Chapter 12: The Not so Calm Before the Storm

Author`s note: On a few occasions I will show the story from a different individuals view. Skorge is still in center though.

The thin leafs of the trees and the grass were wet from the night`s heavy rain. The ground was slick with mud and was doted by many small puddles of water. The birds of the Ferelden countryside were just beginning their morning calls and a small squirrel had just leapt down from a large oak to drink from one of the larger pools of dirty water. It took quick peeks in all directions to make sure there were no immediate threats as it then touched the water with its tiny face and flipped its tongue in rapid movements as it drank.

Barely a few drops were down before ripples disturbed the peaceful surface of the puddle however. The senses of the little forest creature were on the alert in a split second and it glanced about, ready to flee to the safety of the closest tree. Something foul and unnatural filled its nose and it covered it with its paws on reflex. Something in the air made its fur itch and it used a hind leg to scratch itself. A loud roar announced the arrival of the cause and soon a dark figure appeared on the dirt path the squirrel sat on. The form resembled a human, the squirrel had seen plenty of humans. The human young ones always wanted to chase him around but never caught up to his speedy little legs. Sometimes they left him nuts and some human food he did not know the name of. All he knew was that it smelled of vet and were softer than any nut he had ever found and much more tasty.

The figure were only thirty meters away when the vibrations its heavy boots caused made the squirrel leap away with all his speed and climb a tree where he settled on a low hanging branch, watching this new intruder of his peace. It wore the hard skins he had seen a few humans wrap themselves in only to shed later. This usually disgusted the squirrel. It was like watching a snake reuse its old skins. A snake was actually not a bad comparison once he saw the face of the creature. It was dark and menacing, dim eyes watching every tree and stone as it passed. Fangs just a terrifying. He noted a long scar running across the creature`s face as it based the tree he sat in. The vibrations only grew stronger as it passed and now he saw several more like it pass, along with smaller ones that were the same size as the nice human pups. They all stank of pollution and rot. He knew they did not belong here. He watched as one of the taller ones stepped in the puddle he had drank from and watched as the water slowly became dark and sluggish. Once the horrible progression had passed the squirrel took a few scared glances before jumping back down and ran to the puddle to resume its drink.

The water now reeked but the creatures had stomped every other puddle away. He sniffed it before wrinkling his nose with the stinging odor. Then he leaned down and took a sip.

He immediately sneezed and coughed violently. The tainted water seemed to make its way down his throat by it own accord and he peeped as he felt his windpipe contract, making it impossible to breath. He fell on his side, his limbs flailing and twitching in miserable panic. After a few horrible moments the moving ball of brown fur stopped its twitching. His eyes were bulged and blood ran from the lower lip. It seemed as peace had finally come to the speedy little explorer of the forest when instead a genlock had swiped the body up. He didn`t even get to see the human pups one last time to play today.

/

Tartarus looked back and barked at a genlock who had fallen a bit behind the others to pick up a small furry animal from the ground and promptly stuffed it into his wide mouth. His angry reprimand sent the genlock sprinting after the others with haste and Tartarus soon followed behind to keep others from falling away as well.

The running had lasted for two days now and nothing had come into view. No human settlement, no humans at all in fact. The only good the forced march did Taratarus was that it kept his head cool. He did not like being sent away from the main horde on some to him meaningless scouting rout. And for what? Because Skorge had disagreed on him ordering the warriors to burn the village! Tartarus did not delude himself into thinking he somehow could challenge Skorge for leadership, he was the Master`s chosen by the taint. He could only hope for death if he tried. He halted the party of scouts just as they reached the edge of a forest and looked out over a wide vet field ahead. Taratrus tapped a finger at the end of the scar that crossed the length of his face at the jaw. He had received it not long after he was born. He and his brood had quickly left their own cavern and armed themselves with the weapons that were always left ready for a new brood and entered the shadows. Not long after the group had been separated in many small tunnels and he had been ambushed by a giant spider. One of its long, sharp legs had sliced him over the face and left the long white line where it was now, almost having taken an eye out as well.

After raising the human village he and his warriors had followed a smaller dirt road which had taken them into this forest. Tartarus knew it would be easier to find the horde again. All he needed to do was backtrack and follow the track the taint left but he would not get to return yet for a while, oh no. He had to search for more human forces, despite the fact that he was convinced that all of them must have been either slain or routed in that battle.

