Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 27

A few days had passed since Azur's arrival at the fort. Mu and Leon were talking about trying to find where the black furred Gnoll had gone.

Mu: I've seen several of Zenkoh's scouts covering the nearby area, she is trying to find where she is. There isn't anything we can do until we figure that out.

Leon: I know that, it's just...

Mu: You're wondering why she was after Azur? We all are, seems like a weird target as far as any of us can tell.

Rose had gone to the medical ward to see how Azur was doing but when she got there she didn't see him anywhere.

Rose: What?

After she had said that Maria noticed her and came over.

Maria: I'm going to guess you are looking for Azur?

Rose: Yeah! Where is he?

Maria: He's finally able to move around without too much pain so he decided to go to the training yard.

Rose: Okay, thanks Maria!

As she said this she turned around and began rushing to the training yard. When she got there Rose saw Azur and Leon together talking about something, not wanting to bother them she stayed back far enough that she could heat them but they couldn't see or hear her.

Leon: Do you know why she wanted you dead so badly?

Azur: I do.

Leon: Well, we kind of need to know that! She isn't going to stop if she is after you specifically. And before you say it isn't anyone else's problem, you aren't able to go back to Foxpine and need to stay here. So for the sake of everyone here we deserve to know why she is hunting you down!

Azur was quiet for a moment.

Leon: Well?

Azur: It was something I did a long time ago.

Leon: And what would that be?

Azur: You remember how Sidra got attacked by a Gnoll?

Leon: Yeah, why?

After a second the realization kicked in.

Leon: Wait, you did something in retaliation didn't you.

Azur: I did. I hired a large group of Ursine mercenaries and retaliated against the clan that the Gnoll that attacked Sidra belonged to. I ended up killing their Matriarch in a duel.

After a moment of silence he continued.

Azur: Turns out the Gnoll that is attacking us now and that is after me...was that Matriarch's daughter.

Leon: So wait, she is doing all of this because you killed her mother after one of her mother's Gnolls attacked Sidra?

Azur: That about sums it up. You know that outside of Clan Deadfang that Gnolls are only known for scouting areas they intend to raid.

Leon: Right, so you had to choose between defending your daughter and Foxpine or possibly allowing a Gnoll raid happen.

Azur: Right. In the here and now though we need to be getting everyone we can to be ready to deal with her when we encounter her again, and that means training.

At hearing that Rose's ears perked up! Did they say training? She left her hiding spot and began walking to where they were.

Leon: Oh, look, it's Rose.

Azur: That's good timing.

Azur had a questioning look but didn't say anything.

Rose: So, what are you doing out here, I had been looking for you in the medical ward.

Azur: As soon as I could manage to move around well enough I left there, I am not crippled and I will not have people doing things for me.

Leon gave a sigh and a shrug.

Leon: Same old Azur.

Azur dismissed Leon's comment with a snort.

Azur: Anyways! Rose, would you like to do some training?

Leon laughed to himself at the fact that Azur thought he even needed to ask that question.

Rose: Of course!

Leon: While you two do that I'm going to go see how Riya is doing.

With that Leon left for his and Riya's shared room. As he got close he could hear voices in the room.

Riya: I'm not going to have her do that! It's too dangerous! Whoever this Gnoll is could kill her!

Mu: There really isn't a choice, if we are going to have enough manpower Rose needs to fight. That is irrelevant though as Zenkoh already sent a messenger. All able bodied Gnolls are to be ready to fight for the defense of Clan Deadfang's territory. Able bodied includes Rose, so whether you like it or not your Matriarch has demanded that she fight.

There was a loud sound, almost like a roar, followed by the smashing of wood.

Mu: If you throw something at me again I'm going to remind you the hard way why I am the older sister.

Riya: Leave!

Mu: You can't have her never fight anything dangerous Riya, that doesn't work.

After that Mu left the room. A few moments after she left Leon entered. He could see that she was visibly upset, her ears were plastered to her head and her teeth were bared. Across the room from her were the remains of a shattered wooden chair.

Leon: Are you okay?

When Riya heard him her posture quickly returned to normal.

Riya: What? Yes, I'm fine.

Leon raised his eyebrow at that.

Leon: I could hear yelling before I came in, I saw Mu leave, and I could see that you had the same posture you have when you get really upset. What's wrong?

Riya's ears drooped a little, she should have known she couldn't hide her being upset from him. He had been living with her for eight years after all.

Riya: It's the fact that Zenkoh has issued an order that all Gnolls that are able to be ready to defend Clan Deadfang's territory, which includes Rose.

Leon: I've been training her for eight years, Azur is training her right now. I'm sure as long as she doesn't get reckless she should be fine.

Leon shook his head.

Leon: What I came here to talk about is that we know why this Gnoll wants Azur so badly.