Storm awoke to the sun shining into his eyes through the glass dome above the nest.
Aurora was still in his embrace and still fast asleep.
He stretched out and yawned, before grasping Aurora and shaking her gently.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Morning already?" She asked.
Storm nodded his head and she stretched out and got to her feet.
"It's not too late.
You can still stay here if you want." Storm offered.
"How many times must I refuse your offer?
I promised to go with you.
Nothing will change my mind." She replied.
Storm nodded his head in thanks.
"Do we set off immediately?" Asked Aurora
"We'll eat something first.
We won't be able to eat again until we reach our destination so we'd better prepare."
Storm and Aurora went to the mess hall and sought out the cooks.
Their breakfast consisted of a few dry vegetables and a bit of preserved meat.
Storm would have preferred his meal to be fresh and would have normally gone hunting but time was short so he ate without complaining .
After waiting another hour for the food to settle in, they went and met up with his advisors at the entrance.
"You have the most experience running a settlement, so you're in charge until I get back." Storm said.
Razor nodded her head.
"Augustus! I want you to keep an eye on the progress of the tasks I have set!
Rush them if they fall behind, but I want it done when I return. " Storm ordered.
The elf acknowledged the order with a quick nod.
"Fair winds to you both on your journey! Fly safe and return soon!" Said Razor.
"Don't worry! You'll hardly notice we were gone!" Storm replied.
With the goodbye wishes said, Storm and Aurora began their journey to Twin Rivers.
The last time Storm made the journey towards the town, it had taken him a few days, but he was older, faster and stronger now.
And so they reached their destination by late afternoon.
Gnolls are not the best builders, and so it was no suprise for Storm to find the town still in a ruined state.
The Gnolls had simply claimed the buildings that were the most intact and repurposed them to suit their needs.
"Maybe I should ask Grombrim to send a few men here to get this place in a better condition?!" Thought Storm to himself.
He stopped the nearest Gnoll, in order to ask for directions.
"Where is your leader?!" Asked Storm.
The Gnoll just stared at him, unable to understand.
Before Storm could lose his temper, a familiar voice called out.
"I am here, winged one!!"
Storm turned towards the voice and he saw the black furred Gnoll approaching him.
He issued a quick barking order and the Gnoll Storm had interrogated, scrambled away to return to his duties.
"You really should take the time to teach them the common tongue!!" Replied Storm irritably.
"What use do we have for the tongue of our prey?
We can communicate as well as anyone else in our own tongue?" Replied the Gnoll.
"Only Gnolls can speak your tongue and I might need to issue order if we're on a battlefield.
I can't have them staring at me like lost pups when I issue a command!!" Exclaimed Storm.
He took a quick breath to calm his emotions before continuing.
"Choose some of the most promising members of your pack, and start teaching them! I have plans for them when I return. " ordered Storm.
The Gnoll inclined his head.
"I also want you to increase the combat training of your members!" Added Storm.
"We moving on to bigger prey?" Asked the Gnoll.
"We will. We've got a place we need to take down and I'm going to need your warriors at their best when we do so." Replied Storm.
"We will obey."
Storm looked at the large stack of crates located in what used to be the village tavern.
"I see you've been busy!" Said Storm.
"You picked a good location.
We have quick access to many of the busier paths used by the humans.
The prey has been bountiful. " replied the Gnoll.
Storm asked for a map and after a few minutes, one was brought to him. He then pointed with a claw to the place where the hideout was located.
"Bring any extra supplies that you do not use to this place. Find the dwarf you met with me and deliver it to him. " Explained Storm.
The Gnoll nodded his head.
"One last thing... do you recognize this?" Asked Storm.
He handed the gnoll a parchment that had the hunter's guild symbol drawn on it.
Before leaving, Storm had asked Augustus to draw it for him so that he could give it to the gnolls.
The gnoll studied it, before nodding his head.
"My hunting party was the one who found it."
"Do you still remember where you got this?"
" Main road. Due south of here!" Replied the Gnoll.
Unfortunately that information was not of much help to Storm.
The road the Gnoll had indicated was a main highway that led to many different settlements.
Including Stone Helm and Northburg.
"If you see another convoy with this symbol, I have special orders for you!" Exclaimed Storm.
"You want us to steal it?!" Asked the Gnoll excitedly.
"No! I want you to do the exact opposite in fact!!
You will let them continue their journey unopposed!" Explained Storm.
"I do not understand?!" Asked the Gnoll.
"When you locate one, I want you to follow it to it's destination as well as the way back to where it started. " Explained Storm.
Understanding then showed on the Gnoll's face.
"Ahhh!! You want the little prey to escape and lead you back to it's herd?
Very clever, winged one! We will do as you ask!" Replied the Gnoll.
Storm was about to leave, when something occurred to him.
"You aren't a Gnoll, are you?" Asked Storm.
The black furred Gnoll stiffened at the inquiry of his origin.
"My father was a Wolfkin, my mother a Gnoll.
To my father's pack, I am a mongrel gnoll.
The gnolls don't judge me for my birth, just my strength! Therefore I choose to be Gnoll."
Wolfkin was a larger form of beast-kin that were distant cousins to the Gnolls.
Apart from their increased size, strength and intelligence, there were a few traits that set the 2 species apart.
The Wolfkin lacked their cousin's cowardly nature and were often considered 'reckless' attacking foes far stronger with a ferocity the Gnolls lacked.
Wolfkin were also limited shapeshifters and could switch between their humanoid forms, or that of a large black wolf with glowing red eyes that the humans had named 'Dire Wolves'
Their packs were nomadic and rarely settled in a single place for long,
Using their animal forms to cover large distances quickly.
"Is it fine if I call you, Wolf? From now on?" Asked Storm.
The Gnoll considered it for a moment.
"A Wolf amoung a pack of Dogs? You have my consent!" Exclaimed Wolf.