Nightclans by Gerard Bond Read Free Book Online

don’t hear anything but I keep getting a tiny whiff of something.” Wollfen nodded,
    “Lets mount up and be ready.”
    They got on their horses and slowly moved off scanning the surroundings, after a minute Raven whispered once more,
    “It's getting stronger, we are moving in the right direction, how many do you think there are?” Wollfen couldn’t say, they knew they were smelling orcs but how many? There was no sign of any yet. He leaned close to hear ear,
    “We should charge and run into them at the gallop, it will not give them time to react with any sort of reasonable defense.” Raven agreed and they geed their horses on.
    Galloping along it wasn’t long before they came across three orcs out in the open and with a shout the two of them fell upon the orcs, swords swinging. Raven swung low and wide as she passed one on her right flank, it screamed as it was cut down trying to raise its crossbow but to no avail. Wollfen was swinging and parrying with another orc which had its sword raised but he was faster and managed to smack away the orc's driving sword before plunging his own into its chest. The third orc seeing the demise of his two companions took off and Raven gave pursuit, Wollfen chose to follow but just then another four orcs broke from the underbrush and charged him. He tried to gee the horse to escape but it didn’t respond at all to his commands, it turned and faced the orcs.
    “Dammit!”
    Wollfen thought the horse had froze as he pulled on the reins trying to turn her around to no effect. Then all of a sudden without encouragement the horse charged the orcs as they approached and he could do no more than accept the situation swinging his sword. As soon as they came together the horse stopped and turned, the two outer orcs moving around the front and back. Wollfen was swinging and clashing with the two middle orcs by his side.
    All of a sudden the horse kicked out to the rear and the orc behind flew through the air, its head dashed against a tree the creature falling limp to the ground. Now the mare reared on its hind legs and was biting at the orc in front, the second orc didn’t stand a chance as the horse stomped it into the ground all the while snorting and neighing. Wollfen for his part had cut into the arm of one of the orcs beside him which backed off and he managed to finish by running the last orc through. Then the mare turned to the wounded orc that was trying to flee and she stomped this one into the ground from behind. It place went silent again, the mare giving a final snort and shake of her head. He turned the horse around to look for Raven and saw her approach.
    Raven surveyed the immediate area looking at the handiwork and couldn’t help but comment,
    “So did you enjoy the ride?” She winked with a knowing smile.
    He looked at her realizing she knew how the mare would react,
    “You knew and didn’t say anything?” Raven laughed.
    “Oh Wolfy, where's the fun in life if you always know what's coming?” Right at that moment the mare chose to raise her head and let out a loud neigh as she bared her teeth. Wollfen patted her neck in appreciation and chuckled.
    “It's never going to be dull being with you is it?” Raven shook her head,
    “We need to get back to the encampment and pick up some people to return here, we have to collect Bradan's body and stuff.”  He nodded in agreement and they both moved off.
    Back at the encampment they made their report to Ironside and he sent out a recovery party, he turned back to the two of them,
    “It saddens me to hear that another of our proud boys has fallen, he will be given a proper send off tonight at a ceremony.” He paused and looked to Wollfen, “ This is something that outsiders are normally barred from seeing but I would like to have you there my friend, I consider you family.”
    Wollfen felt very touched by the invitation, no outsiders were ever allowed to see any of the funeral or religious ceremonies of the