Chapter 13: Of Attrition and Lost Puppies
The leather chewtoy the child had given them was as long as Ember's upper arm. "I think we should have asked Albert exactly how large Rufie is," she told Kivan. They'd been asked to look for a puppy with black fur and shining eyes, but if the bitemarks on the chewtoy were anything to go by, the lost puppy would be the size of a small pony.
"For a small child, a dog will often be a puppy at any age," Kivan said. "We are probably looking for a large dog that has been trained to watch over the child."
"If that is the case, the dog isn't exactly doing its job today," Imoen said.
"Boo thinks the puppy is Albert's playfriend," Minsc said, "for friends come in all sizes." He reached to his tunic collar where Boo was nestled in a small pocket, and patted the hamster's head affectionately.
They walked past a stand of blooming fruit trees and headed towards a gully between two lengthy outcroppings of rock. Every few minutes, one of them - usually Imoen - would shout the dog's name, but the only answering sounds were the twittering of birds and the gentle clucking of the nearby river.
"I have not found any dog tracks yet," Kivan said. "It is probably in a different area."
"Maybe it's just good at hiding," Imoen said. "RUFIE!!"
This time, she was answered. "Travelers from the north, halt!" a woman cried. She walked towards them at a brisk pace from the lower end of the gully, escorted by two men with longbows. The woman herself wielded a very elegant-looking sword.
"You trespass quite deep into Amnish territory," the woman said with a sneer. "Perhaps you have come to spy upon our supposed troop build up. It's quite funny, the stupid notions you northern barbarians can get stuck in your heads."
"Are you saying that Amn does not threaten Baldur's Gate?" Ajantis asked.
"Of course not. Our mighty nation has better things to do than attack some self important barbarian city." The woman waved a hand dismissively. "Anyhow, take our advice, and go back from whence you came."
"We will be going nowhere. We have as much right to be here as you do," Ember said.
The woman laughed. "Why, it seems that we have stumbled upon some berserkers. I had suspected as much when I caught your scent a few moments ago, but your behavior clinches it. Delgod! Alexander! Let us make short work of these peasants!"
"Are you mad?" Ember said. The men drew their bows, and the woman advanced on them with raised sword and shield.
"Deal with the archers first," Kivan muttered.
"Boo will teach them some manners," Minsc exclaimed as he unsheathed his sword and charged towards one of the Amnian archers. "Go for the eyes, Boo!"
I'm glad he's on my side, Ember thought as she ran to join Minsc. His target managed to fire two arrows before the giant man fell upon him. At first, the archer blocked Minsc's attacks with his bow, but then a powerful slash broke his bow in two. the pieces flew apart as the tension in the string was released, and one of the broken ends struck the archer's eyes. The man staggered backwards, clutching his face.
The next swing of Minsc's sword cut the archer down.
The second archer had exchanged his bow with a spear, which he was using to ward off Ember's attacks. She noticed quickly that he was merely defending himself; he was slowly backing away from her, and every few seconds he would glance towards the giant man who was hacking away at his comrade. When his friend fell and the giant turned to look at him, bellowing something about little hamster feet trampling his butt, the archer's nerve broke. He shoved Ember away with a final thrust of his spear, threw the weapon aside and ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the woods north of the gully.
The woman was locked in a duel with Ajantis. They circled each other, lashing out with their swords and blocking the other with their shields, moving so rapidly that Imoen and Kivan could not attempt to fire arrows at the woman. The fighters were evenly matched, and their circling only ended when the woman struck Ajantis's sword with enough force to snap the blade. Ajantis lost his balance and fell to the ground. The woman stood over him, gloating. "Barbarians," she said with a harsh laugh, raising her sword to strike.
"You leave him alone, you bufflehead!" Imoen shouted. One, two, three magic missiles hit the woman's chest before Imoen's wand broke from the strain. The missiles served their purpose, though; the woman was spun around and knocked a couple steps away from Ajantis. Before she could fully regain her footing, Kivan swung his war hammer at her. Sparks flew as it hit her squarely in the chest, and the air smelled like a thunderstorm. Another blow of the hammer, and the woman lay sprawled on the ground. Her sword lay on the ground just out of her reach, and Imoen picked it up before she could reclaim it.
"This is a pretty sword," Imoen said. "Guys, have you seen anything like it before?"
"Indeed I have, miss," Ajantis said. "It is a variant of the basic sword, but made from stronger, more durable metal. It is lightly enchanted as well; it will not break or tarnish, and will afflict even magical creatures. It is quite popular amongst those who can afford it."
"I see," Imoen said, studying the sword closely before tossing it to Ajantis. "And now it is yours," she told him.
"Miss Imoen, I am not sure we can-"
"She attacked us, and she broke your sword. It's only fair."
"Thieving scum," the woman muttered, glaring at Imoen.
"Oh really? Well, if you'll insist," Imoen said, "then I want your armor, too."
"Miss Imoen!" Ajantis protested.
