Recent content by Hath Charosh

Hath walked because standing still felt dangerous. His boots carried him toward the river path without thought, toward the sound of laughter riding lightly on the wind. Thrann was a mighty hunter. The war party rushed into the long grasses together, but he was their leader. They looked to him...

Hath wouldn't regret asking the last question. He would never stop and accept fate. The words of a shaman could change the future on their own. In a way, it was less unsettling to only have one serious crossroads ahead of them. The clap of hands made him jump. The offer of food confused him...

This time the tusks came out. It was instinct. If he had been sharper then he might have been more animated in his reaction. Instead he simply bared his teeth at the blade. Hath felt the heat from the embers brush his skin, smelled the acrid sting curling in the smoke. The hairs that had once...

Hath had to keep himself from bearing his tusks at the flash of blue flame. He didn't shirk, but his discomfort was etched into his face. That smoothed out as he saw the smoke coalesce into Kardidua for the span of just one breath. He didn't trust magic, but he didn't doubt it's existence...

The tent felt smaller once the flap dropped behind him. Close. He could smell the herbs hitting the mixture in the bowl. He said nothing at first because he didn’t trust his voice in this place. It felt like shadows bent in strange ways over the shaman’s hands. Three questions. He’d never...

Hath stiffened at the shaman’s voice. Yska’s words carried like thrown stones, sharp enough that even the wind would flinch at their passing. He cane to a stop. He had expected the quiet he had found in the rocks to shift into the noise of the orcs gathering around fires. He hadn't expected it...

Hath watched her go, the campfire crackling softly between them. She’d smiled but it hadn’t reached her eyes. Something in her voice had been off. They had spent too much time travelling together for him to miss it, but he felt frustrated at himself for not understanding. He turned his gaze...

Hath sat in silence for a long while after Pern spoke, the weight of her words settling heavily upon his shoulders. A few years ago he had thought of himself as simple in his wants: food, fire, a good hunt, the freedom of the wilds. Now here she was speaking of belonging and prejudice. “A...

"Hmm," went Hath. "You want do well..." Hath tilted his head to one side. That had sounded very simple, even by his own standards. "I mean that everyone wants to do well at what they love. You are very good at your craft. It would not be fair to not be given respect and price for what you...

Hath followed her gaze. One of the younglings went too close to a basket and caught a palm across the ear. They scattered. He had seen her smile start to form and decided not to stare. As she spoke of Elbion he turned back towards her. "I did not get on with the guards," he recalled. "Maybe...

"Yes," Hath said simply. He had promised to bring Pern home safely. Whilst he had expected an arduous journey, fate had conspired against them. He had nearly died several times. Pern had been forced to kill a man. "They have been kind but we must get you home. And then where you lead, I...

"I am glad we chose to travel with the Skarath," Hath admitted. He sat with his feet close to a fire. He was on the other side of the flames from Pern. He glanced around the camp. They travelled more slowly than his own tribe. They used pack animals to carry shelter and food. His own tribe...

It was only a few words, but he could see the effect it had upon Pern. She wasn't used to people caring about her in this way - beyond just a few people in her life - let alone expressing it. Hath simply reached out and touched fingertips to the outside of her shoulder once. Settling his...

"Using ink to buy more ink," he observed. Heart and hearth day. He didn't know the tradition, but he thought asking for a specific explanation could wait for another day. The word heart and her tone said enough. "Then if it was a first gift it was a very good one," Hath declared. "You...

Hath balanced the knife on his middle finger. Then he held it and tilted it back and forth. The position where it balanced as well as the distribution of weight mattered. As he did this, he brought his left fist to his face and smeared a tear away before it could fall. "We need ink too," he...