As soon as they're far enough from the Grushkahn tribe Tanny and Stephen decide to stop and get some rest: the negotiations with Shaman Bralak have been long and hard and the fight with Grashk didn't exactly leave Stephen fresh to begin with. Being two nature persons it is no surprise that they don't have much trouble finding a good spot between the trees where, should the Grushkahns decide to come after them, they won't be spotted easily.
After a silent dinner, which they both use to think about the deal they have just made with Bralak, Tanny speaks up. "I didn't get to tell you yet, Stephen, but you dealt with Grashk in a really good way."
Stephen, his eyes fixed on a point in the distance he'll never see, calmly lights a cigarette.
"Better than you'd expected, Wolf-Lady?"
Tanny flinches, whispering a somewhat hurt 'yes'. Stephen notices the change in tone, but can't quite grasp the reason and remains in silence. Tanny sees his slight questioning frown, and in a second reminds herself of her partner's confessed lack of ability with words.
Feel him like a wolf would, not with your human mind, silly... With that thought, she lets go of her discomfort and continues, "You know, most people start calling me Tanny after a while. And specially people who partner with me in a mission for Wyvern."
Stephen answers her with a grin. "Very well ... Tanny."
His grin brings another one from Tanny, and she goes back to their mission. "Now, what's the strategy for the Nargribs?"
"Shall we try the same approach?"
"Yes, that could work... unless they already know that we sold one jug to the Grushkahns."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if I were at war, I would probably scry or spy on my enemies to see what they were planning. If I'd seen some people in the enemy's camp they came to my camp ..."
For a moment Stephen sits totally still as something in his mind starts yelling, kicking and screaming to get his attention. When it finally does, he remembers noticing someone leaving the crowd while Tanny was trying to sell the orcs the Almost Dragonic Brand Semi-Sweet Lemonoaid and interrupts her.
"So that's what it was... Tanny, while you were telling them about the strength they'd gain from the Lemonoaid, did you notice someone leaving?"
Tanny thinks for a few moments before answering.
"No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?"
"Because I think I did, and now that you mention spying ..."
" ... you think the Nargrib had a spy and that he left to tell his tribe about the Lemonoaid?"
Stephen blows out a mouthfull of smoke, which drifts away on the wind without going past Tanny. She feels her nose twitching, and forces back an incoming sneeze.
"Yes, that's probably what it was. So if they see us coming, they'll either shoot us as Grushkahn allies, or welcome us to get their hands on the Lemonoaid as well. That's a risk we'll ... no, we won't have to take it."
With a broad grin, he continues, "Say, how good are you as a spy?"
She takes a moment to answer, surprised and at the same time wondering why she hasn't thought about that herself.
"Pretty good... specially as either wolf or tanuki..."
"A wolf would call less attention. They're part of the forest."
"A tanuki is smaller and I can use illusions... but you're right, if they saw me they'd wonder." She pauses, then nods, "Yes, I can go pretty near their camp, and as a wolf I have keener hearing and sight. If I start while it's still dark, I can probably find some hidden spot from which to observe. And depending on where they are... a tanuki can hide between the branches of a tree." Her eyes twinkle in mischief, betraying the pleasure she starts to feel towards her spying task.
"But be careful. They can shoot you on sight. And even the stupidest orc has enough training to run back to their leader in case there's something amiss, specially in the middle of a war."
"Hm... Stephen... how old are you?"
The unexpected question catches Stephen off his guard and for a few moments he doesn't answer. When he does answer, it's obvious from his voice that he wonders where that question came from all of a sudden.
"I'm 34."
"Well, I'm 102."
Tanny actually laughs at Stephen's stunned expression, "We have a long life spam, Stephen... I'm still young by our standards, but even so I've been in the wild for about 30 years... since I came of age."
"You come of age at 70? How long do you live?"
"Five hundred, in average... the oldest of my Clan was 487 last I saw him, and the oldest ever died at 540."
"Oh... thirty years in the wild?"
Although the memories of her clan aren't pleasant, Tanny can't avoid a smile at Stephen's wondering voice. "Well, about that since I left the Clan. But I had to learn from experience, and I had never been far Outside before. The things I knew, I had learned from short and secret forays... you see, the Outside was forbidden to any of us. The Elders of the Clan considered it too dangerous, and it was deemed wiser for us to close ourselves in our hidden lands."
"But you left..."
"And for that I was branded a Rebel and Banned."
There's no mistake in the bitterness of her voice, and even Tanny wonders how it can hurt after so long.
The one who goes against the group, the odd one out, the outcast... cruel towards the outcast, but for the better of the group. They really are a lot closer to nature than us humans.
The thought flashes briefly through Stephen's mind before he replies.
"You say that as if you still regret it, but you probably don't need me to tell you that your Elders did what they thought was best for the Clan."
"No, I don't... it still hurts, but not as deep nor as often as before. Anyway, I can never go back to Shadowmere by the Edict of the Elders. I am happier being Outside, and in many ways I'm wiser also." She smiles slightly, "So, although I'm a youngster, I do think I have gone through enough to teach me to be careful in what I do. "
Stephen suddenly chuckles softly.