"No, I agree," Ember said. "Spoils of battle and all that. And maybe it'll teach certain fine Amnians to not go around picking fights with peasants?" She walked over to the woman and gestured at her with her sword till the woman grudgingly took her armor off. Imoen had a good eye, Ember thought. The armor was made of smooth, lightweight leather in clear red and brown hues, and felt slightly warm in the way she associated with her white staff. Clearly, they would have to have it examined for magic properties as soon as possible.
The woman hissed and cursed as she retrieved a plain war hammer from the body of the fallen archer. Her complaints ranged from what her armor had cost to the body odors of Ajantis and the others to the uselessness of her fallen bodyguard. The tirade was only halted by the sound of a distant scream. It was the sound of a human in mortal terror, and it came from the woods north of their position.
The woman's face fell at the sound, replacing her scowl with a worried expression. "Delgod?" she asked in a low voice.
"You should leave these hills," Kivan told the deflated woman. "Do not follow him. Go to your nearest allies, and avoid conflict if you can."
The woman nodded quietly, bit her lip, and turned to run southwards.
"I'm almost sorry we took her armor," Imoen said as she watched the woman leave.
"Her friend wore more armor than she did," Ember pointed out. "If he was the one screaming, her leathers wouldn't make a difference."
"Is anyone injured?" Ajantis asked.
Most of them had suffered nothing worse than the usual array of scrapes, cuts and bruises; Minsc had suffered the only major injury. "They had good arrows," he explained, indicating an arrow that had penetrated his armor and was embedded deep in his thigh. Blood was slowly seeping through the tarnished chainmail. "But Boo is well." As on cue, the hamster stuck its head out from the pouch on Minsc's tunic and squeaked.
Kivan and Ajantis immediately went to work on Minsc's leg. It was a few minutes' work to remove the arrow from his leg, but Minsc bore it patiently. Once the obstacle was removed, Ajantis lay his hands over the wound and healed it in a flash of blue light. Minsc immediately stood up and tested his leg. "Yes, this is good," he said after a few experimental kicks and stamps. "Minsc can plant his boot in the buttocks of evil again now!"
"Um, guys," Imoen said, "I think we are being watched..." She nodded towards the north edge of the gully.
They were indeed being watched. A large creature sat underneath one of the blooming trees, growling at them with bared teeth. It appeared to be a dog, but it was a dog the size of a small cart. Its black, shaggy fur was bristling with raised hackles, and its eyes glowed with fury.
"By the gods," Ember whispered.
"A hellhound if ever I saw one," Ajantis muttered.
"Be quiet; it may attack any moment," Kivan said, reaching very slowly for his bow.
"Boo wonders why it is here," Minsc said quietly. "He thinks the hound should be somewhere that is not under the trees with the pretty flowers."
"You don't suppose..." Imoen said, rummaging in her bag. She pulled out the chewtoy Albert had given them, and waved it tentatively in the direction of the hound. The hound ceased its growling, and its ears perked visibly.
"Rufie?" Imoen called out. The hound stood up and approached them in a normal gait, wagging its tail and panting.
"Well, I never!" Ajantis exclaimed. "A hellhound and a child? What is the meaning of this?"
"There's only one way to find out!" Imoen said.
---
"RUFIE!!"
The boy ran gleefully past them and wrapped his little arms around the hellhound. "Who's a fuzzy Rufie? Whoooooo's a fuzzy little guy?" he cooed into the hound's ragged pelt, grabbing handfuls of the long black strands and running his fingers through them. The hound barked happily in a series of deep woofs that resonated in the air around them.
Having greeted his pet sufficiently, Albert stood up and addressed Imoen. "Thank you just ever so much," he said. "I better take this lost little puppy home right away. Here, take this. It's another of his chew things, but we can get more where we're going." The boy was holding out a large, well-gnawed bone which looked suspiciously like a human femur.
Imoen took a step backwards. "Thank you, but that's not necessary, I'm just glad we found him for you, you know?" she said. "Here's the one you gave us earlier," she continued, holding the leather chewtoy out to the boy.
"Thanks. You are sure you do not want it? It is a very good toy."
"Yeah, I'm sure. Really."
"Oh well. I am certain Rufie won't mind. Thanks again." The boy bowed before Imoen, then before Ember. With a smile and a brief gesture, he proceeded to conjure something that looked like nothing more than a glimmering mirrow with a bottomless pit on the other side.
"Time to go home, Rufie," the boy told his dog, placing an arm on the animal's shoulder. "You'll like the Nine Hells much better than these cold climes." The animal leapt through the glimmering portal, and the boy followed closely behind him. For a split second before he vanished into the smooth surface, Albert's form seemed to shift. He was taller, much taller, his skin turned darker and redder, and there was a hint of wings and horns about him. Then he was gone, and a split second later, the portal was gone too.
"By Helm," Ajantis said. "We have aided a monster."
"At least he was a nice monster," Imoen said. "And... Rufie really was the size of a puppy, compared to him..."
The five of them stared at the spot where the portal had appeared for quite a while before moving onwards.
