The Lost Ones 11.

Summer. The Maldin Hills. The Southlands.

Lisell Maera the messenger comes running back along the road they've been traveling along for the past two days, and says "There's some kind of lizard creature up ahead in the distance" when she gets back to the others.
"Know what it is?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander.
"It doth a basilisk perhaps?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
"I certainly hope not" dryly murmurs the young field commander in the armies of Farque, who definitely doesn't want to run across a basilisk this morning.
"No not a basilisk" says Lisell Maera who is more commonly called Lis by the others.
"Thank fuck for that" murmurs field commander Drubine in the elven language.
Lis nods her head in agreement with the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
Then the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, says "It's about twelve to fourteen foot long, and has a cat like shaped head". As she describes what she saw through Tamric Drubine's brass cylindrical eyepiece that she has this morning, as she scouts out infront of the others.
"Any idea what that is?" asks the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Hmmm i don't recall ever seeing such a creature, wot" admits sir Percavelle Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly called by the others.
The large heavily, armoured knight from the kingdom of Druvic, where he was once the earl of his family's fief, then adds "Or heard of such a beast, wot".
Next to the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, Shur Kee the monk shakes his head no, and says "Nor have i seen or heard of such a creature".
The short, statured monk who is from beyond the Southlands, from the far east coast of the continent infact. Looks back along the road, and says "If anyone is to know, i am sure it is friend Dorc".
A reluctant sounding grunt of agreement comes from Percy as they all look back along the road, to where Dorc da Orc is still walking this way. As he follows the others by a couple hundred yards in the hot sunshine of the morning, on what's another clear and hot summer's day here in the Maldin Hills.
Field commander Drubine calls out to him to hurry up, which of course the large ork doesn't do, though eventually he catches up to where the others have stopped on the hillside road as they travel south down the eastern side of the hill range.
"There's a large lizard creature not that far away Dorc" says Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin continues with "It's not a basilisk".
He's interrupted by Dorc da Orc who says "Me had a pet basilisk once" followed by "He was such good fucken cunt" followed by "Dorc called him Basil" he then adds in a tone of fondness "The scaly fucker".
The young field commander rolls his eyes, and dryly says "I know" followed by "You've told us about him plenty of times in the past".
Tam who has got the full story of Basil, from Shur Kee the monk. Knows that it was the head of particular basilisk that the ork warleader killed in the Sunreach Mountains one winter just over fifteen years ago. The first year that the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li came to the Southlands.
A basilisk head the large ork carried around with him as he was traveling through the Sunreach Mountains at the time.
"It's not a basilisk" reiterates Tamric Drubine, which causes the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world to grunt in disappointment.
Then the young field commander in the armies of Farque describes the large lizard creature that Lisell Maera spotted.
"Hmmmm" murmurs Dorkindle as he screws up his face as he thinks about what it could be.
Then the ork weaponsmith grunts, and says a word in the harsh and frankly brutal sounding language of the orks, which of course none of the others understand.
"A what?" asks field commander Drubine, Dorc da Orc repeats the word, then says in the common language "It one of them cunts".
The large ork, who is a general in the armies of Farque, continues with "It what you fuckers call" the warleader of the ork race pauses for a few moments, as he tries to figure out what the creature is referred to in the common language.
After a few more moments, and one of the myriad of bickering and arguing voices in his head, shouts out louder than the others, what the creature is called in common.
The big, burly ork who is from the frozen bottom of the world, grunts then says "Arassas" followed by "That's what you cunts call 'em".
Nodding his head in understanding, Tamric Drubine says "I know it" followed by "They're not dangerous unless you're a solo or unwary traveler".
The young field commander who has never seen one, has only read about Arassas. And only a few years ago too. When he was in the lands Farque, studying and training.
"Yes i know of the beasts too" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who sourly smiles when Dorc da Orc says in a disappointed tone of voice "Don't taste that fucken good, def not as good as a basilisk". The large ork pronounces basilisk as basee-liss.
