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Frostfall Chapter 3

"What makes you think they were after me specifically?" Garmis inquired, standing there with his arms outstretched as two women of the small clan measured him out properly for the armor they were going to give him. His eyes watching Gunnbjorn pace back and forth, stroking his braided beard.

"Lad, 'ere the thing, they ignored a large chunk of our less than skilled warriors the moment they laid eyes upon ya," Gunn commented, waving a finger in front of him, "no, they must have seen something in you that perhaps we didn't see when we first met."

"You mean taking me prisoner as night settled in?" came the reply of a somewhat unamused wolf with a dry tone, looking at the chieftain.

"Hey now, Lad, that was us being precautious, we weren't exactly sure who or what you were, or if you turned into one of your more rabid kinsmen" the man defended himself.

Garmis let out a slight huff, "Right, had you been a little nicer about it, I wouldn't have had any qualms telling you my story." "If you had a story to tell, with you not remembering anything, Lad, it makes things a tad more complicated."

His tail swished back and forth, pelting one of the women who was helping to fit some armor on his legs, before getting bapped in the face. "Sorry..."

"Its alright" she laughed, "not often I get a tail to the face."

Garmis couldn't help but smile at that, "My apologies," his attention went back to the man in charge, "so I assume you have a plan, Old Man?"

Gunnbjorn turned as if he had been insulted while in mid-stroke of his beard, then a toothy grin came across his face. "Aye Lad, that I do."

He couldn't sleep that night, his armor set and ready for the journey ahead, and here he was tossing and turning in the furs while the night winds blue around the tent. Gunn's plan to see a sage or soothsayer, or whatever it was, put him ill at ease. It didn't help he could hear the snoring from some of the other humans in the tent as well. He buried his head into the thin pillow made of goose feathers, growling.

Soon enough though, Garmis would find his rest, but even that brought him no comforts. Within the dreamscape of his mind, he could hear voices, some that were so vaguely familiar yet, distorted enough that they sounded like they were talking underwater. A water stained red surrounded him clashing with blue as the picture slowly came to mind.

The feel of carved paved stone underneath his feet, the intricately decorated walls with a massive solid iron gate with grim reapers with scythes in hand, while one held a balance and the other a parchment with a quill over it. Around him were blurry figures of differing forms clad in heavy armor. Garmis stood there looking dumbfounded as they rushed off past him, ignoring his presence. These armored figures were rushing toward a single form standing there with a polearm in hand.

The wolf stood there noting the lone figure's canine form, and the heat which irradiated from him, the glow of red and orange of an enraged fire, the hateful glow of the eyes, and with one fell swoop of his weapon, the guards simply vanished into ash. Stunned, Garmis turned charging the words which came from his mouth he could not comprehend and then darkness again. His eyes saw the glint of the blade falling toward him, and then a scream.

"Garmis!"

He jolted awake to Kara's voice, the woman kneeling by him with some porridge in hand. "Are you okay, you were a bit squirming in your sleep when I walked on in."

"It was nothing" he lied recalling the blurriness of his own nightmare, "I was...err...chasing squirrels?" The smile he tried to portray did nothing to help his case. Kara leaned forward giving him a wary eye before taking a scoop of porridge in hand.

"Well I suppose its nothing, I guess I shouldn't worry about it" she replied softly, looking down, "How are you feeling?"

Garmis began to reply, "I'm feeling..." he was cut off with Kara shoving a spoonful of hot porridge right into his maw, scalding it slightly while her free hand cupped his snout. He was forced to swallow visibly wincing in pain from it whilst she pulled out the spoon. The wolf just coughed banging a fist against his chest, "What...what was that for?!"

The smile upon the human's face only reeked of cunning intent as she quickly flicked the spoon at the tip of his nose. "THAT, Garmis, was for lying to me and right to my face as well. I did not think that men of your kin could be such bold faced and horrid liars," her voice was in a sing song tone of mockery, "that I guess its easy to tell. Garmis, I may have been born at night, but not last night, you were dreaming for sure but from the look on your face, it was more than just squirrels."

He was about to speak and stopped short noting that Kara was prepping another spoon full of hot porridge. The knot in his throat intensified at what she would do dare he try to lie again. "It was some kind of nightmare, the world was on fire I guess, there were warriors around me and they turned to ash at the swing of a single warrior with a pole...thing, I-I guess it was a polearm I'm not sure. And there was a gate of iron, and that's all I can remember before being bashed in the head to being awake again." Garmis watched the woman's hand fall from the spoon, nodding.

