U.O.T.W. Chapter 95 The Master's Footsteps

• Posted by Sotek November 29, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,011 views

  

   

  When Kodlak heard the giant wooden gates shut with a bang, he felt overwhelmingly and somewhat bizarrely, liberated, like a bird that was finally free of the cage which had been its home, its prison. The air seemed clearer and fresh while the cool breeze filled him with vigour. Inside his heart he knew it was far too long since he last trod outside, amongst other things he missed, the one he longed for the most was the sounds of the birds in the trees. Jorrvaskr held him captive for too long, that would have to change.

  He followed the pathway to his right and started heading towards the drawbridge when his attention was drawn behind him by the multiple pounding of boots. Feeling marginally startled, but more so from the seasoning of countless fights, he quickly turned around as his hand instinctively gripped tightly on the hilt of his blade. He was just in time to see three of the Whelps leap over a mossy boulder and run up a wooden ramp which formed part of the fortifications to Whiterun’s main gateway. Before he could even call out to them, each of the three Whelps jumped down to a stone walled fortification which was several feet below them and disappeared out of sight.

  Several guards yelled at the small renegade group while Kodlak whistled to the remaining Whelps like a master calling his dogs.

  The three Whelps who had inadvertently disrespected Kodlak by ‘running off’, shot through a gap between the lower archway and the rocky plateau which served as Whiterun’s foundations. This placed them outside the defence’s perimeter where they leaned against the fence by the stable as they waited for the Harbinger and the remaining Whelps. This act also placed them in Kodlak’s bad books but he knew full well who the fault lay with. He made a mental note to have a word with two particularly wild Companions but then thought better of it. A small, simple plan slipped inside his head which he nodded his approval at.

  “Catch them in the act”.

  The black haired Imperial Whelp who was fortunate to stay with him, came alongside her Harbinger and discretely asked him what he had said.

  “I’m Sorry Harbinger, what did you say?”

  Kodlak smiled warmly at her as he pointed to the three Whelps who made their impromptu route to bypass the defences.

  “I was fully intending to reprimand those three but I can easily guess who is at fault here”. The Whelp seemed to blush as she turned her head away so she wouldn’t be caught in the Harbingers gaze. This gave him reasons to chuckle which he did so loudly. “Oh you don’t have to betray their trust. I know who. Aela and Sotek... Which of those two leads the other one though...? Now that is a question isn’t it. That’s the route they take you all I’m guessing... Time to put a stop to that tradition”.

  He approached the three Whelps who were looking somewhat nervous due to the intense owlish gaze which the Harbinger was purposefully giving them as he beckoned them towards him.

  “Can you three come with me please. I thought it would be nice to show the guards of Whiterun how we exit the city and walk down to the stables. Come along now... Move yourselves”.

  By now several of the guards were peering down at them from the fortifications. Kodlak started walking the Whelps back towards the main gate, leaving the three other Whelps at the stables fencing. The Harbinger left the pathway and walked up a ramp as he pointed towards the gate.

  “Off you go and don’t take too long. We’re supposed to be clearing a tower of bandits. How are we ever supposed to do that if we can’t exit Whiterun calmly and with some dignity rather than a rabble?”

  He stood there on the wooden platform as he watched the three Whelps sheepishly walk up to the gate while the guards laughed at them. Each one looked sullen as they slowly walked back over the draw bridge and carried on past the Harbinger. As Kodlak watched them, he heard a guard who was standing on one of the lookout towers chuckle. He looked up at her and cast a wink.

  “Lydia isn’t it?”

  She nodded nervously as she descended the ramp to greet him.

  “Yes, Harbinger”. She tried not to but she couldn’t help but tutt at the three Whelps as they crossed the small bridge which crossed the stream as it flowed outside Whiterun. “They are somewhat undisciplined... My apologies, it’s not my place to comment on your ermm, Companions”.

  Kodlak initially glanced at her sternly but he quickly laughed as he readily agreed with her albeit blunt, assessment.

  “You’re right... They are somewhat of a mob. Still I will have my eye on the ring leaders... Sotek and Aela I guess”.

