Hero Scout

The medicine had worked well, many on the mend even if their ravaged bodies still bore the scars of the foul disease. Yet missing patches of fur, the skin turned to scales of hardened boils worn like badges of honour and bellies filled with more meat than many had had un days meant that Kenji no longer felt afraid he"d be attacked and eaten.

"I disagree, a full-scale conflict would only weaken your forces. The attrition alone would be your undoing, even if you succeeded, you will have become so weak the humans could seize everything the same night!" Kenji added, realising it was a bit strange to refer to humanity as if he did not belong amidst their number.

"A sentiment the Elder agrees with," the Elder yawned, his festering sides cleansed and on their way to being healed. Yet it would take weeks of rest, food, and medicine before his monumental strength could be unleashed in battle, and it seems that lack of strength similarly lead to a perception that his arguments were similarly weak as the werewolves scowled and muttered resentment.

"We cannot remain like this, but Elder, perhaps you could remind us of the reasons we hate the Furbolgs. Even as a pup we sung the lists of their evils, a list no doubt greatly expanded in my absence," Tenko added, turning her pristine white-maned head to eye each werewolf in attendance. Claw"s tightened and yellow eyes flared, hate spreading like invisible snakes through their collective psyche.

"It was in part our fault," the Elder said, a great series of howls battering back at the Elder"s words. "Fine, the Elder will speak as you wish. After the Werewolf King lay claim to the whole forest, the Furblogs were the first to build an alliance against us. While long ago, and that alliance is now deep in its grave, it built the foundations for an on-going war. In open battle, they could not hope to defeat us, yet like the porcupine, they had an advantage in defensive engagements. So we ran wild and free, avoiding the Furbolg"s domain so as not to fall to their cowardly magicks."

Sighing long and whistling, the Elder rebuilt his strength to continue, "over time our food supply dwindled. Then fell away. No prey came from the human lands, the mountains, nor the Furblog"s domain. We were starving before we realised that the Furbolgs had cunningly convinced the creatures of the land of the region to not to enter our territory, and only once we were starving did they begin to allow a handful through. No one thought to check the deer, we were too hungry, and so the plagued deer were shared by all so that the warriors could continue to hunt and the pups would not starve. And so we all became sick... so terribly sick."

Coughing up blood and mucus, the Elder wheezed while the werewolves watching fell into a deep brooding silence.

"The Witch traded our valuables for medicine, but it was too little for too many. And when word spread that the humans were trading medicine for work, many migrated. They returned as the Unsouled, the human"s pets, and rounded up those who had not come willingly with force. In that time period, the Human Inquisitor arrived and broke the last of our strength when he stole away our dearest Tenko. It has been a slow, but inevitable, decline since."

A howl rung through the caves, the werewolves ears poking up, as they growled towards the entrance. Stepping back into the darkness, Kenji watched as a pale girl with black smeared lips and eyes strode confidently amidst the werewolf pack. At her belt were a series of potions, pouches, a spellbook and wand.

"h.e.l.lo everyone, you"re looking well," she said, smiling wide and flashing white teeth at the werewolves.

"Kragg wants to know why you are here, Witch girl. We have the medicine, we don"t need your overpriced potions!" A series of howls and growls emphasised the point, the witch whipping out her wand in a moment, it"s tip flaring green.

"Now now, I come on behalf of my mistress. You see we want to make the medicine cheaper, but we need a strong source of magic. If you"ve really recovered your strength, then perhaps the place we can get that source would be...mutually beneficial," the apprentice witch smiled sinisterly as the werewolves brooded.

"The Elder wants more information," the Elder grumbled.

"The Furblog"s defences, so powerful aren"t they? But did you know it"s all powered by a single orb? Without it, they will become defenceless as rats, and you can tear them apart whoever you want. With that orb, my master can create enough medicine to heal every werewolf here, and become a powerful ally of your pack in perpetuity. A victory for all, is it not?"

The Elder rasped a painful sounding laugh.

"You think as dimwitted fools? The Elder does not believe you are truly willing to help - not that you cannot do as promised."

"Tenko also does not trust this witch, we have done well by ourselves. Tenko thinks with the Hero Guild"s help we can deal with this matter without a witch," Tenko added, most of the werewolves grumbling agreement.

"I know where the Furbolg leader is," the young witch offered, "take him out with the orb and the Furblogs will be cripple forever. My mistress can mess with their defences too, you"ll only need to attack a single point to get through and steal the orb. Minimal casualties, maximum reward."

"Kragg thinks that a good plan," Kragg roared, his former rogues rumbling agreement.

"Tenko is Alpha, you will do as Tenko says," Tenko growled back, Kragg holding his ground as he stared back at her with hard yellow eyes. And while he didn"t get a say, Kenji thought positively of the idea. After all, if he could become the Furblolg leader he could lead them away from conflict, and broker a peace agreement with Tenko that would see lasting peace.

But how to do that when that hotshot Kragg wanted blood? To take any part of genocide was something that Kenji absolutely refused to take part in. One death might be necessary for mutual prosperity, but wiping a race from the face of the planet was unacceptable to the extreme.

"I should also mention that the power of the orb is enough for my master to free the mind of any werewolf brought to her," the witch said, many werewolves snapping their attention to her with bated breath, "all of your people could become free. It would be enough power to see it become so."

All eyes then turned to Tenko, even the Elder"s filled with hope. At that point Kenji realised the decision wasn"t hers, the deal was simply too good to let go.

"Tenko agrees, the Pack will work with your master to seize the source of the Furblog"s defences and kill the enemy pack leader. The body of the leader is to be ours to keep, and the fighting is to be restrained to just those two goals," Tenko stated, the witch readily agreeing.

"Then let"s see you all grow stronger, yes? Before you fight you"ll need food, and much more medicine," snapping her fingers, the young witch stood still. After some time a deer poked it"s head into the cave, followed by another, and another until a whole herd strode before the mesmerised pack. Attached to their backs were bundles of medicine, the young witch prying loose a vibrant purple potion from the particular deer.

"Bewitched so they won"t scare away," the young witch said, "please remove the medicine before eating. Don"t want to waste any."

As the werewolves lunged on the docile creatures and tore them apart, the young witch strode up to the werewolf Elder, "and speaking of waste, this potion is for you. Far more potent than anything your pack has been given before, it should be enough to see you healed enough for the battle. Although whether you want to be there to aid your pack...while that is your own decision to make."

Placing the potion on the ground before the Elder"s head, the young witch turned and began to walk away. "Three days," she said, "I"ll bring meals daily, but we attack in three days. Take the potion on the third day, Elder, it"s effects are only last a short period of time."

And with that, she was gone.