Death Wish

Chapter 4. Karnale Pass

As they enter the pass, Org takes the lead, followed by Bernard, then Sinder, Richard, and then Sanya and Bianca with the horses. As they get halfway through, Richard and Benard notice a few small rocks hoping down the cliffs on either side. 

Bernard stops Org. "I smell dog hair." Bernard whispers.

"Dire wolves." Org whispers as he looks around. "little way to go to clearing."

Bernard looks behind him and whispers to Sinder. "Tell Sanya to take the rear. We are going to move fast and hard, to try attention to us."

Sinder passes the message on and the four of them get ready to run. As they launch into a full run, they can hear snarls and howls from above, following them. As they reach a clearing, a large dire wolf leaps at Sinder. Richard moves quickly and kicks it into the cliff.

"Thanks!" Sinder exclaims.

"No problem!" Richard responds as he spins and kicks another into the ground, cracking its skull.

Another lunges at Org and bites his shoulder. Org screams in pain, throwing the dire wolf off and bashing it repeatedly with his club. "Damn dogs!" He shouts. "I cat oger!"

Sinder scorers one with his sword. "Really?! You like cats?!"

Org turns with a smile. "Org have pet with big fangs! Call him Fire!"

Bernard charges and grabs a dire wolf, holding it over his head. "That is a saber you dumbass!" Bernard throws the dire wolf into another.

"A saber tooth tiger!!!?" Richard exclaims.

Sinder shrugs as he pulls the sword out of the dead dire wolf. "At least it was not a dragon."

Four dire wolves lay dead in various areas of the clearing as another six circles the four adventurers, snarling and snapping their teeth. As they begin to prepare to leap at them, a wall of fire appears and separates the two groups. 

"Quit dicking around!" Sanya shouts. "Richard, bow!"

"Right!" Richard pulls the bow and artfully hits each, of the six dire wolves, square in the forehead.

They freeze in place, for a moment, and then fall to the ground, dead. The wall of fire disappears as Sanya and Bianca bring the horses out of the pass.

"Does anyone need healing?" Bianca asks, sweetly.

Everyone points at Org.

Org is bleeding badly, and, for a giant green humanoid, he looks very pale. Bianca rushes to his side as he leans down to her.

"Thank you, pretty lady." Org grunts.

"Call me Bianca." She smiles as she uses a healing spell to heal him.

Once healed, Org stands and rotates his arm. "Feel good." Org turns to Bianca. "Thank you, Biaca."

Bianca shrugs. "Close enough. You are welcome, Org." 

"How far are we, now?" Bernard asks.

Org points to a line of trees, at the edge of some woods. "Just through there." Org turns and begins to walk back.

"Uh... Org? Aren't you forgetting something?" Sinder asks.

Org turns back questioningly. 

Bianca holds up a small sack of gold coins.

Org looks at the others. "No feel earned."

Bianca approaches him slowly and puts her hand on his. "Would you like to come with us?"