Well it took me almost a year, but here you go Silver, the end of a Tale of Shame.
The horses were nervous as we walked them alongside the slow-running water. The banks were steep and muddy, bad ground for cavalry. We all knew that. The mud would pull at the hooves of our horses, siphoning speed from the charge that was our greatest strength. So as our horses were nervous, so were we.
The trees surrounded us on all sides, pressing in close, their dark boughs filling us with nameless dread. The forests of Sigmar’s Empire were full of unwholesome creatures, the beasts of the deep woods always hungry for blood and carnage. Greenskins too made their homes in the shadowy forests but they seldom appeared this far north. All the same, we were on guard, the further we rode north, the more nervous we became.
A gust of wind, the snap of dry branch, the creaking of branches in the wind and the ambush was sprung. Whoops and cries filled the still, forest air as spiders began to glide down from the canopy upon gossamer lines of silk. Shiny and black with designs painted upon them in bright colours, these spiders were no natural creature but were as large as wolves and upon each rode a goblin armed with an assortment of crude spears and blades. “Swords!” I bellowed, drawing my own blade from the scabbard hanging from my saddle, urging the other knights to do the same. Taken by surprise, the knights reacted swiftly, baring steel and roaring challenges but the sudden appearance of the enemy left the horses baulking and fearful.
The first greenskin to come near me was crushed under the flailing hoof of my steed as the horse attempted to back away from the spider bearing down on it. Pouncing up at me, the now riderless spider took my blade in its thorax, spewing forth viscous liquid as it fell back to the ground, foul legs twitching in agony as it died. Beside me Alden fell to the ground as his horse was swarmed by three spiders, the creatures biting it many times until the noble creature’s strength gave out, venom coursing through its veins. Alden stood with some difficulty, the mud clinging to his heavy plate harness as the greenskins and their mounts turned their attention to him. I urged my horse towards them, depriving one goblin of its head before the others bore Alden to the ground, stabbing him with spears until eventually they found a gap in his armour.
Around me my squadron was being destroyed, knights and horses killed by the swarming greenskins and their vile mounts. Turning my steed’s head away from the slaughter, I abandoned my brothers once more.
For the second time within a week, I had forsaken my vows. I could only hope that my family would not learn of this dishonour.
