Ramsaur sat on the edge of the dark pit filled with orc raiders.

He looked into the dimness to see if there was any movement. He held a rock in his hand.

But that was just to reassure his friends that he was “guarding.”

All around him was movement, talking, people being helped, healed.

They were the living.

His job had always been with the dead though. He tended them. Even these. He felt like someone should watch them. He said it was just to “make sure” they were really dead and that they wouldn’t try to hurt them all anymore. But he knew in his heart, he was fascinated by the dead. There was a silence over them. A peace. And he wondered where their thoughts were now.

What kind of soul or afterlife did Orcs have?

His brother’s skull, around his neck, whispered, “they are dreaming now.”

Gressler had organized a makeshift hospital area so that the wounded were all accounted for and the healers had one place to tend to them all. Fernlove, the swan, was very skilled at deep wound healing. Fenzel, the Cleric, was using healing spells as well, and he was especially careful to reset and repair the wings of bumblebees. Sir Asa had already bound his own wounds and applied healing enough to help others too. He hobbled, but his cane was useful, this time more than decorative, but still elegant.

Cassie’s arm would be tender for a while, but it would heal now. Stench was by her side the whole time fussing, and she acted like she hated it but he knew she didn’t. She called him Sweet Bread just once but it might as well have been the thing she said over and over according to Stench’s personal account of the moment.

Madrijolopur had already healed from his injuries before, and was applying pond herbs to wounds of the humans and woodland creatures alike, praying over them, and allowing a healing soft green light to envelop the injured places. Carlotta translated for any of them treating the humans. She had to get around quickly. But she was hoarse too. As she made the rounds to the humans, she received more and more thanks and smiles for her lovely trick. She and Xini shared a look that would last her a lifetime in appreciation. Oh they would work together again, no doubt.

Emil and Roth had joined the group of humans and creatures talking about what the battle they just fought meant for their futures, and pooled together what they knew about the orcs.

Fade and Dame Brigitt were there. They said it might get worse.

They talked about orc strategies and orc raiders. And wizards they’d heard of. They made strategies for the future.

Someone mentioned Oof and his second sight and they all decided that they needed to take their meeting to him later to see what he might see.

Tourmaline could be heard above in a tree composing a new song. It was less alarming and more celebratory. Her voice was uplifting.

Something about the stars coming out after a storm.

The beaver brothers dragged some of their barriers one by one off into the woods, keeping a few in place in case there were other raiders to come.

The sun was setting quickly and Tourmaline’s stars were coming out. Thimble was sitting uncomfortably on the ground, waiting to become a mouse again. Able was with him.

“It may not wear off right away,” he said.

Thimble, his face, highly animated for a bear, said, “The spell is supposed to be over when the threat is over.”

Dame Brigitt walked over to him, “Maybe the threat isn’t quite over. We can use a big bear Barbarian, Thimble. Maybe Able can show you some new ways to use and fight with your bigger body.”

Able nodded. “I can make you an acrobat.”

Then, suddenly, a noise came from behind them all. From the pit.

And scrambling to the surface were all the orcs come back to hurt them again.

Everyone froze.

Then Emil called out, “Ramsaur, put down the dead things! No one needs them here right now!”

Folks breathed.

Someone laughed the kind of laugh you do when you are spent and tired and you want to believe in something funny again.

The orcs did not move. And Ramsaur did not move. But you could hear Tourmaline’s song in the trees, trimming the moonlit branches.

“The moon reveals/ all your friends/ standing after the storm. When the winds have died/ and the breeze is still/ and the clouds–they move on./ What we have/ is greater than what we had before/ what we keep/of what we see/ tells us we had more.”

And the orcs sat down on the ground together. The woodland creatures who had fought them and killed them looked at them now, not hidden away in a pit.

Perhaps if there had been another way. Or another method to save their own lives, they would have used it.

Fade said, “You know. They might still be useful after all.”

The orcs swayed to the song. Most of those gathered believed it was Ramsaur who was making them do this. But some weren’t sure.

Later that night, when everyone was asleep in their warm beds that they had fought to save, when the humans were back in the villages safe with their families, Ramsaur would be here with the orcs, though he would have them all under trees now, this time like they were sleeping.

His brother told him, “That’s better. Now they look like they’re dreaming.”

