Chapter 16 - Pointer
The party had set up camp on the other side of the bridge, a short distance from the road ascending into the mountains. As Pointer built a small fire and sparked it to life with flint and steel, he listened to the young elven mage, Dayna, conversing with the orc, Mila. The wizard mentioned something about taking a short walk and letting her familiar out and Pointer noticed the warg rider flash her a wide grin, saying that she would keep an eye on him, before the mage turned and ambled off into the woods downhill from their chosen campsite. The lean thief wondered how long the pretty young elf would be gone. He wasn’t concerned for her safety, should she run into bandits or beasts - he could feel the power radiating off her and guessed wisely that she was a fairly adept mage - rather, the pale haired rogue could smell impending rain in the air. Despite the concealing effect the towering, blue-grey peaks of the mountains had, his centuries of experience warned him that a fierce storm was boiling up from the south. While the fire chortled and cackled to life before him, he turned to where his light travelling bundle lay beside him and unrolled the oilskin cape and hood that was bound around it.
“So, what are we going to do with you?” said his muscular orc companion, squatting on her haunches on the opposite side of the fire. The gargantuan bulk of her warg sat beside her, golden eyes watching the elf warily and exuding an air of menace.
Pointer shrugged and flashed an apologetic smile. He knew that the warrior was a match for him with the blade, making up in ferocity and strength the edge that he carried in skill and experience - with the potential savagery of the warg beside her, any kind of fight would most assuredly go poorly for him. Furthermore, the warg’s powerful sense of smell would have made any attempt at giving them the slip rather difficult, if the desire had crossed his mind. Years of wetwork as a professional thief meant that Pointer knew how to deal with dogs and he reckoned that he could pull it off if he had to, but it would be difficult and messy. Besides, he had no intention of betraying the orc’s trust again. He had made good his escape from the Redtooth and hadn’t decided to wait for Mila and Dayna at the bridge just to go through the hassle of trying to flee a different group of pursuers.
The lean elf sat cross-legged before the warm flames and met Mila’s appraising, challenging stare. No, there was no thought of escape in his mind. The elf had returned to the orc’s company because he knew she probably wanted revenge against Kalliya as much as he did and Dayna’s pursuit of the dusky-skinned mage seemed like the best avenue towards achieving that goal. Kalliya had promised him a reward for his part in the planned heist and he intended to collect. The thief had seen a job go south before - even a wet-eared footpad had to contend with fences that wouldn’t take the goods or houses too guarded to rifle through - and if it had simply been money or a cut of the spoils that was promised to him, he would have easily cut his losses and walked. Kalliya had promised something more, though. She had information, and had even offered up a sliver of proof that she knew what he was seeking; a fragment of a song from a time so long ago that he had been sure only he knew the verse. A thief with the skill and experience that he had could not be hired for a pittance, but, when the mage had found him and made her offer, he could not turn her down.
There was something else, too. Pointer liked Mila. The orc’s forthright manner and sardonic sense of humour that suited his own so well, to say nothing of the air of overripe sexuality that she exuded, made him almost feel like a young elf again. When his hand had been forced against her, he had felt a pang of regret that he thought his life of larceny and other dark deeds had inured him against. He had not made the pact on the bridge, putting his life at her disposal, lightly; he truly intended to make amends. Compounding his reasons for rejoining the orc was her companion, Dayna. The beautiful mage seemed oddly familiar. He knew he had never met the young elf before, but there was something about her appearance that made him wander the halls of his memory looking for clues. The presence of the two women caused some difficulty for him, however. Although he had sought their company for reasons purely to do with revenge, regret and curiosity, ever since being relieved of Kalliya’s incapacitating lust spell, Pointer had found he had to devote a disproportionate amount of his considerable willpower to the task of keeping his arousal in check. His current proximity to the buxom, muscular orc and recent contact with the slender, gorgeous elf caused a tightening in his loins that left him feeling unfocused and somewhat helpless.
