-…so you see, this green wunderkind of a bastard here, he goes: What's a little fuzzball like you gonna do about it, eh?" And, and, I kid you not, the damn badger, who might I remind you is a little over our tough guy's knee, just straight up jumps and uppercuts him! But! But he doesn't punch him in the jaw. No... – with a grin spreading from ear to ear , the gnoll turned towards the burly orc sitting beside her -  …Bron…

The laughter of the group died down, all sitting in anticipation of the orc's answer.

-Yes, Rik? – he murmured with a controlled tone of voice.

-Where did he punch you, Bron?

Bron turned towards Rik, her malevolent smile revealing two rows of surprisingly white, straight teeth.

-In the balls.

-HE GOT PUNCHED IN THE BALLS BY A FUCKING BADGER!

Everybody burst out laughing. Everybody except for Bron of course. He didn't exactly see the comedic appeal of a high velocity impact to his groin region. He stirred his pint of rum and sipped, waiting for his companion to finish up.

Through her laughter, Rik turned towards a tiny, dark blue kobold, sitting across her:

-Hey! Chety! Get your lizard ass off that log and pass me another one of those bottles, will ya? My mouth's getting kinda dry from all this fabling.

The kobold slipped from his seat and fell face first to the ground. He drunkenly stumbled towards a crate.

-Punched in the balls by a badger…-Chety snickered to himself over and over again, while rummaging for a bottle from their crate of spoils.

Rik turned towards Bron, noticing he wasn't taking part in the merriment. She threw her arm over his neck and pulled him closer.

-Come on, Bron! Don't be like that! You know we love ya, right? It's all just in good fun.

Bron looked up at the gnoll towering two feet over him and he gently pushed himself away from her sweaty body.

-You know, big guy…thanks Chety...you know, you need to get yourself one of these – she violently slapped her crotch without wincing. – Made this codpiece myself. Pure, genuine boar leather. Best I could get my hands on.

-Heh…and here I thought, you wore that so you won't scare away any young boys who would get too curious. – he took a large gulp from his pint and wiped his mouth. – Oh, who am I kidding! Tell me truthfully, have you ever been mistaken for a man?

Rik rubbed her chin as if thinking.

-All the time, I guess. Have you?

The camp burst out laughing once again. Bron just grunted and drank the rest of his rum in one large gulp. He reached over, violently yanking the bottle from the kobold, who was trying to pour himself a pint and started drinking heavily. Chety turned towards the minotaur sitting next to him with pleading eyes. After a while, Terek sighed and gave him his pint.

-You know, Bron, it just occurred to me… - RIk once again locked the orc in her embrace. – Now that you ain't got no balls, you are practically a gnoll, aren't ya?

She snickered over Bron's expressionless face.

-I've always wanted a sister. Hey! Maybe tomorrow we can do each other's hair and we can talk about boys!

And again the group exploded in laughter. Bron tried to push himself away from Rik, but this time her grip was tighter. He simply sighed.

-There's nothing shameful about being punched in the groin…-he said almost inaudibly, his face pressed against Rik's exposed pecks.

-No. There isn't. But it's pretty funny! – Rik burst out laughing, letting Bron go.

-Don't tell me, you've never been hit in a weak spot.

-Nope! – Rik immediately began flexing, though her muscular physique wasn't very visible by the campfire. – My bones are iron. My flesh is steel. I strike like a wyvern. Even kings will kneel.

-Heh…I didn't know you've read the poems of Brinshah – Tarek spoke up surprised. – Hell! I didn't know you can read at all!

-What can I say? – Rik answered laughing – I am full of surprises! Gives me the edge! I ain't got a weak spot and maybe I can read!

-Really? You ain't got a weak spot. – Bron crossed his arms. – Tell me…how's your gut?

Rik froze during one of her flexes, her expression immediately changed as she turned to the orc.

-What did you just say? – she snarled through gritted teeth.

-Nothing. I just figured that after the whole badger incident, your gut might still hurt…

The campsite quieted down, only faint giggles remaining. Rik didn't pay them any attention. Her entire focus was on Bron.

-You wanna…make something out of this? – she let the question hang in the air, with an obvious threat ingrained in it.

-Did she get hit in the belly again? – Chety broke out in laughter. – Man, I love it when that happens!

The group once again started laughing, this time Rik being the only one left out of the joke. She tensed up and shrank a bit in her seat.

-Alright, alright! Let me tell you what happened AFTER I got punched in the balls. Rik. – he turned towards the gnoll – you can add anything I miss out. Who says I'm not a gentleman?

So, there I was, as Rik here so graciously explained, punched in the balls and rolled over on my side. Now, the badger had a decent punch, I'll give him that, but he couldn't jump all that well. His hit was enough to topple me, but not enough for me to black out

-Bullshit. – Rik interrupted the story. – Um…no offense Tarek

-Do you mind, Rik? You're an awful listener – Bron answered with an over exaggerated tone of speech. – Honestly…do all gnolls lack manners or is it just you?

The bandits were silently staring at Rik. She crossed her hands and pouted.

-May I continue? – the orc asked, a grin stretching across his face

Rik motioned him to go on.

-Thank you, Rik. Anyway, where was?

-You just got punched in the balls! – Chety yelled out, voice horse and speech on the brink of unintelligible

Bron stared for a moment at the little kobold through half closed eyes

-Thank you, Chety…

There I was, on the ground after I got punched in the balls. Now, I won't deny it, RIk might be right and there is a slight chance I could have blacked out…

-FROM GETTING PUNCHED IN THE BALLS!

-BY CHROM'S BEARD, CHETY! Tarek, take his rum! 

Tarek reached out to take Chety's pint, who had enwrapped his entire body to protect it, like a mother bear protecting her cub.

-NOOO! – Chety yelled out, holding for dear drink as Tarek effortlessly eviscerated it from the tiny kobold.

-Please…go on…-Tarek spoke up with a reassuring voice.

Bron eyed the rest of his crew, scanning for any signs of objections and continued

I could have blacked out, I admit it, because the next thing I saw was RIk standing over the tiny badger. As I laid on the cobblestone, slowly regaining my senses, still unable to move, I saw the rodent reach out for a bottle as Rik jumped and was about to pounce on him. Now, I will be the first to admit that I don't exactly…appreciate Rik's company as much as you guys do, but I ain't no backstabber. If you have an orc as a friend, you have a friend for life. That's how we are. And, if I could, I would have done something. I tried to shout, but all I could muster was a meek yelp…

-BECAUSE YOU GOT…-Chaty screamed out and quickly stopped as Bron glared at him

In any case, I couldn't do anything. Rik jumped and the badger lifted the bottle up. For a quick moment, I felt my body go numb as I thought the worst. Although we orcs might pride ourselves as warriors, I believe that we experience the death of a close one much more personally and strongly than most others. But what I thought was a death rattle, turns out was just her air being knocked out of her. The bottle didn't shatter. Those badgers know how to make good glass and I'm pretty sure at that moment that guy cursed his superior glasssmithing abilities. I was relieved, as anyone would be. And then. Hehe, And then I saw her face. Eyes bulging, Checks inflated. It was like those rubber frog toys they sell at the market! You know the ones! When you squeeze them, their eyes pop out!

