Any Port in a Storm

Tadus and his brother easily followed the fachan’s trail. Occasional smoldering underbrush gave witness he was still alive…and still on fire. There were no signs of the other wolves so likely they were still alive as well and presumably not on fire. Rae had grabbed the giant’s flail as they headed into the woods and she pondered what kind of life a creature like that must lead. He seemed to have a clever sense of humor, albeit wicked and directed toward eating her sister. Still, she wanted to talk to him.

They walked quickly through the trees as it was still early Storm Season and the undergrowth was just barely starting to sprout. As quickly as they walked, the fachan had been hopping at full speed with the wolves close on his heels, biting and leaping on him so it was close to a half hour before they came to a cave in a rocky hill side. There was a large opening out onto a kind of natural rock porch on which stood four slightly battered and very angry appearing dire wolves. Teeth bared, they held their heads low and growled into the cave.

It was growing darker as the clouds gathered thickly above. Off to the south and west, sheets of rain could be seen falling with the storm headed their way. Out on the bare rock they would soon be soaked. Or worse, thought Kymeth, as lightning crashed not far away.

Rae approached the cave with the flail. She sat it down, raised both hands in front of her and then spread them wide over head while shaking her long hair. Several runes glowed brightly on her shoulders and she shimmered for just a second. Her eyes appeared brighter, her skin softer, and her hair more radiant. She picked up the flail again and held it in front of her with both hands as she entered the mouth of the cave. “Hello? Hello, Mr. Fachan? I brought you your flail back. Are you ok?” The cave smelled of roasted meat, rosemary and thyme with a bit of vanilla candle. Not at all unpleasant yet certainly not without the dankness one would find in a cave. She thought she heard something splashing deep in the cave.

“Hellooo?”

Rae had disappeared into the cave as the rest of her family stood dumbfounded. Her mother called after her to come out but she would have none of it.

Rain started falling now, softly at first but then it came in torrents. Lightning crashed ever closer.

“What possible spirit has possessed you to…” The fachan stopped speaking as his eye fell on Rae. Runes glowed all about her as she glistened before him. “I brought you your flail. I thought you might want to talk a bit.” It was the fachan’s turn to stand dumbfounded now.

Rae with runes and warpaint
from Mocah Wallpeppers

Rae looked up at the giant. Truly misshapen and horrifying, but for some reason she was not afraid of him. She felt sad for how alone he must be. She looked at the burns that covered his face and arms. He still wore his armor that was blackened and wet. He must have submerged himself as wet as he was!

She set the flail down at his feet. “My name is Rae. My sister and mother can care for your burns. Perhaps they could come in out of the storm to help you? What’s your name?”

The fachan mumbled something. Well, stuttered really. Maybe mumblestuttered is a better way to put it. Rae laughed a bit as he tried to speak several times. Finally, she heard him say “Angus.”

Rae began singing of Lonely Angus Against the World. A large tear fell from his eye and hit the cave floor just as lightning crashed too near the mouth of the cave. “Quickly, Rae, bring your family inside! You must all be my guests this evening!”