Disclaimer: Since this takes place in the Bone universe, it is far from mine. Bone and all of its wonderful characters belong to Jeff Smith. I deserve to be shot dead if I claimed his comic as my own. Enjoy.
--Our armies have gathered strong. By thwarting the prophecy to come, we will have what belongs to us. But in spite of our confidence, I am beginning to doubt our master's brazen tactics. His approach to the problem of the Bone Ones remains questionable. Even with our vast armies, he hesitates still in bringing us the one bearing the star. If not for the orders I had already been given, I would not have regarded a moment's thought. I would do anything in my power to overcome our enemies and defeat the Red Dragon. The Star Bearer of the Prophecy would be ours.--
Kingdok is not sure if he will live. Would others commemorate his dedication to the tribe? Had he not served his master dutifully all these long years? Questioning himself makes his thoughts ache. He lies there, biding his pain as the numbing sensation fills his body where his left arm once was. The terrible steel of an Athian blade severed it away. Kingdok always loathed that old woman, and now her bitter treatment has only fed his anger. Somewhere deep down, there is an inner fire burning with hatred. A growl builds deep in his chest.
He flinched. Something moves in the very distant reaches of his hard eyes, and he snarls out a dull warning. His body aches, and he doesn't care about it. It comes near. He folds his ears to listen. It brushes up against him and he cringes, his vigilance causing him to draw back suddenly. It was a child, of their kind.
"You shouldn't be here, little one." He warned. The cub wagged its stub of a tail and sank to its belly.
"Don't come any closer," He growled again. The child seemed to know no fear, Kingdok thought. Before he could utter a word from his massive jaws, the tiny thing crept forward and snuggled faithfully to his side. Kingdok's voice broke. He searched down deep for the instinct to growl, but the feeling never came. He didn't feel the urge to reprimand the child, nor did he have the strength to.
"You're a defiant little one. You should have left me here to bleed and moved on." Kingdok said, his eyes shifting from the infant over his shoulder to the forest floor. The night was blackening, and there was no sign of the others. Was the child lost? Kingdok felt the ground, reaching for his club. It wasn't here. In a troubled daze, he shook his head. As the panic swelled in him, he began to find the strength to stand. Leaning on his good arm, he turned back in the other direction. The child was staring at him intently.
"Don't look at me that way!" Kingdok growled. If no parents would come, then it was certain that every Rat Creature had already fled the valley. If the child was lost, it was no doubt as alone as he was. His eyes softened. "I'm not hurt."
The child stood up, continuing to search Kingdok's eyes for answers. Baffled and stricken with recurring pain, Kingdok faltered and looked towards the village of Barrelhaven.
"Go. I can't take care of you."
The child remained. Kingdok then attempted to prompt him by snapping his jaws and issuing a loud roar in warning. It quickly sidestepped away, turning to face Kingdok from a near distance before he tromped away, towards Barrelhaven.
Kingdok released a ragged sigh and rose, his face pointing towards the mountains. He lumbered into the dark, favoring his wound. For a moment he considered greatly if the child would be safe in the village, before the thoughts of revenge returned to plague him again.