her, making her switch between the three battle lines constantly. The defense lines are holding up nicely. The Wanderers are overly motivated. There are no wounds, as far as I can see. The mage and archers are drawing the spiders out of the cave and the warriors kill them. Looks like that’s the last one.
“That’s the sign, it’s the last spider in this cave,” said Marwin, nodding towards Kaska who waved both her arms.
“Then blast that cursed mist apart,” she said loudly. Her order was picked up and repeated by those closer to her, until it reached the mage. “Blast it apart!” , “Blast away!”
The cave mouth looked like some white cheese with too many holes in it. The next moment, it was replaced by finely woven spiderwebs and cocoons, which all went up in a short-lived roaring fire. Everyone cheered at the sight.
“Advance team!” shouted Marwin over the din. “Check the cave! Flanks, support our defense lines!”
Few, if any, listened to the order.
“Why the defense lines?” asked Rethia, checking on them.
“Them spiders are not dumb monsters who just run in. They’re starting to get creative with their attacks. See how they pull back into the mist after a quick attack?” Marwin pointed at one such occasion. “It’s still early and we have the whole night ahead of us. You can guess what happens if we keep this up. People will tire, make mistakes, and then we’re dead. We have a too large area to defend.”
“You mean we should retreat into the cave and wait for the morning?” she asked horrified. First fighting in the night and now a cave without an exit?!
“Would shrink the defense line and we’ll have a save spot to recover.” (Marwin)
I don’t want to! shrieked her thoughts as Sven crawled up her legs and comfortingly curled around her neck.
A loud screech cut through the racket of cheering and fighting.
“You lot, go with the mage, clean out the smoky air in the cave and check for any more danger!” Her right wing pointed at the front group. “Archers, support our flanks! Kaska, how many spiders on each side?”
People started moving, smoke soon billowing out of the cave as the mage worked his spells from further inside.
If Sven can run through a tunnel into the cursed mist, then I can manage a few hours in a dark, cramped cave.
“We got thirteen of them between us and the main group. More than triple that on the other side!” reported Kaska, taking up position on her free left side.
“With how clever they are getting, we’ll be overrun in no time.” (Marwin)
“The caravan is alright. There are no threats in the cave as far as we can see. Further in, it branches into different paths. Caravan members starte to map it, but they dared not go too far.” Someone said.
“Is there enough space for everyone?” asked Marwin.
“Yes, sir.”
It feels wrong to move into that cave… connected to a maze? Uaah… Rethia shuddered at the thought. That ominous feeling grabbed at her again. The other cave…
“Get the caravan and our camp moved to the other cave!” The other cave is smaller. It will be more cramped. But it ends. No strange paths leading away. No chance for whatever creepy crawlies to get us from behind.
It took time, to move everything out of one cave and into the other. Time that was slowly running out.
The caravan – or what remained of it – was a ragtag group of thirteen people and three half-starved Troodoni with more packs than should be allowed. The raptors tried to grab the spider corpses, but were trained well enough to follow the subsequent tugs on their reins with only a grumble.
“Get some spider corpses into the cave,” said Rethia to Marwin. “I don’t want to survive the spiders, only to get eaten by a starved Troodoni.”
Marwin nodded, finding a pair who threw several of the corpses into the entrance of the cave, effectively building a barricade. Getting an idea, they ranged to the defense lines and hauled those corpses over, too, growing the barricade.
“We should retreat soon.” (Marwin)
“How?” (Rethia)
“First the archers, they can then cover the warriors.” (Marwin)
“Archers, retreat!” shouted Rethia after a cutting shriek. Some ran to the cave immediately while others remained where they were. “Archers, retreat to the cave!”
“I hate working with Wanderers,” muttered Marwin. They watched as some more archers peeled away from the two defense lines to set up close to the left cave entrance. Still, some stubbornly refused to leave the fight.
“We can’t wait for them.” (Marwin)
“Warriors, slowly retreat to the cave! Archers, cover them!” (Rethia)
“That’s our call, too. Let’s retreat.” Kaska gave Rethia a push towards the cave.
“Wha, bu-” (Rethia)
“Without you as the commander, this assault group will break apart.” (Kaska)
“What she said,” Marwin brought up the rear, keeping an eye on the situation.
The warriors were chaotically retreating. Some simply ran away, others stayed where they were with manic grins. Yet others helped those slower than them. Somehow, it worked, with only three dead so far.
“Have the first night watch take charge of the cave entrance.” (Marwin)
“First night watch! You have the cave entrance! The rest, take a break!” Her voice was hoarse from shouting so much and she was tired. Tired and hungry.
