It took about an hour for Gunmar's horde to be sure they had lost their pursuers. Though they had defeated several of their foes, the battle belonged to Deya and her warriors; they had suffered far less losses than those under Bular's command.

And that made Bular very, very unhappy.

The warrior was rampaging around the cavern, shouting at and even physically attacking anyone who had the unfortunate luck to catch his eye. The warriors simply cowered, not meeting his gaze and trying to remain inconspicuous, for what good that did.

The general much to his relief was seemingly safe from Bular's wrath, watching the furious reprimanding from a stone perch. No one of any significant rank came under Bular's attention, he noted of the other captains and another general also nearby. Other than be instructed to stay in this particular area of the cavern they had been left alone.

Finally Bular had vented his wrath and strode his way towards his commanders, kicking one warrior who failed to get clear of him quickly enough en route, and gestured them to follow him.

"My father will be arriving first thing tomorrow night," he said when they were gathered in a secluded spot. "Pay attention! These are the plans for what will be the final attack; it will take place the night after his arrival." For the next half an hour Bular went over the planned strategy, indicating where each commander was to strike from and what their role was, even drawing a map in the dirt using information he said was provided by a spy who'd been watching the enemy camp. The general paid due attention, but the bulk of his mind was elsewhere. This was taking time he didn't want to waste.

Finally, Bular asked once more if they understood, then released them to their own pursuits. The general had a quick meal, watching as some of those members who weren't too injured vented their own anger by 'sparring' - or rather beating up on each other - then headed towards the entrance.

"And where are you going?" Bular's voice was as sweet as he could make it, both bringing the general up short and telling him that Bular was still seething, thus his answer very well could mean the difference between life and death.

"Patrol," he rumbled. Bular looked at him hard for a moment that felt like an eternity, then nodded.

"With my father's arrival, it wouldn't do for any of Deya's weaklings to interfere. Take two of your warriors with you. Be back by an hour before sunrise." The general nodded and moved to those warriors under him, picking two and motioning them to arm themselves and follow. While this was a bump in his own plans, it was only a minor one. While the pair were solid warriors and skilled, there was another reason why he'd choosen them.

He knew he was stronger.

Less then an hour later, a lone Gumm-Gumm made his way through the woods back towards the wreaked human city, blood on his hands wiping away on the ground cover as his knuckles pressed into it. He would be back there within two hours to finish what he'd started. He just hoped nothing had gone wrong, and that he could find the place again through phantom memories and spectral, deafening sounds of combat.

oooooooooo

Panting from his hike, Blinkous finally returned to the human city. Seeing it this time from a more up close and personal vantage point, the Troll couldn't help but pause in both sadness and respect for the lives lost, Troll and human alike. He passed through what was once the city's wooden walls and moved carefully through the ruined streets.

"This may prove to be quite difficult," he murmured to himself, looking around in dismay. "Nothing looks like it did from the ledge. How can I possibly find where he was?" As if in answer, Blinkous heard a sudden shifting of debris that sounded far to deliberate to be simple collapse. Carefully climbing up a half-fallen beam, he peered over to see of all things the general himself, moving through the debris, seemingly having entered from another place! The Gumm-Gumm wasn't hesitating as he was before. This time he moved with clear purpose to his steps, no hesitation or fretful looking around; perhaps even in haste as if time was against him.

This was perfect! Blinkous edged his way back to street level and as before started to follow the general from a careful distance. Thankfully the debris crunched loudly enough under the general's feet and the fists he pressed to the ground as he moved that it covered any unintentional noise Blinkous made. In this manner it was easy to return to the place where the general had made his odd stand, and with a quiet maneuvering Blinkous came to a vantage point where he could see clearly. This had once been the site of several homes, now little more than piles of wood and thatch. The general was focused in particular on one pile of debris, crouched close to it and tipping his head to one side...listening? Then the general grasped the pile of debris in both arms and lifted them, throwing them aside. He did this again, then a third time and Blinkous heard something he never thought he would've heard: a human female's cry!

"What did he do, somehow save them for later?" Blinkous was both baffled and determined that if the general did intend the humans harm - as he saw both the male and female human, clutching to each other, emerge - well, he would fight on their behalf, somehow.

The two humans shook and cowered as the general loomed over them. Then the general rumbled, rising up to his full height.

"Go!" he shouted at them in Troll. "Run!" They hesitated, not understanding the Troll language, and at that the general simply roared at them. With screams of terror they turned away, fleeing as fast as they could. And instead of taking up chase, making a sport of it, the Gumm-Gumm lowered himself back to what seemed to be a customary posture and watched them go, then turned away.

He...he let them go! Blinkous realized with a start! No, more than that - he knew where they were! He hid them, intentionally! The implications were mind-boggling. It meant, above all else, that what Blinkous had seen before, the conclusions he'd drawn, were accurate.

Within this Gumm-Gumm general lay an ember of good!

