Counting heads, Fife felt relieved when the last of the bloodied wolves hauled their tail out of the dead dungeon. "Those last few floors were a pain." She checked over her gear, thankful to find it all present. "Heading back to your dungeon?"

  The gnolls both nodded, but it was the big female that stepped forward and clasped forearms with Fife. "Good fighting! Good hunting! Now need good return." She didn't care that her tail was flicking back and forth like crazy—she was riding the high of a mighty war, and she intended for her entire pack to find out about it.

  While the gnolls said their goodbyes to Fife, Katelyn turned her own attention to Astrid. "Is that how the undead dungeon died?"

  "I don't know. Dungeons were always Donna's thing. She was really pissed off that Ludmiller killed that dungeon." Astrid shared a grin. "She was a fine warrior, and a great leader. She died well—in battle." It was a melancholy sigh that escaped her. She had come south with the sisters because she respected and trusted them. Now, with the revelation that she could live a better life with her wolves, she didn't know how to feel about what little antagonism she felt toward Hilda.

  "You look like you just bit a lemon."

  "Hilda ordered us on a suicide mission, whether she knew it was or not. I couldn't argue, since I hadn't managed to take Breeze's fort. The worst part is, I agree with her decision, and wouldn't complain if it had only been me charging the gates." Big and armored as she was, Astrid felt Katelyn's clawed hand touch her armor because of the heat it radiated into her. Hot metal had never been more welcome than since she'd grown scales.

  "As an idiot wanna-be adventurer who tried to take over a dungeon and tripped into the best possible outcome for her life, I might not be the wisest person to offer advice, but it sounds like you, Hilda, and Donna were all served a pretty raw deal and had the misfortune to pick the wrong—or right—place to raid. You both gained a new life, but Hilda lost her sister."

  The words hit hard. Astrid had lost some of her pack, but it had been their choice. For Donna, death had been a mighty but random fist striking her down in the heat of battle. It could have been either of them, from how Fife had described it to her, that would have been shot. She dreaded to think how it would be now adamantine bullets were being used in Northridge. "I thought you weren't wise?"

  "I have my moments. Not a lot, though. Right now I want to get home, have a long sleep, and then continue my work on traps." As she spoke, Katelyn was aware that her staff glowed brighter in response to voicing her excitement. "What about you?"

  Astrid spent a few moments walking, thinking about it, and finally answered, "I think I need to go talk to an old friend."

  The abrupt halt in movement in what had become the crossroads between three cities—the main thoroughfare of Travis—was not unexpected. A huge dragon warrior, a group of adamantine clad wolf people, a literal burning kobold fire wizard, and a bunch of very boisterous wolves were a new sight for those from Polfay and the capital both, though the Northridge guards and workers merely offered nods and waves to the returning group.

  "Trav! You've been doing some work, I see. Oh, the goblin dungeon wasn't a good place for a holiday, though we had a great barbecue." Fife made no effort to suppress her nature, looking around with limitless curiosity at the people she was blocking. Miners, mostly, but also wagon teamsters and general laborers too. "More cities?"

  "Yeah," Travis told Fife, while also telling the guards, "You might want to let Commander Windchime know that the goblin dungeon has been dealt with." He could have told Brolly himself, of course, but Travis had learned that there were proper channels for these things unless something was a dire emergency. Of the dozen guards present, two marched out to send word while the rest seemed to relax a little.

  He switched his primary focus back to Fife. "It's complicated, Fife, but we have a good friend in the eastern city of Polfay. I'd like to say the same for their champion, but she… There's no kind way to say it, she was a bigoted bully. Breeze might have caused an upheaval by offering one of her dryads as a substitute. Polfay accepted her, and now we might need Breath of Spring's help convincing Polfay's new champion that clothing is a good idea."

  Fife managed to hold in her laughter until Travis got to the end of the sentence, then she supported herself with the wall so she wouldn't fall over. When Travis repeated the events to the rest, Katelyn had begun supporting herself with her staff, and even the wolves were laughing about it.

  Astrid recovered first. "Travis, I would like to meet with my—with our—kinsmen."

