It's been several days since he'd walked away from that wretched living tree. Without remorse, it had tried to kill them all and drag their bodies under the ground to feed off their meaty carcasses.
And yet...
All it wanted to do was live. Hadn't that been the driving motive of all the gladiator slaves who were forced to fight in the arena? Live or die? Kill or be killed?!
Perhaps it was that realisation that had driven his decision to spare its existence? He'd even given it the, still substantial, remains of the War haunch.
Still, he had also, half-heartedly, promised to return with more. He hadn't meant it when he said it but now was beginning to feel a little rueful about it.
If only the damned tree hadn't called him 'friend' as they'd parted ways...
Ooh. Morality and introspection!
ReplyDeleteThe big think of fighter has more empathy than the sensitive elf? Not possible and yet ...
ReplyDeleteArowe would rather have seen that wretched tree burn to the ground for the destruction it had wrought. It's secrets could lie forever in the ash for all he cared. But now he finds himself following a twig to who knows what danger....
And he can't admit to being quite excited about it!