And Ramsaur would find his own dreams filled with orcs drinking at a tavern, singing and being happy they weren’t at war.

THE END. FOR NOW.

---

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

It was a combined effort from the citizens of the Autumn Woods to control the orc threat.

From her spot high up in the maple tree, Carlotta could see it all unfold.

Her part: stay hidden, be the voice of an Orc General and lure them to the pit. They had few choices. The pit could kill them in the fall. The humans had dug it deep, put rocks at the bottom. They thought only of survival. The orcs were on a hunt to eradicate every human presence in the valley. They knew that now.

It was mere oversight that the woodland community had not been on their list to destroy.

Old Biddy had told them they could not pass this responsibility to others when they could stop the orcs. The orcs had already devastated villages, murdered humans, whole families. They had to do something. The pit, in comparison, was humane.

At least they wanted to believe that.

“Hurry! Come this way!” she called out in her best Orc. “A human village still stands!”

Look at them, hearing her voice and abandoning their fight with the animals so they could kill humans. They ran and then disappeared below the false image of the path that Xini had created and was maintaining. They were in the pit. Two more down.

Admittedly, Carlotta was addicted to tricking everyone, all the time. It was kind of a power rush for her. She was SO good at it. She often practiced her voices on friends, and they might wander in the trees for a bit. “Oh, Carlotta. I had things I had to do!” they said to her when they learned of her ruse. It was all just in play though. She meant no harm.

“The human village awaits! Where are you?” she roared to the ones fighting her friends. One turned and ran to help, and fell through the path again. Carlotta felt a great deal of remorse. And satisfaction. That mixture bothered her. It was not in fun that she tricked them. It was to save the lives of her friends and others. Just not the orcs.

A bear came through the trees carrying Stench and Cassie. A bear with a huge sword. The orcs saw his size. He was larger than any of them. That bear must have been seven feet tall. But he was helping the other animals. The orcs that saw him, though, and ran straight for him, leaving Fenestra’s second or third puppet (she had lost count how many the other orcs had killed) fighting air. Was it because he seemed so much like a champion with that sword? But that bear’s arms were full of wounded. He could not fight without dropping or injuring them.

“Don’t bother with that bear, you fools! He’s on our side! Don’t you see, he’s taken their wounded! Come! Hurry! To the human village! Follow me!” she called out. They did not seem to hear her. She bellowed louder as they were almost on top of that bear. Stench had jumped down and taken Cassie quickly in his arms. The bear was not ready.

“The sword is magic! Beware! It is the OrcKiller!” she called out in a different Orc voice. “Stay out of its reach!”

That did it. They slowed down, just out of the bear’s swing. In this way the bear was able to get grounded against three of them. But he was not the only one overwhelmed.

Sir Asa was down and Gressler, the Badger, pulled him to safety in the bushes. Xini created a second and third bear illusion to distract them. Carlotta knew Xini couldn’t keep so many illusions going at the same time. Fenestra’s orc ran to help the bear. And the two of them against three orcs looked better equipped.

The Monk leaped over the pit, in a somersault, and with a flip landed in front of an orc and pushed him into the wavering illusion. Dame Brigitt and Fade flew at two other orcs, slicing their faces with Fade’s talons. But an orc blade caught Fade’s leg. Dame Brigitt held on as the hawk faltered and dove.

Carlotta couldn’t stay in the trees.

She flew into the center of the fray. “Now!” she said in Orc. “The magic of the woods is ours!” She shouted so hard to make them hear her.

They looked at her. “Look at how the magic has transformed me, brothers! I can fly! Come to me and receive your magical blessings and we will not only destroy these creatures but take all their magic with us!!”

She hovered in the air just over the disguised pit. She was vulnerable to any arrow. Any blade thrown. “I have the Magic of the Woods!” she shouted, starting to go hoarse. She cackled. “With this magic all humans will die!” It didn’t matter what it meant–it was how you sold it. It’s always that way with voices.

Be who you say you are and everyone will believe you.

Around her wings, which were getting so tired hovering in place, a pink light shown. “See the light as I am about to grant you the Magic of the Woods!” she said. “I have stolen it from the magic users.”

Fenestra’s latest puppet came forward to be a model, saying in orc, “this magic will help all of us.”