  The weight of the statement led Travis to believe she was actually asking a question. "You don't need to ask my permission, Astrid. You have done your duty well in destroying that goblin dungeon. Take whatever time you need." When she visibly relaxed, Travis realized he'd figured out exactly what she'd asked.

  Turning to her pack, Astrid explained herself. "We have kinsmen here that we shouldn't disdain as I have. Let me remedy that."

  Astrid led the way out of the dungeon and past a long line of creatures from Breeze, and then through the entrance. When she'd entered the goblin dungeon, there had been a sense of depth and power from it—that feeling was magnified now beyond anything she could imagine. Breeze wasn't just big, they were enormous on a scale she could barely comprehend. She stood there, on solid ground, the sensation of standing on the edge of an abyss as she wavered a little.

  A little hand slid into Astrid's own and a soft voice said, "Please, relax. Our home is not a place to fear."

  Breath of Spring's voice broke Astrid from her daze. She looked down at the dryad and then lowered herself to one knee. "I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for bringing my pack back to life—thank you. As for your home, she is immense and—and a little terrifying when I first felt the extent of her."

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  "You felt her?"

  "Y-Yeah." Shaking her head to banish the last of the sensation, Astrid looked at her pack—none of whom looked affected by it. "I felt a similar thing in the goblin dungeon, but nothing like this."

  "I don't think Fife noticed that, and neither did I. This might be something unique to your pack. If you wish to test it more, or meditate on it, you are welcome to do so here. Even acclimatize yourself to the effect, so it doesn't slow you down when first entering less hospitable dungeons." With her guests now calmed, Breath of Spring said, "I would have thought you'd be relaxing after the hunt. Can I help with anything else?"

  "We need to visit the fort where Hilda and her people are. There is an exit leading to there?" Astrid could see two exits, both of which had a stone courtyard visible outside them, though one had a huge door on it.

  "The entrance on your left leads there. On the right is… Oh, a new city. I'll have to investigate that… Oh. Oh! I will have to investigate that now. I might bring Fife with me, so no one tries to, well—" Breath of Spring had experienced a rather blessed life for a dryad in Northridge, but she wasn't deluded enough to think that she wouldn't be a target on the streets of an unknown city, no matter what courtly titles the King had granted her and her home.

  "Thank you, Breath of Spring, again." Astrid had found it hard at first to say such things, but opening herself up to her own desires as a wolf had led her to see how important interpersonal ties were outside her pack. Even still, it wasn't lip-service. She was deeply thankful to the small dryad for her tending to Astrid's pack when they'd made an ill-advised (but exceptionally cathartic) decision to keep chasing down the dungeon.

  Leaving the dungeon and entering the fort outside of Northridge, Astrid heard the rhythmic sound of training in progress. Looking around the courtyard of the fort, she saw the weapons training taking place—people squared off in groups of four fighting two-on-two. What surprised her were the combatants. Gnolls were scattered among the groups, though none were as impressive as the one who'd accompanied her in the goblin dungeon.

  Hilda hadn't expected to have Astrid and her pack walk in. She'd thought she would have to court the proud woman's honor to get her anywhere near the fort. "Captain." It was as much as Hilda could do to start with. "Train with us?"

  "As we are or—"

  Wearing only light armor herself, made of hardened leather, Hilda shrugged. "As you will. We are working with spears today." Gesturing to a rack of wooden hafts with padded leather ends, Hilda added, "Though your size will work against you."

  Shrugging her shoulders, Astrid caught one of the spears when Hreti, who'd made his way over to the practice weapons, threw one to her. "We'll see."

  Forerunner felt her gnoll sister return before the scouts got word to her. Their home had already celebrated the victory, so the huge warrior with her talented mate had been expected for days.

  Planning a huge feast, on top of sending warriors to train with the Dragon Hunter, had been organized and now the fires were lit and meat set to sizzle. By the time the pair were in sight, the party was already underway, and gnolls danced and yapped to the rapid-beating drums.

  As she strode toward the celebration, the big, nameless gnoll who'd fought a dungeon and won paused, then leaned down to nuzzle her mate. "Your time. Tell of our journey. I bring you food."

