Chapter 33

After a few days march east of the original location of the Galuk tribe, towering trees greeted the marching formation of the Yohan First Battalion. The trees hindered their ability to march in a straight line.

"Ready...Steady...Halt!"

Sakh'arran halted the march as he wasn't sure on how to proceed forward through the towering trees. One by one the succeeding platoons were halted by their commanders after noticing the platoon infront of them standing in place.

"Blackwind!"

Sakh'arran called for his trusty partner, a few moments later a huge wolf appeared from within the forest. Standing majestically with its black fur that shone with the help of the bright rays of the sun. Some spots of her fur were filled with leaves and grasses, her paws covered with mud.

Mounting on his warg, Sakh'arran urged her towards where the chieftain was. Snarling at Sakh'arran a bit because she felt abandoned this past few days, her partner hadn't ridden her and ignored her and favored walking on his own legs among his troops.

"Don't be like that...you will always be my only mount...you will always be my trusted partner"

Sakh'arran leaned forward towards Blackwind's furry ears and whispered while caressing her soft black fur. He somewhat succeeded in pacifying partner, holding tightly on her thick black fur, Blackwind sprinted forward towards where the chief was at.

Upon noticing Sakh'arran who is now mounted on Blackwind, Xiao Chen got himself down from the wagon.

"Why did we stop?"

Xiao Chen asked, with his hands getting close to Blackwind's snout and softly petted her nose. The warg enjoyed the chief's petting and even rub her snout on the chieftain's hands.

"A forest is up ahead, my chief. The warriors won't be able to march on a straight line and normal formation through the dense trees

and I need your decision on how do we proceed?"

Sakh'arran answered then felt puzzled at Blackwind's actions. It was a common knowledge among the orcs that no one can touch another orc's warg except for the one or accepted to ride her or him and still kept their hands attach to their bodies.

The chieftain's feat of successfully petting Blackwind despite being his mount was the first time that Sakh'arran witnessed such a thing, since even his father's warg never allowed him to touch him after the many years that it was around him.

His father's warg would always snarl at him angrily, displaying its sharp fangs at him everytime that he attempted to touch it. There was even a time when his father's warg swept at him with its sharp claws and giving him deep wounds on his back.

"Reform into a columns and proceed forward with caution, enemies might be lurking just behind the trees"

Xiao Chen spoke after thinking for a few minutes and enjoying Blackwind's soft fur on his hands. Sakh'arran just stared at his chieftain's hand and on his warg, he was preparing himself to stop Blackwind if she suddenly tries to attack the chief but contrary to what he was cautioning against, Blackwind even moved towards the chief and rubbed her body on the chieftain and licked his hands like she does with him on some occasions.

Okay...okay... that's enough for now"

Xiao Chen chuckled as Blackwind's tounge tickled his hands. Signalling for the battle band to relay the command, blasts from the battle horns and sounds of beating war drums gave the command.

Shifting their formation quickly, orc warriors formed an eight man frontage and stretched longer than before.

"Remember! Keep your guards up, we never know what's hiding behind the tree lines"

Xiao Chen reminded Sakh'arran as he boarded back on the wagon and continue on his seep thoughts while staring at the pinned map.

Grogus glanced left and right, trying to get a general idea of where they are. The towering trees soon came into his view, thick trunks which had roughly about four times the thickness of Galum'nor's thighs, messy branches that embraced the thick trunks which seemed to be reluctant to be distanced away from the trunk.

Like a lover to his beloved who was reluctant to let go from their embrace, fully enjoying the warmth and feel of each other. While Grogus was observing the surrounding terrain, he soon caught sight of death's cold eyes.

Aro'shanna was staring at him with wicked and cold eyes and on her lips was a provoking smile, her battle axe now rests on her lap whose edges gleamed with sharpness now and then. Grogus' thoughts of making a run for it quickly diminished as he was reminded of the still unhappy female orc that was keeping a close eye on him.

Curling himself into a ball by hugging his knees and keeping his head lowered, Grogus' went back to keeping himself busy thinking about food recipes. Aro'shanna snorted at him and felt dejected that the little goblin didn't do what she expected.

The Yohan First Battalion resumed their march, venturing into the forest. Their guards up and ready for any danger that might befall on them.

Orcs from other tribes was the least of their concern since ambushes were considered to be an act of cowardice among them. What they were expecting to suddenly attack them would be the strong and resilient ogres, the pesky little creatures like the one that cooks the chieftain's meals or the other predatory creatures who made the forest their home like the Dargans, Balfurs and the other wild beasts native to this place.

*****

When the Yohan First Battalion was deep in the forest, Sakh'arran spotted a silhouette of a small creature up ahead. Straining his eyes to identify the creature, he soon caught sight of its physical features.

Short stature barely five feet tall, greyish colored skin, slanted eyes like a snake, short hands that ended with claws, hooked nose which had a little golden hoop dangling on it, a bat like ears which had golden earrings attach on it and a much bulkier build than Grogus.

"A hobgoblin..."

Sakh'arran softly muttered and gave command to halt the march. Urging Blackwind forward who snarled at him angrily when he dismounted off of her. He wants to try communicating with the hobgoblin standing in their path.

"Kiek... orc warrior...halt!!! That's the closest you could get...or my blade shall not show mercy..."

The hobgoblin threatened in orcish tongue as he brought forward his ancient looking sword, it was a two handed sword that had some chips on its edges but still can deal fatal wounds. Sakh'arran tightened his legs on Blackwind's sides and patted her on her back to command her to stop.

Staring at the hobgoblin proudly standing their with his blade on its shoulder, Sakh'arran waited and just observed the surroundings up ahead. He caught glimpse of the silhouettes of the pesky little creatures behind the tree lines, armed with primitive weapons like wooden clubs and rocks but there were also those among them that were armed with iron weapons and small bucklers.

"You must pay a fine...Kiek....to pass King Jaadul's road...Kiek...the Goblin King of this forest"

The hobgoblin shouted towards Sakh'arran and stomped its right foot on the ground three times before yelling

"Ja-adul!!!Ja-adul!!! Ja-adul!!!"

The goblins hiding behind the tree lines soon made their presence known, chanting their goblin king's name and waving their weapons in the air, some even banging their bucklers with their weapons.

Taking in as much of the details as he could get, of those blocking their path who were dumb enough to let their presence be known, Sakh'arran estimated that their were thousands of them, probably around three thousand or maybe more since he suspected that there might be more hiding themselves up ahead.

Urging Blackwind to go back to the Yohan First Battalion and report to the chief what he had seen, Sakh'arran glanced behind him and caught sight of the jeering smile of the hobgoblin who was still fearlessly standing in their path.

Xiao Chen moved to the forefront after the march stopped for a long time and caught sight of Sakh'arran and Blackwind coming back.

"What's up ahead?"

Xiao Chen questioned as he could hear some almost inaudible sounds from up ahead.

"Goblins, chief. Thousands of them, hiding behind the tree lines. A hobgoblin is asking us to pay a fine to get pass by. They are under the command of a Goblin King who they call Jaadul... What are your orders, chief?"

Sakh'arran reported and waited for the chieftain's decision on how should they deal with the goblins, the orc warrior's nearby also heard the mention of goblins up ahead and there are thousands of them. They were excited and looking forward to engaging with the goblins to make use of what they have learned in training.

They were anticipating a great battle to ensue and can't wait to finally have a taste of real combat with what they have learned, specially the Galuks who were eager to prove their worth to the chieftain.