TLoS: Warlord Takeo Ch. 12

"I need to leave.  Hunter and Zaroth are no doubt waiting for me." Takeo told Ignitus as he was closing the bag he brought with him.  

"Very well.  What should I tell the others?"  Ignitus looked over to the other dragons.  They were all at the table, eating meat, cheese and talking to each other about different things, like their childhoods or things they would like to do when the crisis is resolved.

"Tell them I left to explore the lands.  It's not the full truth, but does include some of it."  Takeo looked at the others as well, then back to Ignitus. "It'll do. I don't want them wanting to follow me around."

"Very well.  Be safe Takeo." Ignitus said.  Takeo nodded and went out the main doors of the Temple.

"Hey, where's he going?" Kiah asked as she watched him leave.

"Out.  He's never really gotten a chance to explore the lands since he first got here and he wants to do so."  Ignitus lied, hoping it would work.  

"In our current predicament? Of all times he wants to explore, he chooses now?"  Kiah asked, finding that hard to believe.

"He can handle himself.  He is trained in combat and his weapons are not like anything we've seen before.  Have faith, young dragon."  Ignitus saw that Kiah did not believe him one bit.  Aven, Relic and Polner expressed doubts as well.

"Maybe we should go with him, see if he-" Polner began.

"No.  Leave him be." Ignitus snapped.  The four dragons looked at Ignitus with shock.  They didn't expect him to snap.  

"Just leave him..." Ignitus said, more gently this time.

--

*Outside of Warfang*

"How long do you think that bastard will be?" Zaroth growled.  He grew tired of waiting and was bored.  

"I don't know." Hunter replied, exasperated.  "You've already asked me ten times, the next time will be the same. He will come when he comes."  Zaroth growled again.  

"Damn..."  Zaroth looked at the city,  They were waiting at the edge of a forest, well outside the view of any sentinels that patrolled by the gates of the city.

"Miss me?" came a voice from the forest.  The ape and the cheetah reached for the weapons and turned to the source, only to see that it was Takeo, grinning.

"Takeo! What are you doing coming out of the trees like that?" Zaroth growled, lowering his hand away from the pommel of the sword.

"I wanted to see how well you were paying attention.  I must say, I'm disappointed.  I could've killed you in four different ways."  Takeo said, grin reaching his ears.  Zaroth growled in annoyment and Hunter laughed in amusement.  

"Where to now?" the human asked, grin disappearing and becoming serious again.  

"Well, there is a supply that is used by the Dark Armies near here.  Apes no longer control it, the Grublins do, but it functions all the same."  Zaroth pulled his swords out of their sheaths and examined them.  Seemingly satsified, he sheathed them again.  

"Sounds good.  After this, we should head back to your Chief Prowlus and report."  Takeo suggested to Hunter. The cheetah nodded silently, placing an arrow along the bow string and testing it.  The string was strong and Hunter put the arrow back.  

So, with Zaroth leading the way, they trudged to the depot.

--

*Grublin Supply Camp*

There was blood on the ground, on the boxes.  Many Grublins lied dead, along with some trolls and Orks.  A few cheetah corpses littered the ground as well, but those were the first to be retrieved.  

Several green robed cheetahs of the Shadus Tribe trailed through the corpses and blood to find their own companions amongst the dead.  They found two and picked them up by the hands and feet.  After placing them on makeshift beds, they resumed their searched.  

Chief Shadus stood at the wooden entrance leading to the supply depot, surrounded by his elite guards.  He smiled, they had just struck a major blow to the local Dark Army forces.  This supply depot was the main lifeblood for them and now, they lost control of it.  Shadus would now use it for themselves, or destroy it, the Chief hadn't decided yet.  

"Warlord Raeus, what are our losses?" Chief Shadus asked, approaching a crouching cheetah who was examining one of the cheetah corpses.

The green cloaked Warlord stood up, faced the Chief, and said, "Five dead Chief.  Another twelve are wounded."  

"Acceptable.  Certainly much better than our last attempt to take this place."  The Chief placed his hand on Raeus's left shoulder.  The Warlord looked back at the corpses of the cheetahs, then back into the Chief's green eyes.  

"Huryn was amongst the dead.  My brother was overwhelmed by these filthy monsters.  He had just chosen a mate and they were to be wed." Raeus growled, fury rising.  

"Calm yourself, there will be time to mourn him, but for now, I need you to focus.  See to those that are still alive.  Don't worry about your brother's mate, I will tell her the bad news."  Chief Shadus lowered his arm and turned around.  With his guards, he left.  

Warlord Raeus watched the Chief leave, then looked at the corpse of his own brother. He crouched next to it again and a single tear left his eye.  

"Raeus!" came a shout.  The Warlord wiped his eyes and stood up to turn to the sound.  A scout came up to him, panting.  

"Easy...take a breath boy." Raeus suggested.  After the scout had recovered, he looked up to the Warlord.

"There are three creatures approaching us.  One ape, one cheetah, and one creature, I don't know what kind."  The scout panted.  

"Ape?  Cheetah?  Did you see what kind of cheetah?"  Raeus asked.  

"I couldn't see the face, but he is wearing the colors of the Prowlus tribe."  

"Very well, return to your post."  The scout nodded and ran off.  Warlord Raeus gathered a group of around ten cheetahs and went to go meet the incoming three.