Aiden, Sif, and Hadrian made their way up the mountain with a sheep on a lead. Sif was in her wolf shape, seeming energetic and playful, even though the sheep was understandably nervous.
Sif for her part let her wolf shape stretch out and her legs run. There was something freeing and meditative about the scouting she was doing. Her nose was a lot more sensitive in this form, letting her follow game trails and more. There was so much of the world that was cut off from her when she was in her natural orcish body.
She would run ahead, seeing what was there and then run back, check on her two companions and then run ahead again. She could perhaps make it all the way there and back before noon, but she also didn’t have to lug around a sheep. It was the first time she was running in her wolf shape without the expectations of her clan. She wasn’t following their trails, or hunting with them as a pack. She might not even see them today.
However, that thought was interrupted by the scent of her uncle, along with many others on the path ahead of them. She sniffed the ground getting a better sense of where they were heading. They were also headed up the mountain. A undefined dread filled her belly as she dashed up the mountain. Then, there up ahead of them was the entire clan making their way up the mountainside. She ran up to her uncle who was in Orc form now.
Hafthor looked approvingly at Sif as she shape shifted into her orc form. “Uncle, what are you doing?” She asked.
“We missed you this morning. We are following your lead. You did good going with that insane human. Astrid found the dragon leaving the cave. We are going to lay in wait for it.” The Jarl said with a affectionate hug for his niece. “I hope your experience recently has shown you how to harness your power.”
Sif took the hug, basking in her uncle’s approval, but she stopped, feeling conflicted. Torn between her new friends and her clan. “Are you sure it’s the dragon’s lair?” She asked.
“I don’t know why else a dragon would be leaving the cave in the morning. We are on track to visit the one you visited are we not?” Hafthor asked.
She couldn’t lie to her uncle, but she didn’t want him to take the egg or kill the dragon. “… you are.” She said.
Hafthor raised an eyebrow at Sif. “Is there something wrong?” He asked.
“No, yes, I’m not sure we should kill this dragon. We should just leave and go back home. We have more than enough that the other clans will respect us now.” She said.
Hafthor looked down at Sif, listening to her thoughts. “You aren’t the only one who thinks that. However, if we come back here next year, then the dragon may be gone or killed by the dragon hunters. The egg may hatch. We can do it now and get a lot more than if we wait.”
Sif nodded, appreciating her uncle’s straight forwardness. She understood what motivated him. However, it wasn’t what motivated her. Perhaps if they didn’t find the egg and if they couldn’t trap the dragon, then everything would be fine. Everyone would be satisfied with what they had. She took a breath. “There is a false entrance to the dragon’s cave. It smells like the dragon, but when Aiden and I went in there there wasn’t a way into the dragon’s lair.” She said, fibbing slightly.
Hafthor nodded, “Do you want to join the scouts?” He asked.
Sif knew that even recently she would have leaped at the offer her uncle was making. She reluctantly shook her head. “No, I… the reason I was gone this morning. It was because I needed time to think after what happened.”
“Think? What were you thinking about?” Hafthor asked.
“Just, everything with…” She found she didn’t even want to say her names. “The fight yesterday. I need to learn who I am without you without the clan. Will you be upset if I don’t return with you to our homelands?” She asked.
Hafthor’s green eyes judged her, “Sif, you have the ability to bring great honor and great same to our clan. You may never return from leaving the clan. I suppose I could force you to return with us, but that would only make you resentful and sullen. I’ve made that mistake before. So I won’t make it with you. You know what you want and aren’t afraid to claim it. That’s a very orcish thing and I’m proud of your strength of spirit. If you do decide to stay here, even if I don’t understand why, can you make me one promise?” He asked.
Sif nodded, “Yes, anything.”
“Bring our clan honor and if… when you return, return in strength.” He said.
“I promise. Thank you.” She said, giving her uncle a tight hug.
“Good, now go do what you feel you must and I’ll pass word to the scouts.” He said.