She found the only good perch – a tiny outcropping in the back of the cavern – and claimed it, fluffing her feathers for comfort and warmth.
Someone pushed a skewer of meat at her. She nibbled at it half-heartedly, eyes drooping. Someone else asked if she wouldn’t prefer a bedroll. She heard Sven chitter at the person before sleep claimed her. The soft twang of bowstrings and the clang of metal followed her, somehow more soothing than the crackling of the fire.
Soft cushions and comfy pillows surrounded her. Groaning, she turned over, bleary eyes blinking at a manicured garden behind a window. Soft morning light shed shadows on the light ground mist. She rubbed at her eyes, yawned and snuggled deeper into the pillows.
“Wake up, $§&! It’s time for breakfast!” shouted an energetic voice, just before someone rudely jostled her shoulder. “Come on, wake up~”
“Let me sleep,” she mumbled back, pulling a wing over her head.
“But you promised! Come on!”
Her wing was pushed down and she caught sight of a warm smile in a familiar face. The girl standing over her tugged her out of bed and pushed her down corridors.
“Everyone’s waiting for you,” laughed the girl. “We’re going to have so much fun today!”
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
A pair of large doors was opened for them and she blinked into blinding white light.
Happy shouts grew louder, overlayed by heated screams and angry clicking.
A cave, illuminated by a merry fire swam out of the blinding white light. A trio of Troodoni slept in one corner, broken pieces of carapace scattered around them. Six people cowered close to them, gripping their swords and staves with wide eyes.
Bedrolls were strewn all over the ground, some occupied by groaning warriors. Kaska flitted between them, a glow dripping from her staff.
“It can’t be morning,” croaked Rethia, fumbling for a waterskin and gulping down its contents. Weary, she rubbed at her eyes and left her perch, taking stock of the situation.
She found five people actually sleeping through the clamor, neatly tucked against the walls. The six people next to the Troodoni had to be the actual caravan members. Non-fighters. The mage was sitting cross-legged next to the fire, with the unnamed scout stirring a large pot.
The groaning warriors shut up once the glow from Kaska’s staff touched them. A few heartbeats later, they were back on their feet and rushing to the entrance of the cave.
“How late is it?” yawned Rethia, closing in on Kaska.
“Two hours until dawn. Marwin thinks that is why the attacks have become more frequent. They want to web the entrance of the cave, before daylight sends them back to cower in the mist.”
Rethia shuddered at the prospect, suppressing another yawn.
“But don’t worry, everything looks just fine. There have been no casualties and I’m healing up whoever gets hurt bad enough they can’t continue fighting. Do you want to take a look?” asked Kaska hopefully.
Rethia gave her a blank stare. “No. I want something to eat.”
Kaska slumped. “How can you think about eating, when there are so many wonderful enemies in front of this cave? Don’t you understand? It’s a feast of-uhh, never mind…”
Rethia shook her head and held her own wooden bowl out to the scout, getting it filled to the brim. The poor boy was yawning and shivering. Tired and nervous. Possibly afraid, noted her mind with detached interest. Something about her dream nagged at her, but she couldn’t remember what she had dreamed about. There had been people. And something behind the blinding light.
Slurping down her first and second helping of the stew, she finally caved in under Kaska’s begging glances, slowly walking towards the entrance of the cave. Kaska trailed after her like a happy puppy. Probably got the order to stay put and keep an eye on me, as the sole healer?
The racket got abruptly louder, as they rounded the sole tight curve on the way. A scene of surreal carnage spread before her eyes.
The barricade of spider corpses was missing large parts, spiders shooting webs at the corpses and dragging them off into the mist. Puddles glittered in the flickering torchlight and made the footing treacherous.
Six warriors blocked the entrance, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, with a line of archers standing a bit behind them. The rest leaned on both sides of the walls, further in, and cheered their comrades on.
“I don’t understand how you Wanderers ever get anything done, but it works,” said Marwin tiredly.
“That’s just how we are,” answered Kaska with a chipper voice. Her eyes glowed with magic.
“Can we defend until daybreak?” asked Rethia, surveying the scene a second time.
“If they can keep this up, yes. Since they have been at it for the whole night, I don’t see why not.” Marwin shrugged helplessly.
One of the warriors in the first line fell back, and someone waiting further behind slipped into place as if it had been pre-planned.
“Who even has command?” bewildered, Rethia replayed the scene. There had been no signal, no shout, no nothing. Just… a smooth exchange of personel?