Tarek smiled and let out short, low chuckles as he usually would, while Chety burst laughing with in annoying, high pitched syncopated rattles. Although it remained unnoticed to the others, Bron noticed Rik grumble under her breath from which he derived great pleasure.

And so. There they were, the rum badger stabbing lil RIk here with a blunt bottle. Now. What would anybody else do? One foe on the ground, the other practically defeated. You'd expect for the guy to sprint out with his life. He'd tell his buddies how he managed to beat two bandits in a fight, becoming somewhat of a hero, you know how it goes. But no. This guy. This guy has a fucking vendetta. The badger started pushing the bottle with all his might. And I'll be damned if that fucking badger doesn't have might. The badger managed to slowly lift Rik up, her feet barely touching the ground. And all the while hehe…all the while there this sound “whiizizzizzzzzz" coming out of her contorted mouth. Like a fucking balloon deflating!

-That's not what happened. – Rik interjected

-I don't know about that. It sounds quite like you to be frank – Tarek laughed

Chety tried to get in the conversation but all he could sputter were unintelligible noises. With a certain aura of smugness, known only to comedians and storytellers, Bron waited for the laughter to die down just enough so he could continue.

And so, the badger continues pushing, I swear he got a kick out of it, he continues pushing further and further! And Rik just flops! I kid you not! As she was grabbing the bottle, trying to push herself from it and then her arms just gave up and dangled! And, and, I swear this is true, and she goes fucking cross eyed, her jaw flops down and she just lets out these guttural noises! It was fucking hilarious! By that time, the guy probably saw I was slowly trying to get up and he just threw Rik to one side like a dirty rag and jumped through the fucking window. I'll be frank, in my condition I doubt I could have taken him on. I was still barely able to move and it took me a while till I could stand. But Rik. Oh Rik. This girl was lying on the ground in a ball, eyes gone white and and and this sound! Like inhaling! But it sounds like a whale with pneumonia! She's just laying on the ground going “iiiiuhhhhhhhhh".

Bron stopped his story, both from his inability to keep on going from his own laughter and the fact that he wouldn't be heard by his comrades. Chety fell on the ground, while Tarek was slapping his knee. When he calmed down a bit, Bron grabbed his pint and stared at Rik with a reassured grin.

-What? – she finally asked

-I reckon that bottle pinned your gut button to your spine – he answered chuckling and took a swing at his drink.

-Come on now, guys! She's a trooper! –Bron raised his pint.

Tarek and Chety gave him a toast, while Rik sulked, arms folded, her expression that of unease and tinge of vulnerability.

-You know, I've heard of glass jaws, but never of a glass gut! – Bron said as he drank

-Oh oh oh! I get it! It's because she got glassed in the gut! HAAHAHAHA! – and again Chety fell on his side.

-Ugh…whatever! The badger just happened to catch me off guard. Happens to everyone.

-That's right, Rik. Ain't nothing to be ashamed by. But it sure was damn funny!  - Bron burst out laughing followed by the rest.

-Come on! He surprised me! The fight was mine! There was no reason to tense my abs, was there? Besides, who would have guessed a damn badger was jacked up like an ogre.

-Yeah…I guess you're right. – Bron grabbed Rik and pulled her by his side – Relax. We are all friends here. Ain't nothing much. Just joking around. Besides, it was just one little slip up…

-Too bad it ain't one – Tarek stared at his drink while stirring it, a dopey smile stretched on his face.

-Oh? – Bron immediately let go of the gnoll and leaned forward – Care to share?

-Nononono! – Chety yelled out, pushing himself from the ground and trying to climb back to his seat. – Me next! I have a doozy!

-I don't mind, if you don't – Tarek took a drink

-I mind. – Rik spurred out

-You don't count – Bron cut her off and turned towards the kobold – Please, Chety, my dear friend, what fable have you got for us tonight regarding our fellow gnoll.

Rik grit her teeth as she burrowed her claws into the log.

-Wellp – Chety took his pint and took a look in it. – Hey, Tarek, ol' buddy…mind if you…

Tarek took his pint and started pouring more rum in it as Chety adjusted himself on his seat.

-Well, I think it was about a week ago…thanks, guy…I think it was about a week ago…

-When we got hired for that gang war? – Tarek asked rubbing his chin

-Nnnnooo…It was a few days after that. After the war. When we when we when we just decided to steal what we could from the treasury and ran off…yeah…when we skipped the country and went to that resort place…remember that?

-Oh, yeah…what happened to the whole gang war thing? – Bron asked, a bit of unease in his voice. – You think they'll come for us?

-I doubt it. – Tarek spoke as he took a big gulp – Last I heard, they called in the regulars and slaughtered each and everyone. Even civilians. Pretty disgusting.

-Mmm…yeah…good thing we took off when we did, eh? – Bron let out a nervous laugh

-I thought orcs were all about fighting and honor. Ya turn from green to yellow? – Rik snickered, trying to regain her verbal dominance.

-Hey. There's a reason I'm a bandit and not a tribe warrior.

-I thought you just flunked the warrior college.

-Firstly, there isn't a warrior college. Its an academy. – Bron interjected -  And you'd be surprised how much they concentrate on non-practical stuff like philosophy and religion.

-Huh…so all the talk about orcs being meatheads is…

-Its just a stereotype. We have a rich culture and history, with a lot of great thinkers. It's just that most “civilized" species think of us as a bunch of barbarians.

-You know, I'd like to read some of the orcish teaching. – Tarek joined the discussion – What's a good place to start?

-Oh, you won't find any good books about it in the cities. Tell ya what, next week we'll be passing by orc lands. If ya like, we can make a detour and we can get something.

-I'll very much like that.

-You know. You got me interested.  – Rik leaned in with genuine curiosity – Do you have poets?

