Private Tales What Comes Diggin

[Hugi]

The large man was waiting for some sign of the cold to break. Was waiting for the sign for his mark to be made upon the nordenfiir. Was wholly unprepared in his own mind to do so when he noticed a scrawled note on the tavern board about something wreaking havoc near the portal stone to the south.

Witnesses to the creature in question couldn't agree on many details. Tales of it being three meters tall and covered in spines to another account of it being the size of a child and spinning like a wooden top contradicting one another. Save for one detail they all could unanimously agree upon.

It was damned mean whatever the beast was.

It had chased a cadre of traders through the woods just thereafter they took a step from the portal stone. The first two that had stepped across had noticed nothing unusual. Another appeared, and with their appearance, a low sort of rumbling began.

Finally the last trader appeared, and something began tearing through snow and underbrush to, what they assumed anyhow, attack them. Some local herbalists had gone near the portal stone area, hunting down a peculiar weed when something similar had happened to them also. None had turned back round to see what was on their heels lest they misstep and be set upon by the unknown.

Which was why Hugi and company had found their way towards the offending unknown thing. Hugi had shared the details, or lack thereof along the trip. His own wild musings about what this, thing, could be.

"Perhaps a small cub? One weened by...oh say a snow cat attack? Oh-oh-oh wai-or maybe, just maybe a pigme snow cat." He was having a small chuckle to himself about the possibilities, rambling to pass the time than listen to the deafening silence.

 

[Baise]

Valthar didn't talk much on the journey. He was not a man of many words. Inside his own mind he had already started to assume the worst, rather than the idle musings that Hugi put forward. For a simple fisherman he had fought demons, necromancers and the undead, and all the beasts that had assailed them on their journey with the queen.

"Could be a demon," he decided to say.

The memory was still fresh. The scent of their lands, the mass of twisted demonic flesh holding him down. The instant he changed, fire from his heart filling his veins before his first mighty roar. In a way, those vile creatures had ushered in his transformation to a true Nordenfiir, but he would never thank them for it.

Valthar wasn't afraid, but there was a weary tone in his voice, as if he was accepting that once again he would stumble into the worst possible fiend.

"Maybe a cat," he added with a shrug. "How far to the stone?"

 

[Hugi]

Eyes slid over to the fisherman, a smile forming as he finally fished out a few words from his own musings. Demon didn't seem likely considering the number of folk that got away.

"To many survivors fer that. 'Sides, folk say they can hear it turn around after a good run the other way." Demons didn't seem likely given what he had seen, and heard of what they could do. An idle hand rolled over his beard as he thought more.

The affirmation of it being a cat gave some weight to it being the most likely culprit. The times were a bit off though for it to strike given what he knew. Something had to have spurned the beast to attack, or see the arrivals and others as predators. Or prey.

"Cat seems the best guess." His head wiggled back and forth in mock thought, gauging the area from memory rather than any map. He had wandered the place enough times to near enough know it down to the trees. Done wonders those long walks had for releasing stress.

"We'll reach it by end of this day, but we'll make camp before we get there. Whatever it is, deserves our best attentions. Bright and bushy eyed an all or however that goes." He mumbled the last bit. His axes clinked in their rings along his belt, helmet tied to a strap and slung over his shoulder.

"We'll get warm, fed, and some sleep before setting out to find it. Granted, from what I've heard, we just need to be near enough the stone to be found it seems." The pair would travel until twilight, the portal stone a brisk two kilometers from their campsite as night began to set in.

A fire was going as night began to settle in, Hugi tending the fire while listening to their surroundings. While he wasn't the silent type in most cases, silence had a way of eating at him and making him fill the air.

"How are you and yours doing by the way?" His tone was solemn, in light of the demon attacks.

 

[Baise]

What struck Valthar very suddenly, was that the air felt warmer now they had travelled south. He wasn't crowding around the fire as if his life depending on it. After nearly a year in the summerlands, travelling slowly home on foot, he had adapted to the warmth. Faarin, his home, had become unbearably cold. It seemed he had slowly adapted to the cold again.

"Good," he replied. "I didn't see the hardest part of the recovery. The town feels almost like its old self."

They had lost many brave fighters when the mists had encroached on their homes. It must have been hard to rebuild, to keep the community alive. In all that time he had been half way around the world from them.

"It was...painful...to have a portal stone discovered here when I spent so much time walking home. I could have stayed exactly where that demonic magic belched me out in the Summerlands and taken the portal stone home months later."

 

[Hugi]

"I've not seen the hard parts for our people either." He mumbled, a shade of shame coming across his features as he spoke. "At least not like some have had it anyway. I help when asked, but I-I have not been here, like I should have been." He admitted finally.

The reveal of a portal stone must have burned something fierce in light of having to walk so far. He opened his mouth to comment when a rustling had him donning silence like a cloak and listening to the sound that was maybe a stones throw from them.