“No one? Who knows how these Wanderers keep organized. I’ve sent the native adventurers back to rest, after I saw that mixing them in only led to more chaos.”
Rethia stared at the spectacle. To her, it looked like some kind of tournament. Whenever a spider came out of the mist to grow the webs into the cave, people on the sidelines called it out. And they cheered whenever a spider was hit, yowling when it crawled back into the mist, mocking their comrades why they hadn’t reacted faster? Hadn’t hit harder?
“Or are these puny little spiders too smart and fast for you?”
Maybe it wasn’t so much a tournament and more like a gruesome festival? The wanton mood was at least similar to a festival, even if the situation in itself shouldn’t be one.
It took much of the horror out of the situation.
Rethia fluffed her feathers, staring dumbfound as five arrows, an axe and two swords killed a single spider. If they weren’t so disgusting and creepy with their fire-devouring mist, I would feel sorry for them.
“Interested in a game of Mu Torere?” (Marwin)
“Huh?” (Rethia)
“Or a round of Choko. You can also go back to sleep. Otherwise we’ll be watching this for the next two hours.” Marwin held up two pouches, stones clicking against stones as he shoke them.
“How can you think about playing games while they fight?!” Rethia stared shocked at the two pouches.
“I’ve been watching them for most of the night and nothing has happened. If anything, they have become more competent at fighting like this. They don’t need orders and it’s as boring as standing guard on a well defended wall. And they are waiting for a chance to slip into the frontline, so they won’t give it a go.” Marwin flapped his other hand towards the sidelines, where another exchange with the frontline fighters was happening.
“Then you should sleep some.” (Rethia)
Marwin snorted. “Yes, sure, I’ll sleep like a babe with you keeping an eye on them battle maniacs. Maybe after you got some more experience leading people into battle.” The words had barely left his mouth and his face already turned apologetic.
Rethia simply shrugged the snappy comment off. She knew she was incompetent at leading people. She had no experience. And the man hadn’t slept for a whole day. She hadn’t seen him take any naps, either. How he was still functioning was a mystery.
“I don’t know the rules to your games.” She kept watching the battle. It felt like someone was orchestrating it. The spiders never really overwhelmed the Wanderers, but their attacks looked challenging enough. Surreal. Is this really the right time to play a game? Shouldn’t we keep an eye on things, in case whatever is giving orders to the spiders shows up?
“Well, Mu Torere can be played in two ways. The easy variant with three stones each, and the hard variant with four stones each. Choko is played with 12 stones per player and can be somewhat challenging, but much more interesting. I’ve heard it’s a good game to learn tactic and strategy.” (Marwin)
That got most of her attention. “How so?”
“You place your stones on the board, or move them. If you can ‘kill’ every stone from your opponent, or box them in so they can’t move any of their stones, then you win. Like with a battle. Either kill all your enemies, or disable them so they can’t attack anymore. Interested?” (Marwin)
“Well… yes. But is now really a good time for this? Shouldn’t we, you know, keep an eye on things?” She moved a wing to encompass the entrance. “It feels like something else is out there, just waiting for us to drop our guard.”
“If there really is something out there that can kill all these Wanderers, then we’re dead anyway. Might as well play a good game before that happens.” Marwin opened one of the pouches, spreading it out on the ground to reveal a 5x5 board drawn on the leather. Red and blue stones were carefully separated and placed next to the leather board.
The colorful stones drew her eyes.
“The rules are quite simple. Each of us has 12 stones. We decide who begins and then take turns. The first player drops a stone on the board, on whichever square they want. The second player has to drop a stone, too, as long as the first player drops one. If the first player decides to instead move a stone during their turn, the second player gets the drop initiative. Meaning: If you are the second player and then decide to drop a stone, instead of moving it, I have to drop a stone until you decide to move a stone.
“You can move a stone to one of the four directly adjacent squares.” He put a stone on the board and moved it up, down, left and right. “To capture an ‘enemy’ stone, you have to jump onto a free square on the other side.”
Marwin put more stones on the board: one red and blue stone next to each other, and two other red stones somewhere else on the field. Then he let the blue stone jump over the adjacent red stone and onto the free field behind it.
“That’s a capturing move. Now this red stone is banished from the field for the rest of the game. And you can take another random red stone from the field, too. But something like this,” he put two red stones behind each other with a single free square between them, then jumped the blue piece over both: “Is forbidden. A stone can only jump over one other stone per round. And that are the basic rules. Any questions?”