-Oh, tons! We have our own schools of poetry. True, some resemble the popular mainstream concepts, but there are some unique ones. You see, most orc poets strive to strike a balance between technique and content. I personally believe this comes from our heritage as  warriors. You have to have good technique while fighting, but at the same time your movements have to be gracious. Its not a very…whatcha call it…uti…uti…its not practical…but there is a certain art of war after all…

-Interesting…you really come from a proud and scholarly people, don't you ? – Rik spoke solemnly as drank from her pint

-Yeah…indeed…so, Chety. You story about how Rik got punched in the belly. – Bron changed the subject in the most tactless way he could. – Oh, don't look at me like that. You know it was coming. Now stay still and lets hear what the lizard has to say.

Chety finished his drink in one gulp and threw the pint behind him.

-Right then. Since you are done with your arizdoratik crap, lets get to it.  

Alright, this is what happened. We were in that bathhouse, right? So, I was done with my massage. It was pretty good actually, did wonders for my back. Anyway, I just got out of the hot springs and I was gonna head in early and...

-Wait, wait...-Bron interrupted. – You were heading in early?

-Yeah – Chety answered, drinking his rum.

-You didn't stay for the…special service?

-What's that?

-Whores, Chety, whores! – Rik shouted. – There were whores there. Didn't you hear the offer for the “special massage"?

-Ah…that…yeah…I heard it. Can't really take them up on it. I am, after all, engaged.

-Since when? – Bron frowned

-A few weeks ago. You remember Sky, don't you?

-Who?

-Chety…-Tarek spoke up, rubbing his brow – a one night stand with a gnome prostitute does not an engagement make…

Chety narrowed his eyes and put his drink aside.

-What are you saying there, Tarek?

-That you aren't engaged to a gnome prostitute just because you slept with her – Bron chuckled, pouring himself rum and passing the bottle to Rik.

-I don't follow.

-Chety, you dumb lizard! – Rik stood up – I'm gonna bash your skull until the fragments form some sort of brain tissue.

For a few seconds Chety stared at the gnoll and finally he grinned.

-Oh, RIk. Now I get it. You're jealous, aren't you.

Rik's jaw dropped and Bron slowly pulled her to her seat.

-There's no need for that, Rik. – Chety continued, stirring his drink. – I'm sure that one day you'll find true love as well. Everybody does, sooner or later. It's just that with me it was sooner.

-I…I…can't believe this…We've had this conversation more than twenty times…how can he be this daft? – Rik buried her face in her hands and after a moment she motioned towards him. – Please, Chety, continue…I can't believe I'm saying this…

Well, it was a sunny day when I met Sky…

-By the Great Mother, Chety, if you mention Sky one more time…

-Oh…you meant the…the Rik story…yeah...right…

So, as I was saying, I was heading in early, Tarek can I get another pint, thanks. I was heading in early, because of my marital status. Don't look at me like that, RIk. Anyway, I was going through the hall and I hear some shouting. Naturally, as I am an in…inku…inkuqizarif…inkoauzitaf type, I decided to check it out. I peek in and what do I see?

-A point to all of this? – Rik grumbled.

-Nooo…-Chety said and looked into his pint -Tarek, what is this? There's barely enough for a spit here. Come on, put some more, don't be greedy. At a boy…

As I was saying…I peek in…and there it was. Rik.

Chety paused and took a long, uninterrupted gulp.

-Tarek. My man. What's this? There's a hole in my pint. I could swear it was full less than ten seconds ago.

Chety bursts out laughing all the while elbowing Tarek in the thigh.

-I hate how fast he gets drunk – Bron turned to RIk, motioning her for the bottle.

-I hate how fast he sobers up – Rik said, passing the bottle.

Where were we? Ah, yes…Rik. So, Rik's there, right? And she's her usual self, just as the Cosmic Dragon made her, fake cock and all.

-Alright, little kobold. First off, the proper term is pseudo penis. Second, I ain't made by some Cosmic Dragon.

-Aaaa, shut up…- Chety drunkenly waved his hand. – You and your barbaric, heretic, totem worshiping crap. Great Mother, shmeyt shmoter. The Cosmic Dragon Kri is the one true creator of all. The sooner you get that through your thick, head, the sooner you will realize that, the better for you!

Rik got up, grabbing her axe and Bron quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back.

-Please, guys. Can we get through one night, without theological disputes? – Tarek spoke, trying to act as the voice of reason.

-Theowha?

-Religion.

-Ah…it's not my fault she's wrong.

-I swear, I will skin you alive and make a hat out of you! – Rik yelled out.

-Oh, is that what your goddess teaches you?

-Chety! Shut up! – Bron finally stepped in.

The kobold rested his head on his hand and stirred his drink.

-Bron, you seem like a smart guy. Why do you still worship your war gods?

-For the love of! Tarek, aren't you phased by any of this?

-Not, really, no. – He calmly drank – You see, I know Chety is in the wrong, but I believe that one day, he, as well as you two, will see the light of the one true God. Just because we disagree on our religious views, doesn't mean that I can't help you realize the Truth, for as it says in the scriptures: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all"

The entire camp fell silent and glared at Tarek.

-What kind of sheep god do you worship? – Bron finally spoke up with a low, unnerved voice.

-No sheep god, my friend. I used to worship the winds and the sky, and the sun, as my people do. But my eyes were open to the ways of the desert elf Jesus Christ, the son of the one true God of all.

-Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this straight. You worship a desert elf?

-Well…yes, but not exactly. God, with all his wisdom, came to our world in an earthly form, that of his son, a desert elf, to spread the word…

-So he is his own son?

-In a sense, yes.

-I am confused…so you worship the son of your god, who is also your god? – Rik scratched her head, trying to wrap her mind around the concept.

-Listen. I will be more than happy to share my knowledge of the good book, but can we leave that for tomorrow? Tensions are high and we are not sober enough for a proper lecture. Besides… - he grabbed Chety, who was slowly drifting off and shook him up. – This little guy has a story to tell. Don't think I didn't see through your tricks, Rik. – he let out a heartfelt laugh as Rik pouted. – Come on, Chety, do your thing.

Chety looked at Tarek, eyes wide, and slowly handed him his pint. Tarek sighed and poured more rum into it.

Right. Now. Rik. She was there, naked. And there's this mouse, right? Who's like half her size. And they are arguing. And the mouse says “Whacha mean you ain't a guy? What's that then?". And Rik's all like “It's a fake cock."

-Pseudo penis – Rik corrected him.

Yeah. Whatever. Pseudo penis. And he says “What's so pseudo about? It's a cock!" and she says “It is what it is" and he says…

-You aren't very good at this, are you? – Bron interrupted him, his face drenched in boredom.

-What do you mean? I'm great at this!

