Once, long before Morgan was born. Trolls had come down out
of the Northland, their traditional home, to trade with the mem-
bers of the other Races. For a time, some of them had even lived
among the men of Callahom. But all that ended with the coming
of the Federation and its crusade for Southland domination.
Trolls were no longer welcome below the Streleheim, and the
few who had come south quickly went north again. Reclusive
by nature, it took very little to send them back to their mountain
strongholds. Now, they never came out-or at least no one Mor-
gan knew had ever heard of them coming out. To find a band
this far south was very unusual.
Morgan tried not to stare at the visitors, but it was hard. The
Trolls were heavily muscled, almost grotesque, their bodies tall
and wide, their skin nut-brown and rough like bark. Their faces
were flat and nearly featureless. Morgan couldn’t find any ears
at all. They wore leather and heavy armor, and great cloaks lay
scattered about their fire like discarded shadows.
“I’m Baron Creel, Leader of the Movement.” Padishar’s
voice boomed out.
The Troll facing him rumbled something incomprehensible.
Morgan caught only the name Axhind. The two gripped hands
briefly, then Axhind beckoned Padishar to sit with him at their
fire. The Trolls stepped aside as the outlaw chief and his com-
panions moved into the light to seat themselves. Morgan glanced
about uneasily as the massive creatures closed about. He had
never felt so unprotected. Chandos seemed unconcerned, po-
sitioning himself behind Padishar and a few feet back. Morgan
eased down next to him.
The talk began in earnest then, but the Highlander didn’t
understand any of it. It was all done in the guttural language of
the Trolls, a language of which Morgan knew nothing. Padishar
seemed comfortable with it, however, pausing only infrequently
to consider what he was saying. There was a great deal of what
sounded like grunting, some heavy slurs, and much of what was
said was emphasized by sharp gestures.
“How does Padishar speak their language?” Morgan whis-
pered early on to Chandos.
The other never even glanced at him. “We see a bit more of
life in Callahom than you Highlanders,” he said.
Morgan’s hunger was threatening to consume him, but he
forced it from his mind, holding himself erect against encroach-
ing weariness, keeping himself deliberately still. The talk went
on. Padishar seemed pleased with its direction.
“They want to join us,” Chandos whispered after a time,
apparently deciding that Morgan should be rewarded for his
patience. He listened some more. “Not just these few-an en-
tire twenty-one tribes!” He grew excited. ‘ ‘Five thousand men!
They want to make an alliance!”
Morgan grew excited himself. “With us? Why?”
Chandos didn’t answer right away, motioning for Morgan to
wait. Then he said, “The Movement has approached them be-
fore, asked them to help. But they always believed it too divided,
too undependable. They’ve changed their minds of late.” He
glanced over briefly. “They say Padishar has pulled the separate
factions together sufficiently to reconsider. They’re looking for
a way to slow the Federation advance on their homelands.” His
rough voice was filled with satisfaction. “Shades, what a stroke
of good fortune this might turn out to be!”
Axhind was passing out cups now and filling them with some-
thing from a great jar. Morgan took the cup he was offered and
glanced down. The liquid it contained was as black as pitch. He
waited until both the Troll leader and Padishar saluted, then
drank. It was all he could do to keep from retching. Whatever
he had been given tasted like bile.
Chandos caught the look on his face. “Troll milk,” he said
and smiled.
They drained the offering, even Morgan who found that it
curbed his appetite instantly. Then they rose, Axhind and Pad-
ishar shook hands once more, and the Southlanders moved away.
“Did you hear?” Padishar asked quietly as they disappeared
into the shadows. Stars were beginning to wink into view over-
head, and the last of the daylight had faded away.’ ‘Did you hear
it all, the whole of it?”