  Lydia nodded slightly as she pointed to the far wall near the gate. The wall itself was somewhat misshapen as rocks had over time, fell from the wall.

  “Indeed. They like to take short cuts”.

  Kodlak nodded slowly as studied her. She was mid twenties herself but from what he had seen from her, she was dedicated to Whiterun. There was no man by her side, her duty kept her warm and her well practised sword kept her safe.

  “I guess being a guard is more restrictive!”

  She gazed out across the plains with hungry eyes as her heart craved for adventure. She quickly turned around and headed back to her post.

  “ We all have burdens, some can be seen while others cannot. Good day Harbinger”

  When they passed the stables, the stable boy sat on the fence and watched as they walked past. His eyes seemed to light up as he examined the array of weapons the Whelps carried but it was Kodlak’s sword that really caught his attention.

  “Are you off to kill bandits? I heard talk from the guards about them. In a tower... Is that where you’re going? To the tower?”

  Kodlak laughed as he led the group past Bjorlam. He pointed behind himself to the boy as he spoke.

  “Young minds so full of wonder and adventure”.

  Bjorlam sorrowfully nodded.

  “Aye, shame that wonder turns to dread and loss. Take it easy out there, Riverwood roads not the safest of travels you could go on”.

  Kodlak nodded as he smiled reassuringly.

  “Yes indeed, then again what adventures lay on the safest roads hmm? What glory do we get, what riches do we receive by staying home at the fire?”

  Bjorlam glanced over his shoulder at the stable boy. In a few years the boy would be old enough to ride alongside him and learn the routes of his trade. See the whole of Skyrim, the impressive and mighty walls of Solitude, the ancient city or Markarth. He would circumnavigate the Throat of the World and see the forests of Riften. The mountains of Dawnstar and Winterhold.

  Bandits, trolls, and now dragons. The boy would see all the wonders of Skyrim and everything that is to be feared...

  “Staying at home by the fire with a girl in your arms is far safer than out there Harbinger”

  Kodlak burst out laughing startling the horse ‘Chestnut’.

  “Bjorlam, if we all stayed at home watching the fire then who would protect our roads and borders?”

  Bjorlam steadied his horse whilst he agreed with Kodlak’s point. He knew men such as the companions were needed, he understood the dangers of the roads as he would often transverse them.

  “Aye, this is true. Those whose bones grow restless... Good day Harbinger, give them a slap from me”.

  Kodlak tapped his sword as he carried on his way.

  “I don’t intend to slap them, but I will teach them a lesson”. From the corner of his eye he watched Ri’saad the Khajiit trader help Khayla set up their camp while their cook, Atahbah prepared the campfire. Kodlak never had many dealings with them himself but they had always given him the courtesy of a friendly wave whenever they saw him. He knew Sotek dealt heavily with them, as did now Aela when in the past she would shun them. “No good looking at one and not the other” he whispered to himself, concluding that both Aela and Sotek led each other along.

  From there Kodlak led the six whelps past the farms as he followed the pathway towards the Honningbrew Meadery when the farmer, Severio waved the Harbinger over.

  “Ah Harbinger. I wanted to thank you for tackling the wolf problem yesterday. It must have been one hell of a fight from what Nimriel and I heard. We shut ourselves in the farmhouse. The wolves cries and howls... Terrifying. At least they were killed though. Although I have no idea why the Companions never skinned them. They just left the bodies laying in the enclosure. Mind you, that Argonian, Sotek. He was ermm shall we say liberal with the fire spells”. As he explained what he had heard, he showed the Harbinger a burnt patch of wheat.

  Kodlak kicked the ash about a little but he found no traces of oil or anything else.

  “Oh dear... Are the wolves carcasses still here?”

  Severio nodded as he pointed to the furthest wall.

  “Over there. Two of them are badly burned. Furs no good now, they should have been skinned yesterday”.

  Kodlak growled to himself as he looked back towards Whiterun.

  “Those furry little bastards!!” He then beckoned the six Whelps to join him and rapidly blurted out his instructions. “Split into three groups. There’s three wolves, I want their skins. I’ve been played and I proof of his... tomfoolery. She’s not in the clear either, I’ll have both their hides, you mark my words”.

