Ambush

The road they were on led to a forest growing around a mountain. The mountain the orcs were hiding in. This was the point of no return, they could be attacked at any point in their journey through this forest. Of course, there’d been no guarantee they’d be safe traveling this far so all three were on guard even before the trees came into view.

Dav laughed nervously. “I always get nervous passing through here, but at least now my fear is rational.”

“You don’t need to be afraid this time either. Helena and I will take care of anything,” Van replied.

The sun was almost completely blocked once they’d gone under the tree canopies. While the road itself was maintained and kept clear of obstacles, no one was willing to invest the time and money needed to clear the trees beside the road.

Dav nervously chattered about the fees he was charged that were supposed to go towards maintaining this road, and said, “If all the merchants who used it paid their fair share, we’d be able to pave it with gold.” He laughed at his own joke, and Helena laughed along politely.

That was when they crested a hill, and at the bottom they saw a fallen tree blocking the way. “Damn. Seems like trouble. Think we can push it out of the way before they realize we’re here?” Van asked.

Helena closed her eyes. There was the sound of birds and bugs, all sorts of noises of the forest around them. But amidst all that, she heard a crash come from behind them, far enough away that neither of the other two picked it up. “They’ve already blocked off our path of retreat. They should be here momentarily. Dav, get down. Van, get ready.”

The pair of orcs were coming, Helena could hear them. But she had a few moments to prepare. What sort of plan would she employ to take them down?