Chapter 13 More Orcs

If fate means you to lose, give him a good fight anyhow." -William McFee, British-American writer

Bel was up before the sun tried to break through the gloom of the overcast skies. She walked over to the small stream near the goblin's camp and tried fishing. She caught a few small fish and fed them to Gremmels. She had saved one of the flat breads from the previous night and slowly ate this. The land smelled marshy, decaying plants and reeking mud filling the air. She tracked unnamed creatures splashing in and out of the many small creeks and streams. The only humanoids she could feel were those around the cold fire behind her. Turning to look at them, Bel thought they looked like little boulders strewn around the ground. It was another hour before they started stirring.

When Dudley had finally readied himself, Bel walked over to inspect his foot. "Are you going to be able to continue?" she asked concerned at the amount of bandaging. "We can turn back and find a healer."

He grunted and stomped around. "No. It feels just fine. Once we cross into Dun Morogh, it is all downhill." He added brightly. Bel looked dubious. "'sides, our fine companions sold me some healing potions last night."

Bel could see the other dwarves were in various stages of rising. "If you are ready, we can say our farewells and be off."

He nodded and after many rousing best wishes, he joined Bel at the crossroads, heading over Dun Algaz.

The hard pack road followed the base of the low hills at the edge of the swamplands. The depressing haze cleared some by mid-morning, to Bel's relief.

Dudley hummed some marching song and grunted as he swung his pack from one shoulder to the other, stopping frequently to look back down the road.

Finally Bel broke her silence. 'What are you looking for?'

'Jist hoping we might still meet with a caravan. My foot, ya ken.'

Bel took in a deep breath. 'Elune seems to favor us. There is a wagon approaching.'

Dudley turned swiftly. 'Really?' He paused. 'I don't hear or see a thing.' He shot Bel a quick glance.

'None the less, it approaches. Drawn by rams, I believe.' Gremmels stretched out on the road and then rolled, happily scratching his back, four large paws waving in the air. 'I think this is a good place to wait for them?'

They sat on the road edge in the niggardly shade of a stunted tree. Bel soon could tell there were three dwarves with the wagon. One had to be riding a ram behind two sitting in the wagon. They traveled slower than Bel expected and she fought the urge to close her eyes for a short rest. This was no place or time to let her guard down, she told herself.

Dudley stood when he finally saw the wagon. 'By the light, ya were right. Dwarves.' As they pulled closer, Dudley hailed them. 'Gruben den!'

The large dwarf pulled up the reins to stop the wagon. 'Oie. Lost laddie?'

'No' Dudley replied laughing. 'Headin' to Ironforge, but its slow work wid me foot en all.' He pointed to his bundled foot.

'Ey, you must be the party that met up with the soldiers, back a piece.' He squinted down at Bel. 'Oie. Dinna believe 'em when they said a daughter of Elune was in the Eastern lands.' He looked back at his fellows. The smaller and much older dwarf at his side sat staring at Bel.

"We're heading to meet a wagon from Brewnall Village ta pick up a few barrels of the widow Marleth's Barleybrew Scalder."

Dudley gave a low whistle. "Barleybrew Scalder? That's a fine brew."

The large dwarf grinned. "Marleth is expanding operations and hoping to get her brews into the human alehouses before the Thunderbrews even leave Dun Morogh."

The dwarf sitting on the wagon continued to stare at Bel. "Kin ya track?"

For a moment Bel was confused wondering what it had to do with brew, but Dudley spoke up quickly. "Course she kin track. She's a Kaldorei or are ya blind man?"

The dwarf on the wagon considered this. "We can use a tracker," he continued slowly. "But only ta Algaz Station. We pick up our supplies there."

Bel looked over the three burly dwarves and the heavy wagon pulled by two gray rams. "What are you hauling back to Algaz Station?"

The dwarves looked at each other. The large one cleared his throat. "We have a few samples of Snowfall lager from Northrend. Valuable stuff. For research." He added hastily.

Bel nodded, noting how low the wagon rode. "Must be a heavy lager."

The dwarves were silent for a moment and then burst out laughing. "That it is lass, that it is." The large dwarf grinned. "We kin pay handsomely fer a tracker. Thar be bands of Dragonmaw orcs in the hills before Dun Algaz."

Dudley stepped forward. "We accept! My Kaldorei friend here kin smell a Dragonmaw orc, leagues away!"

'Orcs!'

Dudley looked at Bel. 'Oie, I told ya about the Orc Dragon riders.'

Bel was pulling her bow up and had an arrow notched. 'Orcs!'

All four dwarves followed her aim and then suddenly were grabbing their battleaxes. A party of orcs was breaking from the cover of boulders and clumps of bushes, crying Lok'tar! and heading straight towards Bel and their party.

Bel was stringing her arrows and firing as fast as she could. Her saber had vanished and was stalking toward the approaching orcs. One in long black robes stood in the open and holding his arms up, juggled crackling balls of white light between his hands.

'Warlock' yelled one of the dwarves. The two sitting on the wagon dived down to take cover.

Bel took aim at the hulking green orc warlock. A hazy blue demon appeared and as the arrow hit, it burst into flames, black cinders falling to ground.

One ram in the wagon traces went down with a long arrow into the chest that flashed by Bel's shoulder. She started moving to gain cover of the wagon when she was hit with a terrible fear. It closed her throat and she almost dropped her bow to the ground, fighting against a strong impulse to run away. Dudley screamed and ran back across the road and out into the swampland. Bel could feel Gremmels, still melded, stop, sharing her fear.

The dwarf on the ram yelled loudly 'stand yer ground, it's a fear curse.' And then he charged the Warlock.

As she forced herself to take deep breathes and attempt to gain control of her emotions, she saw the dwarf on the ram explode into flames. The fear released her and she notched two more arrows and sent them deep into the bodies of two orcs almost on them. But as she attempted to aim again for the warlock, exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her knees buckled, the bow dropped from her open hands, and she hit the ground insensate.