They made their way upwind, following a westerly path until they emerged from the trees onto a slight rise, the Therengian village of Athelwald visible some distance off. Even from their current position, they could make out flames. Thick, black smoke poured from the dwellings, while horsemen rode about, torches in hand, their armour glinting in the sun.

"Your suspicions are correct, they are under attack!" called out Laruhk.

"Yes, but by who?" asked Kargen, shielding his eyes, straining to make out what details he could.

"Armoured riders on horseback, it would appear," said Laruhk.

"I can see that, but who are they? Mercenaries? Agents of the duke? Soldiers from Krieghoff? They wear heavy metal armour, perhaps a war has broken out, and Athgar's village has been caught in the middle?"

"What shall we do?" asked Laruhk.

"There is not much we can do. If we were to go down there now, we would be slaughtered along with the rest of Athelwald. No, we must wait and watch. With any luck, we shall be able to identify the attackers."

"Why? To seek revenge?" asked Laruhk.

"No," Kargen replied, "this is not our fight. To intervene would be to invite disaster for our own people."

"As usual, you are in the right, my friend. We shall let them kill each other, and then there will be fewer Humans to threaten us in the future."

"You misinterpret, Laruhk. We shall wait until the riders have left and then enter Athelwald. There may be survivors."

"I thought you said it was not our fight? The Orcs of the Red Hand have been left alone by the duke. Are we to change all that with our actions this day? Surely, if we interfere here, there will be repercussions?"

"I cannot stand by and do nothing," said Kargen. "We Orcs exist in a precarious position, surviving only so long as the Duke of Holstead does not see us as a threat. I would have thought the same of Athgar's people, but something has altered that relationship. Change is coming, whether we want it or not."

They watched the riders as they torched the village. The dead lay scattered about, while others, cut off by the horsemen, cowered before the display of weapons.

"They mean to take prisoners!" announced Laruhk.

A drop of rain fell, landing on Kargen's face. "Our ancestors weep," he observed. "Mark this day well, for something has started here that will have a great effect on our people, I can feel it."

"Surely you jest, Kargen. The Therengian's are a minor people. How could the loss of this one village affect our tribe?"

"Just as the loss of a single hunter can change the fortunes of the hunt, so too, can the loss of a single ally leave ripples in the lives of others. I do not know what has happened this day, but I feel it has changed our future."