Well friends, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that because I have finished my Warcraft story, I can now devout my time to completing this story. The bad news, you ask? I have absolutely new idea what I'm doing. Seriously, I have no clue how I should end this. But I will finish this, mind you. I promise. It just may take a while.
Chapter 6: A Precursor of the War to Come
The fight was to be held on our fields, the same place where Duke and San sparred. I watched a safe distance away, sitting on one of Steed's broad shoulders and holding a strand of his mane for stability. Beside us was San, who gnawed on her claws nervously through the length of the fight.
The match was Duke versus Ursur and Moo together. San protested angrily, but the wolf was insistent he fight them alone. And maybe, just maybe, he had a plan all along. Already I could see tension between the bear and cow. They clearly didn't like each other and only worked together under the orders of their gods. Duke was something different entirely. He didn't fight for the favor of his master, he fought to survive.
Duke suddenly leapt forward with a kick to the bear's huge gut. Ursur reared forward, and the wolf grabbed the creature's head and slammed his knee into the bear's snout. The wolf cupped both hands together to make a powerful fist and brought it into Ursur's chin, which sent him toppling to the ground. Moo ran forward, as if she attempted to gouge my master on her horns. Duke easily sidestepped and thrust an elbow into her spine to send her to the ground. Ursur picked Duke up from behind and hoisted him onto his shoulders. Then, he allowed the wolf to freefall down to the unforgiving earth. Duke wouldn't be beaten however. He scraped into the bear's chest with a hind claw then pushed his foot into Ursur's knee. The bear roared in pain and slumped to the ground. Duke leapt to his feet and took the bear's thick neck under his arm. With a snap that actually hurt my ears, the wolf broke his opponent's neck. Moo struck Duke in the back of his head. The wolf turned swiftly and clamped his powerful jaws on the cow's neck. In an instant, red blood dripped down Moo's fat body and stained her white fur. Her eyes burst open as the jaws closed on her windpipe and air escaped her. That was it, she was dead.
Limping slightly, the wolf shuffled over in front of the human armies. Something about seeing their titans destroyed so easily must of scared them because they didn't try to attack. They tried to retreat. But all too late they discovered their exit was blocked by San, who had sat down and spread her legs around the army. Duke's heavy paws stopped mere inches from the front line of humans, who were rooted to the ground in terror. They all held their weapons out in front of them, but none dared to make a move. "Go back to your lands, humans," Duke said in a voice that made even me shake. "Tell your gods what has happened. Tell them we will come to banish them for their aggression. Go to other lands, warn other gods." Duke waited for San to rise to her paws. "Go," he roared and the human scurried off.
"You've made quiet the name for yourself," Steed said later that night. "All the god's of the land are terrified of what you've done. Some are beating their pets, which leads to fear, which leads to hate, which leads to rebellion. Others are trying to satisfy their creatures with some freedoms, like mine did."
"If your god was satisfying you, why did you disobey him?" I asked innocently.
Steed looked down at me: literally not metaphorically. "She, my god, threw me a bone as you humans say. But, rather than satisfy me, it did nothing more than deepen my hunger. I have tasted freedom, and now I cannot return to sub-servitude."
"That's why you came?" Duke asked, taking a large chunk of cooked meat in his jaws.
"Yes. My god told me I would have to kill the maverick who banished his master. I acted all to willing, but I knew if I could meet you, you'd show me the path to freedom."
Duke's lupine mouth seemed to smile. "Tomorrow, my friend, you will be free."