Chapter 115 - 115

The Yohan First Horde, Ikarush, almost destroyed the entire forest near them. Trees and lot of trees were taken down for the construction of their fort, which they were tasked to do by their chieftain. It is to be built in order to have a nearer resting point to the Burning Sands in case war breaks out between them and the Ereian Kingdom.

"Make this ditch deeper!"

"And stop slacking!"

"Who did the digging here!?"

"Why is it narrower than the others!?"

Sakh'arran was furious at the work of his warriors. They have been taking shortcuts at their work and not doing what they were supposed to do. The measurements are always lacking, which made him grit his teeth in anger. 

"Sheesh... Why is he so strict? It's not like there are bigger creatures than those lazy bums." a Yurakk commented as he glanced towards the ogres who were noisily snoring away with no care of what was going on around them.

"Enough complaining. Just do what we are tasked to do and everything will be over. The more that we slacked off, the more that we prolong our suffering building this place." a clear-headed Yurakk answered as he started widening the narrow ditch which his peers left for their Horde Chief to notice.

"Alright, I get you. But where did the other group of Rakshas went to? They have been missing all day." the complaining orc muttered as he observed the patrolling Rakshas who are going around the camp.

"Let's see. The Golden Wolf is still there... It's the Second Warband that went out." the clearheaded orc said as he caught sight of their Horde's pride which was reflecting the rays of the sun among the patrolling Rakshas. "War Chief Gur'kan is also missing." he continued as he can't find even the shadow of their other War Chief.

"I heard that the Second Warband was sent to talk with the tribe to the west that the Verakhs spotted a few days ago." another orc butted in as he raised his pickaxe and dug the ground he was standing on to make it deeper. "And if you get yourself on the walls, you will also find that the Rhakaddon Cavalry is missing from grasslands below." he continued as he used a shovel to load the dug up dirt into the basket which they used to carry the dug up soil.

"Hmmm... The Second Warband and the Rhakaddon Cavalry are not here...hmmm..." the clearheaded orc muttered as he scratched his chin. "Also, where are Buthar and Ya'thu and the rest of the Fifth Warband." he continued.

Sakh'arran approached the conversing orcs and cleared his throat to announce his presence. The orcs who were busy chatting glanced towards their Horde Chief and they nervously gulped down a mouthful of saliva. "If you are so curious about them. I sent them to have talks with the tribe to the west. The Second, Fifth and Seventh Warbands are all not here. The Rhakaddon Cavalry and also the First till Fourth Squad of the First Verakh Company, Rikon, are with them." Sakh'arran informed the curious orcs, then went away but shouted first to them that they should get back to work and not think of anything else.

*****

A four day march to the west where the fort was being constructed, a long line of the orcs were kicking up dust and dirt. In the head of the long line were the members of the Second Warband and the two Guidon Bearers who hold the Banner of the First Horde and Yohan.

Thirty-two Verakhs were traveling alongside, ahead or behind them. They don't really know as they haven't seen them ever since a day after they started their march. What they know is that they have allies in the shadows, monitoring them.

Vice Commander Arkagarr led the long line of orcs. Two thousand one hundred and thirty-two members of the Yohan First Horde,Ikarush were mobilized for this mission as they will meet up with the Verakh Squad that was scouting the movements of the tribe that they discovered.

*****

After the orc warriors arrived near the tribe, they met up with the Verakhs that were stalking their targets. 

"They have around six thousand members in their tribe, including the young and old. Around thirty or forty warg riders." the Squad Leader of the Verakhs reported before disappearing into the dense cover of the surrounding vegetation to continue their primary task, which was to stalk their targets.

"Captain Dug'mhar, picked a dozen of your riders to accompany you and try to have some words with the leaders of the tribe." Vice Commander Arkagarr said as ordered the rest of his troops to prepare a camp.

Dug'mhar smiled happily as he chose the nearest Rhakaddon riders to him and headed out towards the tribe. Bringing his chest out as much as he can, Dug'mhar rode forward atop his steed with pride.

It took them a while to circle around the hills and arrived in front of the entrance of the tribe. "I am Dug'mhar, Clan Chief of the Rumbling Clan, Captain of the Rhakaddon Cavalry of the Yohan First Horde, Ikarush. I come here to have a word with your leader." he shouted loudly to make sure that the residents of the tribe that they just visited could hear him.

He and his steed were in front of the formation as those he chose stood in two lines right behind him with equal numbers. The riders had their crossbows at the ready and remained alert lest they get attack suddenly. They still don't know if the tribe they visited is friendly or hostile to outsiders.

Hundreds of orcs came out of their tents and huts with weapons in their hands. They are equipped with varying kinds of weapons, from swords to maces and primitive spears, which was just a straight wood with a sharpened tip.

An orc with the biggest body step forward and along came hundred of his warriors wielding different kinds of weapons. There were bones strapped around his wrists and forearms, a leather vest that contained multiple bones attached to it. It looks like an armor made of bones and looking at the skulls that were on his shoulders which seemed to work as his shoulder guards. Dug'mhar and his companions surmised that the bones must belong to humans because of the shape of the skulls.