She passed him the bowl onto his lap, "Well eat up Garmis, you and the others have a trip to make, and I hope that armor holds up, otherwise the view would be a bit unpleasant for some of the men-folk in the camp," she winked at him, "they get jealous easily, ask Tyrus."

That was enough to get a restrained laugh from the wolf while he got up, holding the bowl. "I'll be sure not to mention it to him, is he coming with me to this sage that Gunnbjorn mentioned or not?"

Kara shook her head, dusting off her skirt, "No, he will remain behind to see that everything goes as planned while you are away. There is talk that we might pack our camp and head to Winter's Edge west of our location, but it means going through somewhat treacherous terrain, and we are unsure if your kin are so kind there still or not."

He frowned at that news, "I see, hopefully we'll be back in a couple of days. So long the weather holds." His eyes studying the woman, the worry on her face was evident as much as she tried to hold it back, "Mind if I ask you a question?"

"By all means" she replied.

"What happened your home, you and this clan don't exactly seem like nomads."

That seemed to have struck a cord as Kara looked down. "Our home was ransacked, first by your wolf-kin, and then by our own, another clan of humans came in and instead of offering a hand they came in and attacked. We barely got out of it alive, Gunnbjorn took over immediately after his brother was killed, however it didn't dampen his spirit and it kept ours alive. He figured to set up here for the month or so, before we head on out again, perhaps to get more swords to retake home or perhaps to find new land."

"Time will then, thank you" Garmis replied, somehow finding new respect for his hosts, even Tyrus despite his somewhat scolding looks in his general direction. He watched Kara leave him as he went to don his new armor.

"You look good Lad" Gunnbjorn complimented Garmis, while the two along with a small contingent rode away from the camp. There was a slight beam of pride in that smile of his, riding along just slightly ahead of him. His eyes drifted toward the wolf's axe, Verdict, and the shield that was supplied to him. "Glad to see we were able to fit you accordingly to your odd anatomy."

"Thanks?" Garmis was confused, he always figured humans were the odd ones, flat faces, odd skeletal structure, no claws or fangs, just pure determination and wit. Somehow, he knew this was more than just assumptions, this was part of the fragmented memories.

"Ha! Worry not Lad, you were never the first we've had peaceful dealings with, and I pray not the last" the Chieftain continued riding along side him, "No, if this odd incident with the wolf tribes up here is not isolate then I think it might be far reaching."

"Far reaching?" Garmis replied, his head tilting almost like a puppy that it made the other humans grin at that.

"Aye, as far as the Western and Eastern skies are, that perhaps, Lad, times are changing, and they ain't changing for the best" Gunn stated, waving a finger, "and we'll need heroes my boy."

"I don't think I'm exactly the hero type, Gunnbjorn, besides still working on the fact I don't remember a thing" the wolf replied, shrugging toward the man. His ears fell back, almost ashamed he couldn't remember it all, while slivers here and there were starting to show, Garmis could make nothing of them. "besides, what I know deep in my heart, the fate of heroes isn't exactly the best."

The old man let out a hearty laugh, "Lad! The fate of real heroes is sacrifice, despite the loss of their lives or what they once owned in their legacy they shall always be known! Dying isn't exactly easy, but ya know what? Its what's gained in the long run, what would motivate the people a hero would lead into glory!"

Garmis couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm at the elder. His tail swayed back and forth, happy to hear this. He turned looking forward down the small trail they were on, "Glory, now that's something I think all of us good fellows can get behind." There was a bit of laughter and a "here, here!" in response.

It was another hour as the group talked amongst themselves, while Garmis listened in. IF there was anything to gain, it was there were several outposts in the Northern frontier, and the nearest one was to the West. He began to close his eyes as the faint smell of smoke, burnt charred wood wafted into his nose. His eyes opened immediately, "Huh?" looking up into the skies, even Gunnbjorn took notice of the change of posture. "Lad, what is it?"

"Something burned..." he took another whiff, burnt flesh as well. Taking in a deep breath the wolf slapped the reigns against his mount, rushing forward. He didn't even give the humans a chance to follow after him, while they quickly followed suit.

How long was it? A mile, two miles? Garmis couldn't even tell as he dismounted immediately finding the ruins of a village having been scorched to oblivion. The sounds of Gunnbjorn and his guards came in after him.

"Lad what was that...." The human chieftain went silent, dismounting and walking past him, drawing out his shield and sword. "....by the gods, what happened here?"

