Oathbreaker

IX: The Betrayed, Part II

Uanok awoke to a commotion outside his tent, the morning after receiving the orders from the chieftain. He dressed himself and stepped out in the frigid, cloudless morning, to see five other goliath men gathered around a fire. Uanok walked over to the gathering, and curled his nose at the smell leeching from the blaze. The men had a naked and dead halfling male with a deep gash across his neck, crudely strung up on a large tree branch and dangling over the flames. The fire reached up and licked across his charring skin, the smell of blistering flesh turned Uanok's stomach. He turned and left the gathering of goliaths and walked to the main fire of the tribe's encampment. This fire was far larger than the other, and didn't have a stench of burning hafling to it. Uanok stood near the fire and began to warm his cold skin and bones. The morning was clear, as he'd hoped it would be. Several other scouting parties were gathering nearby, likely being the ones who would descend into the forest below in search of the goblin army. Uanok wondered if any of them would be joining him and Keothi to the peak of the mountain.

"Wolfbane," A familiar voice said from behind Uanok, a firm hand clasping down on his right shoulder. He turned and saw his uncle, who was known to the tribe as Commander Snow, standing beside him. Commander Snow was massive, even compared to the abnormal size of the Goliath race. While almost every man and woman in the tribe sported some sort of black tattoo on their body, Commander Snow had none. His skin was pale white and unlike all other men in the tribe, he lacked body hair, giving his skin an even more snow like whiteness to it. He was called Commander because of his position in the tribe. As Chieftain Daravok's closest brother in age, he was put in charge of commanding the men whenever they left the tribe in search of combat.

"Good morning, Uncle." Uanok greeted him with a nod. Commander Snow inhaled a sharp breath into his nose, and sighed.

"A fine morning to slay some goblins, it is." The commander said confidently. Uanok nodded, and were soon joined by Keothi and the chieftain, who came to see the men off on their duties. The other scouting parties, five groups made up of three to seven men each, gathered around as the chieftain began to speak by the fire.

"You have your orders, and I expect results. This is an army of goblins, their presence is sure to be obvious even to those who lie dead in the ground." Daravok barked, glaring at each individual man gathered.

"Come back by sunset, no one is to be out passed nightfall. Come straight to my tent and go no where else until your report has been given to me and Commander Snow. Are my words understood?" The chieftain ordered, the men gathered all nodded, then Commander Snow dismissed them. They gathered their packs and gathered into their respective parties, then began to walk down the mountain. Uanok and Keothi stayed where they stood, and Chieftain Daravok turned to them.

"Wolfbane, I am sending you to the peak alone first. Keothi must assist Commander Snow and I with something before he is to join you." Daravok stated. Uanok glanced at Keothi and raised an eyebrow. Keothi remained completely stonedfaced and silent.

"As you wish, Father." Uanok said, bowing his head at the chieftain. Commander Snow reached out to Uanok with a strange metal contraption in his hand. It was long and cylindrical, with two pieces of glass on either end, one smaller and one larger.

"Use this to see down further into the valley from the peak." Commander Snow. Uanok looked at his uncle in confusion, th shrugged and took the object from him.

"Go, now." The chieftain barked. Uanok nodded and walked back to his tent. He grabbed a bag and began to fill it with items he'd need to the trek up to the peak of the mountain. He grabbed a small one man tent, extra clothing, and a heavy maul that the tribe's smithy had made for him years ago. He lifted the back over his shoulder and slung the leather strap on across his chest, then left his tent.