-I have to disagree – Tarek commented after a sip of his drink. – You are just going “he said, she said". Maybe just get to the meat of the story?

-Fine.

From what I gathered. Tarek. Drink. From I what I gathered, thanks, Tarek. From what I gathered the mouse told her to go to the massage people for women, right? And Rik wasn't having it, since they were already in the middle of the thing. So, as the guy was explaining the stuff, Rik just grabs him by the collar and pulls him closer. And then, hehe, and then! Then the fucking mouse just punches her right in the gut! HAHAHAHA! It was like whaptoo! Rik's belly was an easy targer. She had one of those fancy towels under her back and her stomach was up. It was like the guy barely moved! And then…hehe. And then, as he punched her, she just goes hoooof! Like a rabbit's fart! And she barely moves, trying to grab the guy again, the fucker just sort of twists his hand a bit and she puffs her cheeks! And I swear, this is true! I swear, the guy pushes even further! Like, like up to his elbow! He had short arms, yeah, but still! And Rik's jaw drops and there's this sound, like a snoring drake, right! And and and, the guy just start punching her over and over again! He belly was like butter! And Rik just sort half curls up, tongue flapping, eyes going up her head! Her fucking psi…pso…her fucking fake cock just flapping back and forth!

Chety had to stop the story, to catch his breath from laughter, along with the rest of the group. Rik just narrowed her eyes, her gaze shifting between the three.

And the guy just goes “You out of breath?". And I don't know what he did. He did like some fucking finger signs and punched her one last time. And Rik here, RIk just goes BROAAAAAAAAAAPPPP! The longest fucking belch I've ever heard! I've drank with orcs! I've drank with dwarves! I even had to bring ale to the mountain dragons of Skro! But I've never, in my entire life, heard a belch so loud or so long! And you know what the mouse does? You know? He just says “Pathetic.". And he gives her one final punch right bellow the ribs! And she just freezes up! He takes his hand off her and she just kinda flaps down, like a dead fish! Tongue hanging out, eyes just looking at the ceiling! And the mouse jumps to the ground and yells out “Next!"

The laughter of the group filled the meadow as Chety finally drank the rest of his pint. Having had enough, Rik stepped in:

-He gave me a deep muscle massage! And he knew some kind of special points! Like the monks in the mountains! I was just…caught off guard…how could I have known he was some kind of super mouse!

-Yeah…- Bron answered in between laughs and tears. – Really, it happens to the best of us, doesn't it? Now, I believe Tarek had a story for us as well?

Rik got up and directed herself towards her tent, but Bron grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her down.

-No reason to hurry. The night is still young.

-Yeah. And I'm tired and Chety there's passed out.

-Nah, I ain't! – he pointed upwards, lying on the ground.

-See? He's fine. Don't tell me you are embarrassed because you are the butt of the joke for the first time? Is your gnoll pride so heavy, that you can't take a few jokes from your friends?

-I…ugh…-she finally gave and eased in her seat.

-Good. Now then, Tarek, what is your story?

Part next

Well, it happened some time ago. We were passing through the Yunder mountain, if you can recall. I believe we set camp in a cave when Rik volunteered, in her usual boastful self, to go out a search up something to eat. I of course decided to join her, since the mountains at that time of year were not the best place to wander alone. A blizzard was stewing in the distance and we had about a day before it caught up to us. Although hostile, I remember the nature so vividly – the sun was still low, giving the surrounding area that blueish tint, so familiar to any morning bird; the pine trees were heavy with the eternal snow, always freezing before it could melt away; and of course there were the odd songbirds, unabashed to the harsh climate of the land. The miracle of life was just as beautiful there as it was anywhere else, with the seed of resilience sprouting in any being, ready to spread its roots through the soil of mere existence, up towards the heavens that is self-fulfillment and…

-Boring! – Chety yelled out followed by a belch.

-Fuck off, Chety. – Rik answered, still enchanted by Tarek's story. – You're just jealous because Tarek is better at this.

-Nooo…I'm just bored, since Tarek would rather talk about how great trees are. And you're just a con…kan…kante…kanterin…you just like it because he's not talking about the fun part.

-Well…-Tarek let out a small chuckle – I guess I might have gone a little ahead of myself. I'll just get to the meat of it all.

-No, its all good…-RIk spoke up.

-Please do – Chety waved his hand, allowing Tarek to continue.

Tarek cleared his throat and continued.

In any case, we were walking with Rik through the forest, carving marks on every second tree so as not to get lost, when we stumbled upon a bit of a clearing. Strangely enough, the cold winds which had haunted us throughout our journey, were nowhere to be felt. We stepped forward, snow crunching underneath our boots, feeling the warm light of the midday sun. The air was clean. Cleaner than any air I had ever inhaled. But it was thin. Hard to breath. As we were looking around, trying to decide where to head out next, a figure caught my eye in the close distance. I motioned Chety to follow me…

 -You mean “Rik"? – Bron interrupted, his hands positioned under his chin, also entranced by Tarek's story.

-What? – Tarek furrowed his brow, not quite catching Bron's words

-You said “Chety". Not “Rik".

-Oh. Right. Sorry. I guess I had a bit too much to drink. – with a soft smile he peered into his pint, stirred it a bit and gave it to Chety, who was more than eager to lift this burden off his comrade.

So I motioned Rik to follow me. The figure was hard to make out, mostly due to the sunlight reflecting off the snow. With eyes half closed, I stumbled forward, yelling at the figure to stop. We caught up to it and if it were not for his heavy robes and scarves, I probably wouldn't have seen the old, white fox, his fur pure as the snow we walked upon. He was of age, but he carried himself with a stoic dignity, a sign that he was not any country bumpkin or regular mountainman. His clothing, although a bit worn out at places and generally discolored, was well preserved, suggesting that he was a regular resident of the mountain. His eyes had a strange light to them, as if…

Chety let out a forced cough, breaking Tarek away from his trance. Everyone stood silent, all looking at the kobold, until Tarek figured it out.

