Jeanne stepped first into the clearing and saw one of the bounty hunters lying on the ground dead. His throat ripped out and his torso opened in full. His organs and visceral resting nearby with deep claw marks all over his flesh and innards. In one hand was a sword partially unpulled. “He didn’t even get a slash in,” Benkin said, shaking his head.
“His friend didn’t even get that far,” said Maeryn, looking at the corpse of the other bounty hunter laying nearby.
Th other bounty hunter was missing his head and clothing torn to shreds. His weapon was tossed aside into the bushes near the corpse. Guthrum unleashed his wrath onto this poor soul, much of muscles and tendons were barely hanging onto the bones. “By Ordo’s justice,” Silvius said softly, “this is simply a butchering.”
“Where’s Cyneswith?” Gabriel asked. “Or her child?”
“I don’t see anything,” Benkin said. “Hopefully Guthrum showed them some mercy.”
“I doubt that man knows the meaning of the word,” said Kveldulf.
Jeanne turned as she heard Cillian moving around the encampment. “Where’s my boy?” he asked with increasing panic. “Where’s my son?”
Jeanne looked towards Kveldulf who was saying nothing as the others moved around the scene. He caught her glance and gave her a quick shaking of his head before returning to look for the others. “Anyone check the northern edge of the camp?” he asked.
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“I’ll take care of that,” Gabriel said, moving towards the brush, using the spear head to move the brush out of the way.
“You think we should wait to get Cid and Doc?” Hypatia asked.
Jeanne and Kveldulf shook their heads. “Cid would want us to canvas the place for anything before we head back to grab him. And … I don’t think the doctor’s skills would do them any good at this point.”
Gabriel called out to the others. “I found something,” she said.
Kveldulf went over to Gabriel, and after a long moment, walked out to the others. Cillian took two step back as Kveldulf came up to him. “No,” he said sharply as his eyes began watering up.
“I’m so sorry,” Kveldulf said.
“No!” Cillian said weakly. “No no no no!” he pleaded, the last one turning into a cry of pain. As he let out his agony, he screamed, “Kill me! I don’t want to live anymore. Kill me!”
“Come now,” Kveldulf said. “We need to find the bastard and get for …”
“It won’t bring back my boy!” Cillian cried out. “He killed my son! Why in the Shepherd’s name did he do this! Tell me!”
Kveldulf held Cillian tightly as the man gave into his sorrow while Maeryn lifted her nose into the air and gave two short sniffs. Her eyes widening and a look of horror on her face. “Oh no,” she said as she walked off away from the campsite.
Jeanne and Benkin saw the elven archer moving towards the edge of the camp and quickly followed her. “Maeryn!” Kveldulf called out.
The elf said nothing only walking straight to a destination no one else could see. It wasn’t long before Jeanne could see a tree with a giant stain of red and bark broken from the trunk of the tree. There were other bits and pieces she could not recognize at first but with each succeeding step, the uneasy sensation she felt before began to stir into a frenzy within her.
Maeryn stopped, her shoulders dropping before she feel to her knees. Kveldulf rushed over, shirking back before he could regain his composure. “What is it?” Jeanne asked.
Kveldulf turned to her, tears running down his face and his mouth shaking. As he spoke, his voice quivered and a faint as a whisper. “We found the child.”