The five of them set off again along the road, sticking together for the most part. With Lis out just forty to fifty yards infront of the others. And Dorkindle occasionally dropping back behind the rest of them. Mostly to drink from the small barrel of wine he's opened.
The ork general grunts when he walks with the others for a bit, and says "Can smell the cunt good now" the big, burly ork who is the son of the previous matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks then adds "He not fucken far away".
They go around a bend on the hillside road, and Lisell Maera who has stopped, points in the distance, down the slope of the next hilltop along.
"There" says the attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands, followed by "It's sunning itself on those rocks down there".
Dorc da Orc easily spots it, and mutters "Dumb fucken cunt out in the sun like that".
It takes the other three a bit longer to spot it, and eventually all three of them. Tamric Drubine, sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Shur Kee the monk all spot the Arassas.
It's slightly darker than the dry, sand coloured hillside, and it's got it's cat or feline shaped head up, with its eyes closed, as it basks in the morning sunshine.
It's not as bulky or large as a basilisk. But at nearly fourteen foot long, and weighing well over a thousand pounds. It would be a formidable threat if you were to come up against it alone.
"Hmmm one wonders if it would make good sport for a hunt?" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then adds "Wot".
"Forget about it" states field commander Drubine, who continues with "We've got more important things to do".
The nobleborn knight looks a little disappointed as they continue on their way. Eventually crossing over to the next hill, and going by the Arassas, that's a few hundred feet below the road they're on.
"No wonder no one lives in this area of the hills" says Lisell Maera as they leave the Arassas behind them, the messenger in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque continues with "That thing would feed on the hillmens herds for sure".
"And the fucken hillmen too" says Dorc da Orc with a cackle of laughter, which earns him a sideways look of disgust from his bitter rival, the former earl of Lé Dic.
They continue walking until midmorning, as the mornings until just after midday, is the hottest time of the day on this side of the hill range.
By mid afternoon, and definitely later in the afternoon, it's much more cooler, here on the eastern side of the Maldin Hills, than it is over on the west side of the range.
They stop beneath an outcrop the road goes under, as it offers some shade. Which Dorc da Orc is definitely grateful for. As the large ork struggles in the hottest part of the day.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. Has been out of his home range for well over twenty years now, infact closer to twenty five years.
But he's never truly accustomed to the warmer climes here in the Southlands. Where even the most bitterly winters, in the most inhospitable places. Is like the warmer months in the polar region where he's from.
As for the summers in the Southlands. He'll never get used to them. No matter how long he's been here. His body is just not made for the warmer climes of the Southlands. Especially the summers in places like the Maldin Hills, where he is at the moment.
They rest throughout the heat of the day, and in the middle of the afternoon they get underway again.
As they continue south through the hill country, as they search for the person they've come here to find.
It's not until late in the afternoon that they come across signs of other people again. When Dorc da Orc, who sense of smell and hearing is far more powerful than the four humans he's traveling with, says "Fucken peoples up ahead".
"How far?" asks Tamric Drubine who takes out his brass, cylindrical eyepiece and looks through it, as the hills they're approaching are significantly lower and shorter than the ones they've traveled over these past few days.
"Not fucking far" says the ork weaponsmith.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin nods his head, and spots a settlement a couple of miles away through his eyepiece.
It can't be called a village, as it's only four homes on a trail, just up from the road they're on.
Tam follows the trail, then sees it disappear over one of the lower hills further south.
"That must go somewhere" says the young field commander who points out the trail, and hands his eyepiece to Lis to look through.
After looking through it, she nods in agreement, then hands the instrument back, as she says "Let's see if they know anything about her".
They set off to the houses in the distance, and as it nears dusk, they make their way towards the hillmen homes that are on the trail just up from the road that goes through this part of the Maldin Hills.
They're met by the hillmen, who come out to watch them approach. And as always, it's sir Percavelle Lé Dic and especially Dorc da Orc the locals stare at. Though Shur Kee the monk gets a few strange looks directed at him too. Due to the odd conical shaped hat he wears.
They decide to stay the night here. Where they're sleep outside, next to the largest of the four houses that's next to the trail.