"I would hope so - it sounds like you have more experience than I do and I like to think the same thing about myself. If anyone can spy on these orcs without them noticing it's you.
A grin slowly spreads across Tanny's face as they discuss exactly how they're going to approach the orcs - if they don't turn out to be too hostile.
As Stephen lights his second cigarette for the evening, Tanny can't help but ask, "I've been wondering ... a smoking ranger?"
"Yes ... the fumes clear my nose."
Unable to bite back a surprised burst of laughter, Tanny explains, "Most people would say exactly the opposite."
Stephen smiles slightly and blows out another cloud of smoke.
"But most people smoke ordinary tobacco. I started smoking to stay warm on cold nights, but I didn't like the taste so I tried some other plants. After some ... uh ... strange experiences I finally found out that Queensleaves taste rather good and don't have the funny side effects."
"Strange experiences?"
"I'm not good at stories, but ... it was a cold night, and I was camping amidst some big stones near a village so the wind wouldn't get at me so easily. A few days before I'd found a plant with a rather strong and sweet smell and it was dry enough by then to try it out. At first not much happened, only I started becoming more and more tired, my vision blurring as if I was falling asleep with my eyes open and suddenly I saw this ... monster leap out at me. By the time I'd struggled to my feet it was gone but I heard something behind me. For some reason I turned around and charged without bothering to look or think, and maybe that's a good thing. When I came to, I discovered that I'd knocked myself out by running into one of the stones. I've been calling that plant Smoker's Bane for so long now I forgot its real name."
Tanny's chuckle had turned into open laughter by the end of the tale, and she tries hard to stifle her trailing giglees. "I'm... sorry... Stephen... but... " There's one more fit of giggling, and then she seems to regain control over herself. "Sorry. But the image of you running into a stone..." she smiles apologetically.
"Yes, I know. I myself find it hard not to laught at it... "
"Well, it should teach you about experimenting with plants you don't know... or about smoking in general." She coughs to conceal yet another stray giggling, and the final effect is a choking sound that tells Stephen that she is truly amused by his tale.
She was right ... he had been more careful with unknown plants after that time and as soon as he'd discovered the Queensleaves he'd stopped experimenting altogether. He didn't intend to give up smoking any time soon, though.
By the time Tanny has recovered Stephen also has a smile playing around his lips and his voice has taken on an amused tone.
"Oh really? It keeps me warm on cold nights, though, and it really does keep my nose clear. And don't you like the smell?"
With an alost uncanny accuracy Stephen blows another cloud of smoke towards Tanny's nose which causes her to sneeze several times. She tries to speak a few times, but every time the smoke, which seems to be drifting in her direction now, catches her nose and she starts sneezing again.
Keeping his face as straight as he can, Stephen observes, "It's not really doing much for you, is it?"
Laughing after another sneeze, wiping tears, Tanny begs Stephen, "Oh please... whatever you do... just don't let it hit my nose again!"
Stephen chuckles, "I'll take that as a no."
They continue chatting and laughing for some time before they go to sleep.
At that same time, in the Grushkahn's encampment there is some grumbling.
"Berlon, Grashk wants to see you and from the sound of it you'd better not keep him waiting."
The young orc hurries over to his captain's tent, worried, but leaves it quietly a little later. Known as the stealthiest orc in the tribe (he doesn't make more noise than a single orc when he tries to be quiet, as opposed to the others who all make at least enough noise for five orcs), Berlon knows he'll have no problems doing what his Captain has ordered him to - especially not with the reward he'll get afterwards.
After an uneventful night, and a companionable breakfast, Tanny decides it's time for her to head towards the Nargribs. Promising to take care and to be back before the sun is too high, she shimmers into her wolf form, shaking herself and stretching lustily - clearly enjoying the change.
Stephen observes as the silent black wolf leaves their small camp, and settles down for some investigation of his own. Standing with his feet somewhat apart, he puts his staff firmly on the ground and starts concentrating. He can feel the wood of the staff, the exact point where it touches the earth, the earth ... He learned long ago to put limits on this sense because if he doesn't the sheer enormity of the earth could easily kill him.
Slowly he extends his sense, feeling the earth around his feet, the trees, shrubs, flowers near him. He can feel a few rabbits in their holes and a worm being plucked out of the ground, probably by a bird. Further he extends his sense, eventually feeling a familiar wolf ... Tanny is heading towards the camp of the Nargribs. As he becomes used to the feeling again, he decides to do what he intended to in the first place.
Instead of reaching out all around him, he focuses his sense in the direction of the Grushkahn camp, knowing that it'll reach much further in only one direction, and wanting to make sure that they aren't being ... pursued. With some relief he determines that this isn't the case. He's about to stop feeling around when he notices something different. A smallish group of orcs is heading out of the camp, not on their trail but ... towards the Nargrib tribe?
