Luthor thought fast and fled under an overturned tree log. The orcs drew
nearer and Luthor kept thinking that he would be spotted and that he should
run to another hide out, but he knew he was too late. A big orc, covered in
black armour stood at the front of the rabble, bellowing orders to his
lackeys. The orc warlord had two broken tusks and carried a two handed axe.
The orc stopped and sniffed the air.
"What do you smell?" asked an orc.
"Man flesh," replied the warlord.
"Man flesh?" questioned the orc. The warlord turned and looked at the tree Luthor was hiding under.
"Under there" said the orc while moving over to the tree. Luthor grasped his flail tightly. The warlord drew nearer as Luthor could smell his putrid stench. All the other orcs stared on intently. Luthor knew the orc warlord was too close for comfort so he vaulted him self over the tree log and lashed the orc's ugly face with his flail. The orc let out a spine-wracking roar but didn't fall to his knees like most victims.
Luthor was on his feet and running before any of the dim-witted orcs could have worked out what had just happened. Eventually they figured out what had occurred. "A human!" bellowed another orc chief as the orc archers pulled crude arrows to their bows. They took careful aim, but a blind, drunken snotling could've done better. The arrows either hit the ground near Luthor's feet or went way overhead. Luthor kept running but halted when he heard a familiar howl. Wolf riders. The chilling howl was also accompanied by a boar like snorting.
A wolf rider came up behind Luthor with his spear poised for the strike. Luthor sensed this, grabbed the spear and hoisted himself up onto the back of the wolf. The goblin tumbled off his mount due to lack of space and Luthor's weight advantage. Luthor held on to the wolf's reins and steered it further into the forest with other wolf riders in pursuit. He saw some dark shapes emerge from the trees ahead; they were too big and slow to be wolves. They must be boar riders. He saw them trying to block his way through the small space in between two trees. Luthor was going to fast and the enemy wolf riders were too close behind for Luthor to turn to the side or bail off the speeding wolf.
The boar riders had now completely blocked the way ahead and were positioning their spears at Luthor with menacing grins. Suddenly Luthor was struck with an idea... He spurred on his wolf to go faster and the wolf reluctantly agreed. He was now a few metres away from the line of boar riders. The few seconds seemed like an eternity. Just before he connected with an orc spear he jumped forward, over the orc boar rider. The wolf let out an awkward cry as the spear plunged deep into the creature's chest. Luthor flew over the orc boar rider and landed awkwardly on his left hand. There was a snap as Luthor's left forearm bent the wrong way. He almost showed some pain. Almost.
The boar riders toppled off their mounts as the wolf riders that were pursuing Luthor, crashed into the waiting boar riders. The dense greenskins hadn't realised Luthor had led them into a trap. He had made them charge one another. Luthor rose, clutching his snapped arm. He decided that he would head back towards his previous camp, hoping that there would be some left over provisions. When he reached the camp he found it abandoned. He then decided to look into the mouth of the caverns, but not enter. Luthor peered into the cave and saw his former warband all slaughtered. Some with their own knives in their backs. Then he saw Karl Ironhelm. Karl was crouch near the cave wall. His eyes were open, but he did not stir. Luthor said his name but no answer came. Luthor kicked him in the gut but nothing. He was still breathing but he didn't show any signs of life other than he was breathing and the sheer expression of terror written across his face.
"What do you smell?" asked an orc.
"Man flesh," replied the warlord.
"Man flesh?" questioned the orc. The warlord turned and looked at the tree Luthor was hiding under.
"Under there" said the orc while moving over to the tree. Luthor grasped his flail tightly. The warlord drew nearer as Luthor could smell his putrid stench. All the other orcs stared on intently. Luthor knew the orc warlord was too close for comfort so he vaulted him self over the tree log and lashed the orc's ugly face with his flail. The orc let out a spine-wracking roar but didn't fall to his knees like most victims.
Luthor was on his feet and running before any of the dim-witted orcs could have worked out what had just happened. Eventually they figured out what had occurred. "A human!" bellowed another orc chief as the orc archers pulled crude arrows to their bows. They took careful aim, but a blind, drunken snotling could've done better. The arrows either hit the ground near Luthor's feet or went way overhead. Luthor kept running but halted when he heard a familiar howl. Wolf riders. The chilling howl was also accompanied by a boar like snorting.
A wolf rider came up behind Luthor with his spear poised for the strike. Luthor sensed this, grabbed the spear and hoisted himself up onto the back of the wolf. The goblin tumbled off his mount due to lack of space and Luthor's weight advantage. Luthor held on to the wolf's reins and steered it further into the forest with other wolf riders in pursuit. He saw some dark shapes emerge from the trees ahead; they were too big and slow to be wolves. They must be boar riders. He saw them trying to block his way through the small space in between two trees. Luthor was going to fast and the enemy wolf riders were too close behind for Luthor to turn to the side or bail off the speeding wolf.
The boar riders had now completely blocked the way ahead and were positioning their spears at Luthor with menacing grins. Suddenly Luthor was struck with an idea... He spurred on his wolf to go faster and the wolf reluctantly agreed. He was now a few metres away from the line of boar riders. The few seconds seemed like an eternity. Just before he connected with an orc spear he jumped forward, over the orc boar rider. The wolf let out an awkward cry as the spear plunged deep into the creature's chest. Luthor flew over the orc boar rider and landed awkwardly on his left hand. There was a snap as Luthor's left forearm bent the wrong way. He almost showed some pain. Almost.
The boar riders toppled off their mounts as the wolf riders that were pursuing Luthor, crashed into the waiting boar riders. The dense greenskins hadn't realised Luthor had led them into a trap. He had made them charge one another. Luthor rose, clutching his snapped arm. He decided that he would head back towards his previous camp, hoping that there would be some left over provisions. When he reached the camp he found it abandoned. He then decided to look into the mouth of the caverns, but not enter. Luthor peered into the cave and saw his former warband all slaughtered. Some with their own knives in their backs. Then he saw Karl Ironhelm. Karl was crouch near the cave wall. His eyes were open, but he did not stir. Luthor said his name but no answer came. Luthor kicked him in the gut but nothing. He was still breathing but he didn't show any signs of life other than he was breathing and the sheer expression of terror written across his face.