Mila sat down, keeping half an eye on Pointer, and reached over to the saddle she had earlier unbuckled from Alagar’s back, pulling her crossbow from the loop on which it hung. As she began oiling the weapon’s machinery and checking the state of its parts, the rogue pulled out his dagger and produced a whetstone, seeking relief from his salacious thoughts in the unnecessary, menial task of honing his already razor sharp blade. He could see the orc at the edge of his vision as he attempted to concentrate on the task in his hands. She had shed her chain shirt the padded jerkin she wore beneath it and the laces at the neck of her linen blouse were undone. The curvy warrior was waxing her crossbow string and each time her hand ran out along the line, Pointer could not help noticing the tempting way the movement made her ample breasts quiver. He shifted uncomfortably as his nethers throbbed with desire. There was a grinding sound followed by a horrible clink as he fumbled drawing the edge of his dagger along his whetstone and nicked the blade slightly. Mila looked up at the sound and flashed him a quick, devilish grin that made the elven rogue feel like she knew exactly where his eyes had been lingering.
As he was considering getting up and letting his desires be known, Dayna walked back into the clearing. Her familiar was following close behind her, a big, self-satisfied smile spread across his face.
“You mind keeping an eye on our guest while I go refill the water skins?” said Mila at Dayna’s approach.
“Sure,” agreed the elf.
Once the orc had wandered off, followed by Alagar, Dayna turned and looked at Pointer. “V’esuthil marre?” she said. “That’s a strong oath.”
Pointer pulled out his slate. I know, he wrote. I stand by it.
Dayna switched to conversing in elvish. {I haven’t heard an oath like that except in the old tales,} she said. {Just who are you, anyway?}
Just an old elf, wrote Pointer, flashing a quick grin at the pretty young mage. What about you, he wrote, where is your family from?
{I am house Te’alor, of Firstlanding.}
Ceres Bay? It has been a long time since I visited there.
Pointer’s mind whirled; house Te’alor - he knew them.
Lord Daenis is your father?
{Yes,} replied Dayna. {You know him?}
I knew your mother, a long time ago.
{What house are you?} said Dayna.
This had been the moment he was dreading.
I am of house Galur.
Dayna’s eyes widened. {Galur? I thought that house passed with the fall of the empire?}
It did, wrote Pointer. I was a child, but a house servant smuggled my sister and I to safety.
{I will keep your secret safe,} swore Dayna.
I appreciate that.
As he wiped the last words from his slate, a fat drop of rain splattered against the dark surface. He unwrapped his oilskin hood and cape and quickly threw it over his shoulders. Across from him, Dayna looked up at the impending storm. “Is that tent still in the bottom of the chest?” she asked Gomp.
“Yeah boss,” said the imp. “Should be.”
Dayna laid her belt pouch on the ground and Pointer watched as her hands disappeared into it up to her elbows. She fumbled around in it for a moment until she managed to pull out a canvas wrapped bundle. As the rain grew heavier, the young elf and her familiar set about erecting a small tent, only big enough for a few people. By the time the downpour had begun in earnest, the imp and the mage were sitting under its roof looking out at the thief.
“You’d better get in here,” offered Dayna.
With a nod of thanks, Pointer tucked himself into the tent next to the elf and the imp.
“Dammit,” groaned Gomp. “You’re gonna try and cram the orc and her bloody dog in here too, aren’t you?”
“It’s the polite thing to do,” stated Dayna.
“Fine,” sighed the imp. “Send me back to the pocket plane. Anything’ll be better than being stuck in a tent with a wet dog.”
Pointer chuckled silently at the imp’s impudence while Dayna opened up the portal for the tiny demon. Shortly after Gomp had disappeared, an oilskin clad Mila and slightly bedraggled looking Alagar plodded into the campsite. “Come on guys,” said Dayna. “I think we can get you in here too.”
“Thanks babe!” said the orc cheerfully as she quickly shucked her wet rain gear and crawled into the small shelter. Alagar gave the elf’s cheek a sloppy lick as he followed her.
The big beast curled up at the head of the tent and was soon napping peacefully. “I think he’s got the right idea,” said Mila, lying down. “I’m bushed.”
