Chapter 11: Sally Port

Kenjin didnt like the sounds of running, not one bit, but the thought of Gnolls 'swarming' over the keep was hard to digest. What good could the lot of them be in a fight like that. He pushed those thoughts from his mind...they were the emotions of a coward.

"No," he said to no one in particular. "By the time we return this fight will be over. What if we alert the others to this place? The Gnolls numbers will be no good to them in these caves and we might just be able to get some of our men out alive. I'm sorry but I cannot run and let them die, it is not in my blood."

"Neither in mine. I like the idea of warning the Lieutenant and the others about this place, maybe after all we can survive. And the gnolls will pay for this!" she replied, agreeing with Ken's comment.

"Now let's go! we cannot delay this any more!"

Alelip's face shows the tension in his mind between going back and trying to help, versus outright survival and reporting back to the main camp of the incursion by the gnolls. While, in his head, he knows that going back and trying to help the base is probably a quick path to suicide, particularly if the gnolls have overrun the fortress, he also has heard stories about the Red Prince's wrath about leaving comrades behind...

After a moment, his face changes slightly, to one of resigned acceptance. "Okay, we will go back, but let's be smart about this. I don't want to reveal the presence of this network of passages to the gnolls, since we stil don't know where they lead, and they could trap us in here. When we get back, we peek into the fortress, and if it looks like it has been overrun, then we doubletime back through the tunnels to the waterfall, and then to the main encampment. We should go back and help our comrades, but it is more important that the Red Prince's forces know the true extent of the gnoll invasion."

After pausing for a second to catch his breath, he says, "Leo and Marin, take the lead, and be quick about it, but remember that not all of us can match you step for step."

Marin nodded from her spot at the entrance, and set hte pace as quickly as everyone could follow her, even when she itched to run to her swarmed comrades

Rives remains silent, eyes cast down. The only thing he was certain about was the fact that his desire to run and be done with this whole army business would not go over well with the present company. Leo did seem to have the right idea. Rives recalled how ineffectual of a fighter he was the last time. More gnolls and fewer defenders was going to end even worse than nearly losing his arm.... and he had no desire to get himself killed in a futile effort. Still, the thought of the unfortunate men left in the watch tower troubled him. And the poor horses.... they wouldn't be able to escape. Rives looked down to the floor again and sullenly followed the group.

Chapter End

Here ends Chapter 11: Sally Port. Chapter 12: In a Rush, will begin shortly.