Chapter 8: Ambush（2）

"The Riverpaw tribe doesn't have a leader?"

 Jess nodded his head, returning slowly to his spot, looking at the darkening shades of the trees, feeling something wasn't quite right.

If the Riverpaw tribe lacked a chieftain, then when did Hogger appear?

This gnoll chieftain in the World of Warcraft, who has sent countless Alliance novices running in fear, repeatedly repelled the manhunts from Stormwind.

Is he born now, and if so, how old is he, is he full-grown?

A cool breeze swept by, a rare chill in the heat of summer, and Grit comfortably hissed, scratching his neck.

The wind carried away, rustling through the forest, leaving the air somewhat damp.

 Jess felt like he could hear the sound of metal friction, could it be the gnolls?

Unlike the rhythmical footsteps of the armored soldiers, these noises were chaotic and hasty, as if in pursuit of something, but when the wind passed, all became quiet again.

The aftereffects of a painful curse remained, including ringing ears and a nauseous feeling, even after a night still lingering, Jess didn't dare to conclude there were enemies nearby.

Moreover, the gnolls hadn't really attacked humans since the war passed; it wouldn't be just when he got involved in action that trouble would come, could it be that coincidental?

As he took a deep breath, trying to suppress the urge to vomit, suddenly from the other side of the caravan came a "thump!"

Something had knocked against the wagon.

"What's the matter?" The quartermaster in front turned his head.

Whoosh...

Thump!

Whoosh...spitsh!

"Ah!"

Whoosh...

"By the Light... it's orcish crossbow bolts! Orc attack!" Shouts erupted from all directions, from front to back.

"Orcs?!" Grit clutched his lumberjack's axe, looking around, asking, "Where are the orcs? Didn't they say there were no orcs here?"

"Ha! Lalalalala!"

"Ah Lalalalala!"

"Wadadadada!"

Strange howling came erupting from the pitch-black jungle, twisted shadows rolled out from behind trees, bushes, boulders, and rails.

A militia man, clutching his crossbow bolt wounded neck, fled, only to have his head cleaved off by a shadow, his body still running a few steps before collapsing.

"The filthy beast, it's not an orc, it's a gnoll!" Grit muttered in Dwarvish, clambering up and standing on top of the grain sacks, axe in hand, bellowing, "Come at me, you half-brained mutts!"

The gnolls seemed to understand Common. Hearing the Dwarf's curses, three or four of them howled back, converging towards him.

Wearing shoddy armor of unknown make and wielding various weapons snatched from orcs and humans, their combat was disorganized but definitely fierce, without any reservations. Aside from a few Stormwind guards who were supporting each other in pairs, most of the militia were quickly scattered.

A gnoll climbed atop the supply carriage, only to have its skull split by Grit's axe, shaking violently as it slid down from the vehicle. However, the Dwarf couldn't hold onto his axe, which lodged in the gnoll's skull before falling off.

At the same time, another gnoll climbed up wielding a small hammer, viciously aiming to strike, only to be caught by the brute strength of Grit.

The ferocious gnoll grappled with the slightly shorter Dwarf, even holding its ground, Grit yelled in chaos, unaware that a smaller gnoll, armed with a cleaver, had climbed onto the wagon behind him.

"Behind you, Grit!" Jess circled around and stabbed the small gnoll in the waist, who howled in pain but still scrambled to climb, evading Jess's attack, the blow seemingly not slowing it down much.

 Jess swung again, only hitting the little gnoll's leg claw. Knocked off balance, the creature was then booted off the cart by the Dwarf, crashing into the mud.

By then the rain was pouring down hard, Jess wiped his hair sticking to his forehead and eyes with his arm, walking over to aim his sword at the gnoll's chest.

"I won't kill you but you'll kill me..." he whispered to himself before plunging the sword in.

The gnoll, stabbed in the chest, sprung up like a mad dog, coughing violently as it ran towards the riverbank, startling Jess - he had not anticipated such ferocity even with a sword in its chest.

" Jess, quickly, get my axe back, I can't hold him off much longer!"

Watching Grit wrestling on the wagon with the taller gnoll, Jess no longer heeded others, rushing to the fallen gnoll with its head cleft, stamped on its neck and with all his might yanked out the axe, the "crack" snapping the gnoll's head off.

"Here you go!"

 Jess tossed the axe onto the wagon, Grit caught it without looking, smashing the handle into the gnoll's eye socket.

The gnoll wailed, staggering two steps back before tumbling off the wagon. With a roar, Grit jumped down after him, followed by a din of flesh and metal - the area went silent.

 Jess grasped his sword, looking to see if anyone else needed help, before seeing a Stormwind nasal helmet, blood-splattered, fly towards him landing on the wheel before him.

What was happening?

Looking in the direction from whence the helmet flew, through the curtains of rain, a massive shadow stood atop a headless corpse, brandishing a massive axe repeatedly smiting a Stormwind guard, whose helmet was already filled with blood, likely unable to hold on much longer.

Without a second thought, Jess hurled his sword, the slightly curved blade flying in an arc, striking the grotesque shoulder armor of the orcish figure and bouncing off into the ground.

The giant gnoll turned its head, its appearance growing clearer.

Its expression wasn't so much fierce as it was vacuous, but the intimidation of its massive form couldn't be negated by a simple-minded gaze.

 Jess felt his heart thumping wildly, almost bursting out of his chest, the discomfort from the earlier painful curse swept away.

It was then that the gnoll sneered and muttered the name "Hogger."