  The black haired Whelp covered her mouth as she cringed from the stench of the bodies.

  “Harbinger, these stink!!”

  Kodlak sighed as he tapped the wall with his fingers.

  “Yes, I know... I can smell them from here. Why do you think I’m having you Whelps skin them? Being the Harbinger has to have some perks now doesn’t it? Hmm?”

  The Whelp started gagging then she ran away from the bodies and leaned over the wall as she covered her mouth.

  “I’ll kill ‘em”

  Kodlak chucked at her bravery even if it was foolish.

  “You will say nothing of this. You leave those two rogues to me... All of you”

  Three of the whelps unhappily moved the furs to the stables where Bjorlam instructed them to hang the skins on the fence to help them dry out. If Bjorlam was honest though then he would admit it was more to do with that fact that the wind would blow away the stench. Once the group of whelps reformed, Kodlak continued on his way leading the Whelps towards Riverwood where the tower awaited their arrival.

  When they passed the Meadery, Kodlak slyly noted that all the whelps stared at the doors which would take them to the barrels of freshly made mead. Even his own eyes found themselves fixating on the doors. All of them watched the puffs of smoke from the chimney.

  All of them except one. The black haired girl’s attention was focused on something else entirely different.

  “Chicken! A chicken’s escaped. Shall we catch it?”

  Kodlak’s own carriage of thought which would have taken him to mead central, was thrown to the wayside as he looked to where she was eagerly pointing. True enough in the undergrowth was a chicken pecking at the ground.

  “No! I, the Harbinger of the Companions along with six Whelps am not going to stand in front of Jarl Balgruuf and say ‘We rescued a chicken’”.

  The Whelps arms flapped at her sides like a wounded hawk as her puppy eyes pleaded with him.

  “But it will get killed! And eaten”.

  Kodlak found himself licking his lips as he nodded in reply.

  “Yes... Oh Hell and Oblivion... Severio!!! Your chickens loose”

  Severio stuck his head above the wall and threw the chicken a filthy look as he cried out in anguish.

  “Wahhh!! Really!”

  Kodlak responded by laughing as he turned his back on the chicken and proceeded to make his way along the path which would take him to the river crossing that lay just ahead. Ignoring the bridges, he turned southwards on Riverwood’s track which gradually inclined and twisted up a rocky trail as it snaked its way into the valley. Before he took more than a few paces, a blue butterfly fluttered just past his face. He swatted it to the side instinctively and gave it little more than a fleeting glance as he carried on his way. The black haired Whelp however unconsciously came to a stop and followed its progress as it slowly made its way towards the bridge where it rested on a clump of Red Mountain flowers.

  She jumped as Kodlak called out to her.

  “Hurry up and pay attention!!! By the Nines girl, you live in a daydream”.

  The Whelp shamefacedly apologised then picked up her pace, overtaking a few of the Whelps as if she wanted to lose herself in the group.

  “Sorry... Won’t happen again”.

  At one point the pathway came close to the bank of the river that flowed through Riverwood. Hence by giving Riverwood its name. Two of the Whelps stood on the bank and watched the water cascade down various small waterfalls which, if they were any closer, could actually be referred to as rapids. In stopping to watch the water, the two Whelps unwittingly drew attention to themselves.

  The first thing the group knew of the danger was a shriek as two mudcrabs crawled out of the river and snapped their overly large pincers together. All six Whelps reacted as one. Unfortunately for Kodlak, they didn’t react as he would have hoped. Instead of drawing their weapons the Whelps all moved back and watched as the mudcrabs approached them.

  Kodlak groaned as he pointed to the two crustaceans.

  “Someone draw a weapon for crying out loud. What are you all going to do? Stare them to death?”

  The black haired Whelp seized her chance at redemption. She drew her one handed sword and thrust it at the closest mudcrab as she yelled out her battle cry.

  “For glory!!” The mudcrab collapsed to the ground as the tip of the sword cut into the soft tissue under its armoured shell. All of its legs flailed about as the Whelp pushed down with her boot, effectively pinning it in place so she could push the blade deeper into her opponent’s body.