Alright, alright. Since I was hungry and tired from our travels, I didn't consider the possibility of who this fox might be. When we were close enough, I had taken out my hammer, trying to intimidate the old man, but he stood there, undeterred. I demanded of him that he gave us any provisions, figuring that he lived somewhere nearby. But he simply and yet so sternly declined. At the time I was having none of it. I threatened him with death, hoping that he would not call out my bluff. As you know, I am not so ready to take a life. All life has a certain inherit value, which is no one's to trade. Some may say that we are thieves and that would simply mean that we are stealing life, but stealing something, has a certain implication that it can be stolen again. And with life, you do not have that. No need to make faces, Chety, I'm getting to it. In any case, he refused again. I asked him if he knew who we were, to which he replied if we knew who he was. At which point he bent his knees slightly and drew his palms close together, yet not touching. I knew I had made a grave mistake. I felt air rush past me, snow scarping my fur. The area around seemed to grow dimmer. And my heart skipped a beat. A jumped down as the fox extended his hands forward and I felt a coursing force fly above me. I turned backwards and I saw Rik running headlong towards the fox. Considering the possibility of a slight snowblindness as well as that Rik was not an agile runner, especially on such a terrain, it was safe to assume that she had no idea what had transpired. She probably just saw me taking out my hammed as I stood and talked with the fox, she being still a few yards away.

-Well…I figured you might be in some sort of trouble, since you had your weapon out. – Rik intervened, trying to paint herself in a bit of more heroic light, knowing full well what was about to come.

Hmm…yes. As you know, Rik prefers to go around bare. No armor, not even a shirt. Something to do with her gnoll heritage I believe? Imagine my surprise as I saw Rik, running towards the fox, axe swinging, when suddenly…she froze. She stopped in one place. And then I saw it. Whatever that fox did, it hit like a canon. Rik's exposed belly, of which we heard many stories tonight, had caved in, her ribs surrounding now a crevice. Her eyes wide like saucers and still holding her weapon, she slowly fell face first in the snow. Now, I do not know much about magic, as magicians are so far and few between. And even so, they aren't very talkative, so I can not say what he had done. Rik had collapsed on the ground, but her back was arched.  It was still there, like a ball. Her limbs spread out and face buried in the snow, I feared for the worst. Then her back slowly lowered itself to its natural positioned and supposedly when her belly reached the ground, she turned to one side, wrapping her hands around her gut and lifting her knees towards it as well, like a new born, trying to protect itself. I turned towards the fox, but he was already gone. No footprints. Nothing. I ran towards Rik, hoping that all was well. She wasn't moving. And suddenly, as I was a few feet away from her, I hear a powerful gasp. She had been left breathless for about a minute. And now she was trying to breathe in as much as she could. But if you recall, I mentioned that the air was thin. She was panting viciously, her mouth open like a cave, trying to gather as much air as she could. But finally, she collapsed. Out cold, she closed her eyes, her tongue hanging out, her warm saliva melting away spots of snow here and there.

There were a few chuckles here and there, but the bombastic laughter accompanying the earlier stories was lacking.

-Tarek, not for nothing, you do tell a better story, but the somberness of your tale sure doesn't fit the aim, does it. – Brom spoke up, scratching his chin.

-Well, I suppose it was a bit more naturalistic than yours and Chety's. Yet, I do believe it adds a certain something, don't you agree?

-I believe – Chety shrieked out, waving his pint around. – That the narrative of a story, should be compatible with the storyteller's certain style. His voice if you will. The narrative should be bent around the storyteller's voice, not the other way around. Otherwise you'll end up with something that sounds shallow and forced. Every story teller can tell any kind of story. But it's when they ignore their voice in an attempt to fit in a certain pre-established mold, to please an audience that is not his or just trying something, without actually grasping the nuances, is when we get hollow art and, in turn, a worse experience.

-Wow…look at the big mouth on Chety here. – Bron laughed. – Never figured you for critic.

-I am a bundle of surprises. Like our friend Rik here. She ain't got a weak spot, maybe she can read and she's a fountain of belly related stories.

Chety raised his drink towards the group and gulped it down, falling on his back. Bron and Tarek shifted their gaze towards Rik, who was drinking from a sack of water.

-Well, Rik…-Bron spoke.

Rik turned her eyes towards him, still drinking her water.

-You can put the skin down, Rik. I'm pretty sure its empty by now.

Unwillingly, she lowered the sack from her mouth and closed it up and put it away. With both hands on the log, she stretched forward and looked up, admiring the night sky.

-So, Rik…-Bron tried again.

-Hmm? – She answered, still skygazing

-Do you wanna talk about how you've got a gut as weak as a twig?

-That's it!

Rik stood up and turned to walk away, while Bron grabbed her arm pulling her back, the laughter of the group filling the stillness of the night.

-Come on, Rik! We're just playing around! No need to get so uppity!

He pushed her down on the log. Although unwilling to sit still, she knew that if she fought back, her weakness would become more of a laughing stoke. She told herself to keep it cool and it will all pass by tomorrow. But when she saw Bron's grinning face, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she couldn't really keep it cool.

-You know, Rik... – Chety climbed back on the log, bursting in spurts of laughter. - …you know. I just realized, that…all these stories…all these stories…have something in common…

-Rik being hit in the belly? – Tarek suggested, still chuckling

-Nonono…well…yeah…but no! You always get beaten by small, furry men…

-Hehehe…you know, Chety! You're right! – Bron laughed and turned back towards Rik, who was starring daggers at him. – Is that it, Riki ol girl? You've got something for short furry men?

-Fuck off, Bron!

-You you…you get all flustered and let your guard down?

-I'm warning you…

-Hey, Chety! Turns out Sky wasn't the problem at all! She's just mad cuz you ain't got no fur on ya!

-That's it!

Rik stood up, grabbing Bron by the collar of his shirt. Still chuckling, he grabbed her hand and with a small twist on the wrist he made her let him go and sat her down. Before she could react in any way, he pushed a pint in her hands.

-Have a drink!  Relax a bit! You've been so tense the entire night! Hey…I can make Chety give you a ab massage if ya like!

-You mother…!

-Don't worry! I'll make him wear a fur cloak! I'm sure I have something!

-Bron, you sack of shit! I am going to end you!

-Now, now Rik. – Tarek spoke up, helping Chety not to fall off his seat – No need to get so hostile. You know we make these jokes all the time.

-Yes, but…

-You are part of the group. Which means you share in our happiness and our sorrow. This is part of our happiness. You can choose if you want it to be part of your sorrow.

-I…ugh…

Unable to say or do anything, she felt defeated. She grit her teeth, scrapping them side by side, trying to contain her anger. And yet, it had been building up ever so slowly throughout the night. Ever since, Bron mentioned her gut. If it wasn't for him, no one would have laughed at her. No one would have thought of her as being weak. No one would have known her secret.

-Tomorrow we can get you some armor for that – Bron patted her gently on the belly – You know, to avoid any further mishaps.

That was it. She snapped.

Like all female gnolls, Rik had a certain sense of pride. And like all female gnolls, when that pride was hurt, she would react viciously. And like all female gnolls, that viciousness manifested itself through a berserker rage. Although she controlled herself as much as she could, she had given in, signaled by a dim yellow glow in her eyes. Still having some sense of sanity, Rik stood up and turned towards Bron.