Dayna followed suite, and Pointer realised he was about to have to lie down between the two women. Hoping to minimize the awkward situation, he tried to lie down on his back, but the space did not permit it. He sat back up and leaned out the door of the tent to retrieve his cape and hood, planning to do the polite thing and leave the limited tent space to the elf and orc.
“Oi!” murmured Mila, looking over from where she was lying on her side. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Pointer glanced back at her and then looked out the door.
“Don’t be stupid,” said Dayna. “It’s miserable out there.”
“Can’t be having you slip away again either,” added Mila. She shuffled over a bit more. “Come on, there’s enough room if you scoot up against one of us.”
The thief shrugged. “This way we’ll be warm, at least,” added the orc. “There’s no way a fire will keep going out there.”
Acutely aware of his ongoing struggle to keep his arousal in check, Pointer lay down between the two women, his chest against Mila’s back. He could feel Dayna’s back against his own. The tight quarters created a situation under his trousers that no amount of willpower could fight and he felt his cock stiffen. He waited for the orc to say something as his shaft pushed against her large asscheek, but she simply shifted a bit until it nestled more comfortably in her buttcrack. Thankful for her discretion, he lay there, trying to get to sleep, but kept from his objective by his predicament until he heard Dayna’s heavy breathing join Alagar’s snores.
The elven thief was wondering if he was the only one in the tent about to suffer through a sleepless night when he felt Mila shift in front of him. In the dark gloom, he could just make out her arm sliding down her hip and felt her lift herself up off the ground as she shimmied her leather trousers down over her ass. Task accomplished, she snuggled her bare butt back against the tortured elf’s groin.
Pointer was confused. Surely she knew he could feel what she was doing - what was she trying to do? His confusion was banished amount later when Mila turned her head to make eye contact with him in the dark and gently patted her ass. Understanding her invitation, he unbuttoned his fly and freed his aching, needy shaft from its confinement, trying to move as little as possible as he did so as not to disturb Dayna’s slumber.
His cock pressed hard against Mila’s asscrack until he felt her shift her leg upwards to part her thighs just enough for him to tuck his swollen shaft down and then push it upwards into her offered cunt. The feeling was incredible. The orc’s skin was warm, her pussy even hotter, enveloping his engorged organ in a slick, warm embrace. He bucked his hips gently, fucking his way into her with small, subtle thrusts while reaching over her and sliding his free hand under her linen shirt to find her large breast.
Lying there in the darkness, he pumped his hips as subtly as he could manage, hoping the sound of the heavy rain and the gusts of wind rattling the tent would disguise his and Mila’s obscene behaviour from the other, unaware, sleeping denizens of the small shelter.
“Alright,” Dayna’s voice cut startlingly through the dark. “We should talk.”
Pointer froze, cock still balls deep in Mila’s twat, hand still firmly grasping a big green tit.
“I can feel you fidgeting, Pointer,” the mage continued. “I know you must be having trouble sleeping. Look, this may be a bit embarrassing, but Mila and I both know what you may be going through. The lingering effects of the spell that was cast on you can leave you feeling somewhat… aroused and I realise we haven’t exactly given you a chance to go off and, um, take care of-”
Her speech was cut off by Mila’s failed attempt to stifle a giggle. Alagar gave an imperious snort.
“Excuse me?” said Dayna.
“Uh, nothing!” protested Mila, still trying to bite back laughter. “Please, um, continue.”
Pointer felt Dayna sit up and a second later the tent was flooded with light. He peered guiltily over his shoulder to see the young elf looking down at him and the orc, mid coitus.
“Seriously?!” exclaimed the mage, voice dripping with indignity.
Mila turned her head towards her surprised friend. She was trying miserably to hold back a mischievous grin. “What? You were saying that he might have to ‘take care of things’,” came her excuse, “I was just helping him out!”
Dayna flopped back down. “Fine,” she huffed. “I see my attempt at politeness has been pre-empted.”
As the light she had conjured winked out of existence, its radiance was replaced by Mila’s raucous laughter. Thinking that the fun had come to an end, Pointer pulled out of the chortling orc’s cunny, his cock still painfully erect and covered in her juices. “Hey now!” protested Mila at the sudden withdrawal. “Where are you going with that?”
