Author's note: Last chapter of the past.
Past (part 3)
Blinky forgave him, though it wasn't the same after.
They were silent and non-moving for a little over thirty minutes. Finally, they chose to rest there, both now seated on the forest floor.
It did not matter how much time they wasted, as the trees would protect them during daylight hours.
When the scholar relaxed, he seemed to carry an aura guilt. Of what, the other didn't know.
Then he was further surprised by Blinky's final breaking of their silence.
"I should be the one to apologize... I cannot properly begin to understand the life of a soldier, as I am useless in a fight. Not everyone has to rely on an alternative means to confrontation such as I do." He admitted, "It is, simply put, not my place to question your actions."
The blue troll chanced a quick glance up in the other's direction.
"Yet you keep managing to fool me."
Arrrgh's eyes widened and his ears minutely perked.
"How?" He asked.
A small smile graced Blinky's lips.
"You don't strike me as a killer, at least not the type who would kill if he had a choice... but war tends to change that."
Those words struck deep within the general.
Upon his upbringing as a gum-gum, the elder trolls often fussed about his strangely peaceful nature. They tried a multitude of things to push him towards aggression.
Eventually he'd lost all patience for controlling his temper.
"Must fight." Arrrgh murmured.
For only the weak refused to fight, and the weak are expendable.
A once over of Blinky and he realized the small troll would fall under that scrutiny if he were a gum-gum.
"That, on the other hand, I cannot accept." the stout troll declared, "Everyone has a choice... That is what I find admirable about soldiers. To willingly fight to protect their beliefs... I can only wish to one day posses such courage, useless as I am."
"You're not useless." The larger troll found himself denying aloud, "You're smart."
Blinky tried to dismiss him with a wave, however, Arrrgh persisted.
"Blinky smart." He declared, "You showed me my name."
And far more he thought to himself...
Once again he recalled the few messengers and scribes and intellectuals scattered amongst the gum-gum army. Intellectuals are either placed as cannon fodder or kept close as tactitians and generals. Gunmar himself certainly is no fool, but his resentment for weakness is great. He exalted the wise only if they could hold their own in a fight. The rest were simply nuisances.
Arrrgh was beginning to suspect the gum-gums had wasted many irreplaceable trolls as such. The wise could have taught others and given their army the advantage of both strength of the mind to compliment their physical strength.
Thing is, Arrrgh could never be sure of his guess. He was no genius... but Blinky just well may be.
"Blinky smart." He said once more, and neither troll could refrain from smiling.
"If you insist." The blue troll chuckled.
He stood up and offered a pair of hands. Even though Arrrgh didn't need the help, he took them with one of his own larger hands and arose to his feet.
Now dusting off his shorts, the scholar let out a deep sigh and studied the few stray strands of light that had managed to break through the leaves.
It wouldn't be much longer until the dull beams would be replaced by bright rays of gold.
"By dawn, I really should be on my way." Blinky mumbled, "I've got some place to be, and the sun should at least point me in the general direction I was headed... until then... may I walk with you?"
The camp should still be a bit of a ways off. They should be fine for now.
And so together they continued on deeper and deeper into the forest.
The second time they were interrupted didn't happen to be a deer, or any forest dweller... and there was no warning.
A tall, lanky troll dropped down from a tree branch intercepting their path.
She was a deep green shade, dressed in black and wielded a single dagger. Her name was Mallina and she was a gum-gum scout.
"General Arrrgh."
She withdrew the blade and offered a bow to her superior before turning to face his companion.
"And Blinkous Galadrigal. Brother of the recently felled troll advisor, Dictatious Galadrigal."
Blinky flinched. Arrrgh realized his mistake.
'-Deya's grace-' the blue troll had used earlier during his rant. Deya was the leader of the trolls. Gum-gums never used that phrase... and then Blinky had been uneasy after saying he was a neutral.
Mallina stepped forward. Blinky tripped and fell flat on his back. Arrrgh remained still.
"No need to bring this one in for questioning, general. I hear that, unlike his brother, he's somewhat of an outcast among his own kind." She informed, moving even closer to the fallen troll, then faltered.
She took a moment to sniff the air.
"An incubator!" The lanky troll exclaimed, "Now I understand. Did you claim him?"
Arrrgh suddenly felt numb as he looked to Blinky. The scholar's eyes wide and irises narrowed to fine points, an expression of absolute terror.
Mallina was an excellent scout for many reasons. One being her keen sense of smell.
She had turned to Arrrgh, waiting for a reply.
In his shocked state he only managed a "No."
"Then allow me to take care of him." She purred, advancing towards the incubator as he struggled away with all four hands.
A surge of energy jolted through Arrrgh's body.
Something felt different as his eyes and tattoos began to glow. For the first time in a long time, it wasn't rage that powered his movements. There was no swelling fire within, but in it's place a tight, hollow coldness. A feeling far worse, though even more motivating.
As her head crumbled to stone in his hand he realized... it was fear.
His frantic eyes searched Blinky over for injury as he picked the shaking troll up from the ground.
Of all his life as a gum-gum, Blinky was by far the kindest troll he ever met.
He pulled the stout troll into a firm embrace, apologizing again and again until the shaking subsided completely.
AN: There is a 400 year time skip between this and the next chapter.