The trolls began returning to their camp, and Adrian followed silently from a distance.
By the time they arrived, night had already started to fall. The camp itself was a small cave surrounded by makeshift wooden walls—just thick trees stabbed into the ground, forming a crude barrier. An open gap served as the entrance. Inside, around sixty trolls moved about, living their wild lives. Some ate hunks of meat, others cleaned hides or fabrics, and a few were even mating out in the open—but none of the others batted an eye.
Trolls were beasts, after all. To them, this was just another normal day.
The group Adrian had been tracking entered the camp, and Adrian climbed a tall tree overlooking everything. Hidden among the leaves, he used matter manipulation to create a small, flat platform to lie on. He pulled in extra leaves from nearby branches to make sure he was completely concealed, giving him a perfect view of the camp.
Once inside, the child troll was taken away by the two males, while the female walked into the cave—most likely to report what had happened.
A few minutes later, deep roars echoed from within. A towering troll stepped out behind the female—larger and more muscular than the others, with thick arms and a powerful frame. He wore a crude crown made of twigs, with a small green gem embedded in the center. His presence immediately commanded attention.
He let out a thunderous roar, and every troll in the camp froze.
Then, as if speaking in one voice, they all roared back—a unified cry of rage and mourning. They would avenge their fallen.
Adrian remained still, watching from his perch. Hidden and relaxed, he observed the wild scene unfold below.
Adrian waited patiently for the trolls to fall asleep. Hidden high in the tree, surrounded by leaves and shadows, he stayed perfectly still. His goal was simple—once the camp was silent, he would sneak in and gather the remaining blood he needed.
Inside the camp…
The female troll found her son curled up inside the cave, sleeping beside a cluster of other younglings. As she approached, he stirred and opened his eyes. The moment he saw her, he jumped up and ran into her arms, knocking her over. She landed with a soft laugh, holding him tightly.
"Rachka sghiet ghgar," she said, still chuckling.
"Waihi ho…" the child replied, tears welling in his eyes. It was clear he missed his father deeply.
"Awag mi no ha," she said, gently brushing his hair back, her voice filled with quiet understanding.
It was devastating for her—losing a mate, the father of her child—but she knew she had to stay strong. Not for herself, but for him.
"Waki mano sahur di lo ma nosali," she added softly, a tender smile on her face as she wiped his tears.
The child nodded slowly, holding her hand as they stepped outside the cave together. They joined a small group of trolls gathering for a communal meal.
Not even a full day had passed since her partner's death, but already other males had begun to press in, beginning their crude courting rituals. Some groped her, others leaned in close, rubbing against her in full view of everyone else. She pushed them away without hesitation.
She had no interest in another mate—not now. Her child was grieving, and so was she. There was no room for anything else.
She and the child eventually sat with what seemed to be close friends or family. A large piece of roasted meat was passed around. She tore off a chunk, handed some to her son, and together, they quietly ate under the fading light of the camp.
"Sigra mo ni grona," the female troll said, lifting her chunk of meat to the dark sky.
The others raised theirs in silence, a quiet gesture of respect to honor the fallen.
As the night wore on and the meal ended, the female curled up with her child inside the cave, the two of them huddled close for warmth and comfort. All around them, the camp gradually fell into silence.
With the trolls asleep, only four were left to stand guard—two at the entrance of the cave and two at the main gate.
But luck, for once, tilted in Adrian's favor.
The two trolls stationed at the cave entrance had dozed off at their post, their heavy heads bobbing with each slow breath. No one inside noticed—but Adrian did. That left only the two gatekeepers awake and vulnerable.
Perfect.