by David Greer
Chapter 19
“We've got a rat problem.” Gus said in a raspy voice to the newcomers. “Blasted rodents scurrying about all crazy these days. They used to stay away from us but now they're causing trouble to traders and nearby roads. Soon enough they'll be in town.”
Gus was a short middle aged man with short cropped black hair that was graying on the sides. His face was heavily wrinkled and a quick straight line made up his mouth. A brawny build and calloused hands told he was more than just a bartender. His heavy eyes also told he was tired.
“Here you go. Two mugs. Your friend over there going to keep to himself?” Gus asked while handing a mug to a dark-skinned man with strange markings all over his arms and face. The man gave him a friendly smile and took a drink to his friend, who had similar black markings on his biceps. Curious folk those two, he thought. He wondered what they were doing with the burly man with an accent and full beard who stayed seated at the bar. Despite the large grin on his face at the sight of a full mug, the scar across the bearded ones eye made him look more menacing than the others, Gus thought.
“What kind of rats we talking about lad?” Grimey said after taking a long draught. Leo came back to the bar and took a seat on the stool next to him. Gus had never seen a man walk so smoothly across the floor. It was as if he glided more than stepped. The bartender also noticed the man no longer had a mug but the muscular man sitting alone was gulping away.
Gus eyed Grimey and the other two, taking stock of the newcomers. Particular interest was given to the weapons they carried. The muscular man drinking alone had a spear strapped to his back and a short blade at his hip. The slender one had a bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder and a strangely curved sword sheathed at his hip. Then there was the bearded man who clearly had a thing for axes. The large one across his back along with a series of smaller axes slung to his belt and bandoleer strap.
Hunters.
They had to be hunters. Mercenaries don't sit at the bar or ask about rats. Mercenaries certainly don't smile either like the two men in front of him. Definitely hunters. Then something clicked in Gus's head and he turned to the dark-skinned man in front of him.
“You're Leo aren't you? The hunter from those islands in the eastern seas.” Leo nodded. Gus had heard of the island hunter who traveled around the to hunt. It dawned on him after watching the way Leo walked. Stories of the island hunter always mentioned how light-footed he was and his dark skin was fitting for somebody sailing in the sun a lot. “What brings you here? The rats or the ale?”
“Actually he brought me here.” Leo gestured toward Grimey. “The man insisted on stopping for a drink.” It had been easy traveling for Leo and the others since the night along the Ursa Mountains. From there they went north with a slight westerly bearing, leaving the mountains behind them, until they reached Greenwater River. From there it was a simple matter of following the river west until they reached Greenwater Town.
When they entered the town Leo had made it clear to Grimey that he didn't want their purpose known if it could be helped. He would prefer to avoid any ridicule and looks of doubt he so often received when talking about Orion and stories that have been cast into the realm of myth and childhood fantasy.
“Well I only brought them here because they want to go north.” Grimey just couldn't help himself despite Leo's earlier instructions. “Iyre Mountain to be exact. You heard of it? Some kind of red place. The lad here thinks some great monster Orion slayed long ago is really alive and waking up there. We're going to see if that's true and if so kill the thing.”
Gus nodded politely but couldn't completely hide a look of skeptical amusement from his eyes. Leo flushed with frustration. Grimey continued drinking from his mug as though nothing awkward happened at all. The bartender didn't want to offend his guests and, seeing Leo's embarrassment, put a serious look back on his face. Besides, it mattered little to him what their intentions were. What mattered was that three hunters had strolled into his tavern.
“Fine ale you got here.” Grimey said with a droplet clinging to his beard. “Reminds me of Borland's. I'll have another. So tell us about these rats.”
“Ah yes of course, didn't mean to slight you.” Gus said realizing he never answered Grimey's question earlier. “It's just I've heard of Leo, the island hunter, passing through these parts but never seen him pass through my bar before. Had me wondering if he's actually real. Now I suppose he is.”
Gus went on to explain the rats he had referred to were not normal rodents. They were mean, rabid, and a danger to whoever crossed their path. All this meant one thing to Grimey: monsters were attacking the town.
Greenwater Town was situated along its namesake river, which snaked through the landscape splitting the town in half. Grimey immediately noticed the division between the northern and southern banks when he, Leo, and Kane were approaching the modest river town. Dilapidated wooden buildings, many of which had discolored boards nailed to them as a means to patch up holes or reinforce a collapsing wall, made up the majority of the southern bank. A solitary small dock reached into the river. Tied to it were two small row boats that lazily floated in the mild current. The northern bank was a different story. Buildings constructed from carved travertine stone made up the neighborhoods and an occasional marble sculpture decorated cobblestone courtyards. Along the riverbank several docks extended directly from the sides of buildings. Judging by the signs, Grimey figured the buildings were eateries, taverns, and textile merchants. The docks were easy-access loading zones for trade vessels that sailed along the river.
Gus and his bar laid on the southern bank near the solitary dock. It was a run-down building, green paint chipped off of the walls and thin planks shingled the roof. A sign above the doorway had the word Upstream painted in red.
“Where are your hunters?” Leo asked.
“On the northern banks.” Gus answered.
“Are the rats an issue there as well?” Leo asked.
“Usually yes, but right now no.” Gus said. “The rats live on the northern banks but somehow they've been crossing the river. But they're the only things crossing the river. Our hunters don't come to our side often. Haven't come yet to help us.”
