Fleas - Songs of the Gnolls I

WHAT MANY HANDS PAINT 9.1

There was no end to the blood orgy. The city was immense, but even more immense was the fury of the Red Moon Army. People ran from one side to the other, unable to find cover.

Zanarah was the first to charge when the men decided to confront her. Her anger prevented her from seeing the danger of being too confident. Zeppel had to come to her aid whenever the soldiers stood their ground. Kkelea soon noticed that they were splitting up. Because the city was so large, and the street grid so complex, the rebels were scattered like dry land at the mercy of the wind. She ran to Scourge.

"We must regroup. If we keep splitting up, the humans will overtake us."

Scourge looked around. He found a large building, sheathed his flaming sword and pierced the rock with his mighty fists, creating an ascending staircase. When he reached the roof, he let out a shrill yell. This caused the rebels to stop and approach him. Then he shouted:

"Stand together, or we risk being wiped out one by one! Let's start by blocking the entrance. Fizkwik warned us that the enemy was looking for reinforcements. They may be coming at us from the rear."

Scourge jumped down. He stroked Kkelea's head.

"You are very wise, I got carried away too."

Zanarah approached, foaming at the mouth.

"What the hell is this waiting? We have to kill them now!"

"Kkelea is right, if we are careless, we will be easy prey. We've seen what happens when we underestimate them. This old human... he's too cunning. We don't know if he has a plan."

"At least leave me go by myself."

"No, you're too important," Kkelea replied. "Besides, I don't want to lose you."

Zanarah lifted her out of her neck skin and exhaled into her face.

"What about my loss?"

"If you die, there will be no revenge," Kkelea replied with cold rawness.

Zanarah bared her teeth and released her. Kkelea stroked the skin of her neck and saw blood. She had dug her nails into it. Zanarah turned away, troubled.

"We should follow her," Scourge suggested.

"Leave her be. She may be angry, but she's no fool."

They blocked the entrance they had opened with blocks of stone, then set up camp halfway between the outer and inner walls. Many humans had managed to break through the fence and take refuge near the castle. The embankment of the wall was crowded with archers and crossbowmen. They could not approach in large numbers without suffering some loss. Especially considering the fragility of some of their forces, such as the gnomes. With the avians and orcs gone, their most experienced warriors were now the hyaenids. Scourge suggested something that had never been considered before: giving the males weapons. In another time, the idea would have been fiercely opposed, but with what little was left of the rebel army, they agreed.

The trolls, on the other hand, would be the ones to open the second wall. It was for the best; on the other side of the gate, they would meet strong resistance, but if they attacked from many places at once, they would easily decimate them. Now, with no water beneath their feet, the stone creatures would have no fear. Scourge led them away from the inner grid in the middle of the night and returned shortly thereafter. The next morning, he told Kkelea that they had failed.

"What do you mean?"

"The trolls couldn't open a hole. Something is stopping them."

"What could it be?"

"It doesn't matter now, we'll have to do it without them."

"But they'll be waiting for us, and they'll throw things at us; arrows, rocks, everything." Kkelea couldn't forget how those rocks had killed one of their most powerful warriors. Hand to hand, they clearly had the advantage, but these mechanisms and gadgets tipped the balance. On top of that, Kkelea could no longer use her scream. And she had not been able to develop another one, even with Zeppel's help.

"Don't worry, I have an idea. First, let's wait and confront the humans who stayed on this side. Now I will send two groups in opposite directions, if you agree. They will be mixed. A third group will stay here."

"Well... Can I...?"

Kkelea fell silent and lowered her eyes. Scourge knelt and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Say it."

"Can I ask you not to send my father? He is not like us, his voice is soft, sweet, and he uses it to tell stories, not to fight."

Scourge sighed and smiled.

"We are all in danger. Maybe that gate will open and out of it will come a myriad of humans ready to kill us right here while the groups are safe."

"Then let me go with him."

"You don't have to ask. You have proven countless times that I can trust you to make the right decisions."

Kkelea smiled and ran to her father. She had to protect him, for Kkrya, for Kkale.