That was what they needed. The orcs started to come near her. But she was about to fall through the illusion herself. She imagined what it would be like to fall into the pit, into the hands of the orcs and what they would do to her.

The light around her grew in intensity.

It was Xini and Sir Asa with all their might creating a grand illusion to go along with her ploy. She’d always hoped to do something with Xini. Such a natural pair they would make.

Oh she was starting to get dizzy.

“Come and receive your blessing!” And as the orcs came and fell into the pit, Xini added more to her illusion to make it look like the orcs were walking on the surface even though they were gone. Those orc illusions held up their hands to receive magical blessings and they turned into giant wolves and foxes and a huge hawk the size of a tree. Surely this would take every bit of Xini’s strength and hurry the curse upon her. No.

“Look at what you can become!!” she said powerfully, and then she fell.

At the surface of the pit she hit something solid. It was an illusion- covered but injured Fade who had swooped in and threw them both into the bush.

Carlotta heard the most amazing thing. Her own voice was now part of the illusion even though she was on her back in the leaves. She could see herself and hear her own orc voice just repeating the phrases she’d already said. Her friends had literally taken her trick and mimicked HER voice now inside the illusion. They didn’t know Orc. But they could repeat phrases they heard.

The orcs, one by one, came to be blessed with almighty magical animal power and fell into the pit. A pit covered in darkness, damp with swamp water and too slick to climb if they survived the fall. A pit filled with rocks.

And standing over them at the edge of the pit were the last standing humans and animals of the autumn woods. They weren’t cheering. They were silent. And they were listening. They listened for movement, for any sound at all in the darkness of the pit.

The only sound she could hear was all of her friends and allies breathing. Heavy. In and out. Coughing. Waiting.

Go to Chapter 32

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Thimble had raced up the side of the tree so he could be near an orc’s face should one come this close.

He was trying very hard to be be a hero. To be the Champion.

He would poke some orc with the Sword of Goddard. He was angry. He was frightened. His friends fought orcs all around him and he could not help them. He felt useless. Some Champion of the Autumn Woods he turned out to be. He couldn’t even get the sword to work.

He had pulled this sword from a dream. From a dream. He knew it was Magic. But he had recited the incantation and everything, exactly as he was supposed to and…nothing. Now he was parked in a tree–like Cassie told him to!— but he was going to slice an orc cheek if he could. Or pierce an orc ear. At least the sword was pointy.

Three of them were on Cassie and Stench, and they fought so hard.

“Sword of Goddard, hear my prayer,” he said, holding the sword up, “Foes surround us everywhere–” and the orc slammed his hammer against Cassie’s shoulder.

She wavered.

Another orc stabbed at her with a dagger, but it missed.

“KNOW THEIR WEAKNESS, THEIR DEFEAT/ AND GIVE ME NOW WHAT I MOST–”

And Cassie fell.

Stench’s arrows found their marks, but they pulled them out and turned to him. As Cassie lay on the ground. They turned to Stench. Three of them charged Stench as he ran from them. “—NEED!”

They charged at Stench.

“Need, need, need, need, need, need.” Thimble ran along the branch, his eyes on Cassie, and she wasn’t moving. “Need, need, need, need,” he cried. And he ran down the tree and crossed over the fallen leaves till he was beside her. “Give me now what I most need. Please!!”

The three orcs wouldn’t stop chasing Stench. He couldn’t load his bow.

“SWORD OF GODDARD I NEED YOU!!!”

He ran towards the orcs pursuing Stench —a hundred thousand miles away from his tiny feet.

“You said you would protect us!!” he said to the sword. “SO PROTECT US!”

Suddenly he was flying across the woods, or it seemed that way.

His head rose above the branches but his feet were still on the ground.

He’d become taller, and he ran faster. Faster to catch the orcs. And he gained on them and he roared. So loud he shook the trees. The orcs turned just as he got to them and he stabbed them and sliced them and ran his sword through them and he did it over and over again and he wouldn’t stop roaring and crying and impaling. Till all that was left was Stench standing there. Looking at him.

He fell to his gargantuan knees, sobbing, looking at all the bodies, the blood, and he was shaking and shaking.

“It’s okay,” Stench said, holding out his tiny hand, touching him on the shoulder. “You’re going to be okay, buddy.”