  She withdrew her weapon as the other Whelps ganged up on the second mudcrab which disappeared under a barrage of blows from a variety of blades and weapons.

  Kodlak smiled to himself then slowly clapped his hands together.

  “That’s more like it... Although there’s not much glory to be had by the slaying of a mudcrab. You should be prepared to fight the moment you step outside the hall of Jorrvaskr... Hell, I’ve give Aela this much... She’s ready to fight the moment she wakes up”.

  The black haired Whelp cleaned her blade as she bluntly replied to the Harbingers statement.

  “Aela! She’s ready to fight when she’s asleep!! Don’t... don’t tell her I said that!”

  Kodlak just laughed while he chose two Whelps to remove the meat from the crabs. Before they headed off he had an afterthought but not being an Alchemist himself he decided it was more prudent to ask the Whelps.

  “Does anyone know if Sotek uses the chitin from the crabs for alchemy?”

  Most of the Whelps just shrugged their shoulders or stared blankly back at him, except for a Dunmer. He wiped off his two daggers as he pointed to the left over shells.

  “I think he uses them. Cure disease if I recall but I could be wrong”. He then knelt down and cut off the large claws and stored them in his pack. “These should suffice”.

  Further up the ascending trail, large boulders and rocks caused the pathway to tightly twist and snake through what could be described as a miniature chasm or canyon. Just as they reached the other side, no one noticed Kodlak’s fingers wrap tightly on the hilt of his sword.

  With the speed and agility of a younger warrior, Kodlak drew his blade ‘Twilight’ and sliced through the air at an almost blinding speed.

  The single cry of a wolf as it was cut through it’ side marked the ‘ambush’ which was over before it even had a change to begin. The first wolf fell on its side lifelessly as Twilight was singlehandedly thrust forwards into the chest of the second wolf, pinning it where it stood. Kodlak yanked the sword away and spun around while both the Harbingers gauntlets gripped the handle tightly. A second later the swords keen edge met with the wolfs neck beheading it in a lethal coordinated strike.

  Kodlak leaned back against a large boulder and breathed deeply, regaining his breath while he used a linen wrap which he kept in a small pouch on his belt, to wipe away the blood that had defiled his two handed sword.

  The black haired Whelp stared at him in disbelief as two words escaped her mouth.

  “Bloody hell”.

  Kodlak gave her a quick peculiar look as he simply shrugged off the ‘skirmish’ which seemed to have enthralled the Whelps.

  “What you all gawping at? Skin them, we’ve wasted enough time as it is”.

  Once the two furs were skinned and rolled together, Kodlak secured them to the top of his pack. Moments later, the group were approaching the town of Riverwood. Instead of crossing over the bridge though, the Harbinger led the whelps past it along the edge of the river. He half expected the Whelps to pick the trail which would have taken them to the tower, but he knew of a second pathway that would lead them to the back of it rather than have the Whelps tackle the bandits head on.

  Kodlak had also predicted that a certain Whelp would fall in the river but fortunately she kept her eyes on the trail instead of a rabbit which hopped speedily past them. The rumbling of a cascading albeit small waterfall formed a small shallow stream that ran into the river. The stream itself was only a few inches deep and it caused them no problems to transverse. The bank of the river was littered with rocks and boulders along with rotting and hollow tree trunks as well as various saplings which happened to grow there. The air smelt crisp and clean with the feint fragrance of a variety of flowers that grew in a small clearing just ahead.

  Kodlak looked up the mountainside where the tower loomed ominously above them with slight concern so he decided to play safe. He approached the cliff face so he couldn’t be seen from any overly vigilant bandit who happened to have drunk less ale than usual. He waved the Whelps towards him so they would be out of sight as well.

  “From here in you stay behind me. Those of you who have bows keep an eye out for any archers, I will take care of the others. Those of you who are not equipped with bows, stay out my damn way. We proceed quietly and with caution. No heroics”.

   Moments later he found what he was looking for an old disused trail which ran up the mountainside. Above them the tower sat in full view of them. As he climbed the old crumbling stone steps he gave a silent prayer in the hope that the bandits would be watching the front entrance and not their backdoor.