Sif nodded, transforming back into her wolf shape. She trotted off, back towards Aiden and the sheep they were leading towards the lair. As she did so, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted about what she had done. How her uncle had acted. She felt confident that he uncle was a good man, if focused on the honor, survival, and strength of the clan. Even though nothing she would do would hurt her family, she still felt like she was betraying them in some vague way.
She spotted Aiden and Hadrian and stepped back a little to transform back into her Orcish form. “We have a problem, my clan knows where the Dragon’s lair is and they want to set a trap.” She said to them.
Aiden and Hadrian exchanged looks. Aiden put a hand to his head and took a breath. “Ok, that’s fine it’s not the end of the world. We can do something, I’m sure.”
“I have a plan on how to deal with it. Is there anything special about that cave?” She asked.
“Not that I know of?” Aiden asked, not sure where she was going with that.
“Then I think we can sneak in using that back entrance we spotted on the way up. I told my uncle that it doesn’t lead to the main lair, so he won’t be guarding it. We can sneak in, grab the egg, and sneak out.” Sif explained.
Aiden closed his eyes, communing with Askook. “Askook is angry, he’s on his way. But if their already this far up the mountain. I don’t think he’s going to arrive in time.”
“Is he ever not angry?” Sif asked.
“No, but I also think this really isn’t a good time.” Aiden said. “Tie the sheep to that tree, we’ll move faster without it.” he directed Hadrian.
The three of them followed the orc trail up to the lower cave entrance. The cave sloped sharply upwards inside. Lighting a candle, they clambered up the slope and made their way through a couple of twists and turns. At one point, Sif changed her shape into wold form to smell which way the main cave was before changing back. They emerged into the main cave behind where the egg rested in it’s nest made of an amalgamation of gold and silver.
The egg was large, almost too big to be carried. “Sif can you lift the nest?” Aiden asked.
Sif went over and tugged at it. “Not with the egg in it. It’s heavy. Like seriously heavy.”
Aiden nodded, picking up the egg with both hands. The egg was golden with red speckles. “Allright, we got what we came for. Hadrian, why don’t you take the lead?” He asked.
“Alright,” Hadrian said, moving back down the cave.
From the entrance Aiden heard a squealing grunt of orcish. “Hurry!” He said, following Hadrian.
Sif followed the two of them, lugging the heavy nest with her. She put the next down next to a boulder. “I’ll move this to stop them.” She said, pushing on it to close the smaller entrance with a grunt.
Aiden nodded, sliding down the the sharp incline they had just come up a few moments before. They hit the exit running, and Aiden felt a sense of Deja vu as he started running back down the mountain and through the forest. This time, he felt like he knew where he was heading better. ‹I’m Coming!› Askook thundered in Aiden’s head.
Aiden heard a wolf cry from above him on the mountain and knew that the Orcs were after him. His heart pounded as he ran with Hadrian beside him. “We need to split up.” He told Hadrian as they approached a fork in the ways. Hadrian went right and Aiden went left, back towards Brindlethorpe.
He could hear the howls of the wolves get closer as he headed down towards the river. Suddenly there was a wolf running beside him, he glanced over and saw that it wasn’t the white color of Sif’s fur, but a darker grey. The wolf looked at him with the vivid green eyes of an orc. Then it picked up it’s speed for a second and slid to a stop in front of him. The wolf bared it’s teeth and barked at Aiden. Aiden turned, moving past the wolf and down towards the river. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do when he reached it, but hoped he would think of something when he got there.
The orcish werewolf had accomplished their goal. Slowing Aiden just slightly for more of the wolves to catch up. One diversion became two, then three. Aiden got the sense they were herding him towards something. As he broke into a clearing, he could see what it was. A giant brown bear standing on it’s hindlegs right where Aiden wanted to go. He looked around, spotting wolves emerging from the woods all around him. He slid to a stop, caught where they wanted him.