Stench ran to Cassie. She moved. Thimble cried even more. She moved. She got up and they limped towards him. “I tried to stay in the tree,” Thimble said. “But I couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything. I’m so sorry.”

Cassie said, “Thimble?” Her eyes were wide.

“The sword made me big,” he sobbed. All he wanted to do was to crawl up into her arms and hug her neck but he couldn’t.

“The sword,” Stench smiled, “made you a bear.”

Thimble looked at the orcs, what was left of them. He cried. He was shaking. Stench and Cassie put their arms around his neck.

“Big friend, we need to take you down the path so you can help out the others now. Can we do that? Can you do what you did here again?”

Thimble stood up, and Stench and Cassie were only as tall as his knees. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I did.”

“Well, you saved us, buddy. You saved us. That’s all I know. Let’s go save some more of our friends, okay?”

Thimble nodded.

They started walking as fast as Cassie could handle.

Then Stench turned to him, “Can you give some old friends a lift?”

And Thimble picked up Cassie with one arm, and Stench with the other, his sword still in hand. And Stench rested his head against Thimble’s chest.

“So this is what it feels like to be you,” he said, making Thimble smile.

And the bear, Thimble, with his friends in his arms, ran down the path.

Go to Chapter 31

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Oakwall, Summerpond and Firefly flew over the trees because of a lovely lift spell Garna gave them–able to glide longer, farther. They carried little bombs on strings. Bombs she made that may not do a lot of damage to such big orcs, but would be annoying. Their goal was to annoy the orcs.

The squirrels had annoyed old Biddy for years being too playful among the stacks of books, but now it would be fun to let loose!

If they lived, that is.

The orcs had the woodland warriors cornered and stalled too far up the path. Cassie and Stench and Fenestra, and possibly the Champion of the Autumn Woods was somewhere here. They did see a big orc who was wreaking havoc on the raiding band of fellow orcs, so Fenestra was doing pretty well.

The others were holding their own, barely.

All their allies waited at the end of the path. They could see a large dome of light on the ground near them and they didn’t know what it was, but a shadow of a bird was inside.

“Try not to miss with the bombs. They will burn and they will flash, and be painful to the orcs, but if they are dropped on the ground that won’t mean much,” the Badger had told them. “Remember,” and he’d breathed in and paused, “we need them to see you and chase you.”

They whizzed through several orcs and dropped three bombs. One missed. Two exploded on an ear and a foot. Firefly dropped his second one, which burned an orc’s neck. Then they flew so close to them to get their attention. But the orcs didn’t even consider them of interest.

The orcs looked at them, but went back to attacking.

Some of them went after Cassie. Two tried to break into the dome of light. Several were trying to stop Fenestra’s orc puppet. Others were chasing something small. About ten seemed like they could barely see.

All around them the squirrels heard a song in the woods, “Wake, Wake!”

They tried again to get the attention of the orcs. To move them. To be enticing. To be chased. But the orcs were too involved in battle. Then a shout in the woods ahead!

A big orc voice! All the orcs turned! They bellowed in response. They raced down the path! The squirrels flew ahead of them! The orc voice got louder. Like orders. Was there another orc band ahead of them? No! What had happened to their allies?

The squirrels flew just out of reach of many of the orcs, speeding, gliding, as the orc voice got louder in front of them. Then the ground below the orcs in front collapsed–all the leaves that covered the path fell and revealed a freshly dug pit. From the bushes, a magical pink light blasted the orcs teetering on the edge. The Hare and the Salamander both raised their hands and blasted the orcs with light and illusion.

Human allies came out of the bushes armed with shovels. Some of the orcs fell. Many of them did not. The pit covered itself over again, as Xini put her illusion back in place.

They saw Fade and Dame Brigitt flying towards them and over their heads.

The sound of the big orc voice called the orcs forward towards the hidden pit!

They spotted Carlotta in the trees puffed up and doing her best Orc!

They turned and saw that they had not gotten all the orcs here. Half the orcs were here and still half the orcs where they had been. So the squirrels raced back to try and bring the rest of them to the pit.

Their only hope was to let the pit do its work. To push the orcs in.

They flew back over the fight, the rest of their bombs ready.

