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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2251476" data-attributes="member: 3192"><img src="http://www.geocities.com/dbedell2002/gnoll_battle.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Hearing heavy breathing Ben turned back to see Dalin and Dram running behind him. Ormand the Redd and Rogg followed too. Kayla was outpacing everyone in her light robes. Igor was still back hunched over the bodies. Ben thought he saw a severed head in his hands being stuffed in his sack. Dalin and Dram had bloody fur-tipped ears in their own hands. “By the Gods”, thought Ben. After a short run the archers ran into the cave the group was originally headed towards. It sloped downwards into darkness. Loud barking and growling echoed out. Kayla started climbing a tree. Mirel was already in another loading her sling. Darius ran past the entrance and several arrows shot out. He leaned against the far side of the rocky crag surrounding the hole.  Dalin ran up to the other side of the cave and Ben and Rogg backed in behind him. Ormand the Redd and Dram began to fire from behind a bush into the darkness inside. Out of it stepped two of the creatures with axes. They towered over the party members and immediately swung at Darius and Dalin. Dalin was hit badly, but stayed up. Mirel and Kayla slung stones at the creatures, while Rogg and Ben moved in front of them swinging sword and flail alike. The creatures were difficult to hurt with both their thick hide and heavy armor. The action continued for another couple of minutes as Dram and Ormand attempted to close in with their bows to point blank range. Slingstones flew over Ben’s head and one even hit him in the back. Bowshots were coming out of the darkness now too.  The line of combat stood merely a foot within the cave entrance making it impossible to surround the enemy. Darius did land a solid hit on the left creature he and Rogg faced, but it dropped back into the cave with another moving up to take its place. “What do you know about these things!” yelled Dalin. Kayla thought while loading her sling. “I think they are a half-breed of some sort. They have gnomish features!” “Disgusting”, thought Ben. He had moved to the right corner and now swung around the stone with his flail. Arrows and rocks continued to fly in and out of the cave exit and into the throng of combatants. Barking and growling filled the air. Dalin dropped back from the door and took a swig of healing juice. He had taken several hits and was bleeding badly from his leg. While those in the trees stayed fresh, Ben and the others in melee were slowly wearing down and the fatigue began affecting their ability to hit.  Ben stepped away and rested, while Rogg held the right side of the cave mouth. Moving to the front and replacing Dalin on the left, Darius could peer into the darkness. He saw at least two more rows of the spotted animal men waiting to step into their ally’s places. The archers were doubled up behind these. Darius judged that the monstrous things were bigger and tougher fighters than his own group. Though they were pinned in now, something might happen to change the tide of battle. He saw Igor creep up and fill in for Ben. The strange man hid under cover near the cave entrance examining his foe just inches inside. It was too busy to see him. Suddenly Igor struck swinging his sword up and into his foe’s neck just missing the front of Rogg’s face. He nearly cut its head clean off, but the creature maintained standing. As if in retaliation, the dog-man in front of Darius managed to swing out around its corner at Dalin again and the gambler fell to the ground unconscious. Two more fresh warriors moved forward to take their allies’ places. “Too much damage is being taken!” yelled Darius. The dwarf called out for bandages on Dalin and regular swapping for the men up front as he continued to hold the line.  Dalin lay bleeding into the grass as the minutes passed, while his enemies soaked up more and more damage. The battle was seemingly without end as they continued to switch in rested reserves. Darius saw even he, with the aid of his full plate armor, could not hold against the creatures successfully. The archers within the cave stopped firing and a deep howl issued forth. The enemy retreated. When they turned their backs to run, Darian and Rogg hit those in the entranceway. The party panted in relief staring into the inky darkness of the cave mouth unsure whether or not to pursue. Ben rushed over to Dalin’s side and prayed for the Gods’ power. Healing energy passed from him into the body of Dalin, but he remained asleep. Then an arrow hit Rogg in the chest from the left side of everyone’s vision. The fighter fell to the ground. Three more of the creatures were approaching swiftly overland. Dram, Ormand, and Mirel quickly climbed out of their trees sensing a retreat was in order. Darius kept his ground in front of the cave with Igor beside him. Howls from outside the cave now joined those from within. Ben moved over to Rogg’s body trying to bandage him as fast as possible.</blockquote>

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