“Pshht!” exhaled Dayna. “You two horny animals might as well finish up. It’s not like me being here was going to stop you anyway.”
With more wicked, and now victorious, laughter, Mila picked herself up and rolled on top of Pointer, peeling off her shirt as she did so and mashing her heavy tits against his chest before squirming out of her pants. Pinned beneath the muscular woman, the elven thief was all but powerless as the domineering warrior reached down to yank his own trousers down to his ankles. He rolled his head to the side to cast an apologetic, helpless look at Dayna. He found no sympathy in the gaze she returned. The mage was lying on her side, facing the pinned thief, her head resting on a crooked elbow and a wry smile just visible on her lips.
“Hey, you asked for it,” she said, sticking her tongue out at the mute.
Pushing a hand against his chest, Mila held herself up and grabbed his cock with her free hand before forcefully driving her quim down its veiny, stiff length. Pointer inhaled sharply as the wonderful, slick warmth of the warrior’s cunt enveloped his turgid member, but the orc gave him no time to linger in the sensation and began determinedly humping her voluminous buttocks up and down, her skin slapping loudly against the hapless elf’s pelvis as she fucked him. Pointer felt helpless, used and debilitatingly aroused as Mila made frank use of his cock to sate her carnal lusts. The elf reached up and grabbed her heaving bosom forcefully, manhandling the hefty globes and teasing her large, hard nipples, but the orc gave him no other opportunity to exercise any sort of control over their rutting. When she grew bored with bouncing on his entombed phallus she simply sat heavily upon it and ground her clit against him, bucking her hips with short, violent movements until her body tensed, her head snapped back and she growled gutturally as an orgasm ripped through her.
After riding out the pulses of pleasure, she looked over at Dayna, who had been watching the proceedings with an interested eye. “Go on, you should take this bastard for a ride,” she breathed. “It’s no orc cock, but fuck if it doesn’t feel good.”
The spent orc heaved herself off Pointer’s waist with a wet slurp, leaving his long, lean shaft standing upright and glistening with her cunt juice. Dayna appraised the handsome column of aroused fuck-meat lustfully. “You know, I just might,” she said, flashing the thief a sheepish look. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Pointer could only manage a helpless smile and a slight nod and the lithe mage eagerly began to disrobe. As her friend prepared herself, Mila leaned over and grabbed the elf’s dick once more, engulfing it in her mouth and sucking hard on it. The thief panted as the greenskin went to work, slurping voraciously on his engorged organ.
“Easy there,” interrupted Dayna, now undressed. “Don’t wear it out before I get a turn.”
Mila ceased her oral ministrations and looked up over the pulsing, slick phallus. “Just keeping it warm for you.”
With a small giggle, Dayna swung her leg over Pointer’s pelvis and leaned against his chest. Wordlessly, the lean thief reached down and guided his spit-shined cock into the wizard’s tight cunny. As he penetrated her, Dayna shifted forwards and wrapped her arms around his head, pushing his face into her perky tits.
“Ohhh,” she sighed as his swollen schlong slid home, “that does feel nice. I can’t believe you were trying to keep this to yourself behind my back!”
The orc grinned ferociously at Dayna. “Sorry girlie,” she said. “I promise I’ll share next time.”
“Damn right,” exclaimed the mage as Pointer gripped her pert butt with his hands and began thrusting upwards into the tight sheath of her pussy.
While doing more work but feeling no less used, Pointer sank his fingers into the firm flesh of Dayna’s ass and pistoned his hips, fucking the slim woman with steady, heavy thrusts. His hips flexed mechanically and with a dancer’s rhythm common to elven-kind he slammed his cock deep into his lithe mate over and over. Her small gasps and moans at the peak of each push were lusty music to his ears. As he worked, he gently teased one of her small, perky nipples with his lips, occasionally biting it softly between his teeth before switching over to the other one.
“Oh yes, keep doing that!” murmured Dayna as her pussy was steadily hammered towards orgasm. “You’re gonna make me cummm!”
