Oshka was not pleased. Leiko had run and failed to kill Leon, although he may still die of his injuries. But now she had to replace those lost Witherlings. Not only that, but Rose had been underestimated. Oshka grit her teeth. Before she could become any more upset she used the binding to issue a mental command for Leiko to return to her.
Zenkoh, Maria, and Thorn had been trying to figure out what to do for over a day at this point, the large group of Witherlings had begun moving again but it was odd. They weren't moving in the direction of anything, there was nothing but forest out that way.
Thorn: Why move out that way?
Zenkoh: There would have to be a reason, Witherlings only do what they're told.
Maria: So that would mean that someone knows that there is something out there.
Zenkoh: That would be the most likely answer, unless they are trying to use the Witherlings as a distraction and there is nothing out there.
Thorn: And in that case they might be waiting for something else to happen.
Just then there was a knock on the door.
Thorn: I'll see what that is.
Thorn walked over to the door and cracked it open and stuck his head out.
Maria and Zenkoh sat in silence while they waited for him to come back. They heard the sound of the door closing and Thorn walking back.
Thorn: There appears to be a commotion at the gate.
Zenkoh: Witherlings?
Thorn shook his head.
Thorn: No, it is a Gnoll that they have never seen before demanding entry.
Zenkoh had a perplexed look on her face.
Zenkoh: I guess we should go see what is going on.
As they got closer they could start to hear shouting.
Rose: Let me in, dammit!
Gnoll Guard: I have already told you, I don't know who you are so I can't let you in!
The next time they heard the first voice it sounded cracked and strained.
Rose: He's going to die, please!
When Thorn and the others had made it to the battlements they could see a Gnoll standing in front of the gate, Maria immediately recognized Rose. Thorn had no idea who she was but by the color of her crest-like mane he could tell she was like Zenkoh, a half-breed. Shortly after that Thorn noticed what she was carrying, it was Leon and he looked like he had been through hell and back.
Before Thorn could say anything Zenkoh beat him to it.
Zenkoh: Let her in!
Gnoll Guard: Are you certain, Chieftess?
Zenkoh: Did I stutter?
With that they began opening the gate while the three of them went down to meet her.
Maria: Rose? What are you doing here? Where's Riya?
Rose: Mom was trailing a little behind us.
When they looked out into the distance through the gate and could see something making its way closer. As it got closer it could be seen that it was Riya. A moment later she had made it to the gate and had been let inside.
Thorn looked at Rose.
Thorn: Who are you?
Maria: That is Leon and Riya's daughter, Rose.
Rose had tears streaming down her muzzle.
Rose: Dad needs help really badly, I...I think he might not make it.
Riya looked at Zenkoh.
Riya: He had better make it, or it's your head! Your father is why he is like this!
Zenkoh had a shocked look come over her face; she had never told Riya who her father was. Before she could ask Maria spoke up.
Maria: I told her after the first time he attacked us.
Zenkoh: Take Leon to my office. Maria, do what you can for him.
Maria nodded as she led Rose and Riya to where she was going to take care of Leon. After they had left Thorn went back to where he was stationed on the battlements.
Zenkoh had hoped that her father would be able to stop himself from going that far but whoever this was clearly had complete control over him.
Back in the woods Oshka had been extracting Leiko's memory of the most recent fight. He had run away but it was because Rose would have been able to actually destroy him if he stayed. As much as she hated the Idea of retreat she needed Leiko in one piece for her plan to work so she let what had happened slide.
As she had finished what she was doing she heard a snap of a fallen branch, someone was out here. She began sniffing to see if she could track the scent. It seemed to be coming from the edge of her camp. When she made it to the edge of her camp she could see that it seemed to be some hapless Vulpine hunter from Foxpine that had wandered into her territory. Before he could even realize what was going on Oshka had rushed out of the tree line and grabbed him with her right claw by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
Oshka: You know, I was just thinking about how I could use some food!
The terrified look in the poor Vulpine's eyes did nothing but delight her. Good, this weak creature knew its place.
Oshka's right hand started to glow a mixture of green and purple. The Vulpine tried to scream but nothing came out. Slowly the Vulpine began to wither and shrivel up as Oshka's magic slowly drained everything out of them. After several moments the process was done and she dropped the desiccated body.
Oshka: Much better!
Then Oshka got a grin on her face as her right hand glowed a sickly green before her magic flowed into the body, reanimating it. The now hunched over Vulpine corpse slowly shambled around her camp just like her Witherlings.
She made her way back to Leiko.
Oshka: I have a job for you to do!
YOU ARE READING
Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll
FantasyIt's been 8 years since the Gnoll Rose Ashmaw was born. A lot can change in that time. One major thing that has changed is that Azur has managed to find someone new to train Foxpine's guards and as such didn't need Leon doing it anymore. Not wanting...