Grimey nearly choked on his ale. “What! Why aren't they helping?”
“Trade. Most business is done on the northern bank.” Leo said. “More profit, more influence.” Gus nodded, surprised at the hunter's knowledge of the town.
“The businessmen over there offer the hunters comfortable living quarters in order to protect their banks before ours. At first it was 'I'll get you nicer weapons' then it was 'I'll give you a bigger home' and so on. There were some who refused at first but over time all the hunters migrated to the northern bank. Only cross over when we send a messenger for help and even that can take a while. The businessmen don't like having them gone, even if just for a short while. And they refuse to ferry the hunters across the river when they do want to cross. I have to use my own boat to ferry them. Protecting their profits is what matters most to the northern bank.” Gus was beginning to turn red in the face as he explained the northern bank's disposition.
“Reminds me of Rocky.” Grimey said to himself. Leo and Gus shot him a curious glance so he explained. “Hot shot farmer in Quarry. Controls most of the trade and farm money. Hires lots of outsiders so he doesn't have to do any real work. People don't like him. Envy his easy life.”
“Well we're not jealous we're pissed!”
“Hey we're here.” Grimey said. “We can kill a few rodents before continuing on north.”
“The southern bank would be grateful. And if it's north you're heading I'll ferry you across the river myself when the deed's done.” Gus said sternly. He was all business though inwardly the bartender smiled, grateful for a hunter's help.
Mid afternoon, the sky was clear save an occasional white wisp of cloud. The sun beamed high overhead sending rays of warmth onto the banks of Greenwater River. Along the southern bank the thr
ee hunters walked with weapons in hand keeping a keen eye for rats. While Grimey didn't know exactly what the monster rats looked like he could make a reasonable guess. He figured they would be large oversized vermin with gnarly front teeth.
“Can you believe that?” Grimey couldn't get over it. “Hunters leaving part of their home unprotected. Blasted people, call themselves hunters. Where are we going anyway?”
“Gus said the rats are somewhere east of town.” Leo said.
The three hunters followed the southern riverbank east. They were a little outside of town. The river's water was, unsurprisingly, green. Not a putrid green but a soft green brought on by the plants and algae in the water. The weather was mild. An occasional breeze passed by but nothing more. The banks were mostly bare too. Not much vegetation lined the waters save for the grass they walked on. Just a few scattered trees and shrubs a little ways inland from the water.
If I were a pack of monster rats, where would I be? Grimey repeated this to himself over and over while scanning the landscape. His eyes fixed on some shrubs a ways away from the riverbank. They were thicker and larger than the other shrubs in the area. There, that's were I'd be.
Axe in hand, Grimey neared the shrubs as Leo and Kane followed behind. The bearded hunter stopped. He listened. The air was slow with only a soft rustling of leaves. It smelled moist with a hint of fish and algae on account of the river being nearby. In the gentle breeze the shrubs swayed easily in unison. Then he caught it. A movement in the leaves inconsistent with the rest. So subtle that many would believe it was nothing but Grimey's trained eye and experience knew better. He tightened his grip and braced for a large monstrous rat with blood-thirsty fangs to jump out. Or maybe several of them. The rustling increased and a whole portion of leaves shook violently. Something was coming. But then suddenly it stopped. Nothing appeared. No oversized rodent. No claws. No fangs. Nothing. Where was it, Grimey thought.
Then he noticed a small brown rodent no larger than a regular rat had crawled out of the shrub. It sniffed and scurried along the grass. The bearded hunter was taken aback, disappointed and slightly miffed at the sight of the so-called monster. It looked no different from everyday vermin. Grimey casually walked up to the rat and raised a foot to stomp it out. What he failed to notice was how urgently Leo had reacted and drawn his bow.
“Grimey wait -”
Too late. There was a loud pop and Grimey was sent sailing through the air and landed hard on his back. The bearded hunter, wide-eyed, swallowed back the pain and rolled onto his side. What happened? All he knew was the soreness in his back and neck and remnants of fur and gore on his right boot. Before he could think more upon it there was more rustling from the shrub and another rat scurried out. This time Grimey noticed its bright red eyes. They were locked right on him. It ran under Leo's legs and went straight for Grimey. Froth poured from its mouth, its eyes bulged out of their sockets. Grimey reached out and snatched up the rodent. It writhed uncontrollably in his hand. He tossed the rat into the air and...Pop!
“Whoa! Did you see that? The little vermin exploded!” Grimey said. Excited, Grimey leaped to his feet and dove into the shrub before Leo or Kane could react to stop him. Grimey rustled through the leaves and came out holding another rat. He shook the rodent until it began writhing and foaming from the mouth, and tossed it into the air. Pop! The bearded hunter chuckled uncontrollably. Kane shot Leo a disdainful look.
“I have an idea.” Grimey said with a grin and dove back into the bushes. He came out with two rats this time, one in each hand. With a quick shake the rodents began foaming and their eyes began bulging. Grimey eagerly tossed the two rats back into the shrubs. Two loud pops rang out. Then another pop. Followed by several more pops. Just as Grimey had hoped, the two rats exploded and set off a chain reaction which detonated the other rats hiding in the shrubs. The hunter's grin widened. It wasn't long until the shrub was covered in a mess of gore and exploded rat parts.
“Well, doesn't look like it'll take long to solve the rat problem now does it lads?”
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