-Am I a joke to you?

-What? No…

-Do you think I'm funny?

-No, come on, Rik, we're just…

-I'm not talking to them. I'm talking to you. You think I am a joke, don't you?

-Y-you're doing that thing, aren't you? You're eyes are getting kind of yell…

-You think of me as a weakling, don't you?

-Is Rik doing the eye thing? – Chety spoke up, sobering in a second. – Ah, shit…

-Rik, come on…-Bron continued and was immediately interrupted

Rik undid her belt, her cod piece falling to the ground with a soft thud.

-Come on tough guy. I'll wipe the floor with you and then I'll fuck you so hard, you'll love me.

In front of Bron's face was Rik's fully erect, seven inch pseudo-penis. The orc looked at Rik and simply raised his eyebrow.

-I'm not gonna fight you, Rik.

-If you don't want to fight me, I can just plow you right here if you'd like.

Bron knew he was in it bad. She wasn't completely out of it, but she was getting there. They had been in a few fights when Rik went berserk. He knew what she was capable in this state and he knew that normally he couldn't take her on. But now…he did know her weak spot. Maybe he had a fighting chance.

-Listen, Rik. Why don't you just calm down. Take your seat. And finish your drink. We can talk about this tomorrow…

His sentence was cut short as Rik punched him straight in the nose. He stumbled back, quickly regaining his composure.

-What's the matter, bitch-boy? – she snarled, cracking her knuckles and stepping forwards.

-Well…I guess we're doing this.

Rik stepped forward, her eyes glowing yellow, swinging her fists wildly. Bron on the other hand, took conservative steps, dodging the gnoll's haymakers. Although the Rik was much larger than the orc, she wasn't as skilled in hand to hand combat and although her gnollish rage made her a formidable opponent, it also made her clumsier and less precise.

-Should we do anything about this? – Chety asked while reaching for the bottle of rum.

-I don't think so. – Tarek answered calmly while taking a light sip from his pint. – They need to get it out of their system. Its only natural.

-You heard what she said she'll do to him if she beats him, right?

-Do you have so little faith in Bron's abilities?

-No…-Chety finally reached the bottle, undoing the cap, he took a long swing - …but let's assume, for arguments sake, that she beats him. Then what?

-We interfere. Naturally.

-And what if she beats us up?

Tarek scratched his chin.

-Well…let's hope it won't come to that. – Tarek sipped his drink and stretched back, observing the fight.

Bron ducked under each of Rik's haymakers, stepping from one side to the other. Although he was a bit drunk earlier, the adrenaline quickly sobered him up. Rik's attacks were fairly quick, but lacking the experience, not a single a hit landed on the orc.

After Bron ducked another clumsy punch, he stepped forward. With the momentum of his step and using the strength of his entire back and arm, he delivered a punch in Rik's weak spot, now more inflated from all the alcohol she had consumed. Upon impact, Bron's fist was instantly sucked into Rik's abdomen, her gut assuming an almost jelly-like quality, surprising even the orc himself. Bron was used to delivering quick jabs, one after another, but, for whatever reason, this time he pushed his fist as deep as it could go, completely engulfed in the gnoll's belly. He pushed it as much as he could, reaching the halfway point to his elbow.

His pseudo-experiment, had the orc in a trance-like state, until his concentration was shattered when Rik's head landed directly on his shoulder. The audience spewed their drinks from laughter as they saw the otherwise terrifying gnoll's face contort in the same way it had been described during the entire night – her cheeks puffed and her lips puckered with a high pitched stream of wind fizzling out of them. Her glowing yellow eyes, usually associated with fear, were now crossed and slowly going up her head, dismissing any sort of threat they previously possessed.

-Maybe we should call her The Blowfish, eh Chety? – Tarek managed to say in between his bombastic laughs.

Chety tried to answer, but whatever he wanted to say was left unintelligible due to his laughter.

Bron felt Rik grabbing his arm, with what little strength she could muster, so he slowly turned his fist around, which in turn, forced Rik's expression to change yet again. Her mouth slowly opened, emitting a low guttural sound, with saliva running down her tongue and onto Bron's back.

-Off…right in the breadbasket, eh Riki, ol' girl. – Bron chuckled, but the gnoll didn't answer. – More like a paunch, actually.

Rik unable to push Bron away, finally just started taking steps back, releasing the orc's fist from its fleshy prison. Bron quickly pulled his arm out and took a few steps back, ready for the gnoll's retaliation, but she just staggered left and right, holding her belly.

-Had enough?

Taking a few deep breaths in, Rik adjusted her stance and charged again at Bron.

-Guess not. – The orcs murmured under his nose and ducked under one of Rik's punches.

This time around, her attacks were even slower, allowing Bron to dodge them with greater ease.

-You know…-Chety turned to Tarek - …just for a second there, I thought that would have been it.

-So did I. – Tarek answered and took another swing at his drink.

At this point the fight wasn't as interesting as to the spectators. They could see that Rik's form was even sloppier now and Bron had this in the bag. But he continued ducking and dodging her hits, as if playing with her.

-For Kri's sake, Bron! Just finish this already. – Chety cried out – Its getting late…

-If you really insist. – the orc answered, smugness oozing from his voice.

After ducking another punch, he stepped forward and landed a direct uppercut under Rik's chin. The gnoll lost her balance and Bron quickly moved in for a series of quick jabs into Rik's stomach. Although not as powerful as his first attack, each one stunned the gnoll a bit more. Without really having any means to retaliate, she slowly backed away, but Bron continued with his punches. With each hit Rik folded a bit more, letting out small gusts of air until they were completely indistinguishable from each other, forming a light, constant torrent of wind. The barrages continued, Rik unable to respond except by stepping back and each consecutive blow shaking her a bit more, until even her pseudo-penis was hitting her stomach with a comical slapping noise. This still managed to entertain Tarek and Chety, with them letting out small spurts of laughter.

-You think that fake cock adds a bit of force to Bron's punches? – Chety snickered.

-Mmmm…I like to think it does. Makes the whole thing seem…a bit more funny.

-Can't argue with that, now can I?

-Nope.

The fighters slowly stumbled out of the campsite, finally Bron pinning Rik to a nearby tree. After another a final set of punches, Bron backed away. Wiping sweat from his brow, he examined his opponent. Rik's belly was slowly puffing up again to its natural state and her eyes, although still unfocused, turned towards the orc.

-You might wanna tighten that belly.

