The Wildlands (working title)

Chapter 10 - Khodra

"Miyisht elkek," the mercenary said assertively as she returned. Khodra didn't think it was possible until this moment, but she appeared to be even scarier and more frustrated than before.

"Ma di?" Sigey asked her.

"Yu taglan kirsan chorug al nore," the woman grumbled to which the other wildfolk started yelling like they were... angry, perhaps. Or scared?

"Ma?!" "Di alkantan!" "Ga mun kisil danam, miyolt e nakolt mitted!"

Khodra was lost in the chaotic strings of strange words. He tried his best to read their reactions, to recognize any word he could have heard before, but he couldn't keep up with the loud arguing.

"Is something wrong?" he finally asked. The other three immediately stopped and looked at him, which made him feel like he was back in school giving the wrong answer to a formula, waiting for the other kids to laugh at him.

"Yes, something is wrong." Yala's statement sounded like she was blaming Khodra for not understanding exactly what was going on. "Why don't you tell us why there's a whole fucking army waiting for us outside the forest?!"

Khodra opened his mouth in surprise. The wildfolk woman didn't wait for an answer; she walked up to him until she was close enough to make him uncomfortable.

"Good madam, weren't you the one insisting that he couldn't be a spy?" Sigey asked.

"Well, do you know the answer?" Yala turned back to the tall man.

"That's enough," Tiya's motherly voice rang out loudly, somehow still sounding patient. "I suggest we discuss this once we're farther away from the edge of the forest."

"Good suggestion," Yala agreed, still looking into Sigey's eyes before turning back to Khodra and giving him her coldest stare yet. "Walk in front of me," she commanded with an even tone, and the four of them began to follow their own tracks back through the trees.

This time they were led by Sigey, who despite his large frame did a far better job at moving quietly through the bushes than Khodra did. Khodra couldn't decide what he should be more worried about: his angry captor behind him, stumbling into the cursed pink flowers, another monster jumping out from the trees, or the supposed army catching up with them from behind. Soon they arrived back at the standing stone that was covered in runes, which reminded him of all the other dangers it warned about. Perhaps there were so many sources of danger and frightening encounters that his mind became numb to the idea of fear until Yala grabbed him by his shirt and kicked his legs out from under him. He was pushed to the ground, his back landing on a hard rock, and the wildfolk mercenary used her weight and one of her legs to keep him pinned down.

"Good madam, there's no need for such force," Sigey raised his voice. "I reckon he would be much more willing to talk if-"

"Let her," Tiya's soft voice interrupted the warrior. "At least for now. Let's see how she handles the situation."

"Let's talk," Yala said above him and for a moment Khodra could swear he saw the hint of a smirk before she put more pressure on his chest. "Why would your people send an entire army out here?"

As she took off some of her weight of his chest, Khodra took hurried, deep breaths. "I don't know," he sputtered.

"You better think," she announced and reapplied the pressure now closer to his neck, making it much more uncomfortable, even bordering on painful. Then after a few seconds that felt like minutes she let him draw a big breath once more.

"They wouldn't send such forces out if it wasn't important or very dangerous," he croaked.

"There you go," Yala nodded with condescending pride. "Go on."