  Wagging his short tail for all he was worth, the male gnoll strode confidently into the midst of the dancers and, when the next song seemed sure to start, he puffed up his chest and growled at the drummers. "Listen! I have a story to tell of war and killing and pack!"

  All the gnolls settled, including his mate, finding seats on logs around the fire. A haunch of deer was tossed his way, and though it was a bit larger than he'd usually grab, he appreciated his mate finding him the best meat. "The warriors gathered. Tall, strong, armored, with weapons sharp enough to slice clear through the largest of trees as easily as trolls. Some carried ranged weapons, guns, bows, magic. But, the mightiest of them all carried a flail, a shield, and a true warrior's spirit!"

  His cadence was such that it gave the rest of the gnolls a chance to whoop and yip in excitement, and himself to catch bites of meat and a long swig of small beer (liberated from Travis' stores).

  "The leader Tall, clad in so much armor she crushes rock under her feet! An unstoppable wall! Her mate, a tiny dryad smaller than the tiniest runt. Yet, the most powerful of the whole war party. Why? In her hands lay the power to deny death its due!

  "Their pack, wolves like mountains! Rip and tear with the strength of gnolls! Nothing could stand before them! With a gnoll at their side, they charged through the dungeon and left death and destruction behind them!

  "The final tunnels of the warren, the goblins and wolves both showed off their greatest weapons! The goblin leader sent disease to kill and choke! The wolves opened their mouths and breathed fire upon all!"

  When a grumble circulated the listeners, the mate of the orator stood up, her hand sliding down to the handle of her flail. The growl she issued silenced everyone. "I saw it. They breathed fire to scorch the muck from the very air! Do not doubt my mate's word, unless you would challenge mine!"

  Waiting a moment, taking a few proud bites from the haunch, the male gnoll smirked around at those he'd seen muttering about his retelling. When his mate took her seat again, he continued with the story of fighting, dying, and fighting again.

  "A kobold, small as me. She wore fire as a cloak! She used it as her weapon! When she commands, all burn!" There were a few disgruntled yaps, but most of the pack were listening with perked ears again. He told the story at length, weaving his words and dancing around the fire to mimic the fighting moves he'd witnessed.

  "And then," he said, winding down from the description of Fife's shooting the goblin boss to death, "the great war band passed out the rights to the final kill—the dungeon.

  "A mighty weapon, a hammer sized for giants! All took turns striking the foe! Gnoll have no need for hammer, used flail! The dungeon screamed as it was cut down! The leader of the wolf pack, Astrid, struck the final blow! The dungeon unmade!"

  Forerunner stood. She looked down at the small male and stomped her foot, almost as loud as a drum in the stillness following his tale. Then she stomped again, setting a beat that a lone drum took up. "Mighty warrior! Stand and face me!"

  Rising up, looking at her leader with a little confusion, the big gnoll warrior faced her without fear.

  "Great warrior; mightiest dungeon slayer. You show the world gnoll might. You did slay a dungeon with your might. With your own deeds have you earn the name, Raze." Turning to Raze's incredulous mate, Forerunner continued, "For journeying far and deep, for showing no fear in your sacred duty to bring the truth of brave deeds done, you are now Skald, speaker of truth."

  Only the crackling of the fire could be heard for several seconds before the gnolls raised their voices to whoop and yip, some even breaking into cackles of laughter. A great chant began, repeating the names Raze and Skald over and over while the couple turned to each other.

  Available at:

  This story is released under the license. If you are paying money to see this or the original creator, , is not credited, you are viewing a plagiarized copy of the story.

  Patreon or fuel my writing on ! Join me on .

  Canary in the Coal Mine

  Daremo

  shortskirtsandexplosions

  Sirion123

  Vi Watch

  Emtu

  Jeffh4

  Shi

  Istyatur

  Shelbo

  Treascair

  Joseplh

  Seinta

  Nidd

  HarmonySpent

  Purpleninja

  Lab

  Jeffh4

  Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license in addition to all other licenses required by the sites I post to.