"None the less, orders are orders." Tartarus thought bitterly. He gave the order to continue onward and they reformed into a loose column and sprinted through the harvest ready fields with no less speed than with which they has set out on this journey. The path was devastatingly dull; nothing but endless fields and rows of the golden crops. He prepared for another monotonic run when suddenly a loud squeal sounded from behind, snapping his attention back towards the forest they had just been in. A genlock lay on the ground with an arrow through the back of his skull.

"Die beasts." A shrill voice cried from the trees and something dropped from a branch. At first Tartarus did not see it clearly but soon he saw that it was one of those humans with pointy ears. It was short, even for one of those. Maybe a little more than half of his own hight. At first he had a hard time seeing what gender it had. Its long, black hair and soft voice would suggest as female but unlike the taller females he had seen at the human fortress this one`s chest was flat and hips more narrows.

"A young one perhaps." He thought. It didn't matter what she was. What mattered was that she aimed a well-made bow at the group, already knocking a new arrow to it. She wore leather pants and a leather shirt that left her midsection bare. The most notable trait however was the tattoo that was on her face. It looked like a black wolf that stood on its hind legs on her left cheek.

Tartarus smirked and ordered his warriors to stand down before drawing his sword and charged the pointy-eared one. To her credit she did not panic or even flinch as he came barreling toward her. She only smirked back and turned once he was close enough and with uncanny nimbleness leapt into a low branch and ran on the branches upwards like stairs while he chased after on the ground. She would occasionally stop and fire an arrow but he managed to dodge or take cover behind a tree each time. This became more easy since the thickness of the foliage grew tighter and tighter. Soon she had more branches to run on than needed and he had to duck or jump to follow. It seemed she had run out of arrows after one that had almost hit his right eye and she stood on a tree above him in a small clearing, holding a curved dagger

"Halem sahlin`alas." She hissed and leapt from the tree.

/

Skorge sat on a boulder and watched the area of the camp where the forges had been set up, looking with intrigue as the genlocks huffed and groaned under the heavy fires and over watch of the hurlocks. Despite this they produced weapons and armor at impressive speed, given that the results were relatively crude compared to what humans wore. He locked his gaze on the sparks flying from the forge master`s hammer on the red hot blade of a new sword and considered his plans.

The land they had now entered were wide so he had a large area to cover with his army. Since he had no way to see the lay of the land he had to relay entirely on scouting reports and so far it would seem best to simply head straight out from where they had left the forest and found the first human settlement. It frustrated him to no end that they had no way of tracking the female warden now. Fortunately he had plenty to keep his mind on track. It had been a never ending progression of raiding and scouting parties to organize, stragglers were rounded up randomly from the wake of the battles and he had to keep the number of internal dead from infighting on an acceptable level. It grew harder to keep a hold of the greatness of the campaign since there were no immediate enemies in sight and all he had to busy his leftover thought with was the dragon woman`s words.

"Your destiny lies beyond this conflict…It is to transcend your race`s natural limitations…you will be an example of light to your kind…" she had told him. It was difficult to believe and yet she had spoken with absolute conviction of her own prophesy. But the Master`s influence could not be stopped, he knew that. Once He returned Skorge would ask about this woman and find true answers. They had not heard from the Master for a long time however and he could only assume that He would come to them in time.

Before him the massive camp stretched out, though it was considerably smaller than what they had set out with. He knew it would be enough, at least for now, to hold their own against a second human force. His Fang leaders were all out on their scouting missions but most had returned for the day. Only Tartarus remained out.

"Strab." He called and the younger Hurlock came in a flash to his side. "Take a party and follow Tartarus`s tracks. He should have been back four hours ago. We will hold here until you return with him…or what remains of him and his group." He said, not breaking his stare at the sparks which flew with a less frequency as the blade was taking its final form.

"It will be done commander." Strab held a fist to his chest plate and then walked away, barking at a pack of shrieks to follow him along with an ogre.

Skorge glanced at them and watched them leave. He hoped that Tartarus would turn up well and unharmed, for reasons he was not quite sure of. He felt an odd sense of affection for his Fang, something no other darkspawn could ever understand but himself. But that was why he had created the Fang, given them their new minds and personalities. Strab had quickly taken the roll of the aspiring young warriors. He had been a very young hurlock when Skorge found him in the Deep Roads, barely away from his cavern along with his brood brothers. He was skilled in tactics and Skorge knew he would one day be as feared a warrior as any of the others, maybe even Tartarus.