After the excited chatter from their arrival, and as they about to join the locals for the evening meal. Field commander Drubine finally gets the chance to speak to a couple of them.
"So she came through here then?" asks Tam after he tells the two hillmen who they're looking for, and they reply with something positive.
"She did, infact she stayed for just over a month before she moved on, and continued south" says the hillman named Sopica, the other hillman Greesyn, his neighbour, nods his head in agreement.
Both men are typical looking hillmen, tan skinned like Lisell Maera and anyone else from much of the coast of the Southlands. Though the hillmen tend to have fair or light coloured hair.
"Did she say where she was going down south?" asks the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin as they stand on the north side of Sopica's house.
"She didn't say" replies Greesyn this time, he's the older of the two hillmen the young field commander in the armies of Farque is talking to.
Tam, who in the fading light at the end of the day, spots an airship in the distance in the sky to the northeast, approaching the Maldin Hills, as it travels west to the coast.
Is silent as the two hillmen tell him what the woman he and the others are searching for. Got up to while she stayed here for a month or so.
"Though a little odd, she was a hard worker and helped us out with our herds" says Sopica, who continues with "She told my wife Darcee that she left her husband back up north because he was no good or something".
Tam nods, as he already knows this about the woman they're searching for.
Then the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque, says "We might need her help with some things" in reply to Sopica asking him "What exactly do you want with her then?".
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, continues with "And to see if she will travel with us for a bit" Tamric Drubine then silent adds, well, i certainly hope she does.
The young field commander nods his head as Greesyn tells him "I think she might like that, there's something of a restless nature to her, being on the move is what she likes i think".
I certainly hope so, Tam thinks to himself, who has often wondered how they're going to get the woman they're searching for, to actually come along with them.
It's what field commander Drubine discusses later that night, after they've eaten with the locals.
He along with Lisell Maera the messenger and Shur Kee the monk are standing on the trail just south of the four homes.
Looking back they can hear Dorc da Orc drinking with the locals, as he tells them an outrageous tale about something he got up to in the past. While sir Percavelle Lé Dic contradicts most things the large ork says. Much to the amusement of the locals, who enjoy the bickering between the two rivals.
There's actual a breeze blowing this evening, that's dropped the usual nighttime temperature. And as they stand in the breeze on the trail just forty yards from the small settlement.
Field commander Drubine says "Still don't know how we're going to get her to come along with us".
Tam gestures back to the nearby houses as he continues with "The hillmen i spoke to said she's got a bit of restless, or wandering nature to her" he then adds "Maybe she'll come along anyway".
"If not, we could always knock her out, and get Dorc to carry her" wryly says Lisell Maera.
Tamric Drubine sourly smiles at the prospect of that, then he says in a tone that rather matches his smile "Hopefully it won't come to that".
Lis nods, then the attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury says "Besides that might prove a little difficult to do considering what she is".
"There is that" murmurs the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who then looks at the short, statured monk standing beside him, and asks him "What do you think Shur Kee?" followed by "How should we get her to come along with us once we've found her?".
The acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li is silent for a few moments as he enjoys the nighttime breeze, then the honorary member of the personal council to lord Farque says "We must discuss with her if she would like to take up the life of a wandering adventurer".
The physical adept briefly pauses before continuing on with "And if it is true, and she has a restless, wandering nature. She might readily agree" he then adds "But we must make a good first impression upon her, so what we do in our lives, is something she will find attractive to do too".
Tamric Drubine looks to the nearby houses, where the bickering of Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic can be heard along with the laughter of the locals who are listening to the two rivals.
"We don't exactly do first impressions well" dryly says field commander Drubine, beside him, both Shur Kee and Lisell Maera nod in agreement.
Then as they all look back to where the large ork is telling a tale from his past, much to the amusement of the local hillmen, as he's contradicted and argued with by the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic who is his bitter rival.
The messenger in the armies of Farque says in an extremely dry tone "That's for damn sure" as they continue to contemplate the potential trouble they might have of getting the person they're searching for, to actually come along with them . . . . . .