Clalus was clearly flustered by the loss of his father. The humans could see that, and continued to not say a word. Clalus became fed up with the human he was speaking to, and he stabbed the man through the chest with his sword. The human fell over, and died with a smile on his face. Clalus became even more frustrated as he attempted to interrogate another human, but you could see that none of this was going to go anywhere. You take action, kicking one of the humans to the ground with your front leg, and pinning him to the ground with your two front hooves, one on his groin, and the other pressing down on his sternum. The man let out a wail of shock as the breath was knocked out of him, and before he could get another breath in, you pressed down on his sternum with enough force to keep him from breathing. "Answer his questions." You say with a stone cold resolve. The man shuts his mouth, intent on not doing as you ask. You slowly press down harder on his sternum, forcing what little air he had left to leave his mouth. You continue to press down harder, and you hear the sound of fracturing ribs.
The man winces in pain at each crack, until he finally soundlessly opens his mouth, an indication that he might do what you ask. You release the pressure enough so that he can get a shallow breath into his lungs, and he used that breath to say, "...I... tttTalk." You step off of him completely, and he takes a strained breath, wincing in pain as the breathe opens his fractured ribcage. Clalus eagerly comes over to begin questioning the human, but you warn him, "Get him away from the others first." Some centaurs pick up the rag doll body and carry him far away. Most Centaurs follow, but enough stay behind so that the other two humans couldn't escape. The human was dropped onto the ground far enough away to be out of earshot of the other humans. "When will the next attack be?" Clalus asked with the most aggressive tone you have every heard in your life. The man was still catching his breath and clutching his broken chest. "This was... Big invasion... We attack you, Shokan, and Satyrs in same day... That's all I know." "Why has King Lorson done this? We had no quarrel with him." Clalus demanded. The other Centaurs around him listened intently. "Not enough food for Kingdom. We must expand." "Nonsense, Clalus began, "I have been to your kingdom in my younger years. There is enough land for a kingdom twice your size. I will not tolerate another lie. Why has King Lorson done this?" The human looked terrified, "That's what I was told. I don't question my orders, I just follow them... *cough*" Clalus had had enough, and kicked the man in the side of his head. The human's eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed, unconscious.
Later that day, the surviving Centaurs were busy burying their dead and treating the wounded. Along with Erelibos and Orivall, about eighty other Centaurs were slain on this day, nearly half of the entire village. There was no celebration. You were helping bury the dead, and you personally saw a dozen of your friends and family placed into dirt holes that you constructed. Clalus and the surviving elders were in a meeting outside of the village. You were not invited. You felt stung by that rejection, but in the heat of battle, it is very likely that nobody noticed your heroics. You can't let your pride take over. All through the day, you and the surviving Centaurs cleaned up the battlefield, burying the fallen Centaurs, and stacking the dead humans in a pile to be burned. At dusk, Erelibos's dead body was brought to be buried.
He was still in his armor, with sword in hand. The entire village gathered round to watch the ceremony. By this point, you had become numb to all the death around you, but most of the village was openly weeping at the sight of their chief being put under the earth. The event passed quickly to you, and before you knew it, Clalus had gathered all the able-bodied Centaurs who were still willing to fight.
"We know the humans came from their forward operating base a league north of here. There must be an officer there who knows why they are trying to genocide the entire valley. I am asking all who are willing to fight to come with me to raze that place to the ground. But first, we need some support. Our scouts have shown that the Satyrs chose to accept the Humans' warning and they are in the middle of relocating. Someone must tell them of the counterattack we have planned, and convince them to support us. The Shokan to the west chose to fight, and they repelled the attack much like we did. If anyone is willing to attempt to speak to the Shokan, I would be greatful. Also, farther to the south are the scattered remnants of the Minotaurs, Griffons, and Cyclopses. While only a few remain, their strength in battle could define the outcome." Several Centaurs volunteered to talk to the Satyrs, as they had been friends of the Centaurs for centuries. A couple also were willing to seek out the scattered remnants of the Minotaurs, Griffons, and Cyclopses. But nobody was willing to enter Shokan territory and ask them for help. The Shokan were not keen on anybody entering their borders, and their think heads were difficult to reason with.
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Topic: You Can't Die: Benevolent Beasts (community story) Centaur (Read 3988 times)