2
"AHHH-mumpf!"
The evidently young badger pressed a paw to Rune's mouth. He pointed at a hardly seen banner with Vortigern's seal on it: five daggers sharing one pommel stone to form a star. When it passed the badger spoke.
"Vermin! I should slay you now!" he growled as he raised his menacing blades. Rune could think of no alternative. He threw down his possessions.
"Mercy! Spare me!"
The badger was aptly clothed for the climate: trousers and a thick vest.
"Why should I, vermin? You'll just slip a dagger in my back!"
Rune was in panic. "Eh, uh, tie me up! I won't escape, if I do then feel free to slay me!"
The badger paused in thought. "Hold still."
Rune cringed. The badger picked him up and tied him to a willow with one of the trees own branches, making sure his arms were safely forced across is chest.
"Tight enough?" the badger asked as he stood back admiring his work.
"Yee-esss" Rune said, winded.
The badger then strode over Rune's possessions and stopped.
"That medal," he said in awe. He quickly went over with his blades and slashed the branch binding Rune.
"I apologize," he said solemnly.
This bemused Rune. "Er," He gulped, "Why?"
"Come with me, um?"
"Rune."
The badger hurried off into the forest still holding Rune's medallion. Rune, after picking up his staff, soon came upon a large tall wagon with a post at each corner, which supported a flat wooden slate roof. The badger came out with a small lead chest. He opened it and showed Rune the content. Displayed on parchment was a picture of a crest with a noticeably large seam running through it.
The badger explained excitedly, "In my…tribe, a prophet we met gave this to me and told me to never part with it. The prophet said this crest marked the one destined to lead me to the fire mountain." Rune was still very bemused; he still did not know who the badger was. He had only known of them from stories his mother would tell him. They were described as brave, valiant warriors who served justice and in fact, he had saved her from the pressuring of a local horde.
"But you only have half a crest, where is the other?"
Rune snapped out of his deep thoughts and remembered sheepishly the whereabouts of the other half.
"Um, I don't have it, but I know who does."
"Who?"
"My only enemy. A horde member with a giant ax."
The badger sighed. "How did he attain it?"
"He stole it from m-, er, my mother."
"Where is she now?"
"Cleavo… he killed her."
The badger made no response. "Hm-mm, then we shall relieve him of his plunder."
Rune tried to back out. "Look, um, sir, I don't know of any fire mountain. I've been a forester all my life. I've never even seen a mountain before."
"Do you want me to find the other half of that medallion for you or not?"
Rune felt rather persuaded by the badger's tone. "Y-y-yes."
"Well then you'll have to help me."
"AHHH-mumpf!"
The evidently young badger pressed a paw to Rune's mouth. He pointed at a hardly seen banner with Vortigern's seal on it: five daggers sharing one pommel stone to form a star. When it passed the badger spoke.
"Vermin! I should slay you now!" he growled as he raised his menacing blades. Rune could think of no alternative. He threw down his possessions.
"Mercy! Spare me!"
The badger was aptly clothed for the climate: trousers and a thick vest.
"Why should I, vermin? You'll just slip a dagger in my back!"
Rune was in panic. "Eh, uh, tie me up! I won't escape, if I do then feel free to slay me!"
The badger paused in thought. "Hold still."
Rune cringed. The badger picked him up and tied him to a willow with one of the trees own branches, making sure his arms were safely forced across is chest.
"Tight enough?" the badger asked as he stood back admiring his work.
"Yee-esss" Rune said, winded.
The badger then strode over Rune's possessions and stopped.
"That medal," he said in awe. He quickly went over with his blades and slashed the branch binding Rune.
"I apologize," he said solemnly.
This bemused Rune. "Er," He gulped, "Why?"
"Come with me, um?"
"Rune."
The badger hurried off into the forest still holding Rune's medallion. Rune, after picking up his staff, soon came upon a large tall wagon with a post at each corner, which supported a flat wooden slate roof. The badger came out with a small lead chest. He opened it and showed Rune the content. Displayed on parchment was a picture of a crest with a noticeably large seam running through it.
The badger explained excitedly, "In my…tribe, a prophet we met gave this to me and told me to never part with it. The prophet said this crest marked the one destined to lead me to the fire mountain." Rune was still very bemused; he still did not know who the badger was. He had only known of them from stories his mother would tell him. They were described as brave, valiant warriors who served justice and in fact, he had saved her from the pressuring of a local horde.
"But you only have half a crest, where is the other?"
Rune snapped out of his deep thoughts and remembered sheepishly the whereabouts of the other half.
"Um, I don't have it, but I know who does."
"Who?"
"My only enemy. A horde member with a giant ax."
The badger sighed. "How did he attain it?"
"He stole it from m-, er, my mother."
"Where is she now?"
"Cleavo… he killed her."
The badger made no response. "Hm-mm, then we shall relieve him of his plunder."
Rune tried to back out. "Look, um, sir, I don't know of any fire mountain. I've been a forester all my life. I've never even seen a mountain before."
"Do you want me to find the other half of that medallion for you or not?"
Rune felt rather persuaded by the badger's tone. "Y-y-yes."
"Well then you'll have to help me."