Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 25

Azur was standing in his office at the barracks. His rapier was drawn and he was wearing his clawed dueling gauntlet. Looking around he decided in the case of needing to get out he was going to open the wood shutters for the window that sat behind his desk. Last he had checked Ushka was still on the roof, Valka had gone to the other end of Foxpine to keep order with the Gnolls on that side of the town.

The fighting with the Witherlings had started hours ago, Valka made him promise he would stay here since the last thing she wanted was for Leon or Rose to blame her for something happening to him.

Azur could hear a stomping making its way down the hallway, he knew that Ushka had already said that she would inform him when Valka was on her way back and since that hadn't happened he could only assume it was something hostile. Not long after he thought that the stomping had stopped in front of the door to his office.

Azur slowly inched his way closer to the window he had opened. As he was doing this the door to his office was splintered apart and on the other side he saw a black furred Gnoll. Azur could hear a low growling coming from the direction of the 8' Gnoll.

Oshka: You!

Azur: Do I know you?

Oshka grit her teeth as the growling slowly started to get louder.

Oshka: You murdered my mother! And you can't even be bothered to remember anything about it?

After a moment Azur's eyes widened in realization, the Gnoll that he had killed to prevent a possible raid on Foxpine...was this Gnoll's mother?

Azur: If your mother is who I think she is, she threatened Foxpine. It isn't my fault she kicked a hornets nest and then couldn't handle what happened after.

As soon as the last words had left Azur's mouth Oshka had lunged forward. Azur jumped back, avoiding the strike while watching as his desk was splintered in half. She hadn't even used a weapon to do that.

He looked at the window again before looking back at Oshka.

Oshka: When I get my claws on you...

Azur: Sorry to disappoint you, but you aren't coming anywhere near me.

Oshka roared and bared her teeth as she prepared to lunge again, before she could lunge Azur had jumped out of the window. Upon making contact with the ground he rolled before quickly breaking into a sprint on his way around the building, he just needed to get to where Ushka would be able to see him from the roof and she would be able to help with fighting the Gnoll chasing him.

Before Azur had gone very far there was a loud thump behind him as Oshka jumped out of the window to follow him. She broke into a sprint chasing after him, just as she caught up with him she thrust her right claw out to catch him. Azur stopped short and ducked, causing Oshka to slam her open palm against the wall next to him, cutting him off from getting out in the open. As she went to grab him again Azur ducked and slid between Oshka's legs making a break for the training grounds where Ushka should be able to see him, but before he could make it Oshka slammed her shoulder into him. Azur flew several feet before bouncing a few times and then coming to a stop, completely dazed by the blow.

Oshka: Got you!

Before he could start to get up Oshka kicked Azur in the side hard enough to send him skidding several feet. Azur let out a yelp after he was kicked.

Oshka: You're pathetic! How did you ever manage to kill my mother?

After saying this she grabbed Azur by the neck with her right claw before lifting him up, she held him by his throat with his feet dangling above the ground. After staring at him for a few seconds Oshka smirked as she threw him, causing him to slam into the nearby wall. As soon as he slumped to the ground after hitting the wall Azur swiftly got back to his feet before rushing to his left, putting him out in the open. Before he could get far Oshka had caught up to him before grabbing Azur by the throat again and lifting him up off the ground.

Oshka: You're not going anywhere! Any last words you want to say, murderer!

As she said this her right arm started to glow purple and green as she readied her magic.

Azur: Why would I want to go anywhere?

Hearing this, Oshka was confused. He should be terrified.

On the roof of the barracks Ushka had heard the commotion going on in the training yard. When Ushka was where she could see what was going on she saw a black furred Gnoll had gotten ahold of Azur out in the open area of the training field. Without even having to think she readied her greatbow, nocking a javelin sized arrow. Ushka loosed her arrow directly at the Gnoll, striking her in the left shoulder.

While she was confused about what Azur had said she didn't have the time to notice the arrow being fired at her until it was already in her left shoulder. Oshka let out a cry of pain as her concentration was broken, causing the glow around her right arm to dissipate. Feeling her grip loosen Azur took this opening and lifted up his left arm before quickly jabbing the claws on the end of his dueling gauntlet directly into Oshka's right eye.

Oshka let out a blood curdling scream as she dropped Azur and desperately, but futilely, tried to make the pain and bleeding stop. Azur landed back first on the ground, his body felt like it was on fire from the beating he had taken, he laid there unable to do anything.

Before Ushka could get down to help Azur she saw a Gnoll running straight for him, it was Valka! Valka ran in and scooped up Azur as Oshka flailed around in agony from the wound he had inflicted on her. Once Ushka had managed to catch up with Valka she gave her a confused look.

Ushka: I thought you were on the other end of Foxpine?

Valka: We had just finished dealing with the Witherlings on that side so I headed straight back here, good thing I did.

Ushka: How many Gnolls are left?

Valka: As a quick estimate? Maybe 15.

Ushka: That means that counting the Gnolls that were already at Foxpine we lost more than half.

Valka: Our best options are to go to the fort or we go to the citadel.

Ushka: Fort Stoneholde is closer, we're less likely to be jumped on the way there compared to the citadel.

Valka gave a nod and handed Azur over to Ushka so that she could round up the remaining Gnolls for the march to the fort.

At Gloomfang Citadel Rose, Riya, Leon, and Maria had gotten prepared to march back to the fort. Rose was with Zenkoh and Purth in Zenkoh's office.

Rose: I'm...sorry, about how I acted. And thank you Purth...for keeping my Dad safe.

Purth had a smug smile but didn't say anything.

Zenkoh: So long as you understand how things work here, then we can just file what happened under misunderstandings and leave it at that.

Rose gave a shocked expression, she had expected some kind of terrible punishment.

Rose: What?

Zenkoh: You, Riya, Leon, and Maria should get back to Fort Stoneholde.

Rose gave a bow before leaving Zenkoh's office.

Purth: She was seriously terrified you were going to do something terrible to her.

Zenkoh had a melancholic look on her face.

Zenkoh: Riya and Leon would have never forgiven me if I did something to her, besides, she didn't do anything nearly bad enough to warrant that kind of response anyway.

Purth: Well, hopefully she learns to listen better before she comes back.

Rose had returned to Riya, Leon, and Maria, who were all ready to begin the return trip to the fort.