Scoping out the town

Their ‘gate’ was small but it was obvious it was the only entrance to the growing town. And it was truly larger than he thought. Huge compared to the tiny villages he had seen scattered over the lands. Half built buildings and efficient homes dotted the area.

The people themselves looked weary and weak but there was a hardness to their postures, something that rang with pride. They had survived and were thriving. No matter how poor or squalor it could be they were alive.

It annoyed him.

He wanted them to be weaker, more easily swayed when he insisted they stop their forming town. If it got much bigger it would nearly be a structured system! Though it was obvious there was Raiders it didn’t bother him. He would kill them as well if they interrupted his plans. Only the leaderless and strong survived. If they could not it deserved to be crushed.

Keeping to himself Malik wandered down the ‘streets’ and people watched, taking in everything with calculating eyes. He could not help the slight awe that crept into his being though, truly they were like nothing he had ever seen.

“Ho boy! I though ya had off and died on me!”

The familiar voice had him tense and crouching but the old man simply grinned, his club resting causally on his shoulder and large pouch hung from his waist. “Just on business or are ya still smartin’ from the beating I handed your sorry carcass?”

Loosening his stance he nodded slightly before turning away. Carter shook his head, it was as much as a greeting as he was going to get but he almost felt sorry for the town. Things were bound to get rougher with such a violent man around.

Studiously ignoring the burly man’s loud goodbye Malik continued his stroll through the town. Eventually he would question someone about their leader but first he needed to know who was useful and who was not.