On the Move
Circus Spectaculum 8
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Dale and Moz discussed their plans over the evening meal. They had not eaten the entire day due to the stench of rotted flesh infused into their skin from handling the creatures and their gear. They washed with sandy mud and aromatic leaves to rid themselves of the smell.
“All we have to do is find that shaman and our rite is fulfilled,” said Dale wistfully.
“You don’t want to explore the castle before every adventurer at the outpost is lining up to stake a claim?” asked Moz.
“Sure, as long as you carry the battleaxe,” teased Dale.
The battleaxe had turned out to be very old, very big and very heavy. It was not something an average person could wield. They had decided it was a good gift for the chieftain, as a symbol if not a weapon. They didn’t want to hide it by burying it.
“So, no late night hunting tonight?” Moz asked, reflexively touching the new bow they had traded for.
“Let’s start on the castle side of the woods tomorrow morning. Then we can search for signs of the shaman while keeping an eye on the castle,” suggested Dale.
Moz considered the idea for a moment, “All right, that sounds like a good plan.”
The two slept soundly, tired from their long, strenuous day, and rose with the dawn the next morning. After gearing up they walked to the spot where they buried the creatures and looked at the castle in the early light. It was quiet as ever.
Keeping the castle as a reference bearing, they headed northward, looking for signs that might lead them to the rumored shaman. They encountered many animal tracks and trails up to mid-day, while the view of the castle changed little.
By evening they were looking at the entry way to the castle, parts of the old main road were overgrown, some parts were still visible. Moz wanted to camp nearby but there was little cover. They would be exposed to anything or anyone passing by..
Moz’s attention was fixed on the castle front, looking for movement of any kind. He was rewarded around midnight when guards appeared and started to patrol the grounds. The moonlight was poor but enough to see the silhouettes of the guards with the lurching walk. Four emerged, each patrolling a side of the castle. One headed down the main road straight toward their camp.
Before Dale asked about what Moz planned to do about the guard headed straight for them, Moz readied his bow. Dale could barely make out the guard but Moz was unwavering. He notched an arrow and took a long shot at what Dale considered the outer range for the bow under good conditions.
The guard jerked and stumbled. It was a hit. Moz notched another bow and took the next shot just before the guard started running toward them. It appeared to hit but with less effect. The guard was fully charging now. As it closed Dale joined in, landing shots.
Together they fired their full complement off arrows, narrowing in on headshots and dropped the guard just shy of their camp. Moz picked up the battle axe and removed the creature’s head at the neck.
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