A Newot No More
by David Fisher When Drovka Steelthought brought the three human whelps to Skytoucher Mountain, he was still undecided as to what he would do with them. The baby, Njal, would need milk and the boy Guntra didn't look strong enough to survive the harsh climate of the Twighlight Peaks. But of most concern to Drovka was the boy Wulf. The human boy had a vicious temper and had openly attacked him to protect his baby brother and friend. He admired the fearless child and wished if he had bore a son that he too would show such bravado. But being only a human Drovka knew the boy's actions could be dangerous. So in order to teach Wulf and his kin their place, the Thundersky chief treated them the same as any other captured lowlanders… as slaves. As Crystal Raider newots, the boys would benefit from the protection of the moot as well as earn a place within the clan. It was three years ago the boys had been brought to the moot and Drovka had watched them grow from a distance, proud of their service and expectant of their rebellion.
Guntra watched nervously from the crude cavern that the trolls called a kitchen as Wulf collected the large stone plates from the enormous feasting table. A young troll, having just returned from his right of passage made a snide comment as Wulf passed. Guntra gulped as Wulf stopped in his tracks. Wulf caught Guntra's pleading eyes and walked toward him into the kitchen.
"How many beatings can you endure Wulf?" asked Guntra, helping his friend with the plates. Guntra was a wiry boy and he envied Wulf's muscular physique. He would have been badly maimed had he been punished as many times as Wulf.
"As many as it takes to be free," the fiery boy replied. A dwarven woman named Arla entered the kitchen. The four year old Njal toddled next to her clutching tightly to her hand.
"Wulf, Wulf, Wulf" the baby repeated continuously. Arla picked up the toddler and handed him to Wulf who beamed with pride that his brother could say his name with such enthusiasm.
"I don't want my brother to be raised as a slave," Wulf glared at Guntra, "and the only way to earn our freedom is to prove we are as strong as the trolls!"
"Take a look at yourself Wulf, and then look at them," Guntra pointed out into the feasting hall. "Can you see a problem with your test of strength?" Wulf looked out at the huge trolls. The boy was tall for a human of fourteen but next to a troll he was dwarfed. Wulf had suffered beating after beating for defiance when he had first become a newot but now he could accept most of their goads and walk away. Sometimes he would snap and he would end up spending a week or two in the pit but it was worth it. He had stabbed Garnash in the neck with a fork during his first week with the trolls. Drovka had threw him in the pit and warned him. Garnash would have killed Wulf but for some reason Drovka had protected the boy. Wulf supposed it was due to Drovka's debt to his father. All of the trolls feared Drovka and his lance and Wulf knew that if he had to get anyone's respect it was the chief's.
"Yes, I see a problem my friend," Wulf turned to Guntra, "but I have a plan." Wulf handed Njal to Arla who smiled at Wulf. The dwarf had a livid scar across her throat that she had received when the trolls had raided her village. She was mute but held no grudge against the trolls. If it had been a Theran raid Arla would be dead. Wulf picked up a knife from the box of utensils,
"I think it's time Drovka Steelthought granted us our freedom!"Wulf had discovered the narrow passages in the rocks several weeks ago. The trolls had ignored them, as they were too small for a troll to explore. Wulf had taken some food scraps to hurl off the mountain when, as he scraped the plate with a knife, a strong breeze lifted a vegetable leaf off the pile and blew it above the young human. Wulf watched the leaf and it landed on a ledge above the cavern entrance. As Wulf looked at the ledge he noticed a crack in the rock that led back into the trolls' caverns. When he had finished his chores Wulf had waited until nightfall before sneaking out and scaling the cliff face to the crack. The crack was once a small air hole that had been hidden during the scourge. A geological shift had opened the crack since the scourge and now a small crawl way was open to anyone small enough to fit. Wulf was just small enough. The passage was rough and hazardous. He caught his foot at one stage and had cut his leg pulling it free. It was dark in the passage but a light shone from further within the mountain. When Wulf reached the light he couldn't believe what he saw. The passage had ended above the bedchamber of Drovka Steelthought himself. The chamber was decorated with prizes won from many raids. The huge bed was draped with Theran silks with plush shiny pillows at the head of the bed. Stormlance lay casually next to the bed. The door to the chamber swung open and Drovka marched in. He held a troll stein of hurlag and after downing it in a single gulp he dimmed the lights, save one, and clambered into the bed. It was not long before the troll was snoring loud enough to wake the dead. Wulf had stolen back into the passage and back to the newot enclosure before he had been missed.
No one noticed as Wulf threw the scraps from the peak that the knife he had taken with him did not return. No one noticed that each night Wulf had been climbing into the passage and sharpening the knife to a fine point. No one even noticed that each time Wulf entered the cavern he became more and more familiar with its twists and turns. Now, weeks later, the opportunity had come for Wulf to make his move.
Wulf sat inside the small opening above Drovka's chamber patiently. He had no intention of hurting the troll, just getting the upper hand. He knew if he could subdue the troll chief in his own chamber he would prove he was worthy of becoming No'a'g'ral, a non-troll clan member. When Drovka entered his chamber it was obvious that he had been drinking hurlag. He swayed as he walked and toppled onto the bed. Wulf crouched above him and drew the knife from his belt. Before he had a chance to leap the door to Drovka's chamber creaked open again and a large troll form entered the room. Wulf recognised it was Kargan, Drovka's right hand. Wulf cursed under his breath, Kargan must have come to watch over his inebriated chief. Kargan stood over Drovka.
"Was the hurlag a little strong my chief?" Kargan chuckled as he drew a dagger from his belt. Wulf gaped in horror as Kargan lowered the blade toward Drovka's neck. Suddenly Drovka reached up and grabbed Kargan's wrist.
"You… you… drugged me?" groaned Drovka, struggling to keep the dagger from his throat.
"Your time as chief is over!" snarled Kargan, surprised that the troll chief had any struggle left in him.
"You are a coward… and… and not worthy… to…" Drovka struggled to stay alert, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts.
"No one will know who killed you, but they will know who is next in line!" Kargan balled his free hand into a fist and smashed it home into the drugged chief's face. The blow was enough to render Drovka unconscious. Kargan regained control of the dagger and drew it back for a killing blow when a young human landed on his back sinking a sharpened kitchen knife into his neck.The troll usurper spun around, shrieking in pain, as Wulf clung to the huge troll's hair with one hand and stabbed with the other. The blade was not long enough to be lethal to the troll but the stings were painful indeed. Kargan slammed his back against the wall, knocking the wind from Wulf and the human boy fell to the floor as the enraged troll turned on him. A heavy kick launched Wulf across the room and he crumpled painfully into a ball.
"Now you will die too human!" Kargan growled as he stalked toward Wulf, then he stopped and a smile spread across his conniving face, "And it is you who will be blamed for the death of Steelthought! The newot who killed the chief, who in turn was killed by the chief's most trusted friend." Wulf coughed up blood. He knew his ribs were cracked. Another blow would be fatal. Kargan raised his dagger to kill Wulf when his eyes widened in horror. Blood splashed down onto Wulf who looked up to see Stormlance protruding from Kargan's chest. The traitorous troll collapsed revealing Drovka barely conscious clinging to the enchanted spear.
"I know not… how you knew Kargan would… betray me Wulf," the drowsy chief spoke, "but know this… you are a newot no more." Drovka fell back onto the bed unconscious as Wulf, the No'a'g'ral, smiled against his painful injuries. Then he too was engulfed in the void of unconsciousness.