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The Misfits of DametreosChapter 3: Bjarn
Bjarn stopped and stared out at the vast plains of the Falcon Territory, bare and sparse compared to the Forestmen woods. I need a change from woods, he thought, I'm tired of wandering from camp to camp.
Adjusting his pack that contained everything he owned, Bjarn withdrew an arrow from its quiver at his side. After tying a scrap of brightly colored yarn to the arrow, he spun around in a circle and released the arrow random with his eyes closed. Regaining his balance, Bjarn scanned the horizon until his spotted the tiny colored shaft buried in a hillock. He smiled. The arrow had landed northwest, an area he had not explored. With one last look at the Warblewood Forest, Bjarn set out to retrieve his distant arrow.
As Reno and Lord Barbod walked around a hillock they came upon an arrow buried at their feet, an orange string tied to its shaft.
“That's no Falcon arrow.” Lord Barbod stated.
“No, ‘tis mine. And I'll be wanting it back, gents, if you please.”
The two companions whirled around to stare into a pair of cold, hard eyes.
“Where did you come from??” Reno asked in surprise.
“Behind you.” said the figure simply. He walked between the two men without a word and yanked the arrow from the ground.
“Are you a Forestman?” asked Lord Barbod, noting the pattern on the shield the man carried.
“Once.”
“What is your name?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Reno stared, shocked at the old man’s rudeness. “Good sir, the man you are speaking to is Lord Barbod, King of the Bull-Crest!”
The old man look nodded over Reno's shoulder. “Is that why you have so many friends?”
Reno and Lord Barbod spun around. Two dozen Falcons and pirates were charging at the three gentlemen at full speed, firing arrows wildly. The grizzled old man sidestepped one such arrow, uprooted it and fired it from his own bow. The arrow spun through the air and felled a pirate.
“You lads must not be popular here,” said the old man with a hint of a grin.
“Oh we are more than popular, old man.” Barbod said, grinning. He turned his spear in his hands and prepared for battle. He charged right into the crowd of pirates and Falcons.
“BLOODY FALCONS!” Barbod screamed, ramming his spear though a Falcon and holding him above as a shield, arrows hitting the Falcon in the back. After a moment, he threw the Falcon to the ground and stepped over him.
“If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get! Dance on their graves boys! Grrrahhhhh!” Barbod cried as he charged.
“Ha! Dance on their graves! That's a new one!” Reno unsheathed his sword and charged the pirates and Black Falcons. Already Lord Barbod and Bjarn had killed a man each.
“BLOODY FALCONS!” Barbod shouted. Bjarn fired more arrows, each hitting a target. Reno chopped another Falcon's arm off before two pirates came with cutlasses in their hands.
“Be looking at that, nice treasure…” they were pointing at Reno's pendant, which hung around his neck.
“Grrrrr!” a pirate leapt up and snatched the pendant from Reno's neck.
“Fight on boys, and good day to ye!” they cried and ran away as fast as they could. Reno began to run after them, but a Falcon remained and he was blocking Reno's path. Suddenly a spear and an arrow stuck in the Falcons chest. Bjarn and Barbod walked over to the Falcon and Barbod pulled his spear out of the Falcon's chest.
“Bloody Falcons…” Barbod muttered.
When Bjarn and Barbod were setting up camp and deciding what to do, Reno took out a small picture of his family, his mother, his father, and his brother and studied it. He knew his brother was named Aros and that Aros was a traveler as well.
I must find my brother Reno thought.
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