The Ranger

The sun rose in the sky like a lump of molten iron. It baked the wet earth banishing the tendrils of mist that still clung to the ground. Striding through the vanishing fog came a figure, clad in a gray cloak a hand on the knife at his side. He ascended the hill his light gray eyes noting every feature of the landscape that he knew so well. He was human with dark hair showing around the hood of his cloak. The stubble on his chin indicated he hadn't shaved for several days. He was tall and lithe which bespoke the elven blood which ran in his veins, but his muscles still bulged with his years of hard labor.

Even though he had broken camp at dawn and been walking steadily he didn't show any sign of exertion. Besides the black-leather wrapped knife at his side he carried a broadsword in a sheath over his shoulder. Over the other shoulder was a longbow. The quiver was strapped to his belt and carried twenty-eight ash wood arrows, each one feathered and straight. Wrapped around his belt was a hithlain sling and a pouch of rocks. Lastly he carried a broad well-used staff in his hand.

As he reached the top of the hill he scanned the area around him. Ahead of him as far as the eye could see was hillocks and scrub brush. Suddenly! movement to the left. Even as his brain registered the fact he was dropping to the ground. An arrow whistled inches overhead. Three orcs ran from behind the bushes, they were all dressed inn coarse clothing well suited to the scrublands; one carried the bow he had just fired, another one had a loaded bow, the third had a sling. Running up the hill the first drew a curved dagger ready to finish of his foe. As he crested the hill he looked in disbelief, he couldnąt see anybody. Even as he looked a man jumped up from the ground, with a roar the human leapt up swinging his sword. It slashed across the orcs chest causing the creature to cry out in pain and drop his rusty dagger. As the other two orcs crested the hill the man clubbed the first orc over the head, then moving quickly he swung his sword at the second orcs bow hand. He severed the bow driving a handful of splinters deep into the orcs hand then continuing his swing deep across the orcs chest. Even as he was finishing his swing he kicked the third orc in the chest, rolling him down the hill. The man turned and ran down the hill from whence he came.

He was a ranger brought up to protect the land. He hadn't seen an orc in the land for almost thirty years. Most of his time was spent tracking thieves and fighting the odd barrowright or troll. Why would a small band of scouting orcs suddenly appear?

The eerie noise of a horn floated over the hill. It filled him with dread as much from the noise as from the realization that orcs only blew their battle horns when in great numbers. He put on an extra turn of speed trying to reach the forest before the faster orcs caught up with him. Just before reaching the forestąs edge the orcs caught him. He placed himself next to a large oak the only tree for several yards. He rammed his staff into the soft ground and pulled out his sling, loading it he waited. Four scouting orcs appeared like smoke. Before they saw him his stone hit the first one, he dropped as if for know apparent reason. The second stone winded another orc. Then the fighters arrived crashing through the underbrush, these werenąt gangly scouts with puny bows and slings. These were huge, leathery brutes carrying axes, swords, scimitars, shields, hooks and heavy stabbing spears. They were clothed in heavy armor under there rough rags. Stowing his sling the Ranger drew his sword, even as the orcs descended on him the sword became a whirling, biting, slashing blur. Orcs cried out, grunted or just stared dumbly as the sword hit them. The Ranger swung his sword ignoring the aching lungs and the sword arms he swung on oblivious to all about him except the three orcs in front of him. He didn't even feel the fiery bite of a hook cutting his shoulder. He swung with two hands cutting into the helmet of the hook-wielding orc. Dodging to the left he narrowly avoided the thrust of a spear. An arrow whistled by nicking his cloak and thudding into the orc on the other side of him. In a second he spotted the gangly form of a small orc standing in the fork of a tree about nine feet up. The creature was readying a second arrow. With quickness and agility that could put an acrobat to shame the Ranger went into action. Flipping his sword he caught the blade and threw it like a dagger it buried itself into the tree trunk holding the lifeless orc to the tree. Then kneeling low he knocked down an orc with his foot, grabbed his staff, and rammed it into an orcs chest causing him to fall. The Ranger ran forward, rammed his staff into the ground and vaulted through the fork of the tree grabbing his word as he flew by.