Rik spat to one side, letting out a low growl, but Bron didn't wait for a response. He assumed his fighting stance and again, using all the momentum he could muster, he extended his fist, his entire body tightened and his entire force concentrated in one spot.

The gnoll was ready this time. Upon initial impact, Bron noticed that Rik's abs were tightened. Like steel, they didn't budge. But that only lasted for about a tenth of a second. Bron fist again penetrated her gut, her once hard abs, now turned into mush, his fist pressed far within his opponent's belly. He pushed it as hard as he could, going even deeper this time around, so much so that even the skin around her groin stretched and her pseudo penis pointed up at the orc.

Rik's confident expression distorted once again, her mouth assuming the usual O shape. Her entire supply of air was knocked out of her with this punch, her jaw slacking down and the iris of her eyes disappearing up her skull and although the yellow glow still remained is was not as bright as before.

Rik, now gasping for air, had been completely defeated. Bron pulled out his fist from her gut, leaving her to fall down on the ground and curl up. The orc cracked his knuckles and turned towards the rest of his team, slowly approaching them.

-Wellp. That's that. – He proclaimed and spat. – Turns out she really isn't as tough and she wanted us to think.

-I'll say. I guess even she can't handle your punches. – Chety commented, scratching his head, still unsure of how to react.

-Heh…even told her to tighten up. – Bron stopped and stretched his back a bit, now that the fight had finished and the adrenaline draining from his body, his muscles stiffened a bit.

-Yeah…weird how even then she caved in. Guess she truly has a glass belly then. – Tarek took swing at his pint after which her left it on the ground and stood up. – Guess we should pick her up.

-Eh…leave be. Let her catch her breath at her own pace. I'm sure it's tough to get your ego crushed so bad in one night. – Bron proclaimed, pride in his voice, stirred with a pinch of arrogance.

-Didn't you recently get upper cut in the balls? – Chety asked, letting out his usual spurts of laughter.

Bron furrowed his brow.

-You want me to punch you too?

-No. No need for that. We're all friends here, right? – Chety jokingly raised his arms in surrender

-That's what I thought.

-Say…-Chety squinted his eyes. – Shouldn't Rik's eye glow…die out after she gets knocked out?

-What? – Bron turned around.

Rik's jaw snapped right in front of Bron's face, saliva getting in his eyes. Without wasting any time, the orc reacted. He bent down and jumped towards the gnoll's mid section. His muscles tense from the near death experience, he threw one final punch, hitting Rik in the solar plexus. The blow lasted a mere second, after which Bron retracted his fist, but in that time, he managed to completely empty the air out of his opponent's lungs with loud and quickly exhale , the attack itself sending waves through Rik's body, rippling her soft belly.

Rik was petrified, unable to move or speak. She stood still, in the same position that she attacked, and after a few seconds she toppled down, trying to inhale. The glow in her eyes slowly started to fade away as she curled up in a ball, her mouth wide agape. A thin stream of air slowly made its way through her mouth, sounding like an out of tune tin whistle. Her gut was now completely caved in, her ribs visible through her skin.

-Well…that was unexpected.  – Bron exhaled, the surprise of the attack finally catching up to him.

-I'll say…-Tarek commented as he got closer. – Say, the way she's sucked in her belly reminds me when I tried to impress the girls in my village.

-Yeah? – Bron's breathing slowly normalized.

-Yeah. Had a bit of a beer belly. Had to suck it up.

-And how would that go?

-Sometimes it worked. –Tarek laughed.

-Jee, Bron – Chety joined in on his companions – Don't you think you went a bit overboard with that?

-A bit over…-Bron furrowed his brow at the kobold. – She tried to bite my face off!

-Yeah…she did…but still… - Chety walked around the unmoving gnoll – You think you hit her spine with that one?

-Well, I'm good – Bron scratched his cheek – But I'm not that good.

Chety lightly pushed Rik with his foot. There was no response.

-Is she dead? – Chety finally asked.

-No she's not dead. – Bron objected. – I can hear trying to take a breath.

-Could be a death rattle, you know.

-Huh…

Bron cautiously closed the distance between himself and Rik. He squatted near her and slowly got even near her. Rik sharply inhaled, scaring the orc and causing him to tumble backwards. After the initial inhale, she started to slowly exhale. Once again, her cheeks puffing up the usual way, so large that you could mistake them for balloons, her mouth puckered in its usual O shape.

After shock had passed, Bron laughed, both from the relief and the caricature of a warrior that laid before him. His nervous laughter shifted into a full hearted one, the two other bandits following his example.

Now that the fight was over, Rik's rage had completely evaporated and with it her erection had gone. The gnoll turned around and tried to lift herself up. Half conscious, she could barely stand on her legs, her one arm still grabbing her belly, while the other one dangled lifelessly.

-By Crom, Rik! You had us a bit scared there! – the orc got up and dusted his leggings. – So, do you yield.

There was no coherent response, only guttural noises, growls and the occasional gasp.

-I'll take that as a “yes".

-Not really much of an answer really – Chety commented.

Bron didn't pay him any attention and turned back towards the gnoll.

-You know, you fought well, for someone out of their element. – Bron said, believing that some sort of speech was in order at this point. – It's actually a good thing that we found out that you got that weak spot so early, don't you think? Probably avoided an accident waiting to happen.

-This…whole thing…isn't an accident to you? – Chety chimed in.

-Shut it! – Bron spat and turned his attention back to gnoll, who didn't seem to respond. – So…yeah! It's no shame in having a weak spot! Everyone does! And don't worry, earlier I said I'd take you to town and we'd get something for that belly of yours

Bron extended his hand a pat Rik's belly in a friendly demeanor. At which point Rik grabbed him by the wrist, the yellow glow once more returning to her eyes, pulled him in and kneed the orc in the balls.

Bron immediately toppled over, with both the other rogues jumping back. Feeling secure in her victory, Rik walked right behind the orc, fully erect, with the veins on her pseudo penis visibly pumping blood.

-You remember what I told before we started this, Bron – her words were feral and barely understandable. – I'm gonna fuck you so hard that you're gonna love me!

Bron couldn't respond, losing all ability to speak after that attack. The gnoll intertwined her fingers and raised her fist high above her head, arching her back in preparation for her final attack.

-Let me show you how we gnolls assert our dominance!

Rik's pseudo penis twitched, as she was about to lay her blow on the fallen orc's neck and claim her prize. In one fell swoop, there was a thunderous smash.  It echoed through the valley, rustling the grass. Wind passed by Bron's ears and even Chety fell on his behind.

