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The arrow had not sunk deep, Turstin was surprised at the
amount of blood that leaked from Fulbert's leg. They had all been wounded
to some degree, Turstin himself was still sick from the spider poison that
he'd picked up during their passage through the Dim Forest. That had been
a fight.
Jofrid had healed him, the druidess of Ehlonna had neutralized
the venom which had coursed through his veins but its virulence had worn
him out. It had left Turstin unprepared for the battle that came next.
They'd lost Genseric to the arrows of the gnolls, now they were down to
five.
Alaric had plied his own bow well, in the years before the giants
came the boy would have made a ranger, instead he had picked up his
martial training wherever he could. His cousin Genseric had done the same,
perhaps not as well, but the arrows that brought him down could have slain
any of them this day.
They had all fought bravely, even the dark and crafty Giannette.
The Rhennee thief had crept behind the gnolls, Turstin had thought she'd
run away, but as the exchange of arrows and Fulbert's magic bolts went on,
she struck. She had cut them down, a knife in the back to one, a
hamstrung leg then a quick slash across the throat with another. When the
gnolls turned to face this new attack, Turstin and the others had charged,
but Genseric took the blow that brought him down and bled out his life
unnoticed while the battle raged.
They had stopped to bury him, though it was a shallow grave.
Jofrid had said a prayer and the roots of trees came up and wrapped the
turned oerth in a tight embrace.
"Jofrid can you heal our wizards leg?" Turstin asked.
"I can, but Fulbert will have to swear to repay the debt." Jofrid
said.
"I should charge you and your goddess for the magic I cast in your
defense." Fulbert replied.
Jofrid bent and touched the arrow, Fulbert winced. "It is only
because you have shown your worth that I would use the Goddess's blessing
on an unbeliever such as you."
"What is it you want?" Fulbert conceded.
"You must pay a tithe of any treasure found." Jofrid told him.
"I never knew that you plant worshipers were so fond of gold."
Fulbert snapped back.
"Do you think the gnolls coated their arrowheads in dung?" Jofrid
asked innocently.
"It's been known." said Turstin.
"All right. I will give one coin in twenty," Fulbert said, "and
that's all."
"Done." said Jofrid. "I will not ask you to swear since you
believe in no gods, or so you say."
"Believe it like you believe in trees." said Fulbert.
"Turstin, these arrows have barbed heads, we cannot push it
through, its imbedded in his bone." Jofrid examined the wound, she took
a small knife from her belt, its blade was razor sharp, then cut deep
along the arrowshaft.
"Hey!" Fulbert yelled.
"Shoosh!" Jofrid commanded. "I have to get this arrow out and the
barbs must be cut free." She ran the blade next to the steel head and
made a slit on either side. Fulbert clenched his teeth and looked away.
The druidess eased the arrowshaft out while Fulbert moaned in pain, she
shook her head. "Stop whining!" she snapped.
"It's not your leg!" Fulbert snapped back.
"I've had worse." she said. "Now be still." Jofrid put both hands
upon the wound and called to Ehlonna to heal the wizards injury. "Blessed
Goddess, heal this faithless child, he is less than a beast of the woods,
but a child of nature none the less..."
"Hey!" Fulbert interrupted.
"Shhh!..." Jofrid hissed. "Ehlonna heal this lost creature who
helps to cleanse your woods and lands from evil!" a warm green glow
suffused the wound, Fulbert had a taste of strawberry on his tongue and
the bleeding of his leg had stopped, the narrow wound closed and knit
before his eyes.
* * *
(To Be Continued)