The Bear and the Wolf by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker [Hosker, Griff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd.
Published: 2020-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10 Fótr

The smell of the burning flesh in the warrior hall filled the air and although it made me nauseous, I also knew that it had saved us for the Danes in the lord’s hall had fought hard and killed two of our men. There were many more who had died in the inferno of the warrior hall. Æimundr Loud Voice had sent Ebbe and Bear Tooth to find some bows and arrows. They were now distributed along the palisade. Sámr came up to join us. He had donned some mail and managed to obtain a helmet. I took off the two scabbards from my back and handed one to Sámr. “The scabbard goes with the blade.”

“Ylva gave it to you, did she not?” I nodded, “Then it is yours.”

“No Sámr, it was given to me to create an illusion and it worked. I am no warrior, and this is yours by right.”

“Fótr, I saw you despatch two Skull Takers as though they were novices. You are a warrior, but I shall keep the sword.”

Just then Galmr, who was watching the head of the Water, shouted, “I see warriors approaching. They are on the road at the northern end of the Water.”

Both Æimundr Loud Voice and I looked at Sámr. This was his stronghold and his land. He would command us. He rubbed his beard, “I have been a prisoner so long that I do not know how Clan of the Wolf fare.”

I pointed north, “In the woods is Egge of Skelwith and if he is typical of the clan then there is fight in them. Ylva said that while the Danish witch lived and held you as prisoner then she could do nothing. I believe that she will be taking action, but I know not what.”

“I do, she will rouse the volvas of the clan and they will tell their husbands and sons that now is the time to rise.”

“Ylva said that many of the clan died. The last warriors to hold out were Ketil’s sons.”

“We have been hurt, of that I am in no doubt, but we are a resilient clan.”

Now that day had dawned, and the smoke had drifted away we could see the interior of the stronghold. Sámr pointed to two piles of bones which had been close to the cage. I had missed them in the dark. “Those are the bones of my father Ragnar, and my uncle, Gruffyd. I have had to watch the flesh being devoured by carrion each day and that seemed to me to be what was happening to our land but Ylva’s voice has spoken to me. There is flesh yet on the Clan of the Wolf and your wearing the wolf cloak, Fótr the Wolf, is a symbol of our people. Have your men come to this wall. When we built this, we made the gateway the only place that men could attack in numbers. I should have dug a ditch and had a bridge made but we all have perfect vision when we look back.

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