Rik's belly had been completely visible in the moonlight thanks to her position. It was obvious where it started and where it ended, her ribs and hips providing and adequate borders, like an anatomy sketch, turning the source the night's troubles into the perfect target. In the time it took Rik to subdue her opponent to her preparation for her final strike, Taret had grabbed his weapon, a hammer, so heavy and large that it even took him, one of the strongest warriors in the country, some effort to lift it, and had swung it right into the unexpecting gnoll's weak spot.

Rik folded around the head of the hammer, completely drained of air in one fell swoop. A puddle formed underneath her from the saliva. Her cheeks, puffed only for a second, quickly flattened.

The minotaur stood still, his face showing to emotion.

-“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Rik was completely motionless, only this time around, after her breath had left her, there was another sound. Her stomach grumbled. Her mouth, a few moments ago only slightly opened, was now fully patulous with a mixture of all the liquids she had consumed, rum and water, pouring out, completely covering the grass beneath her. She would vomit in spurts, with some pauses up to a few seconds in between, all the while letting out belches here and there. The entire contents of her stomach had been physically pushed out from the blow. And when her stomach was empty, Rik puffed her cheeks one more time. She let out a monstrous belch, echoing through the entire valley. The steel, engulfed by her belly, vibrated from her grumbling gut.

Tarek squeezed the handle of his weapon. Turning the hammer around, the head squishing Rik's belly,  perfectly fitting into the cavity between her ribs and hips. Tarek pushed the handle down and, with all of his might, he forced the gnoll skyward. As Rik ascended, she could barely tough the ground, her toes wiggling back and forth, scrapping the dirt by some subconscious reflex. With another push, the minotaur manages to completely lift Rik off the ground, her legs now completely motionless, only dangling back and forth by pure inertia. Rik, as usual, had her hands covering her belly, but this time, the cold, metal hammer was all they could touch. The gnoll's tongue hung loose as the last remaining drops of saliva and stomach content dripped down on the ground.

Bron, finally regaining his sense, turned around and stood at awe at the sight. There was something breathtaking about this act – someone you had defeated thrice, who still managed to get the best of you, being completely and utterly dominated in such a way. As he stood, jaw agape, eyes wide, time seemed to slow down. The orc remembered two saying he heard. Art imitates life. Life imitates art. Bron believed that normally a person can only subscribe to one of those two paths, while dismissing the other. But this. This in front of him. This was the perfect synthesis of both of them.

-Y-you…you can put her down now… -Bron found himself murmuring, but Tarek didn't comply.

Rik had completely envelope the hammer's head, clutching on to it for dear life. Tarek tightened his grip and once more gently pushed the gnoll upwards. That was the final straw. Rik's limbs, now completely lost all strength, dangled back and forth, the glow in her eyes completely gone, her tongue flapping back and forth from the light breeze. Rik let one final breath escape her mouth.

-Bet this wasn't the penetration she was expecting, was it. – Bron chuckled, motioning with his head towards the now facet pseudo penis, rocking back and forth.

A light smile crept onto Tarek's face and he decided to let the gnoll go. He lowered his hammer to one side, relieving pressure from her gut. For a moment, Rik managed to stay on her feet, but she quickly toppled over, landing face first on the ground, her arms and legs wrapping around her soft belly, with her naked ass in the air, her tail swinging left and right, the gnoll was finally defeated.

Bron finally managed to get up and stepped next to Tarek, who was expecting his hammer. It was warm to the touch, with some wet stains here and there.

-Maybe I should have hit her with the handle.

-Pfff…you know…-Bron scratched the back of his head. – I'm glad you didn't.

-So…- Chety stepped forward, standing in between Tarek and Bron, joining the group in examining their fallen comrade. – Are you supposed to fuck her now?

-What? – Bron exclaimed, taken aback by the proposal.

-You know…- Chety tried to salvage his statement as much as he could. – She wanted to fuck you if she beat you in battle. So…you know…shouldn't you fuck her, now?

-The hell is wrong with you?

-I'm just asking! I don't know gnoll traditions!

-I think you shouldn't fuck her. – Tarek chimed in.

There was a moment of silence and the group began to laugh. The laughter increased in volume and echoed through the entire valley. When he was done, Bron stepped to one side and gently pushed Rik on her back. There was a wet patch of dirt where her face was pressed. The gnoll's belly slowly started to expand into its usual size, but she was now completely knocked out.

-You think she's alright. – Bron asked, genuine concern in his voice.

-Probably. – Tarek answered while putting his hammer away.

-I'm serious. You hit her with a hammer. Couldn't she get…I don't know, internal bleeding or something.

The minotaur sighed.

-Look. I did what I had to do…

-Which I appreciate, don't get me wrong.

-…but. I've seen that girl take much worse blows. You remember the story I told you about the magician, right?

Bron nodded his head.

-That was worse. Trust me.

-But still…- Bron crossed his arms.

-It's a good thing that you are worried about the health of your friends, Bron – Tarek placed his hand on the orc's shoulder. – But you shouldn't forget that she tried to rape you in anger.

-Plus! She kicked you in the balls. –Chety let out a light laugh.

-Yeah…I guess she did…heh…

Bron looked around. He went back to the campfire, which had now completely died out a retrieved the gnoll's cod piece. He thought about how exactly to proceed now, until he finally gently threw it over her pseudo penis.

-You know. – Chety spoke – I think Rik technically might have one your little duel. Considering that Tarek had to interfere and all.

-How's about we don't tell her that tomorrow? – Bron said with a nervous giggle.

-Works for me. So…that's what gnoll women are like, eh? Wonder what the men are like…

-Less than that, don't worry. – Tarek poured himself another pint of rum. – Although, you can think of her as basically man, can't you?

-Oh…for sure… - Chety motioned towards Tarek's pint – Can I get some of that?

-Considering the size of that fake cock of hers – Bron went back and grabbed his pint – I think she just might be a little more man than any of us here.

-Hehe…you heard that final belch didn't you? That's enough in my book. – Chety laughed as he poured down the contents of Tarek's pint down his throat. – You know guys, it's been fun, but I'm gonna hit the hay.

-Same here. – Tarek said as he stepped towards the tents. – I'll just grab a blanket for Rik. I think we should leave her there for the night.

-Yeah…good idea. – Bron said, trailing off.

The orc stepped a bit closer to the now sleeping gnoll, her belly rising and falling as it was supposed to. Her tongue was still out, slobbering the ground she slept on and she would snore from time to time. Bron smiled and bent down.

-We're getting you some armor tomorrow.

The orc patted her belly and a ticklish laughter escaped her muzzle.