A Tremulous Test

Chapter 2

So, the trio left the wooded area with its lush moss and leaf carpet,  moving across a series of flower-studded meadows interspersed with light copses of silver birch and deep green sycamore where the breezes played lazy games with the leaves. Everyone was quiet and thoughtful, but the mood gradually brightened as the morning sun rose higher in the sky.

Grimmbros’ sophisticated attire had lost a little of its elegance over the last day, his trousers were worn at the knee and his jacket looked somewhat distressed, still, he seemed ready for now to see where events would take him. Fürgůïn marched onward, the tibmibling on his shoulder pulling faces at Razzles, who threw acorns at it to try and make it stop, one hit Fürgůïn on his long trailing ear, but the renling was oblivious, intent on covering as much ground as possible.

The sound of heavy urgh-bane feet plodding along through the foliage and the lighter, more frisky movement from the halflings was eventually punctured by a sharp outburst from Fürgůïn, “This way, there it is!” He pointed gleefully before continuing, “Toll bridge. See? Toll bridge!”
Razzles stared wide-eyed at an aged stone bridge spanning a broad river in the distance. The bridge was made up of four big arches, one of which seemed to be undergoing some renovation. In the centre was a squat structure that looked like a home to someone or something. The main footway passed straight through this dubious dwelling by virtue of yet another arch, an easy point at which to confront anyone crossing.

“The toll bridge,” Razzles muttered to himself, continuing in an undertone, “Hmmm... toll bridge... toll... bridge... Hey, wait a minute! If it’s a toll bridge who collects the toll?” He looked pleadingly toward the renling ahead of him who had stopped in his tracks and paused for a moment before replying with a sigh, “I don‘t know - it’s usually oafes, isn’t it? What difference does it make who? We still have to cross.”

“Well if it’s a toll bridge and there’s oafes on it they’re... they’re...” Razzles struggled to find the right words since only he seemed bothered by the matter. “What are you going to pay them with? Oafes eat humanoids in case you forgot... E-A-T  H-U-M-A... N-O-Y-D-S... Wait... or is it haemorrhoids?”
Grimm looked disgusted as if he couldn’t believe the knohm’s stupidity.
“I want to go home!” Razzles muttered weakly, hopping from foot to foot.

Razzles was becoming hysterical and turned around to face Grimmbros for some reassurance. The urgh-bane was quietly watching the two of them and seemed at first a little puzzled by all the fresh bickering. Fürgůïn smiled a tight little smile, but was visibly perturbed by Razzles’ sudden outburst and remarked, “I know it sounds a little worrying but if we take the long route, we’ll be walking for days before we can find a safe crossing to the other side of the river.” He too then turned to Grimmbros who looked scornful at the thought of days of walking just to avoid a bridge. Grimm hadn’t really thought too deeply about how long this would take. Something drove him onward, set matters right with that beest, retrieve the device and...

Fürgůïn went on, “Besides, Grimm here will tell you that oafes are no match for urgh-banes. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, they usually run away at the sight of an urgh-bane. Isn’t that right Grimmbros? An oafe is no match for you, is he?”

Grimmbros paused for a moment and carefully adjusted his beret before replying, “One is not always accustomed to perchance upon a meeting with monstrous creatures of the sort being described, but yes - I would agree that an urgh-bane’s higher intellect as well as his distinguished breeding and general superiority over all brutish races - including oafes - reveals that we, as a species, are equipped and able, if called upon and if required, to remove the front teeth from such upstart creatures with the use of fisted objects and send them backwards and downwards via the oesophagus of such bullying individuals described. Not that we approve of such actions, but we are ready and able if the battle cry is sounded, to leap into action.”