“Gods damn it, that’s the shit right there, isn’t it?” grunted Mila appreciatively from her vantage point on the sidelines. “Fucking pound that cunt!”
Dayna’s arms went rigid around Pointer’s head as she clenched him against her breast and her body quivered. Sparks of delight ricocheted through her body, teased out from her cunt by the thief’s hungry thrusts. Her quim clamped down on the slab of cockmeat within it and Pointer’s fingers gripped her upraised buttocks even more tightly as his rhythm broke and his hips gave a few disjointed, urgent pumps. Dayna felt the buzz of her orgasm mingle with a sudden warmth as the thief below her basted her fuck-hole with surging, hot seed. The delectable heat combined with the quivering vibrations of her orgasm to leave her breathless and she slumped forwards atop Pointer as his cock spasmed inside her.
The morning sun lit the roof of the tent brightly. Dayna groggily opened her eyes and realised she was still lying on Pointer’s chest. She raised her head to see him looking back at her. She smiled guiltily at him.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “I didn’t realise I’d fallen asleep on you. You should have said something.”
He looked at her, grey eyes twinkling, and grinned wryly before shrugging.
“Um, right,” she murmured, embarrassed as she remembered his impediment.
It dawned on her that the two elves were alone in the tent when the delicious smell and sizzling sound of frying meat drifted into the canvas shelter and she figured that Mila was outside cooking breakfast. Somewhat reluctantly, she began to ease herself off Pointer’s firm, warm chest, but stopped when she felt a slight throb in her cunt.
“Oh dear,” she remarked with a smile as she shifted to a seated position on Pointer’s lap and felt his cock inflating within her. “Well, we can’t be setting out on the road with you in that state now, can we?”
Twenty minutes later, Mila’s reproachful voice sounded out. “If you horny animals are gonna spend all morning fucking, we’re never going to get anywhere and I’m going to eat all your breakfast.”
The two week journey to Top Town passed quickly. The party quickly developed a pattern - Pointer loped ahead of Alagar, keeping a wary eye out for possible hold-ups, while the warg easily bore the two women along not far behind him. They would set camp late in the evening, at which point the rogue would usually get pounced on by the insatiable orc and fucked to the point of insensibility. After being mauled by the voracious greenskin, Dayna would often seek him out and many mornings he found himself awakening with the slight young woman still in his arms.
They were only a few days out from their destination, travelling at their usual rapid pace, when Mila finally spoke up about something that had been puzzling her.
“I dunno how he keeps going like that,” said the orc.
“It’s not that remarkable,” said Dayna. “He’s in really good shape, and being a century old for an orc or human might mean they can’t keep it up anymore, but for an elf it’s only just middle age. I’m pretty sure the lingering effects of Kalliya’s magic helps too.”
Mila laughed. “No, that’s not what I meant, although he’s a lot of fun in the sack, for sure. No, I mean how is he able to run ahead of us like that without collapsing?”
“Ohhh,” giggled Dayna. “Magic boots.”
“Huh?”
“He’s got enchanted boots,” explained the mage. “Really nice stuff. Subtle. I almost couldn’t detect it. Not the most powerful of enchantments, but whoever wove it was a master of the art.”
“Oh yeah? I wonder what that’s like.”
“I wouldn’t bother asking to try them out,” said Dayna. “Pretty sure it’s a personalised enchantment - it wouldn’t work for you. That’s part of why it’s so subtle.”
Pointer heard their conversation and his thoughts drifted back to the song Kalliya had sung to persuade him to join her expedition. Memories of roads long since travelled and a certain long absent companion lingered in his mind. He pushed the thoughts away, lying to himself that he needed to focus on the road ahead, but knowing the truth was that he’d rather get run through than dwell on the painful memory.
Thankfully, a distraction took that opportunity to present itself. Rounding a bend in the mountain road, Pointer saw a band of goblins seated by the side of the trail. There were about ten of the diminutive greenskins; they were cheering, gathered in a loose circle around two of their comrades who appeared to be fornicating wildy. Despite the display they were observing, a few noticed the elf as he rounded the corner and Pointer noted that they were all well armed with short recurve bows and small swords. All but the frantically copulating duo were clad in sturdy looking leather armour. By the uniformity of their equipment, Pointer deduced that these were no mere bandits, but proper soldiery.
