Author's Notes: Hi everyone sorry I haven't updated in a while. Still don't own Warhammer Games Workshop does.
Karl returned to where the children were huddled together. As he approached them they turned and rushed to him. The girl rushed ahead of the rest and threw herself against him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Sigmar bless you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Karl flushed with embarrassment; he had never hugged a girl before. His blush increased even more when he looked down and saw that her tarred dress had mostly fallen away. She followed his gaze and gave a small shriek of embarrassment. She quickly released him and frantically tried to cover herself. Feeling his face blaze like he was standing next to an oven he ripped the overcoat he had bought off and wrapped it around her; earning him another smile that was a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude.
Desperate to focus on something else he turned to the solemn-faced boy in the initiate robe. "I told you all to run."
The boy met his gaze levelly, obviously trying very hard to look like an adult. "It is the duty of all Sigmar's servants to fight the enemies of man;" here his expression seemed to slip and he suddenly looked much more his own age, "Besides, they are creatures of the wood if we had run they would just have caught us."
Karl could not argue with that. Instead he went back to his pack that he had dropped on the edge of the clearing before he had charged in. Going through its contents he pulled out an extra shirt and pair of pants and cut a length from a rope he had bought. Returning to the group he handed them to the girl and then turned as she put them on. They were both too big for her and she had to roll the sleeves and pants legs and use the rope as a belt; Karl thought she looked cute.
"That was amazing!" Said one of the children. "The way you drove those beasts away; how did you throw that hammer so hard?"
Karl felt his breath catch in his throat; he had a feeling that a truthful answer would probably not be a good idea.
"Peter;" said the initiate, "Did you not hear him? He called on the Lord Sigmar. Clearly he heard our rescuer's plea."
Karl heaved a sigh of relief; it seemed his little deception had worked. He sent a brief prayer up to Sigmar apologizing for involving him in it. He hoped that the god was in the mood to accept that it had all been for a good cause. After all; Karl could hardly go about saving his people if they were always screaming and running away from him.
"Did the baron send you?" Asked the girl, she walked Karl saw she limped, unfortunately Karl had no extra shoes to give her.
"And how did you come to have Father Dietrich's hammer?" The initiate asked.
"No; the baron did not send me. I was traveling from Altdorf when I came to your village. Father Dietrich was still alive but dying. He told me which direction you had been taken and I followed your trail. Now might I have your names?
"I am Clare Gustaf. I am… I was the daughter of the baker." The girl said with a sad look coming over her face.
"I am Ernst Heinman; initiate priest of Sigmar serving under Father Dietrich."
As the other children gave him their names Karl tried to decide what to do. He had just rushed after the Beastmen to save the children without thinking about what he was going to do next. He had no idea where they were or how far they were from civilization. He did not have anywhere near enough food for them all and he would not be able to us his wolven form while they were with him and that would slow them down considerably.
To give himself time to think he turned to the body of the boy. "We should do something for your friend there. We will not be able to take his body with us and we cannot leave his body for the beasts."
"His name was Otto, but everyone called him Ot." Clare said a sad tone in her voice and a pitying look in her eyes. "He was the inn keeper's half-wit son. He wasn't very bright but he was always friendly and everyone liked him."
With Ernst's help they pulled the spear from Otto's body and moved him to a clear area. Karl needed the boy's help because he was intentionally holding back. They did not have time to bury Otto and it would not have mattered if they had because the beasts would just dig him up if they did. Instead they rolled over several barrels of the liquor that had been stolen from the village. They drenched the body with it and Karl fetched a torch from the fire and set the body on fire.
By now all the children were crying except for Ernst and he too looked like he would like to but seemed determined to play the role of the serious priest. When Karl had buried his own village he had not known much in the way of prayers. So this time he turned to the boy. "Perhaps you could say a few words."
Ernst nodded, seemingly pleased to do so. "Sigmar; we pray that you accept the soul of your son Otto and guide him to the finest of Morr's gardens. He was truly your son and died doing as you commanded all your sons to do. To fight the enemies of mankind and defend the empire you forged. This we pray." At the conclusion of the prayer they all made the sign of the hammer.
Karl gave the younger children some of his rations; as they ate he took Ernst and Clare aside. "Listen and keep this to yourselves. I am new to this area and I have no idea where we are so I have no idea where the nearest human civilization is. Also; the food I have will not last, I can hunt but it will slow us down and we will be vulnerable to attack if the beasts return. Especially if they attack you while I am away hunting."
Clare looked pale and tried to keep her breathing steady. Ernst likewise looked uneasy but determined to be brave. "Well;" began Clare hesitantly, obviously nervous about giving her opinion on anything, "Could we go just go back to our village and then follow the road. It must lead somewhere and we may meet other people on the road."
Karl and Ernst both looked at her for a moment. This made her nervously shift in place and mumble something about it just being an idea." No, no it's a very good idea."
"Yes it is, surprisingly so." Said Ernest.
As Clare beamed Karl thought it over in his mind. It was a good idea. He could not think of why it had not occurred to him. It was not terribly far and he could follow his scent back. Food would still be a problem but if they got on the road at least he could at least hope that the chances of the beasts following them would decrease.
After the younger children had eaten he urged Clare and Ernst to do so as well. He was quite hungry himself but he could not eat food they would need, he would take as little of it as he could and eat more when hunted. When they all had eaten he got them up and moving just as the sun was coming up. Karl took the lead holding a spear made of a piece of wood with a fire-hardened point. Behind him came Clare gamely ignoring trying to ignore the pain in her feet and carrying the smallest of the children. The rest came in a line behind her with Ernst, now armed with the hammer brought up the rear. In this order they set of for civilization.
Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long to update and that it is on the short side; like I said before am taking off soon, in the morning in fact, and I wanted to get this off before I go. I was trying to give some of the others some personality please let me know if I did alright. When they make the sign of the hammer it is like Catholics making the sign of the Cross Next update will hopefully be both longer and multiple chapter. Bye and may Jesus bless you till then and Happy Memorial Day please pause to remember and say a pray for all who have fallen in defense of America, not meant to offend anyone from other countries.