Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Umbra

As night cloaks the skies overhead, casting its shadows over the lands below, slivers of flickering, warm light poke through a cracked door at the rear of the wagon. Within it, Marne and Yuler listen to the sounds of crackling wood, and the soft snores of Lee, who sleeps peacefully alongside Hael in the tent next to them. The pair have situated themselves along either side of the wagon's interior. Marne rests at one side, atop a pile of wool fabrics, and with his hat pressed down against his face. So as to block out the light as he tries to fall asleep. On the other side lays Yuler, who remains wide awake, seemingly unable to sleep. Her concerns with the coming days have begun to grow into unwavering worries. Memories of times under Achlys jab at her mind. Reminding her of when wielding a weapon seemed to have a true purpose. Yet, it is never without purpose. Even now.

"You're struggling." Comes Marne's muffled voice, having been spoken through the folded leather.

"Hmm?" Yuler tilts her head in his direction, having not expected him to still be conscious.

"You'll never get any rest if you continue to think on things. I can hear it in every breath."

"It's a hard thing not to do... given the circumstances."

"All will come to be in due time. Lee, Hael, and I are here."

"I suppose so." Yuler crinkles her lips briefly to one side, then looks towards the bowed ceiling overhead. "It just seems unfair."

The wagon creaks as Marne slides himself against the rough wooden flooring. Bringing with him the largest of the blankets he has found. Yuler questions his motions but does not resist as he pulls her nearer to him and ensures that both of them are covered by the wool. He then lets out a tired sigh as he rests a folded arm over Yuler's waist. Partly caught off-guard, Yuler feels herself reddening and places her hand beneath his.

A sudden screech disrupts the campsite's peace. Causing both Yuler and Marne to bolt upright and look towards the doors. As they do so, the sounds of Lee and Hael shuffling about their tent in dazed and confused states make themselves known too. Marne climbs to the door and as his feet touch the ground, Lee and Hael emerge with weapons in hand.

"Where is it?" Lee asks Marne, gripping tightly at the hilt of a silver shortsword, which- with the flip of a small switch- extends itself into a longsword. The metal tings as its hollow blade locks in place, seemingly giving the creature an audible direction to travel in. Another screech sounds out and a wave of thunderous claws and paws is heard digging at the ground underfoot. Hael pulls out a blade, not unlike Lee's, and extends it as well. She then ticks her finger against the grip with every step she hears. As if to be counting them as they come.

"We're expecting three... perhaps four."

"Where is Yuler?" Lee demands, seemingly eager to match the enemy in numbers.

Before Marne can get a word out, the grinding of wood and clattering of metal catches his attention. Looking back at the wagon, he sees Yuler, who clutches at the elongated handle of Cronn's ax with both hands. The three on the ground then look off in the direction Yuler is facing, where the campfire's flames cast orbs of light back at them through the eyes of the beasts as they approach. Their stamping slows as they begin to spread out, seemingly thinking they are still entirely encased in the darkness. Hael and Lee take the front, readying their weapons for an attack. Marne guards his current position, remaining at the rear of the wagon. Yuler kicks the second door wide open, attempting to startle the beasts as much as she can from where she stands. Her heart begins to race as the effort shows its effectiveness. As the door knocks against its frame, the beasts charge at them. With the foremost lycan lunging at Lee, he swiftly slashes at its maw. Stunned and yelping, it violently shakes its head; As if trying to best the pain. Lee proceeds to send his sword through its ribcage as Hael swipes at another in its attempt to interrupt Lee's work. With their partners occupied, Marne and Yuler follow the other beasts with their bodies. Attempting to show that they can not be caught from behind. As the set of eyes to their right stops in place, they hunker low to the ground, allowing the set to the left to make the first move. Kicking up dirt as it leaps towards Marne, the beast lets out a roaring growl and clings at the air with dagger-like claws. Marne drops his cleaver to one side, flipping the serrated edge towards the heavens, and then swings it overhead. In doing so, he manages to shred the beast from its lower jaw to its sternum.

"Look out!" Yuler shouts in a moment of panic. Having spotted the fourth rapidly crawling on all four legs towards Marne, who remains occupied by his wedged cleaver. In a moment of panic and instinct, she sends Cronn's ax through its nape. As the spinal column separates, the lycan's jaw and limbs begin to seize and briefly recoil before relaxing against the ground with a gurgle. Looking at Marne with wild eyes and heavy breaths, she catches him giving her a proud smile.

"Hael!"

With their focus now being on the remaining creature, they watch as it claws at Hael's face. The violent thrash tears the cloth from her face and knocks her to the ground, where she can seemingly do nothing more than cover her eyes with her hands. The creature growls victoriously as it stands on its hind legs, outstretching both arms in preparation for delivering a killing blow.

"NO!" Lee cries, charging at it from behind with the tip of his blade aimed at the lungs.

Marne and Yuler rush to assist, but before they can manage to do so, the beast engages. They stop in their tracks, holding their breath as Lee huffs. His blade had sunk through the matted fur and fully submerged itself into the lycan's limp corpse. Yet, the beast does not fall forward as it should. Lee then looks to his arm, where something has clearly torn through the shoulder of his blouse and drawn a small amount of blood. A second blade. Ripping his own free, he pushes the repulsing corpse to one side, exposing Hael. Her eyes remain shut as she gasps for air after having had to hold the lycan up and off of her.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Lee inspects her as best he can in his frantic state but finds nothing more than a gash on her lip and grazings on her left brow. "Oh, thank the Gods!" Lee takes her into a bear hug and sniffles for a moment. Hael returns the hug but does not maintain it for long.

"Lee. My wrappings."

"Right!"

As Lee searches the surrounding area for Hael's cloth, Marne takes to looking about the site for any other signs of activity, leaving Yuler with her own curiosities. She watches Lee briefly, then looks to Hael, who dabs at her face with a fingertip in search of blood. Once her hand is over her brow, she allows her eyes to open. Yuler gasps and takes a step back. In doing so, Lee looks towards her and Hael falls motionless. Both seemingly noticing Yuler's prying simultaneously.

"I-I found it!" She exclaims, collecting a crumpled cloth from beneath Hael's left knee. As she does so, Lee snatches it off of her with a glare.

"Perhaps you should find something to occupy your time. Hm?" Lee turns away from her and offers Hael her wrapping. As she takes it and begins the process of putting it back on, Yuler steps away.

"We should probably get a move on, lest we find ourselves dealing with another pack before morning." Marne sighs. Clearly exhausted from all that has come to pass and knowing that he will be giving up a night's rest if they do so.

"Of course." Yuler agrees, accepting that she will be doing the same, but for another reason. "Let's."

She turns to look back at the corpses that now litter the campgrounds, then at Lee and Hael, who whisper amongst themselves.

"Those eyes..., Lee knows of them. He knows she is ill and still... he chooses to protect her. Is this what Cronn and Briar felt? A sense of doom that radiates from one they have only ever known to trust? How can this be? How can it have been so long with no signs of... betrayal?" Yuler's mind's eye imprints the vision of Hael's cataracts as she looks towards the wrapping that now once again covers them. Lee takes Hael's hands, offering her assistance in getting back to her feet as they continue to whisper to one another. "For how much longer are we safe with one another?"