Garmis stepped over a charred corpse, looking around. Some of the buildings of the village were completely gone, leaving ashes, while others were burnt, and some still standing but cleaved in half as if someone took an axe and dropped it on the roof. There were a few more corpses, by the looks they were the Village guards that got cut into and then withered away by another force.

"Lad, what's wrong?" he heard Gunn speak to him, pausing to turn around and look at him.

"It wasn't just a pyro here, there was someone or something else going on here. It was more than one butcher here," Garmis replied, he kept moving past the dead, seeing other bodies that weren't human, some were in the same positions as the guards while others looked like the cadavers from the other night. "It seems some of my unaffected kinsmen were here as well defending the village, pity."

"Not all heroes need a legacy you know" the elder spoke, walking toward the center of the village where a stone had been placed marking its founding. "damn shame, I knew some of these people, did trade with them after we lost home."

"Well there was no hero to save these good folks, just die like them" one of the guards stated softly.

"We have no time bury them either, and nightfall is fast approaching chief" a second replied.

Gunnbjorn sighed sadly, nodding, "I know, lads, I know. Spread out, keep in pairs of two, see if we can't salvage something for ourselves to stay the night amongst the hallowed dead. I'm sure they understand our quest."

There was silence, and only silence as the wind blew on through. Garmis, Gunnbjorn and another guard shuffled forward. The silent screams of the dead with their final looks of terror forever marking their end staring back at them with empty sockets. Dusk's red skies started to flow on in as the stars solemnly marked their positions in the heavens.

The group turned finding what appeared to be what was a human cradling several children, a few humans, two wolves, and one more which appeared to be avian in her arms, shielding them but to no avail. They were gone.

Turning the corner of what was the forge, Gunnbjorn gave pause seeing the burnt remains of its smith, whom in one hand had his hammer, and in the other a dagger. The way the remains looked from their view was, he died trying to rush whoever or whatever it was.

Passing by the forge, there was a barn that had its roof torn off half way. A scent came across Garmis' nose that was different enough for him to pick up. The sound of someone stepping on the hay approaching them, and the strain of a bow. "Chief" he breathed quietly, "Shield up, and ahead."

Despite the fading light, Garmis could still see better than the others. The bowman started to move out as the two brought up their shields. "Should we say something, or they say something?"

"Lad, this might be his own place, think its best we knock" Gunn replied, looking a bit unsure of himself, he peered over his shield. "Hail! We bring about no harm, man!"

There was no reply.

"I am Gunnbjorn son of Eric, we mean you no harm!" He called back again, poking his head back down, talking quietly to Garmis and his other guard, "Lads, we might have an issue, be ready to rush the mad bastard."

"Gunnbjorn, the exiled one?" came the reply, "Glad to see you're amongst the living, my name is Sven, come please, we have wounded and survivors down below!"

The three looked unsure as Gunn stuck his head up again, "Survivors? That sounds a bit odd, considering."

"I speak not a lie, please" Sven called back, lowering his bow, "And if you brought any more of your warriors, then rally them here, at the very least we can prepare for the night ahead."

"What we got to lose at this point?" asked Garmis with a shrug, smiling slightly at the Chieftain who shrugged back. He started off without him, the wolf soon followed. It was here when the Dusk was pierced by a blinding light from a nearby mountain, streaming into the heavens.

The guard behind Garmis looked at it, "Well that's new!"

In the now lit up darkness, Sven's features were easily seen as his blonde hair was braided back and sporting a short beard, he seemed somewhat youthful. In the end though, Garmis could see that whatever events had taken place even before what befell this village had aged the man. He walked out looking around as several other warriors from Gunnbjorn's retinue started to regroup with them.

Garmis got close, watching Sven freeze, the look on his face made it seem he saw a ghost or something far more horrifying. The man's bow was shaking in hand as Gunnbjorn went up to him trying to shake him out of it. "Sh-sh-She's back" his voice cracked, struggling to ready his bow.

Slowly the human warriors, Gunnbjorn, and Garmis turned seeing a dark slender silhouette standing on one of the roof tops. Their garments fluttering in the wind, and their gaze fixated on the group. The wolf could barely see the movements of their arms as the light from the mountain was throwing his vision off slightly. The glint of blades barely seen at the distance they saw them at. Garmis began to feel a chill creeping up his spine.

They were staring right at them, no, not they, she.

And she, wasn't staring them, she was staring at the wolf amongst them.

And it was this, that made his heart freeze.