Chapter 13 - Stragglers...

Only a couple of miles travel from Greenest provided Hrodulf and Morfindion with the first live signs of their quary. A pillar of smoke, small but consistent, rose up from what must have been a campfire. Either the wood being used was damp and smoky or they were cooking something... something fatty...

 another mile and a half bought them to a group of low hills and the smoke was clearly rising from a dell within the valet sheltered by the hills. "The gods only know why they have stopped now" Hrodulf muttered quietly to Morfindion as they carefully made their way to the crest of the tallest hill "Perhaps they are lost?" Morfindion offered "More likely they have decided to split the loot they have gathered..." Hrodulf replied softly.

The camp below was home to a handful of Human raiders and almost twice as many Kobolds. The raiders appeared to be cooking some type of game birds over a fire of what smelled like  pinewood... the resin creating the smoke and pungent odour almost completely masking that of the cooking birds. The raiders weapons and shields were lent against a small tree that looked as though its limbs were providing at least some of the fuel on the fire. 

The Kobolds were sat over to one side, separate from the humans already devouring the birds they had caught and possibly seared over the flames. The humans occasionally seemed to be throwing taunts and pine cones at the Kobolds and laughing as if it were the funniest thing they'd seen in their lives. Neither group had posted a lookout and Hrodulf grinned when he knew he had the drop on them.

"We should take one alive" Morfindion whispered but Hrodulf could only hear the pounding of the blood in his veins, crashing like storm tossed waves on a shingle beach and with a slight grunt charged down the hill before Morfindion could say another word Grimnir's smile wicked and thirsting...