It wasn't the usual animal sounds he had been accustomed to, travelling the woods of the summerlands or here at home to great length to become acquainted with everything the roamed the land. Something weighty was rummaging nearby, but not close enough to be on them.

 

[Baise]

Valthar reached very slowly for his axe. The head of Vilissë wasn't glowing. At least then, it was not an undead fiend. He did not know much about the undead, having only encountered them under the spell of a necromancer. There were rumours of them on a nearby island.

Valthar hadn't made his way back by being brave. He had been cautious and quick on his feet. And when those hadn't been enough he had become a ferocious bear. His svalen had saved him many times.

"Deer?" he mouthed at Hollic. There was one type of animal Valthar knew well. Unfortunately his expertise in fish would not help here.

 

[Hugi]

He listened to the grunting and digging sounds from wherever the thing was. The noises of the night had not stopped, making him truly wonder what the thing was. It was a cold blasted area touched by a hint of warmth, and whatever stirred had not upset anything around it just yet.

"Possible." Hugi muttered, not entirely sure himself. The sounds continued, beginning to slowly move away into the night as the man sat on edge, hands having gone for and ax at some point without realising it.

Hugi would not speak for some time. Ears attuned to the sounds of the night before he heard the thing begin moving off, hand relaxing enough to merely be on the ax handle instead of near to drawing it.

"Strange business those portal stones. Takin' one from here to there in a snap. Never liked 'em but they are right handy." He commented finally, eyes scanning the tree line as the noise continued to trail away.

The sounds eventually died off, moving to far away to be heard clearly. It may have been a deer initially in their mind, until the sharp yelp of a large elk could be heard in the distance before everything fell silent.

A grimace crossed Hugi's features, silently giving thanks to his ancestors whatever it was hadn't ventured towards them.

"Not a deer then." He eventually sighed.

 

[Baise]

"Not a deer," he agreed quietly.

As before, they fell into a silence. Valthar tilted his head to one side. It went on long enough that he started to imagine he was hearing sounds in the distance.

The further south they went, the warmer the climate. More food meant more predators. Eratejva was an unforgiving place. It could have been a young elk, but it had sounded like a full adult. Valthar had brought his shield, but he was starting to think that he should have brought a spear too.

"Only time I used one was coming out of hell," he replied. "Was strange. It was like being held underneath water in the dark.

"That thing is probably full, but I can take first watch and tend to the fire," he offered.

 

[Hugi]

The sounds in the distance settled him a little before Valthar spoke of his experience with a portal stone. His brow knitted, concern more than anything as he wore a thoughtful look.

"I ne'er thought of it like that, but thas' a pretty good way o' puttin' it." He agreed with a slight nod to the man. "Never used 'em enough to get over the feeling while I was travelling the summerlands. Always make my stomach turn."

He settled enough to not stare at the treeline, nodding to the other man.

"You'll have first watch then." He rumbled, reaching for his rucksack and handing off some dried fish and hardtack. "That thing isn't the only one that should be full."

He filled his stomach before resting himself against a tree, covered with a fur and asleep quickly after.

The night would pass with little interference beyond the close proximity to their camp. An elk would venture near, eyeing the pair before headed north and away from the portal stone. Small critters would occasionally make noise while an owl hunted some ways away.

Hugi would switch with Valthar halfway through the night, and be met with equal lackluster activity through the night.

Morning dawned, Hugi sweeping around the edge of their camp for tracks within sight of the other man. Kneeling down, he had a hand down in the thin layer of snow towards the southeastern side of their camp. Fourty-five meters out, large tracks, almost the size of bear paws were in the snow.

But the tracks had an unusual dragging claw in place of a thumb. And the spacing was further than that of a typical bear.

"Strange tracks. Nothing I've seen before." Hugi admitted with a scoff. "Something big and heavy like a bear, but...longer." He scratched his chin through the beard before settling the hair back, looking to the slowly south pointing trail of the unknown.

 

[Baise]

Valthar lowered himself onto his haunches. His imagination kept trying to fit creatures into the footprints. He had hoped that perhaps they would find something entirely familiar.

It was just a creature. Something of flesh and blood with hunger. It was a thought that a year ago he would not have had. Back then he hadn't seen demons, hadn't seen the undead. His fears had been more worldly.

"Doesn't smell familiar," he observed.

Valthar padded after the tracks. It was easy enough to find the source of the disturbance from the night before. The footsteps grew closer together. The snow was churned up a few meters further on, even with the mud staining the crisp white it was easy to see the blood stains.

"Dragged it away."

 

[Hugi]

Hugi nodded as he followed along, the tracks leading off after the sight of a struggle. Bits of fur here and there, and a large indention in the ground making him ponder a moment longer. Whatever had done it's work here had stayed for a moment.

"Looks like something heavy sat down." He sniffed harshly, trying to catch a scent before scrunching his brow. "Smells ripe."

The smell that lingered was nothing short of a typical animal, though one particular scent was a bit more earthy than usual. Like freshly turned earth.

