The Keep

It was nightfall, and Grot could see the tiny oil lamps burning in some of the houses. He stalked in the bushes near the tiny Dwarven settlement, nothing on his feet at all, his legs bare and scratched from the bushes. He breathed quietly, moving around in the shadows, waiting for every last oil lamp in the town to go out.

As they dimmed, he moved into the town, his breathing getting a little more irregular, though he still managed to keep quiet as the thin orc stalked through the middle of the square, moving towards the larger house. Trying the door softly, he slowly pushed it open, the door squeaking only slightly. Quickly he moved in, shutting the door softly behind him, looking around and trying to get his bearings.

Luckily, most dwarven buildings were the same, and he took an instinctive right, groping for the wall to find where the stairs led down into the cellar. The floor above him creaked and he stood perfectly still, holding his breath as he waited, his sharp eyes slowly becoming accustomed to the dark. Once assured there was no one there, he gave another glance around, searching the darkness. Finding the stairs quickly, he descended, opening his pack as he did so. His hands were quick and quiet as he grabbed the bottles of preserved goods, the flasks of water and mead, the flour and sugar and oil.

Just as quickly as he came he was gone, his heart pounding in his chest as he made his way back to the forest. Another few hours to run before he got back to their current camp, he pushed himself on, his body barely able to keep him moving.

Kali greeted him with wide eyes and smiles, the sun rising on the horizon as he came back, dropping his pack to the ground and falling onto the rugged leather blanket they had made, cushioned with dry leaves. He panted loudly, his blood like fire pumping through his veins. Sweat poured from his body and Kali quickly ran to grab some water, pouring it over his face and into his lips, all the while hugging him affectionately.

Both of their stomachs growled in unison. The fish were disappearing quickly, and food was even scarcer in the last few months, the bitter winter cold still lingering in the air. Their stomachs were once more concaved, their bodies scrawny and sickly looking, their faces sunken. The only one who looked even the slightest bit healthy was Lae. She sat up proudly, watching the two, licking her lower lip in anticipation of the coming meal. She was quickly growing into a girl; her height had shot up several inches since they left and she was walking, able to easily get around. She didn’t speak much, but Kali and Grot both knew of her affections of them, and her clear understanding of their situation. She was quiet and obedient, just as she had been as a baby, and had quickly taken to fishing, though she rarely caught anything.

Lae was the light and joy of their otherwise bleak existence. The three huddled for warmth at night, three children keeping one another warm. As time went on, they became quieter, their youthful questions and dreams not seeming to need voicing any longer. They lived to continue living.