Chenga

The Murga

'Maybe we should just kill 'em?'

'Maybe... they're not like those others though.'

'Maybe... maybes not.  Don't know fer sure.  They've got a weird ring to 'em... they don't ring true... especially those two.  Their sounds shift... and they smell a bit like those others.'

Eylana listened, as her captors talked.  The accent was strong and the voices deep, like a rumbling in the rocks.  She'd heard voices like these a long time ago, but struggled to remember where.  As she opened her eyes, she was none the wiser, as darkness lay all around.

'We could eat 'em, I suppose?'

'Nah... you ever eaten human?  Tastes like pork... and I'm none too keen on pork.  Give me cricket or rat any day.'

'Well, you know what they say... diggers can't be choosers.'

Eylana's hand and feet were tied with rope.  The last thing she remembered was Simarl's torch going out and a light sting at her throat.  Her head now throbbed and she realised that she could not move.  Biloth poison.  She smiled inwardly, but could not move her mouth.  The poison was good after all.  She concentrated hard and kept trying to move; turning her will to clearing the poison from her blood.

'Mmmmh.'  She moaned.

'Uh-oh, that one with the fat arse is wakin' up... not enough of that stuff on them darts obviously.'

Eylana fought hard to control her voice.  It came out slurred, but she managed to sound indignant, all the same.  'Who are you callin' fat?!'

'Ahhh... knew it... a female.  If ya don't shut up we'll gag ya.'  The deep voice echoed in the dark.

'Who are ya?'  Eylana was fishing for information.

'K'Toth-lem an' he's K'Mar-til.'

That was all Eylana needed to know.  Toth and Mar were two of the original Treaga, or Trollmen.  Names of the descendants were given a K', meaning 'son of' and the last name was the Treaga's given name.

'Are there Murga here?'

'Ya ask too many questions.'

'We're looking for some of our people.  Something took them.'

'Hmmphhh, yeah, ours, too-'

'Shssssh, K'Mayl-kem told ya not ta tell 'em anything.'

Eylana smiled.  So the leader was K'Mayl-kem.  Mayl was the first Murga.  That answered her question about the Murga and also brought her a bit of relief.  Murga and Treaga were not renowned for their friendliness towards humans, but she could think of worse captors.  The Murga were Molemen.  They lived underground in permanent darkness and were amazing miners.  Small, and with skin that could blend into the rock, they were almost impossible to see.  The Treaga were the kin of the Murga, but were larger and known as Rock Trolls... or just Trolls.  The K'Vathin used both Murga and Treaga as slaves for working in the mines on the Island of Chenga.  Murga and Treaga hated K'Vathin like nothing else.

'Ya might like ta know that the men I'm with killed five K'Vathin a few days ago.  We have no liking for the sons of Vath.'  Eylana mimicked the accent of the Treaga and sought a way to open their hearts to her.

'Only good K'Vathin's a dead K'Vathin, that's fer sure.'

'Where's K'Mayl-kem?  Will he be here soon?'

'Yes... I will.'  The voice that came through the dark was not as deep as the Treaga's, but carried the weight of authority.

'K'Mayl-kem, could we have light?'  Eylana feigned ignorance of the ways of the Murga.