General Dukka would keep Wolf Jaw at bay, Obould focused his gaze directly to the east, where rising dust showed the approach of a powerful force, and yellow banners shot with red proclaimed Clan Karuck. The orc king closed his eyes and fell within his thoughts, imagining again his great kingdom, full of walls and castles, and teeming cities of orcs living under the sun and sharing fully in the bounty of the world.
Kna's shriek brought him from his quiet meditation, and as soon as he opened his eyes, Obould understood her distress.
An orc approached, a zombie orc, holding its head plaintively in its hands before it. Before any of his warriors and guards could react, Obould leaped the low wall before him and charged down, drawing his greatsword as he went. A single swing cleaved the zombie in half and sent the head flying.
So it was, the orc king knew as he executed the swing. Grguch had stated his intent and Obould had answered. There was no more to be said.
Not so far to the east, a great horn blared.
From over the very next ridge came the sound of a skirmish, orc against orc.
"Obould and Grguch," Tos'un stated.
In the distance to the northeast, a great horn, Kokto Gung Karuck, sounded.
"Grguch," Drizzt agreed.
Bruenor snorted. "I can't be asking any o' ye to come with me," he started.
"Bah, but just ye try to stop us," said Torgar, with Shingles nodding beside him.
"I would travel to the Abyss itself for a try at Obould," Hralien added.
Beside him, Tos'un shook his head.
"Obould's to be found on them hills," Bruenor said, waving his axe in the general direction of the trio of rocky mounds they had determined to be Obould's main encampment. "And I'm meaning to get there. Right through, one charge, like an arrow shot from me girl's bow. I'm not for knowing how many I'll be leavin' in me wake. I'm not for knowin' how I'm getting back out after I kill the dog. And I'm not for caring."
Torgar slapped the long handle of his greataxe across his open palm, and Shingles banged his hammer against his shield.
"We'll get ye there," Torgar promised.
The sounds of battle grew louder, some close and some distant. The great horn blew again, its echoes vibrating the stones beneath their feet.
Bruenor nodded and turned to the next ridge, but hesitated and glanced back, focusing his gaze on Tos'un. "Me elf friend telled me that ye done nothing worth killin' ye over," he said. "And Hralien's agreeing. Get ye gone, and don't ye e'er give me a reason to regret me choice."
Tos'un held his hands out wide. "I have no weapons."
"There'll be plenty for ye to find in our wake, but don't ye be following too close," Bruenor replied.
With a helpless look to Drizzt, then to all the others, Tos'un gave a bow and walked back the way they had come. "Grguch is your nightmare, now," he called to Drizzt, in the drow tongue.
"What's that?" Bruenor asked, but Drizzt only smiled and walked over to Hralien.
"I'll be moving fast beside Bruenor," the drow explained, handing Tos'un's weapon belt over. "If any are to escape this, it will be you. Beware this sword. Keep it safe." He glanced over at Regis, clearly nervous. "This will not unravel the way we had intended. Our run will be frantic and furious, and had we known the lay of the land and the orc forces, Bruenor and I would have come out - "
"Alone, of course," finished the elf.
"Keep the sword safe," Drizzt said again, though he looked not at Khazid'hea, but at Regis as he spoke, a message all too clear for Hralien.
"And live to tell our tale," the drow finished, and he and Hralien clasped hands.
"Come on, then!" Bruenor called.
He scraped his boots in the dirt to clear them of mud, and adjusted his one-horned helmet and his foaming mug shield. He started off at a brisk walk, but Thibble dorf Pwent rushed up beside him, and past him, and swept Bruenor up in his eagerness.
They were in full charge before they crested the ridge.
They found the fighting to the west of them, back toward Obould's line, but there were orcs aplenty right below, running eagerly to battle - so eagerly that Pwent had already lowered his head spike before the nearest one turned to regard the intruders.
That orc's scream became a sudden gasp as the helmet spike prodded through its chest, and a lip-flapping head wag from Pwent sent