Something was coming. Renard raised his hand, calling for a halt. His men stopped instantly, and he cocked his head, listening for the sound of their prey.
Breaking branches and pounding hoofs in full charge approached them through the woods. A large, tusked boar nigh on five hundred pounds burst into view.
A young recruit ducked behind a tree and fumbled with his spear.
Renard snapped a glance that way, then focused on the boar. He stepped toward it, readying his spear.
Within him, Senn gasped. First week with this host and he stepped in front of a charging boar.
Are you sure about this?
Shush. Hear that? Renard responded mentally.
Senn forced himself to listen as the boar closed in. It had reached the clearing’s edge and bore down on them. But the breaking branches and a steady thudding of a two-legged creature continued. The boar did not come alone. What could make that much noise?
Help with the flip.
Flip? Renard leapt into the air, and Senn scrambled to assist. He screamed at the effort, but Renard let it out as a defiant roar.
A tusk grazed one boot. It caused a twist in their flip which Senn countered by making Renard plant the butt of the spear in the ground. They spun around it and landed in a crouch facing the direction the boar had come from. The boar crashed onward behind them.
Renard rose from his knee and readied to face a monstrous troll charging into the clearing. Laughter rolled out of him.
The troll lumbered to a stop to stare.
This isn’t funny. Senn had seen trolls before. They were not to be laughed at.
The troll pointed his tree trunk club at Renard. “You make Lug lose boar.”
“You made me lose it.”
Several of Renard’s men gasped, and the recruit whimpered behind his tree.
The troll scratched its head. “I chase it long way.”
“Too long. This is my turf.”
Oh, no. Don’t make him mad.
“Puny human. All bow to Lug.” The troll hefted the tree trunk for a swing, shifting his weight to charge.
Renard nodded and snapped a salute with his spear. Would that show enough respect?
The troll froze with his club held high, blinking.
“Should I shoot, sir?” asked Byron, Renard’s best archer.
“Hold.” Renard tilted his head. “Lug, my men follow my lead, but most only know dreadful stories about trolls. I’ll let you go home.”
“You trick Lug.” The troll glanced at the archer with an arrow notched at the ready. “No worry. Tiny arrow not hurt much.”
“I would be careful. He could put a tiny arrow in your eye with ease.”
You are crazy to try parleying with a troll.
Are you scared?
Senn assessed the ten-foot troll. No, but I had a foolish host die to one.
Understood.
“You threaten Lug.”
“Because you run onto my land. You are far from home.”
The troll kept the club up, but his stance relaxed. “How you know?”
“My turf. You never hunted this far before.”
Have you ever talked to a troll before?
No. First one I ever saw.
The club lowered some while the troll took a quick glance behind him.
Senn sighed. You are courageous to the point of stupid.
“Lug run far.”
“Go home and don’t run this far again.”
“But Lug hungry and you made boar get away.”
Renard stood his ground. “I’m sorry you did not catch it sooner.”
The troll scratched his head again. “You different.”
“Sir.” Lieutenant Jaxon stopped mere paces from Renard. “My men killed the boar you missed.”
Renard’s lips twitched with amusement because he stood on the boar’s path. “Lug chased it here.” He waved at the troll. “He’s hungry and frustrated because I got in the way.”
“Lug no like. Too many puny men now.”
“Sorry.” Renard flashed a smile at the troll. “I am not in the mood to hurt you, since all you wanted to do is hunt.” He shifted into a relaxed stance with the spear on his shoulder.
Senn buzzed with tension. He knew Renard would leap at Lug in a flash if provoked.
“Sir?” The lieutenant stepped closer to Renard and whispered, “My men are bringing it here.”
Renard nodded, still eyeing the troll. “If we gave you the boar, would you promise to stay off this land and harm nothing here again?”
“You give Lug boar?”
“If you promise. Many hurt trees remember you as the branch snapper.”
Lug looked over his shoulder with a worried expression. “Trees no move.”
“You are the first troll I’ve met. I have seen lots of moving trees before.”
Really? Senn had only heard of such a thing.
I saw walking trees protect a forest from a fire when I was a boy. He flinched at the memory.
Lug scratched his head and let his club drop until the end hovered just above the swaying ferns of the clearing.
The huffing of men carrying something heavy came from behind.
Renard turned his back to the troll. Senn cringed enough that Renard had to counter to keep his shoulders relaxed. He nodded to his men, who snapped to attention.
“Give the boar to Lug.”
Hesitation then a smart, “Yes, sir,” from the lieutenant, who waved his men forward.
They dropped the boar and scurried behind Renard, who turned to face Lug again.
“Take it home, Lug. And apologize to my trees on the way.”
“No trick Lug.” He scooped up the massive boar with one hand and swung it over a broad shoulder. “I make sure trees know Lug sorry.”
Lug marched off, rumbling words Senn could not catch.
You are crazy.
Renard chuckled as his men relaxed. “Crazy indeed. That is how you parley with a troll.”
We have greater things to do, so don’t die on me.
I won’t, but I just boared a troll.
Senn groaned. You’re a strange host.
This first appeared on Havok in July 2022