Go to Chapter 30

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Fenestra had one big trick. A very big trick. Her powers of sorcery could not swallow the orcs in mire like the Druid Madrijolopur or frighten them with illusion like Xini the Warlock. But she could levitate objects, small creatures, and she could ensorcell one soul to her will. She wished she was powerful enough to control them all. But she wasn’t. They had so much will of their own.

But one of them, with a flick of her tongue, was hers.

Hers.

Lift that axe. (Lifted). Attack the orcs around you. (The axe swung on a fellow orc.)

She flew beside the orc, keeping within six feet of him, important for the control to work. She’d have to dodge the battle, but it would work better than trying to steady herself on his moving orc body.

Few questers came to find Fenestra anymore, promising her adventure or treasures, if she would grant them success or bless their blades or tell them where to find magical falderall. The pond had become quiet. She waited. No one came.

She did not feel needed. Or searched for.

When Madge, as she called the turtle druid, first came to her pond, he was a rival! So much water, and rain, and waterspouts tossing the lily pads! But also so smart and fun to talk to. And they created a beautiful little magical pond full of mystery and weirdness…and it made her very happy over the last many years here. She didn’t feel like she had a purpose any longer to being magical until Madge challenged her to use her sorcery for fun now. She used it for herself and her friends.

Now she used it to save them.

O blessed night the stars fell from the sky into the pond…when she was young…the night she embodied magic, and it lived within her. She’d like to think the whole world had benefited from the things she’d ensorcelled. She may not have fought in the battles. She may not have gone on the rest of the quests. But she put little stars in everything she touched. And she gave them a new purpose.

And those stars turned all the battles.

Just like this Warrior.

See how he cleaves his fellow orcs, his axe lodging in their arms.

See how they fight him, give him all their attention.

How they stop fighting her friends, and give them a chance to fight without reciprocal attack.

Look at how good her Big Orc is at what he does.

Oh, he has stars in him.

Go to Chapter 29

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

The bumblebees really came through for them.

Most of the orcs were suffering from partial blindness as their eyes started swelling shut from the stings. Cassie could tell because of how wildly and widely they were swinging their weapons. (Thank Aunt Pokey and Garna for some pretty damn good armor, she thought.)

Nope, not at all the orc precision they encountered near the Old Scopic Ruins even last year.

But what they didn’t have in precision right now, they more than made up for in size and numbers and strength. Every member of her group was small, and she was one of the largest of them. But she barely came to half the size of small orcs. Their hammers and axes would still wreak damage to the community even if they couldn’t see well. But given time, their eyes would swell shut, she hoped.

Cassie never prayed for advantage.

She had skill. Skill and strength were always enough for her even when the numbers were against her. Orcs, kobold, undead, demons–she’d fought hordes like this before and it was the passion of the few who could defeat the strength of an army. Numbers were not as important as skill and passion. Before she retired, Cassie was in demand by every small band of adventurers. Her sword. Her hammer. Her fearlessness. There was nothing that could deter her.

“Watch out, Thimble!” she said. Her sword struck an orc’s arm, cutting it deeply. “I told you to stay in the tree!”

“I’m trying to make the sword work! I’ve been reciting the spell, but nothing is happening! I’m a champion. A champion!” he said, bouncing on a branch. “Sword of Goddard, hear my prayer, foes surround us everywhere…”

Three orcs rushed her, and Cassie dodged them, as they couldn’t quite see where she was. Okay she was grateful for advantage of being small. Yes.

“Get back in the tree!” she yelled.

“Foes don’t surround me in the tree!!” Thimble yelled back.

Three arrows came over her shoulder, two of them finding orc flesh to pierce. Stench was getting rusty, she thought. It did no good for them to retire and then have to fight again if he wasnt going to keep his skillset high.

Of course, who knew this would happen? Cassie give your Sweet Bread a little slack, she thought. She ran her sword through an orc. “TO THE TREE!” she growled at Thimble. “Until your sword does its part, keep your head up…”

“…and hunker down,” Thimble ran back up the branch to the tree.

The orcs weren’t yet where they had planned to fight them. “We have to push them down the path!” she called out to her team.

Astrati the General was at her side in an instant with his daggers, leaping on the orcs and shoving his black furred arms, dagger deep, into their necks. “Oh how I’d like to take them all now.”

“We just need to have thirty of you, General.”