Blinkous was brought back to the present as he heard the general take a couple steps, then pause. Whereas before he'd made his way through the streets with ease, now he looked...at a loss. As if his planning hadn't quite gotten this far, and now didn't know what to do. This was an opportunity, Blinkous decided impulsively, that he wasn't about to let go to waste. And his choice would either leave him a pile of stone rubble, or give the Daylight army a massive boon.

He stepped out from hiding.

Hearing the approach, the general spun around at once, teeth bared in a snarl and entire body tensed for action. He growled deeply in his chest, an intimidating action that brought Blinkous up short, but he did note the general seemed poised to flee rather than fight; when he'd turned he'd edged back a step.

"I mean you no harm," the scholar quickly said, all four hands up to show he had no weapons nor was about to pull some kind of trick. "I only wanted to talk with you, if I may." The general rumbled, eyes narrowed in scrutiny of Blinkous and his words, but he eventually relaxed his expression and stopped snarling, settling back and giving a quick nod. "Ah, good. You - You recognize me, don't you? From the human village." A pause, then another nod, pointing first at Blinkous, them back at himself as he replied.

"Saw me."

Well, at least we can communicate, though it seems his language skills are less than I would've estimated. Then again, Gunmar likely cares little for how eloquently his commanders speak. Looking the general over as he formed his next question, Blinkous was struck by his overall appearance, so unlike those who formed the bulk of the Gumm-Gumm horde. Was he even one of their tribe? Between his build and the features of his face... Could he be a Krubera?

"Yes, I saw you there as well. I - I wish to ask you about then, and now." Deciding to just get right to business, Blinkous pointed in the direction the humans had run with an upper arm. "You let them go, just as you let me go in the village. Why?" The general rumbled again - Blinkous was beginning to reason it was a general sound for him, much as Blinkous himself would hum when thinking or choosing his words carefully, rather than a threat - then sighed deeply.

"Tired of battle. Done. No more fight. Want end." Blinkous could've been knocked over by a feather at this point.

"If I understand you correctly, you are tired of participating in Gunmar's war for the surface? Do you wish to leave his army?" A hesitant pause, then a nod.

"Decided no more. Left. Let fleshbags out." Blinkous nodded his understanding, daringly approaching closer and glancing at the ruin of building the general was next to. He saw a hole with steps leading into the ground, and his mind flashed back to the battle and the moment he'd seen the general raise his arm.

"You knocked them into the cellar, then buried it under rubble so no one else would find them, and stayed over them to make sure."

"Cel-lar?" was the slow echo of an unfamiliar word.

"A place underground where humans store food and other things. That hole there." The general looked at the opening, then nodded.

"Yes. Knew safer than run."

"You're quite likely very right." Blinkous mind was racing. This was incredible!

The general shifted and half rose, as if about to leave.

"Are you leaving?"

"Not safe here."

"Where will you go? Back to Gunmar?" The general shook his head, an angry light flaring in his eyes.

"Never back to Gunmar. Not sure where go. Gunmar kill deserter, traitor. Deya kill enemy." His shoulders slumped suddenly, making Blinkous actually step forward in concern that the general was injured. But he just seemed to be giving in to his hopeless situation. "Maybe wait for sunrise."

"While I can't deny the dire straits of your current position," Blinkous replied, "waiting for the sun to come along and kill you does not seem a very noble way to perish."

"No place to go. Alone."

It's a small chance, but I have to take it!

"What if I told you there might be a way for you to not have to die." The rumble he got in response sounded encouraging. Yes, he hadn't thought that to surrender was in this general's mindset. "If you were willing to help Deya in certain she would be willing to spare your life."

"Help Deya?"

"Yes! With information: where Gunmar is, plans they're forming, where they're hiding or might be going. Things like that." The general rumbled.

"Know plans. Attack night after night. Ambush Deya." Blinkous' head popped up in shock.

"Bular is planning an ambush against the Trollhunter?" The general shook his head, correcting,

"Gunmar plan." Blinkous closed all six eyes for a moment, rattled, then opened them to gesture the general to follow.

"Yes, you should speak with Deya. I promise, I won't let you be killed. Will you come with me?" There was a tense pause, during which the general's gaze never left Blinkous' and then he nodded. Blinkous nodded in return and turned to lead the way back, saying as he did so, "Follow me." He started walking, showing quite a bit of trust in the Gumm-Gumm by turning his back first. He took two paces, hearing nothing behind him, then came the sound of debris crunching as the general began trailing after. In this manner they left the city behind to its ghosts and silent, yet deafening, sounds of battle.

((Just a note: I know that Aaarrrggghh can speak better than this in the show, though still not up to how other Krubera can speak. I will explain this transition later on; also I recall it being said that being taken at such a young age had adverse affects on his ability to communicate, though in no means am I meaning that he can't reason or is less intelligent, so please don't get me wrong on that. I fully believe he can think, fell, and reason just as easily as Blinky can, just doesn't always have the words to say what he wants to, or the best syntax. Also, I believe - though I might be wrong - that between Season 1 and Season 2 Aaarrrggghh's speech improved. This could be just that his character was given more lines, or that being around Jim, Claire, and especially Toby also had a positive effect on his vocabulary. Just wanted to put that out there.))