Chapter 2(b)

The sound of a struggle caught Angus's ear first. He called to Boulder, who was in the lead, to stop. They were almost to Kairn's Rest when they stopped, one more turn of the road and they would be entering the Rest, where Angus could tell the fighting was. He and Fenel caught up to Boulder, who was looking around the last outcropping before the road straightened out.
"What do you see, Boulder?" Angus asked.
" It looks as if Goom and her children are under attack. It is strange Father because it seems to be dwarves harassing them."
That news shocked Angus, and he moved Boulder out of the way to get look for himself. Sure enough, five dwarves in black leather were viciously attacking Goom and hers. This was wrong. Goom, her husband, Grok, and their family were friends of the dwarves of Kairn's Keep. No dwarf under Jocknor's rule would ever attack them, so who were these dwarves? He had heard tales about dwarves from far off lands, but he had never met any. No matter, he did not have to understand who they were to stop them from harming those under the protection of his people.
"Boulder, walk with me in the center of the road as I try to speak to these dwarves. Fenel, work your way down the side here to the third rib. Don't let them know you are there. If they do not respond to talking, you will know when to act. The All-Father be with us."
Fenel was off in a flash. No one was as stealthy as Fenel. He could sneak up on a mother Snigworm guarding her nest and steal one of her eggs without her having a clue it was gone. Angus gave him a couple of minutes. Then he turned the corner and strode down the middle of the road toward the fight. It was then that the smell hit him. It was so pungent that it felt like he had bee punched.
"Son, these are the ones we have been looking for, vengence will be ours this day," Angus whispered. "I will issue one order to stop, which I am certain they will ignore. Then we charge. You concentrate on helping Ogroc, get him out of that harness."
They moved closer. they were now less than 100 feet away and still had not been noticed.
"In the name of the All-Father, stop your assult, brothers." Angus bellowed.
Only two of the dwarves took notice of Angus, the other three seemd to be in such a rage that they were oblivious to everything else. The two that noticed Angus, immmediately charged at him and Boulder. Angus and Boulder broke into an open run at them. When Boulder was right up on the dwarf closest to him, he spun away from the club the dwarf swung at him and landed a well-placed blow to the back of the dwarf's leg, sending him to his knees. Boulder continued on, rushing to the aid of Ogroc. By the time Boulder reached Ogroc, he was offering no resistance. It appeared to Boulder that he was dead or near to it, but the dwarf over him seemed not to notice. He was bludgeoning him repeatedly with a thorn topped club. Boulder's first strike hit the dwarf squarely between his shoulder blades, knocking him on top of Ogroc. As he tired to turn around and get his footing to get back up, Boulder hit him on his left knee, crushing the entire knee cap. The dwarf let loose with an awful scream, and if it were possible the smell coming from him exploded. The stench caused Boulder to take a step back, his eyes watering. He watched as the dwarf struggled to get up, sheer hatred raging in his eyes. As the dwarf took a swing at Boulder with his club, Boulder could have sworn that the dwarf's face changed, kind of melted from the face he had been looking at into some indescribable face. That unnerved Boulder, giving his opponent the slight opening he needed to land a glancing blow on his right leg. The dwarf did not have the strength to drive the thorns into Boulder's leg, but they cut it pretty good. The pain shook Boulder from his contemplation of the creepy face. He drove his hammer into the dwarf's chin, his follow through being strong enough to carry the dwarf's chin and his hammer into his brain. One down, four to go.