https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kale-Hounds-Kosroth-Book-ebook/dp/B018XJXI12

Kale and the Hellhounds


Characters
Kale of Kosroth
Bandits



Kale was tired of avoiding his pursuers and was ready to make a stand. He had hoped to get to Kosroth where some of his few friends, could aid him but he knew he could not make it before they were upon him and it was not in his nature to flee anyway. No matter, they would soon discover why he was one of the most feared warriors in all of Kosroth. He had been keeping an eye out for a fortification or clearing of some sort where he could face them with an upper hand and he had just found it. A small cave in a cliff with a large rock near it and a few smaller rocks nearby.

Kale unslung his recurve bow and placed a few extra arrow s at hand, then checked his great axe, Reaper, and his daggers. Mountain raiders had managed to shoot down his good stead a few miles back, after he had led them on a short but merry chase. They had tried to sneak up on him as rode but Kale had sensed their presence and narrowly avoided them. Still he cursed himself and the treacherous roads to Kosroth both; they should not have able to approach him at all without his knowledge. Aside from his years of hunting and tracking he had a trace of the Old Blood in him that allowed him to sense such things.

The Old Power, that ancient blood line that gives its descendants varying levels of power and sorcery. Kale was a highly skilled warrior and did not really understand the Old Blood but the power occasionally came of its own bidding - many times giving him visions, enhancing his strength and sometimes releasing power when he was in great peril. Nevertheless, such events were very rare for Kale as he tended to solve his conflicts with a few hard knocks and like most Kosrothians, looked down on sorcery of any kind. He knew one day though he must try to understand the Old Power in all its forms, but he hoped today was not that day.

His weapons ready, Kale stood slightly behind the large rock, nocked an arrow and waited, nor did he have long to wait, less than ten minutes later, the first raider appeared in the clearing with two more men a bit further behind. Kale killed the first silently with an arrow to the throat then nocked two more arrows together (a skill he had learned over the years), firing both into the men behind the first. One of the men was dead before he hit the ground; the other took the arrow high in the chest and screamed as he went down.

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