Free Spellscribed: Resurgence by Kristopher Cruz Page B

was quite adept at knocking unprepared targets unconscious. The man crumpled as the warrior shied away from her swing, struggling to right herself and keep the man from falling to the floor.
    "Take him back with the rest." She said. "I'll check on our wolfmen and then catch up with you."
    The warrior nodded, throwing the man over her shoulder like a sack of grain and walking off. Bridget stepped outside and walked over to the cluster of wolfmen. The injured party was seated on an overturned feeding trough, while another wolf bandaged the cut on her torso. The wolf's armor was stripped off to the waist, and Bridget was somewhat surprised at how the wolfmen females were more anatomically similar to humans than wolves. The female was dark gray with almost reddish fur accents along the edges of her ears and scattered over her body in hard to see patches. She looked up at Bridget with bored blue eyes.
    "This is the most humiliating part." The wolf said, her voice only slightly graveled. Her ears were aimed out to the sides and slightly drooped, and her tail swished aimlessly. "Not the getting stabbed by a soldier, but getting treated like a puppy while they make sure you don't bleed out."
    "If you would just shut your jaws and quit moving around, I'd get this done sooner." The male wolfman grumbled, wrapping a bandage over the treated wound before handing back her armor. He looked up at Bridget and nodded. "Alpha." he said, stepping away from her and standing back. Bridget raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything turning back to the injured female.
    "He's giving you deference because you have acted like a pack leader." The female said, starting to pull her armor on without any apparent pain. "And I am especially appreciative that you had been there to back me up."
    "Uh… Sure." Bridget said.
    "My name is Runa." the wolf said, standing. "Can you help?" she asked, turning her side to Bridget and presenting a set of buckles that could not be easily reached by the wearer. The Draugnoa nodded, helping her buckle up.
    "Are you going to be all right?" Bridget asked. "Looked like he got you with his dagger."
    The wolf nodded, turning back when the work was done. "Yeah, hunting knife I think." She flicked an ear. "Only got about an inch in before I was able to leap back, but that kinda tore it open worse. I'm not as skilled as Wrach's personal team yet. I am sorry."
    Bridget shook her head, using her wooden hand to stop Runa from looking down at the floor. "Hey." She said, wiggling the wooden fingers in front of Runa's face. "I know what it's like, not being strong and fast enough. But you know, Wrach didn't just magically get as good as he is without having had his own battles. Some of us are lucky and get away with only a few scars or a missing finger, while others sometimes aren't so lucky."
    "Yeah?" Runa asked.
    "Yeah." Bridget replied, smiling as best she could with her lips pressed closed. Endrance had warned her long ago that, like their less intelligent kin, baring teeth was seen as a threat or challenge. "The unlucky ones never lose a fight."
    "I don't get it." Runa replied.
    "You don't lose a fight, you don't learn your limits." Bridget replied. The group started walking back towards camp. "If you don't learn your limits, you can get yourself killed. Failing, getting hit or stabbed, or even burned, can teach you that pain and you know better how to deal with it. It means you can keep fighting longer the next time it happens. Because it will happen again. With our way of life, not getting hurt would require an act of the gods."
    "Ah." Runa replied, walking alongside her. "What are these gods you speak of?"
    Bridget shrugged. "I… I dunno." she answered. "I was an orphan and an Ergkinoa, so I really didn't have much time to go to one of the temples. I guess we have a lot of war gods and stuff. I never really prayed to them or anything."
    "But, what are gods?" Runa asked.
    "You mean-" Bridget started to ask. "Ah. Okay. I get