The War of Blood and Bones: Short Stories

By Kenneth Guthrie

This is a short collection that sheds lights on the inner workings of some of the War of Blood and Bones primary characters and gives you an in-depth look at how they came to be the heroes or villains they are now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lunatic Ink Publishing
• Release date: Aug 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465955715

Kenneth Guthrie

Kenneth Guthrie is a writer of sci-fi, fantasy and crime novels.Profile image credit: Vincent Gerbouin at Pexels.com

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THE WAR OF BLOOD AND BONES: SHORT STORIES

Kenneth Guthrie

Copyright 2012 Lunatic Ink Publishing

Find more at Kenneth Guthrie’s Book List

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Death Of A Brother

Mother

Blackbird

Steel

Arms Dealer

DEATH OF A BROTHER

DEATH OF A BROTHER

Lark looked over at his brother. Surk was leaning against the tree breathing hard. They were only meters from the little farming village that the leader of their pack had decided would be tonight's target. Lark could see the lights of the fires that the humans used at night to see burning in the small glass windows of the poorly built wooden houses they needed to survive the elements.

It disgusted him that these filthy humans needed protection against something as weak as the weather. Why live in such a filthy looking building. Any good orc would rip out his eyes rather than live in something like this.

Surk's breathing had slowed slightly. They had run to get in to their position here and Surk wasn't good at running. He was an able enough fighter being bigger and stronger than many orcs at his age, but he lacked the speed and stamina to truly bring all that power to bear.

Lark on the other hand was still growing into his side. He was a clumsy orc at times, but everyday was growing more and more coordinated.

Lark had always compared himself to Surk. Even when they were young, they would battle for their father's attention. Both had been successful in gaining their first kills at an early age and had relished the rich flavor of human blood as true warriors did. Surk had just been more successful since then. He had the edge on Lark right now because of the fact he was selected for more raids due to his physical appearance. That meant more success and more honor.

Lark craved honor. The orc society was one that urged its youth to reach for greater levels of honor, a necessity for living a long life as respect meant less challenges from other orcs, who would fear dying at the hands of a more powerful orc. So far Lark had probably killed around twenty or so humans. That made him very unsuccessful compared to orcs like Surk who had killed in the high fifties.

The fires were starting to dim as the human's retired for the evening. The signal would come soon. Lark watched his brother relaxing against the big tree. If he could gain enough power and honor to challenge his brother he would be able to gain much more honor among the tribe. Killing ones siblings was an accepted part of orc life and Lark was eager to do so in this case.

There was a shout in the distance. What was that? The leader hadn't given the signal, which was tree loud bird calls. Lark and Surk lay down on the ground and moved out into the grass in front of them. There was something happening in the village in front of them.

A door suddenly burst open and there was a very orc like scream. Damn! Lark thought. He suddenly realized what the commotion had been about. One of the orcs, most likely an inexperienced one, had charged into the village, hungry for blood, and attacked one of the villagers moving around outside of their house. The noise would have alerted the humans in ten neighboring dwellings and one had come to investigate.

Unfortunately for the orc, the human must have been armed and, hence, the scream.

What should we do? Surk whispered.

Lark knew that if they ran in and were killed then they would be considered fools among their tribe. That wouldn't matter much to them, of course, being dead and all, but how you were remembered was important to in orc society.

We have to stay here, Lark said quietly, You know what will happen if we die in there.

He could see Surk's face crinkle a little. His brother wasn't particularly bright and Lark knew it would take him time to figure out what Lark had just implied.

Ok, so we stay? Surk asked a little too loudly.

Quiet, fool! Lark whispered a little too loudly himself.

There was a cry in the distance. Lark forced his body further into the ground. The human language was a mystery to Lark, but he knew when someone had spotted them and what that sounded like.

Already there were several humans forming up in the town square with weapons glittering in the torch light of the burning brands that two of the humans, the ones now approaching them, had in their hands.

The two men walked carefully out of the village. They were big and didn't look like the farmers that Lark had killed in the past. One had a long sword in a leather gloved hand and the other was carrying a small axe. They were well armed and looked like they knew what they were doing with their arms.

Surk moved uncomfortably in front of Lark. He would be thinking about springing up and killing the two humans. Surk was a very blood thristy orc and would likely not be able to control himself long enough for the humans to leave them alone and go back to the camp.

Lark waited, his heart beating faster than it had ever beat before. The humans moved towards them and