telltale rhythmic splashes and dripping like oars rowing. The voyagers stopped their oars, remaining still and quiet.
It’s most likely orcs, Saxthor thought. Our full boat is low in the water. We can’t fight from this little tub. He motioned for Bodrin and Hendrel to row. He tapped his ear indicating quiet, then steered the boat on a more southerly direction.
“The other craft is still with us,” Tournak whispered in Saxthor’s ear.
Saxthor changed course to the west, but again the other boat followed.
“Now I hear two boats,” Bodrin said and pointed. “There, it sounds like another boat, coming at us from the north.”
“It’s as if the orcs know where we are,” Saxthor said.
The other boats followed for almost an hour. The clouds parted after midnight and moonlight lit up the water revealing all three boats.
“Both those boats are filled with orcs,” Bodrin said. “They’re following us for sure.”
“They’ll attack soon,” Hendrel said.
”Now that the moonlight has exposed us all, they’re rowing harder, steering directly for us,” Tournak said.
“Move to the back and row as fast as you can without tipping the boat or taking on water,” Saxthor said.
They rowed hard, but the muscular orcs harder. Water sloshed over the orc boat bows. Oafish orcs bailed out water as the bows dove into the black soup.
“The orcs are gaining on us. We can’t avoid a fight,” Saxthor said.
As Saxthor assessed their situation, everyone else stared at the approaching orcs and strained rowing.
The terrified exile huddled in the bow, mumbling to himself, not watching the orcs, like all the others.
“Tournak and Hendrel, you’ll only have one chance to hit their boats with wizard-fire before they realize we have that capability,” Saxthor said. “After the first shots, the orcs will be wary. Tournak, can you hit the boat on the right?”
“I think I can, it’s worth a try.”
“Hendrel, you take the boat on the left. I’ll steer hard right. When they follow, their turns will expose the boats’ sides. Aim for the water line so maybe you can sink one. If you miss, at least you should force them to slow down. Do so on the count of three.”
Just as Saxthor finished setting the attack plan, one of the orcs threw a spear that landed just short of their boat.
“The orcs expect us to surrender,” Tournak said.
“They’re drawing closer to us,” Saxthor said. “There‘ll only be time for one shot before the orcs overtake us. Take good aim, men. Tonelia and Astorax, splash the water with your hands on your respective sides of the boat.”
“Why?” Tonelia asked. “What good will that do?”
“Just do it, and do it now,” Saxthor said. “Okay, Tournak and Hendrel, get ready. I’m going to count to three, and steer the boat to starboard. Shoot your wizard-fire as they turn to follow. Tonelia and Astorax keep splashing until after the wizard-fire shoots, then stop and keep your hands out of the water.”
“Three,” Saxthor said, loud enough for his companions, but not the orcs, to hear. He shoved the steering oar, turning the boat hard to starboard. The boat jerked to the right. Water rose almost to the tip of the side. As he did so, the orcs followed the move, their boats exposed broadside.
Zap! Zap! Tournak and Hendrel shot wizard-fire bolts.
Hendrel hit the boat on the left just above the waterline, knocking out the planks in a fiery explosion. Tournak hit the boat on the right, but his shot was a bit high. While it knocked a hole in the upper planks, it didn’t hit below the waterline.
Saxthor turned sharp back to port.
The orc steering the left boat turned to port to follow Saxthor, not realizing the extent of their damage. The water rushed high against the damaged bow and into the boat. The surge of water lowered the boat and more water rushed in. The boat was sinking fast. The panicking orcs scrunched to the far side, rocking the boat. It took on more water.
“The orcs
It’s most likely orcs, Saxthor thought. Our full boat is low in the water. We can’t fight from this little tub. He motioned for Bodrin and Hendrel to row. He tapped his ear indicating quiet, then steered the boat on a more southerly direction.
“The other craft is still with us,” Tournak whispered in Saxthor’s ear.
Saxthor changed course to the west, but again the other boat followed.
“Now I hear two boats,” Bodrin said and pointed. “There, it sounds like another boat, coming at us from the north.”
“It’s as if the orcs know where we are,” Saxthor said.
The other boats followed for almost an hour. The clouds parted after midnight and moonlight lit up the water revealing all three boats.
“Both those boats are filled with orcs,” Bodrin said. “They’re following us for sure.”
“They’ll attack soon,” Hendrel said.
”Now that the moonlight has exposed us all, they’re rowing harder, steering directly for us,” Tournak said.
“Move to the back and row as fast as you can without tipping the boat or taking on water,” Saxthor said.
They rowed hard, but the muscular orcs harder. Water sloshed over the orc boat bows. Oafish orcs bailed out water as the bows dove into the black soup.
“The orcs are gaining on us. We can’t avoid a fight,” Saxthor said.
As Saxthor assessed their situation, everyone else stared at the approaching orcs and strained rowing.
The terrified exile huddled in the bow, mumbling to himself, not watching the orcs, like all the others.
“Tournak and Hendrel, you’ll only have one chance to hit their boats with wizard-fire before they realize we have that capability,” Saxthor said. “After the first shots, the orcs will be wary. Tournak, can you hit the boat on the right?”
“I think I can, it’s worth a try.”
“Hendrel, you take the boat on the left. I’ll steer hard right. When they follow, their turns will expose the boats’ sides. Aim for the water line so maybe you can sink one. If you miss, at least you should force them to slow down. Do so on the count of three.”
Just as Saxthor finished setting the attack plan, one of the orcs threw a spear that landed just short of their boat.
“The orcs expect us to surrender,” Tournak said.
“They’re drawing closer to us,” Saxthor said. “There‘ll only be time for one shot before the orcs overtake us. Take good aim, men. Tonelia and Astorax, splash the water with your hands on your respective sides of the boat.”
“Why?” Tonelia asked. “What good will that do?”
“Just do it, and do it now,” Saxthor said. “Okay, Tournak and Hendrel, get ready. I’m going to count to three, and steer the boat to starboard. Shoot your wizard-fire as they turn to follow. Tonelia and Astorax keep splashing until after the wizard-fire shoots, then stop and keep your hands out of the water.”
“Three,” Saxthor said, loud enough for his companions, but not the orcs, to hear. He shoved the steering oar, turning the boat hard to starboard. The boat jerked to the right. Water rose almost to the tip of the side. As he did so, the orcs followed the move, their boats exposed broadside.
Zap! Zap! Tournak and Hendrel shot wizard-fire bolts.
Hendrel hit the boat on the left just above the waterline, knocking out the planks in a fiery explosion. Tournak hit the boat on the right, but his shot was a bit high. While it knocked a hole in the upper planks, it didn’t hit below the waterline.
Saxthor turned sharp back to port.
The orc steering the left boat turned to port to follow Saxthor, not realizing the extent of their damage. The water rushed high against the damaged bow and into the boat. The surge of water lowered the boat and more water rushed in. The boat was sinking fast. The panicking orcs scrunched to the far side, rocking the boat. It took on more water.
“The orcs
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