“I AM thirty of me!” he cried out.

But then he was grabbed by an orc, a hand twice his size. His chainmail would stop a knife, but not a crushing grip. The orc slammed the black cat general onto the ground as hard as he could and looked right into Cassie’s eyes as he did it.

He was not blinded by the bees. His eye told her exactly what he was planning to do. She was not afraid. She leapt at him with her sword, and he threw dirt and leaves into her face, yelling something in orc. She could barely see, but swung her sword wide, hoping to cut him. She hit nothing. She wiped her face quickly. He was nearly on top of her.

SWIP an arrow appeared on his face, right to the left of his eye and buried itself there. He winced, then stopped, then shook, and then fell.

“PRETTY GOOD!” she called out.

“You’re welcome!” Stench said.

She ran over to Astrati, lying still on the ground. He was still warm, and heart still beating. “Get them moved down the path!” She yelled. She had nothing to help Astrati with. She hoped someone else might.

She prayed for advantage. She ran towards the orcs to guide them to their doom.

Go to Chapter 28

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Essemunde had been told to move her children to safety. Seven growing chicks, all just getting their grey down, all moving in different directions, exploring the world of the pond and the woods, but always close to mother or father–she had to move them all quickly along the path to safety.

But she and her mate, Fernlove, had found themselves crossing the path of the orcs…who were traveling now to the heart of the woods.

Why?

Hadn’t they been on their way out of the woods?

This was supposed to be a safe path. She’d barely been able to get up a shield to stop them. She didn’t know how long she could hold it.

She heard her children crying behind her, under her mate’s wings. But her shields would hold. They had to. She’d been a shield swan for Lady Allarae once in the East Kingdom of Faull. She’d held the foes back for many battles. But when she met Fernlove she realized she wanted to bring more shield swans into the world and her Lady gave her permission to leave and start a family. This was her first and only brood. It might now be her last.

But then the wolf came to help. And the fox. The wolf had fallen, and if she were to help him, to open her shield to cover him, she would endanger her family. She couldn’t drop her shield. The orcs pounded on it with their hammers, their axes. She couldn’t help the wolf.

And then she heard a great buzz in the air.

Voices cried out, “COMMUNITY!”

A whole swarm of bumblebees flew out of the trees and attacked the orcs in ways she’d never seen bumblebees do. They were vicious! Usually they were so contemplative. Now they stung the eyes of the orcs and the orcs flailed their arms, wildly swatting at the air.

They were distracted. She called to the fox to drag his companion into her shield. She ran to him and she extended her shield around around wolf, the fox, her mate, and her young ones. And she would hold it as long as she could.

Her children gathered round the wolf, and Fernlove put his wings over the fox. And she pulled her shield in close, made it stronger. Harder than steel. The orcs were in chaos and didn’t notice, but they would eventually. With the wolf down, she couldn’t move her group out of harm’s way. She hoped the orcs would leave. But instead it got noisier!

She heard other battle cries, and a song, a powerful, strengthening song, “Wake! Wake! The Blaze is almost on us!” as figures rushed out of the trees.

Go to Chapter 27

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Roth could no longer wait for a plan. He already had one.

He’d had one for months, since the moment the orcs had captured him and killed his pack. Since the moment they muzzled and gagged him so he couldn’t speak or bite. They forced him to follow human paths to help them find and eradicate all the human villages in the Greater Valley. They said it was important that all the vermin be cleared to make way for the new kingdom of orcs. They were not interested in human hostages or captives. Only ridding the valley of human presence.

The valley was extensive. It flowed from the edges of the Northern Kingdom of Brightsun, to the tip of the Eastern Kingdom of Faull, both of which the orc armies had conquered.

Now the armies were “revitalizing” lands between. Slaughtering innocents.

Roth had guided them into the Autumn Woods on purpose. He knew magic lived here. There were stories. Legends. This was an enchanted forest. They didn’t know this. So he led them into the forest to get them lost. Let the forest destroy them.

Except he discovered that it wasn’t an enchanted forest so much as a gathering of magic users. Emil the Fabulous had told him as much after he freed him from the chains and trappings of the orcs. Emil had rescued him and fed him and helped him heal, even when the fox was needed elsewhere.