“Gashak vik nab!” called out one of the small archers and the others quickly scurried about seizing weapons and assuming firing positions while the naked pair ceased their furious rutting and hurriedly redressed.
Pointer stopped in his tracks and a moment later Alagar and the two women trotted up beside him. Seeing the goblins on the road ahead, Dayna slid off the warg’s back and warily unslung her staff while Mila moved her hand to the hilt of her sword.
“Drop your weapons!” shouted one of the tiny humanoids.
“What’s happening?” whispered Dayna.
“I got this,” murmured Mila under her breath.
Mila dismounted and replied to the goblins in their own tongue, cousin as it was to the orcish language. As she started speaking, Dayna quickly wove her spell of translation.
{... have no quarrel with the warriors of tribe Bolenduntz!} said Mila as Dayna’s spell kicked in. {We are simply travelling to Top Town.}
{You can pass, but those two elves will have to come with us,} stated the goblin.
{Yeah, that’s not going to happen,} said Mila. {They have paid me as a guide and a guard, and if I don’t get them there, I don’t get paid.}
{I don’t care about you getting paid or not,} sneered the goblin. {I have my orders - no elves allowed to pass eastwards.}
{Well, see, you should care about me getting paid,} said the orc, leaning her head from side to side and stretching her muscled neck. {Because I care about getting paid, and if you stop that from happening, it’s gonna quickly become a problem for you.}
As if on cue, Alagar began to growl - a low, menacing sound that was felt in the chest rather than heard in the ears. A few of the goblins looked warily at one another, clearly trying to calculate how many arrows they could put into the armoured orc and the hulking warg before the fight would devolve into a melee.
{Look, I love a good fight as much as the next greenskin,} explained Mila, her tone suddenly becoming more soothing, {but I’ve been away from an inn for far too long and would rather have a mug of ale and a good fuck before having to split some skulls. Problem is, my warg friend here always prefers fighting, though. So how about you ignore me and these two *ahem* humans I’m escorting and my warg leaves disappointed.}
{Come on, Basig} whined another goblin to their spokesman, {let’s just let em go.}
{Listen to your friend, Basig,} said Mila agreeably. {You might be able to bring one of us down, maybe two, but you know how wargs are and even my *ahem* human associate there is a demon with his sword. You really want to try your luck on this one?}
{You’re heading east to Top Town, right? Not going north at all?} said Basig.
{We’re going straight to the Ogre’s Drum,} said Mila {Jo’s got a bottle of blister whiskey waiting for me there. Definitely no interest in getting lost in the tundra.}
The goblin leader spat. {Fine. Get out of here. No need for us to bother with an orc and a couple of humies anyway.}
The small party warily walked past the equally wary goblins and once they were around the next bend, they mounted up and made haste. After making all speed in complete silence for some time, they finally pulled over to break for lunch.
“I wonder what’s happening in the north?” said Dayna.
“I dunno,” said Mila, “but I’m a little worried. The Bolenduntz aren’t ones to send out cave troopers unless there’s a real fight about to happen somewhere. I haven’t seen proper Bolenduntz troops above ground since the Battle of Knife Valley, six years ago.”
Pointer frowned. He scribbled on his slate: how dangerous were they?
“Cave troopers are serious business in the dark. Gobbo eyesight is fierce good when the light’s bad; they can thread a needle with those bows when they’re in their tunnels. Up here?” said the orc. “I’d have put our odds at fifty-fifty, maybe a bit better depending on what kind of crazy magic Dayna could spin up.”
Dayna shuddered at the mess they’d just managed to avoid. “We’d better get a move on then; I really don’t want to run into a bunch of them after the sun sets. I don’t like this one bit. It might have nothing to do with the omnigarch stone, but I’ll feel a lot better once we’re in Drasich.”
“Or Top Town, at least,” agreed Mila.
