--------------------------- Meanwhile, in the forests north of Dullark.-------------------------------<br/><br/>Surgak grimmaced as his boots crunched through the thick undergrowth of the pine forests. The needles clung to his furs and in his beard, filling his nostrils with their sickly-sweet scent. Truely the Gods tested him, as they did by giving him such an unruley band of halfwits. Twenty Kurgan warriors in all, they had left the Northern Wastes early to seek out the best treasure before the Hordes moved in the late spring. But their travels had given them nothing, they were running low on food and had long drunk all their ale. He knew many would put an axe in his back, it was only a matter of time before one of them plucked up the courage.<br/><br/>Suddenly the forests abruptly began to clear, the trees sawn away and felled so as only to leave ragged stumps behind. That meant a village near by, using the wood. Surgak grinned, now the Gods smiled upon him. He muttered a thanks to the Eight Winds before turning to his men,<br/>"Warriors, up ahead is a village. There we shall plunder their food, gold and women and in the glory of it, we shall make a pile of skulls for Khorne!" he bellowed. Surgak knew that should've riled the men into a fighting spirit, but it was early and most gave grunts and growls of eagerness to battle, though none cheered with Surgak. Let them be miserable, he thought, for in a few hours his men would drink fresh blood and ale.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>