Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 43

Varna: Sloppy!

As Varna shouted this she caught Rose's punch by grabbing her wrist. Before Rose Could react Varna swept her legs out from under her and lifted her off the ground before throwing her several feet away. Rose lay there for a few seconds, dazed from the throw.

Varna: Again!

Rose slowly got back to her feet before making her way back over to where Varna was and got back into a fighting stance. After a moment of the two of them staring each other down Rose rushed in this time aiming for Varna's stomach rather than her face this time. Just like last time Varna managed to grab her wrist, except this time she also grabbed Rose by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Before Rose could even attempt to get out of the grab Varna slammed her on the ground hard enough to make her vision swim, after doing so Varna jumped back putting distance between the two of them.

Shaking her head, Rose slowly started to stand back up again.

***

Oshka couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had started sifting through Morga and Leiko's memories of what had happened in the most recent attack trying to figure out why they had run away. What she saw made no sense, Their memories showed that Varna was there! But that shouldn't have been possible as Varna was supposed to have been dead for more than eight years. Had someone else managed to find her body and do something similar to what she had done to Morga and Leiko?

Oshka shook her head, as much as she hated Varna for the part she played in what happened to her mother it wouldn't change anything. She stared at Leiko for a second or two before making a decision, she would use the connection her magic gave her to him to see and hear everything he did this next time to make sure it went as intended.

***

Rose was panting as she was getting back to her feet, once Rose was fully standing again Varna shook her head.

Varna: That's enough for now.

Upon hearing this Rose let herself relax and nearly fell back into a sitting position. After a minute Rose spoke up.

Rose: Varna?

Varna: Hmm?

Rose: Don't you want to be able to be around your daughter? Why are you here instead?

Varna was silent for several moments.

Varna: Even if I wanted to, she wouldn't want to be anywhere near me, and no one can really blame her for that.

Before Rose could get a good look at her face Varna had spun around.

Varna: I'm going to get something to eat, you're free to do whatever you want.

And with that Varna had left the training yard. Rose decided it was best not to push her luck and began heading to her room.

***

Mu was in the armory taking stock of everything they had when someone had run in, when she looked to see who it was she saw it was one of the scouts.

Mu: What is it?

The Gnoll Scout saluted.

Gnoll Scout: Ma'am! An unknown camp has been spotted about a day's march from the fort, a pink Vulpine was spotted in it.

That got Mu's attention. It had already been made clear that whatever Leiko was now it wasn't alive, which would mean he wouldn't need a camp, so why had he set one up? Was it to draw them in for some reason?

Mu: You said it was about a day's march away? In what direction?

Gnoll Scout: To the southwest. As far as could be seen it was just the pink Vulpine in the entire camp.

Alarm bells were going off in Mu's head, it had to be a trap of some kind, but if they did nothing how long would it be until he attacked them? She was going to need to speak to Riya to figure out what to do next. Mu nodded at the scout.

Mu: All right, go get some rest and I'll see what needs to be done.

The scout saluted one last time before heading toward the kitchen.