[IC] Chapter 1 - Concerning Orcs

One of the orc guards, roused by the howling and introductions of the party kicks some dirt and fallen thorns at the party with a guttural sentence whose tone is clear. "Shut up flat face." Then under his breath Dennan can hear him mumble "I wanna hear the best part." Right before turning back to the bonfire.

The deceased is stood up so his silhouette is black against the bonfire before being shoved into the white hot embers. The chanting crescendos as the flames dance green for a moment. For a second, it looks as if there are a hundred shadows dancing in the bonfire before it goes back to it’s mundane campfire orange crackling away normally.

As the chanting quiets, a couple bloodstained orcs from the ceremony turn and start making their way toward the group of prisoners with a lumpy bag and one singular waterskin. Their gate is loose and stumbling.

The guard stands and grunts to the party something harsh banging his spear butt on the ground to demand attention.

One of the other prisoners is attending to the wounded in the ground applying pressure to the wound. The others are looking at the scene in shock and terror.

The orc guard nods at Victoria standing as Dennan catches his eye. "What you want milk breath? Think you strong?" The orc walks over to Dennan and gives him a shove; completely missing the wounded prisoners wounds stitching themselves together under Laylas silent touch. The prisoner is stabilized and looks at Layla in amazement be fore his eyes well up in tears.

A final wolf call signaling to be ready comes.

Victoria, watching the bushes sees two large cloaked figures emerge and stalk toward the next sentry in the tree line.

The two guards with the sack finally arrive at the prisoners. They are blood splattered and half lidded looking like they would prefer to be bedding down like the rest of the orcs than serving the prisoners their meal. They open the bag and start putting hunks of weevil ridden bread in the hands of the prisoners snorting "double ration tonite in honor of Helgar"

Victoria sees the two figures jump the sentry silently lowering him to the ground lifeless.

Dennan is still accosted by the guard "No rations for the strong one, he is next in the circle". The orcs all give a laugh as Dennan finally sees his wolf charge through the brush heading directly to Dennan.

Victoria sees the two figures wave a signal to the forest and the world seems to erupt in a high pitched war yell. The orcs all turn toward the tree line and scramble drunkenly for weapons. No one is paying attention to prisoners anymore. They are under attack.

As soon as attention is off him Dennan instructs his wolf to chew through his bonds. He hopes that the appearance of the wolf is quickly forgotten in the chaos now erupting.