With a frown he lets go of his connection to the earth and sits thinking for quite some time.
Meanwhile, Tanny approaches the Nargrib's encampment keeping to the shadows of the big trees, the sun still low enough to give her good cover. As the early birds chirp and call good morning to each other, and some squirrels look warily at the wolf sneaking below their comfortable branches, a not so distant clamor tells Tanny that the orcs are already up and having breakfast.
"Get up, you lazy son-of-a-pig!"
"Stew for breakfast again? This stinks!"
"Give me that!"
"On your eyes, swine!"
Tanny's ears twitch, and if a wolf could frown, she would be frowning.
Oh my poor ears... I wish I could turn down the volume of those cries...
She sighs silently as the smell hits her nose, and quickly finds a shadowed spot under the large leaves of a strange shrub. Linking to earth, she sends a small tendril of energy so that the leaves hang lower over and around her, hiding her completely from view.
"Taresh! Where is that worthless scout?"
"Here, my captain!" A young orc comes at once, and the captain nods. "We had another report. The humans sold the Grushkans some beverage, and the blind one defeated their captain in a fight."
"Grashk? You call that a captain? He would lose a fight against a tree. No brains!" Grunting, captain Shibak paces for a few moments. "And where are the humans now?"
"They left the Grushkahns and are somewhere in the forest."
Shibak stops, glaring in silence as the scout stammers, "W-we c-couldn't follow t-them..."
An iron fist silences him, knocking him senseles. "Fool," grumbles Shibak, stepping over Taresh and shouting for someone else.
While the captain gives some orders, a female orc comes from one of the central, bit tents. Her clothes show that she is the shaman of the tribe, and Tanny observes in surprise, never having seen a female shaman among orcs. In a deep, rasping, and sharp voice, she snaps at Shibak.
"Stop shouting, Shibak! You have just upset Zadoor, and how am I to take her poison this morning with her hissing at shadows? Maybe I should make you do it today."
Shibak shudders at the thought of the Shaman's pet snake - a small pit viper, not yet 3 meters long - and is quick to apologize. Kahr nods, and continues, "Now, what about that potion the Grushkahns got?"
"Seems to work. Grashk was defeated by a blind human under its effects."
"Hmm... I must get at least some of that, Shibak. We must not let the Grushkahn's have such advantage over us. Find the humans. Get the potion. Kill them or buy from them, I don't care. But get the potion."
While Shibak grunts and leaves the shaman to her poison-drawing activities, another shaman is having trouble of his own not very far.
"GRAAAAAAAASSSHKKKK!!!"
Bralak's yell wakes up the entire camp, and makes the terrified orc who brought him the news wish that Bralak were anywhere that is not on this planet. The Captain quickly hurries over to the Shaman's tent, steeling himself for what is to come.
"Grashk! You incompetent slack-jawed rotten pig! I would use your blood in one of my potions if I didn't know for sure it would spoil the potion!
Pointing at the trembling messenger, Grashk continues yelling.
"You! Tell him what you told me!"
The messenger, by now wishing that he were anywhere that is not on this planet, stutters that he discovered the jug of Almost Dragonic Brand Semi-Sweet Lemonoaid to be missing this morning. With a performance that could've won him several Oscars, Grashk keeps his face straight while pretending that he didn't already know this.
"The humans, they must've taken it back! No doubt they'll try the same thing with those worm-like Nargribs."
They both sit thinking in silence for a few moments, Bralak fuming because someone managed to cheat harder than him, Grashk pretending to be thinking.
"Let me take a party and go to the Nargribs," says Grashk after some time. "If I interrupt the humans' sale and tell the Nargribs all about them, they might be willing to join up with us to destroy the humans. Meanwhile, you will lead the rest of the tribe close enough to attack but not close enough to be seen, so that while we're fighting the humans you can crush the Nargribs from behind. Because me and my party will be among the Nargribs, I'll get a good strike at their Shaman as well."
Although he's very careful not to mention that if things go wrong, the Nargribs will kill him (Grashk knows that this is the kind of thing the Shaman will come up with himself), he realizes that maybe he explained it all a bit too fast. Bralak doesn't notice it, though.
"Hmm ... I hate to admit this, but you might've said something useful today. And if not, at least it'll be the last plan of yours that'll ever go wrong."
As he leaves Bralak's tent, Grashk is almost rubbing his hands together in glee - Bralak has fallen for his plan and with some luck he'll destroy both the humans and get rid of Bralak in one single battle.
Of course he never even considered for a single moment to eliminate the Nargribs. No, he'll tell their Shaman that the plan that he, Grashk, devised was made up by Bralak, but that he doesn't want to kill such a mighty Shaman. With the Nargribs' help, he might be able to get rid of Bralak and, in exchange for his help and the promise not to attack anymore this year, become the leader of the tribe. He might even marry Ngaria, the hot Nargrib girl he'd met a few summers ago. That would definitely stop the Nargribs from attacking his tribe.
The future has never looked so good...
