Trix’s Story

 

Twas a cold harsh winter, when I was in my 14th winter and he came into our lives, we changed forever that day. We were out on a hunt for food further a field than normal as it was scarce pickings, nearer home, when we first caught his scent. Immediately our pack was ready for anything and the cubs were sheltered with our elders, in some black thorn bushes.

My father a proud Beastman indeed kept watch along with our leader and the rest of the pack adults. The sun crept high in the sky whilst we waited.

Then suddenly we heard a beastman roar with all his might; this beast then stood up tall against the intruder. I could see from behind my hiding place it was my father whom challenged our intruder; but this new creature was not to be frightened he stood just as tall and roared back.

The stand off continued and it was like a dance; with the two beasts not wanting to back down, circling each other and vocalising their own calls to back down. The leader of our pack impressed by the new comer’s display asked the two to step down, inviting this new creature to join us for talks and to share his story.

 

This is his story:

 

My name is Kendall and I hail far from here.

My family are great warriors; my family were great warriors. One day 6 moons ago we were enjoying a wonderful summer hunt, after a long evening singing and dancing and loving hey hey. We caught the scent of a stranger in our midst, but after we had gathered our wits about us we realised he was not alone as first thought. A signal was screamed with a horrible accent and within seconds we were surrounded by hundreds the same, these creatures looked like the same one multiplied standing side by side.

We didn’t stand a chance, the fight was fierce and bloody and although a relatively small pack compared to them we stood strong for a good while.

Ah you ask how did I survive?

Well I am; I mean I was the son of our pack leader – Torin and before he died, he asked me to lie down beside him to hold him till he went. Not because he was afraid, no but because he knew I could lie still with him on top of me, then maybe one of the pack would survive.

I wasn’t unhurt but I was able to fight and resisted my father’s pleas but he insisted, this way he promised me I could rebuild our pack. I did as my father wished and held him across my chest my blood mixing with his, at it first had with my mother to bring me to life.

I held my father whilst the fighting continued, finally the battle was over. These creatures didn’t pick through and steal things from the dead; but those beaten too badly to move they abused, and the older fighting cubs that had run and hid with the elders and the youngest of the pack were found and killed out right no remorse.

Eventually the creatures moved off leaving our pack dead and their own dead for the carrions.

I moved my father from me to find no resistance he had gone, I stood up and found 2 survivors whom had not been raped and killed; they were lying on the ground with dead bodies all around, under them, on top of them.

My mother, my father, my mate, my brothers and sisters all dead

Together the three of us put the bodies to rest, to be burned by the dawn light, separating the horde from our own; we moved slowly from the scene deeper into the woods and set down for the night when we could go no further.

When I woke with the dawn my companions did not, they had gone; they were not strong enough to survive the night or maybe the nightmare, either way I took them and laid them with their family, and stoked the funeral pyres so they can all run free forever.

 

I then began to carry out that which my father asked of me, and that is to find the beastmen of the world and draw them to our home; the valley of scars, to rebuild our pack and rid the world of these hideous abominations.

That brings me to you, I am here to ask that you let me run with you till we find another pack to join you as it is safer the more there are and set you on your way to my home. I cannot promise you safety but together it should be better and I can share with you the knowledge I have on the horde.

 

So this Kendall ran with us for 2 moons whilst we gathered our forces and made our way towards the valley of the Scars. Kendall left our midst shortly after we met another pack.

It took us 6 moons in total to reach the valley by which point the summer was reaching its height and our pack was strong in cubs and elders, but the leaders were worried about the fighting numbers, should we meet these abominations unexpectedly.

We older cubs were on strict training advancing our skills, my abilities shone through with a stave or paired axes, whilst my twin brother surpassed with swords and daggers.

Those within the pack whom knew of magics would meditate for hours trying to advance their knowledge and badger our elders to show them more.

It was a time of mass growth both within our numbers and our individual abilities.

 

I remember the day we arrived at the valley, it was late in the afternoon, the midday sun had watched us nap after our meal, when we came over the brow of a hill and before us a most awful sight began to unfold.

The valley itself was once beautiful a lush green in contrast to the snow high above, but it was now stained red with beastman blood. Many small parties lay dead in amongst the wild flowers and winding stream.

We decided to make camp where we were high above the Valley in the snow covered mountains, our leaders were to climb down to the valley floor at dawn the following day.

That night our whole camp was quiet, no singing, no dancing, no stories, even the youngest cubs seemed to know the deadly position we sat in.

Kendall had told us of his pack but this was more than 1 pack, more than 5 packs murdered, without a trace of those whom had performed the murdering, a small blessing.

Not a soul stirred in that valley, not a sound, not even birds, the animals has vanished and their silence warned us to do the same.

It was a hard long night for our two packs; I slept fitfully, always in mind that throughout the night someone stood watch.

At dawn the next morning our camp was busy, the elders and cubs were staying with the camp and a guard from each pack of stronger members, just in case, whilst the rest went down to the valley floor to investigate and rectify the rotting corpses.

I watched from the top with my twin both of us annoyed as being classed “cubs”, we knew we were just as strong as the fully grown adults!

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