The mountain-top city was its usual hubbub of activity when the weary trio finally walked through the gates. After two weeks on the trail, the three felt worn out and yearned for the comforts of civilization and the elves were more than happy to follow Mila was she led them towards the Ogre’s Drum. Mila had convinced Dayna that stopping for the night at the Ogre’s Drum was the best course of action. Her friends and contacts there would be able to catch them up with recent events and may even have information on their quarry. The merchant stalls that lined the streets were thick with afternoon traffic and Mila and Dayna dismounted Alagar before weaving through the crowd beside Pointer. Despite their run-in with the goblins a few days previous, Pointer noted there seemed to be no signs of any discord among the varied denizens of the bustling settlement - although far from common, he noted a few elves walking among the crowds of mountain folk.
The hulking proprietor of the inn-cum-brothel greeted Mila warmly as she and the two elves walked up to the bar. The trio took a stool each while the ogre scratched Alagar behind the ears and slipped him a large slice of salted meat from a plate she had on the counter behind her. Looking like a regular sized wolf next to the massive ogre, the big warg’s tail wagged furiously before he turned and curled up happily at the foot of Mila’s stool to devour his prize.
“You three look in dire need of a drink,” said the friendly barkeep. “What can I getcha?”
“Hey Jo. Ale for me,” said Mila.
“Wine, please,” said Dayna.
Pointer signalled for the ogre to pour two glasses of wine.
As Jolene poured their drinks, Mila introduced her two companions. “This is Dayna and Pointer,” explained the orc. “Guys, I’d like you to meet Jolene, keeper of the finest tavern you’ll find.”
“You’re only saying that cos of the size of the tab I let you keep here,” smiled Jo. “Pleased to meet you two.”
“Likewise,” said Dayna while Pointer nodded amiably at the friendly ogre.
“Pointer here’s a mute,” explained Mila.
Jolene’s eyebrows raised and her huge fingers flickered in a quick pattern. Pointer grinned at the movement and responded with a few similar gestures.
Mila and Dayna watched the interaction with interest. “That seems pretty useful,” said the orc. “What is it?”
“Night sign,” said Jo, turning to smile at her friend. “Keep an eye on that one, Mila; if he knows night sign, he knows trouble.”
“Don’t I fucking know it,” said the greenskin sardonically.
“Sounds like you had quite a trip,” said Jo.
“You could say that,” said Mila, taking a long pull on her tankard before continuing. “Went east with one mage, came back with a different one. Speaking of which, you haven’t seen the southerner girl I left with around town, have you?”
“She skip out on paying you?”
“Something like that,” replied Mila. “We need to have a few brief and possibly angry words with her.”
“Sorry hun,” said the publican. “She hasn’t shown up here. If she does, I’ll try and keep her around for you. I’d say ask Urglot, but the little gobbo’s been scarce since you left. A few merc bands - the Grey Bones, Daka’s Host and Klamp’s Sappers - got some juicy contract with the gobbo tribes and he’s off sorting that all out.”
“Klamp and the Greys are all goblins and Daka’s an orc,” said Mila for the benefit of her companions. “Any of the mixed companies go too?”
“Nope,” said Jo. “Tarant and Dosa were in here whining about it. And, before you ask, I have no clue what the contract was for. All very hush hush.”
“We ran into - what did you call them?” said Dayna. “The Bolendurz?”
“Bolenduntz,” said the orc. “Met a few very prickly cave troopers a few days back. Didn’t seem to like elves much.”
“Hmmm…” pondered the ogre. “Strange times. I wonder if it’s-”
The big woman was cut off mid sentence by the approach of a patron. Before he turned to have a look at the newcomer, Pointer could tell by the heavy thump of a hoof on the wooden floor that it was a centaur. Beside him, the hairs on Dayna’s neck prickled. She could smell magic. She turned to see a pretty young centaur filly with a worried frown on her face, but the dazed looking young man beside the centaur was what captured her attention. The boy reeked of the dusky-skinned mage’s spellwork.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” said Cress to the barkeep, “but I really hope you can help me. I NEED to find a mage.”
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