Chapter Seven:
Camp Fire.
Darkness began to cover the group as they made their way through the thinned woods. Large burn marks from the hulking flame abomination led them deeper inside. All around them was silent and felt out of place.
Menlorr stopped them as the glow of the encampment began to show. He pulled Ruthear close in front of him.
"Recon and return. I need numbers, entries and exits. If you can get eyes on the shaman I want his location.
Ruthear nodded. He started jogging in the direction of the light. He barely made a sound as he snuck away into the darkness.
"Let's hug this rock wall and wait for his return. In the mean time make sure you got everything at the ready. Depending on Ruthear's finding, we will rush in or slowly make our way through with stealth."
The group all hid themselves in the shadows of the rocky wall. Each one looking over their gear and weapons making sure everything was in place. This was not their first time fighting. The experience of fighting on the northern wall helped prepare for such a fight. This would be different though, they wouldn't be fighting ghosts that would come back after a few hours. They would be fighting Charr, and they would not reappear after being killed.
After sometime Ruthear returned with a quiet bird call to signal his approach. Everyone faced him as he walked up.
"Well? What are we up against?" The Iron Legionnaire asked excitedly.
Ruthear looked at him then looked at Menlorr and started moving his hands and fingers.
The Iron Legionnaires face turned to confusion as he tried to understand what the Charr was doing. He looked over to the others and saw that they were watching intently and nodding their heads.
"Anyone want to clue me in? What's he doing?"
"Oh right. His ability to talk was taken from him. So he grew up learning hand signals and when he got with us we learned it as well." Tylaa said as she kept her eyes on Ruthears hands. "He's saying that they have at least fifteen flame soldiers in groups of three patrolling. And two standing guard at the entrance and as far as he saw, the Shaman is in a hut with two more soldiers guarding it. One way in and one way out."
"Oh. Well not to bad then. We can take them." The Legionarie said approvingly.
"Yes. But we need to do it smartly. If we rush in then we will be over run. So what we'll do is take them out without alerting the rest of the soldiers." Menlorr stated.
With years of patrolling the walls and clearing out ghosts, he learned that doing quick work of small groups is better than being quickly overwhelmed. He wanted to get rid of the shaman as much as the others, but he wanted everyone to return safely. As the leader of the Warband it is his duty to protect his own even if that means a tactical retreat.
"Tylaa and I will take point on the guards. The rest of you will move forward after they are taken care of. We move as one, don't be a hero." Menlorr said as he looked everyone in eyes including the Iron Legionnaire, who nodded back in understanding.
Everyone agreed to the statement as they have many times before. As any Warband everyone has a place and everyone works together to get the goal accomplished. Listening to the leader is the first thing they are taught from an early age back in the fahrar. Carve Warband is not the traditional Warband as it's members did not grow up together, Carve was slowly made out of outcasts and last surviving members of past Warbands.
"Let's move up closer for a visual. Once we can see them and get a lay of the area I can make a plan to move in." He said as he started walking closer to the camp lights.
The group moved quietly through the moon lit woods. Long shadows were casted from the tall thin bushy trees. Shadows would normally work in their favor, but all Charr have great night vision. Staying close to the rocky walls was their only real chance of not being noticed.
Now that the Warband and its additional Legionnaire were within a few dozen feet they could smell burning wood and meat being cooked. The trees now were covered in ash and scorch marks. The ground was blackened and wilted rather than the lush greenery that normally covered the forest floor.
"Krulla and Ruther stand ready to move up after me and Kylaa dispatch the guards." Menlorr whispered. He gave a look to Kylaa, they both moved closer to the guards. They could hear them having a conversation and not paying any attention to around them.
Menlorr moved his hands in silent code for her to make her way to the other side for a quick kill.
she nodded her head and moved silently from tree to tree til she disappeared. She reappeared on the other side of the camp entrance a short time later. The guards were too into their conversation to even realize they were being stalked.
Tylaa drew her axe from her side and gave Menlorr a look, signaling she was ready. Menlorr gave a look around before pulling out his sword. He looked back at her and nodded his head. With a quick motion, like that of a trap being set off, both guarding Charr were silenced. One with an axe embedded in the side of his neck down to his throat and the other with a sword jammed through his throat and out the back of his neck. Menlorr and Tylaa grabbed their victims as they began to fall and leaned them out the way. Krulla lead the way as he and Ruthear jogged through the puddle of blood that was now pooling in the middle of the camp entrance.
Beyond the entrance was a naturally carved opening that was twice their height with jagged rock on either side that lead into the encampment. They made their way to the end of the path and scanned for the patrols. The inside of the camp was wide and filled with jagged molten pillars. The ground was all black with cracks of flowing lava underneath. The heat that emanated from inside was intense, making the air harder to breath.
Krulla signaled to Menlorr with a wave of his empty paw as his other hand clutched his war hammer. Menlorr moved in front of the two to peak inside. He surveyed the area and the patrols. It wasn't going to be easy to take out the patrols as everything was open. Getting the first group into the narrow pathway would be the best option, as long as no other group noticed.
The first group seemed to be walking the parameter of the camp and slowly making there way to them. Other Charr patrols were further away walking the other side of the stoney hideout. Here and there were groups of Charr sitting around camp fires or resting on the ground.
Menlorr signaled to everyone to back up and be ready as the first group was walking their way.
"Ruthear get on that ledge and stay hidden until you get my signal." Menlorr pointed to a vantage point that faced the shamans hut. "I need you incase things take a bad turn." He ordered.
Ruthear nodded his understanding and made his way back outside with his rifle in hand.
Everyone let him through with a nod and a pat on the back. Ruthear was always hidden but never far from them. They always gave him silent thanks as he went off by himself.