He led the way on in the morning light, the portal stone drawing on the horizon as he found the tracks once more, taking a lazy turn east. The drag marks continued with the tracks, his own mind set now to a trackers.

His hand fell to an ax handle, preparing himself as he moved towards the woods adjacent to the portal stone. Birds were singing, and other ambient sounds were present. Nothing seemed out of sorts.

Seemed whatever existed here didn't upset the local wildlife.

The tracks they had followed led into the woods, well and deep within them before eventually leading them to a spring that had naturally formed. Wildlife was around them, elk and other small creatures watching them with mild interest.

"You'd think they'd be upset by it bein' 'ere. Guess it's gotten cozy." Hugi grumbled, now wielding both axes as he kept his gaze on the trees around them. Something grunted in the distance beyond the spring. A surprised sound that had him gazing into the trees.

A head poked out from what was likely a burrow, or some kind of hidey hole. Small at a distance until it pulled itself out of wherever it was hiding to stare at the pair.

Hugi was dumbfounded, giving a clear sign of this with the utterance of a simple phrase.

"Huh."

 

[Baise]

"Hmm," followed Valthar with equal eloquence.

"It's just a...thing," he said.

Valthar remained quite still. He had his shield across most of his body, axe hanging loosely from his right hand.

It was large enough that he wouldn't want to face it alone, even as the embodiment of his svalen.

"Did it really hurt anyone?" he asked, by which he meant: do we really need to bother it back.

 

[Hugi]

It stared at them while they spoke, seeming just as unsure of the goings on while Hugi scratched his beard awkwardly.

"It hasn't hurt anyone no." He shot back, turning his head slightly without actually letting the thing out of his sight. "I'm not to sure...I-ah...shit that things big." The svalen capable man coughed.

"Do you think we can just...tell everyone to, I don't know. Steer clear?" He caught sight of it's paws as it came out of the den below it. There was a sharp intake of air as he spied it's claws, comparable to his own svalens. "Well and clear..."

 

[Baise]

"Well..." Valthar's voice had dropped to barely a whisper. He didn't want to draw its attention.

"...how close are we to the portal stone? Because otherwise I think we're going to need to come back with a ballista."

It wasn't even a joke, Valthar was quite seriously making the suggestion. It padded two further steps towards them, dropping its head and flattening its ears.

 

[Hugi]

Hugi sniffed, unintentional as he managed a step back. His own voice dropped to a whisper as his eyes were kept on the creature.

"Close. Don't like-" The thing made a low grumble at them, his mouth closing with a soft click. His hands were waist high, one making a get back motion as he continued to step back slowly.

 

[Baise]

It started a slow retreat. A few cautious steps. It kept pace. Two of their strides for every foot it put forward. It moved more quickly. So did Valthar.

It let out a growl that shook the trees, dropped its head and charged.

"Fuck," went Valthar, turning to run.

 

[Hugi]

Hugi matched them as the beast followed their steps. A groan of a sound coming from him as he pondered his thinking on taking this job.

A short series of steps had them both bolting as the thing charged. Charged alarmingly quick as he broke off from Valthar and yelled at the beast to draw its attention.

"Com' on then ya' blighted bastard!" He roared, long steps as he began to shift between steps.

It slowed him but he was far more confident about going toe to toe with whatever that was as a bear. He'd barely made much of a dash before the beast was on him and attempting to wrap it's arms around him.

His bear form made it more difficult, but the extra claws had found a particular chunk of skin to bite into as he swiped at its stomach and found an equally thick hide.

 

[Baise]

It was faster than them. He shifted at the same time as Hugi. Even though he was far quicker over short distances on four legs he knew it would still outpace him.

Hugi drew it away. Valthar didn't deviate far from his direction. He skidded to a halt as he heard the sounds of running come to a sudden end.

In his svalen form he turned to see Hugi trying to get out form under the creature. Valthar didn't roar as he turned and went for it. Instead he went very directly for the creature's tail. His great jaws snapped down on it very close to the tip.

 

[Hugi]

The startled snarl from the creature had it drawing short of completing its grab, suddenly unsure of itself at facing two creatures this large. It's grasp loosened, enough to let Hugi find ground to push against and try ripping it to the side.

A mangle of fur and claws happened as the pair toppled to the side, neither quite besting the other as the angry beast tried to push itself free from the other svalen.

Hugi seemed confused in the moment as well, unsure of actually holding onto it or letting go.

 

[Baise]

Valthar bounded around the pair, rising up onto his hind legs and looking for a an opportunity that didn't come.

He had not been trained to fight in his svalen form. Having been exiled at the same moment of finding the form he had relied on brute strength and instinct. That had usually been enough.

A swip of his paw caught the burrowing creature across the scruff of its neck.

"Come on, fuck off," he growled. Usually animals backed down when there was a threat of getting seriously wounded. This thing seemed particularly determined.