Chapter 1: The Stolen Lands

The bow's tension released with a low *thwump* and a croaking lump of black feathers fell from the tree. Happs Bydon gave a dirty grin in the thrashing black ball's direction and turned to his companion.

"Tha's three copper, Kork. That'll learn you to bet against me." he sneered boastfully.

His gruff dirt covered companion muttered grumpily and reached in a small pouch at his belt and produced the coins. With a bemused grin, Happs added "Don't forget about the seven from that brush wolf pup I got last week."

Kork handed over the three copper and whined pitifully "Happsh! pleashe, you know I don' have that kind of money."

"Well maybe if you were a better bandit and would go out and crack some merchant's skulls you could have more than a few pieces of copper to rub together for once in your life, Kork."

Kork gave a grotesquely bashful grin. "Hehehe yeeh, and den I could buy meshelf a pretty lassh to roll around with all night!" he gleefully snickered.

"You dense log, thats how you lose your coin. If you want a girl, then you just go out and take one. Non of this 'buy' noncery. Follow my advice, thats how I got Kressle to purr and tumble. I just took her."

Happs leered nervously. The truth was Kressle had jumped Happs one night outside camp after he was emptying his bladder of some stolen wine and had held one of her wicked axes to his throat and forced her pleasure out of him. After all was done, she had told him that he was her possession now and that if he ever denied her she would take his plums and carrot. To prove her point she ripped open his jerkin and took his left nipple. Traumatized and bleeding profusely, Happs whimpered acquiescence and had joined Kressle's bed roll every night she ordered him too. But he hoped none of the other bandits in the camp had found this out. It might hurt his leadership abilities. He was number two now in the camp and didn't want to lose the position any time soon. This camp was the only thing keeping him alive between the forest creatures of the Narlmarches and the rope waiting for him back in Restov.

"Hhehe shure Happsh. That'sh how you got her." Kork chuckled.

Happs narrowed his dark eyes and clenched his stubbled jaw. "Make that seven copper plus three more in interest. Pay up tomorrow or I take what's mine forcefully. Remember, coins aint the only currency out here." Happs eyes drifted to Kork's left ear and made sure he noticed. Kork gulped nervously and walked away into the brush, leaving Happs standing in the clearing.

Happs clench his hands angrily, bruised ego fuming madly. He walked up the still thrashing crow and looked down. "Bloody crow broke me arrow." he muttered. Happs brought his leather boot up and stomped it down up the black eyed head, grinding it in the forest floor. The bird stopped spasming and the death cries quieted, leaving Happs with only his angry thoughts. He would have to do some work to regain his manhood among the other bandits. Tomorrow's collection would work just fine. Maybe he'd take that old trader's finger. Better yet, he'd take his wife, in front of the men. That'd show the scummy lot. Happs grinned wickedly.