“Nu-hu.” She picked a red stone up with her claws, inspecting it. It wasn’t perfectly round, but the painting was done with great care.
“Then I’ll begin. It’s easier to understand while actually playing it.”
Marwin dropped his first stone with a large grin, pointing out whenever she would’ve done something that was against the rules.
Needless to say, Rethia quickly lost thrice in a row. Grumbling, she started the fourth round. Capturing two stones in quick succession, she thought her luck had turned – only for Marwin to mercilessly decimate her pieces in a drawn-out game.
“I don’t understand it!” Frustrated, she huffed and ruffled her feathers.
“At least you have the rules down,” laughed Marwin, “but you’re only thinking about your next move. You have to keep sight of the whole board. See here?”
He reversed the last five moves. “If you had moved over here, instead of here, I would’ve taken this piece here, instead of that.”
“Why? It’s not a threat to you.”
“Because it could become a threat after two more moves, like so.” He let the piece live and moved other stones, showing her what could have happened.
Rethia stared at it with wide eyes. “I never even thought of doing that… I want another match! This time, I’ll win.”
“Huh. I don’t think we’ll have time for another game. Daybreak should be soon.” (Marwin)
“What? That can’t be! We barely sat down for the first round!” protested Rethia, then looked around for the first time in two hours.
Both lines of warriors and archers had been exchanged completely. Kaska was standing behind the active archers, warning everyone where the next spider would appear. The wall of corpses had grown again, reaching half the size of what it had been at the start of the night. And the lighting was definitely different than before.
“Could be the blue hour.” Rethia stood and stretched, giving the game a mournful glance. I have to get one of them. It was frustrating, but fun.
Marwin collected the stones in the middle of the leather board, then tightened the drawstrings, turning it back into an ordinary pouch.
Neat. I want one. I wonder what this Mu Torere is like. I hope he can show it to me later. And how did he get the colors on the stone? Is it natural? It didn’t get damaged by my claws.
A round of cheers vied for her attention. A particularly large spider had been slain, and rays of sunlight forced their way through the mist.
“They’re retreating!” shouted Kaska, followed by more cheers.
“Who has the tally?” shouted an archer over the din. “I got another one!”
“Archers shouldn’t be allowed to kill ‘em! You got most of the kills while cleaning the caves!” screamed a warrior back.
“You would be dead thrice over without us!” nagged the archers back. And the whole cohesiveness and camaraderie devolved into a giant scuffle.
Rethia shook her head.
“Wanderers…” muttered Marwin. “We should get out of here as quick as possible, and what do they do? Quibble about who got more kills.”
“That’s what they do? While we’re still stuck here?! Do something!” (Rethia)
“They won’t listen to me, remember? You’re the commander. If they even accept a commander at this point.” Marwin shrugged his shoulders.
This… this nonsense! Fine, I did play games with Marwin, while they fought, but I couldn’t do anything else, she conceded. But fighting over a kill count? By the stormwinds fickleness, why?!
A piercing screech echoed through the cave. People flinched and stuffed their ears with their fingers. Warriors hastily looked around for the enemy – and found none.
“Ahem.” Rethia cleared her throat into the sudden silence, looking as innocent as she could. I didn’t mean to screech at them! It was just so loud! Glancing at Marwin for help, she found only an approving nod.
“Half of you help with packing up. You, bring the mage up front. We need to clear out that mist again and get moving.” A low collective grumble went through the Wanderers. None of them moved. They did fight through the night. Maybe they want praise for their efforts? I sure hope they don’t want to get paid. That’s the job of the search leader, or the guild…
She tried again, with a softer tone: “Well done, everyone. I’m sure you’re all tired after fighting through the night, but if we don’t get going soon, we’ll be stuck here for another night, fending off even more spiders.”
Some of them perked up, others continued grumbling, but they organised themselves into two groups just as the mage walked around the bend.
“More mist blasting, I assume?” (mage)
“Yes. We need to go left. A path close to the walls and large enough for five to walk through should be enough. We found the caravan and the main group is on their way to meet us. Also, please clear an upward path for me, so I can check where they are right now.”
They were not that far away. Apparently, the Wanderers on that side had also worked through the night. Switched off with the native adventurers under the watchful glare of the search leader.
An archer pointed up at her and shouted something.
Flicking her tail in greeting, she circled back.
“They’re not far away. We should reach them in an hour,” she shouted down from an outcropping above the small path in the mist. The Landbound cheered – most of all the tired caravaneers, keeping as far away from the mist as they could possibly get.
From her vantage point, she had a good view of her own ragtag band and the progress of the main group.