“Oh, it is fine,” the fox had said, “I saw Fade, the hawk of a great warrior, pass by overhead, flying to the Owl, no doubt. What’s important is that you get healed and you tell us everything you know about these orcs.”

After hearing all of Roth’s horrors, Emil said he had to bring Roth back into their encampment right away. He could help them come up with a plan. This was important for everyone to know.

Roth also told him that he had a gift: he blessed others. His blessings had power. They nudged events, they strengthened, they helped. He wasn’t allowed to curse. But he could bless. He could help them take down the orcs.

On their way back to the encampment, though, they encountered the orcs again, and Roth’s blood boiled.

All the cruelties, the memories of what they had done to everyone he loved, came back in a rush.

These orcs crowded around a path they couldn’t take…some wall of light raised against them as they swung their axes to get through. Nothing would stop them, though. He knew that. Then Roth saw through the trees, through the light, a swan, her wings wide, blocking the path. And another swan beyond her, his wings folded on the ground covering something. The standing swan, her wings straining to block the orcs from moving forward, a glowing shield of light holding them back.

“That’s Essemunde, a shield swan, and Fernlove, her mate, guarding their summer children,” Emil whispered.

And then Roth knew he could not wait for a plan. Something had to be done now.

No one else should die.

He felt stronger. He believed it. He ran at the group from behind them, aiming at an axe-swinging orc’s heel to snap his tendon. And he bit. Clean through. “May the ground be blessed by your axe heads!” he shouted in Orc.

The orcs turned at the sound of his voice and the shout of their fallen one.

“May the road rise to meet your face!” He bellowed.

The orcs swung their axes but missed him striking the blessed ground. Some of them tripped and their blessed faces met the wolf-blessed earth.

Emil was beside him throwing blades, small tiny blades.

“May your blades TAKE OUT THEIR EYES!” Roth shouted.

And the fox’s blades, each one, found their grip in the eyes of the orcs.

Roth leapt on an orc and tore through his throat and vengeance felt warm and smelled rich. “MAY YOU FIND PEACE AT THE–“

Suddenly, he felt a blow on the side of his head and he was on the ground. He heard Emil shout, but his ears were fuzzy with a buzz and he could not hear anything else as he passed out.

Go to Chapter 26

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.

Aunt Pokey was a bit frustrated.

Her assistant, Thimble, was late to work. Having been chosen by the Autumn Woods to wield some magic sword, he was off training with a Knight now. Well, he needed to be here with her, wielding this needle and threading it. Now she was alone with such a big job to do!

Someone decided that Aunt Pokey would become an armorer. She. Is. A. Seamstress. She sews. She makes clothes. She makes hats. She tries to wear some of them herself, but it’s difficult with her spikes. But she’s still fascinated by clothes. She likes their cascading mysterious folds! Their delightful patterns! Their colors! How many ways there are for others to wear them. Some of it is envy. But most of it, most of her love of clothing is fascination.

She is not fascinated by armor nor does she work in metal. Find a blacksmith!

But ohhhh, Garna has a potion for strengthening cloth into a kind of chain mail strength fiber. Why not just pour it on clothes already made?

Because. Blink, blink. Sigh.

So Cassie needed a new body armor that still breathes but is as strong as metal. So she is going to make some full body armor out of her best starry blue cloth. And she must protect Thimble. So she will make a tiny outfit for him as well. Something that will protect his little body.

So he can stay alive.

Even if she doesn’t understand all the woo woo magic of it all, she knows that what she is making today and tomorrow and the next day will keep her friends alive.

And maybe one of them will come back and keep her company.

Go to Chapter 25

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“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is an illustrated story by Jerome Stueart in 33 short flash fiction chapters. The story features D&D-inspired magic-using forest animals who fight to protect their homes. This story was at first a response to a prompt list created by Jenn Reese and Deva Fagan for an October Art Challenge in 2021. You can now read all 33 parts of the story, “Protect the Autumn Woods” with the search term, #AutumnWoods. “Protect the Autumn Woods!” Art Show at the Dayton Society of Artists (48 High Street, Dayton, OH) from November 1 — December 15 2024.

“Protect the Autumn Woods!” is adjacent to a larger show of amazing Dayton Artists, “Small, but Mighty.” Come see all of the art, any weekend, Friday 12-5, Saturday 12-5 to experience the art yourself.