The First Disagreement

Treek was livid. Livid at the prospect of the great clan stooping so low as to side with the small green man-things. The master arch warlock of the Clan Soulburner had made this pitiful deal on the premise of ultimate corruption and more importantly to him the crystals he so desired.

‘Stupid-fool that warlock is. Treek should lead the clan to greatness yes-yes’. Treek muttered under his breath. He still had his own loyal cohort at least. Well, as loyal as any average Skaven can be. He had no doubt many of his underlings were plotting to stab him in the back, but all that mattered now was that there was at least a cohort of ratmen that lumbered forward in front of him. He would test the green man-things. By attacking them and ultimately beating them, he’d show his dominance to the filthy mushroom covered cave goblins. And this display would be his first step of many to overthrow the fool that lead the clan. His scouts had told him of a group of goblins and their squigs that were raiding an abandoned village. There he would catch them by surprise.

The grots were coming out of the ruined houses, the occupants having gone long ago, carrying sacks filled with all and any items they could find. Metal scrap, trinkets, potions. Anything that looked to have inherent value when the squigs became alert at something. A whisper of a sound at first, which quickly grew into a clatter of steel. Lining the entrance to the canyon that the village was contained in, a wall of clanrats appeared. An armour clad ratman then clambered onto a rock, surveying the battle before drawing his battle-scarred shortsword and levelling it at the grots.

‘Rat filth, charge them! Run them down, take their shines yes-yes!’ And at that command the wall of ratmen charged. Swords pointed forward, maces swinging recklessly and shields raised. The squigs were first to react to this threat, charging headlong in bounding leaps towards the assailants. The air was filled with the sound of chittering rats and the barking and gnashing jaws of the squigs as the two sides met outside the ruined village. The squigs easily tore through the ranks of the clanrats unfortunate enough to be standing at the front, only to be met with many more blades and bludgeons from the clanrats behind them. The squigs kept coming but so did the tide of rats. The situation was a clear stalemate. Even as grots started to fall victim to the treachery of Treek, the clanrats were dying in droves. This didn’t anger Treek. Instead, Treek felt bored more than anything. He wanted to show his supremacy and lack of disregard for the agreement made between Grot and Rat, and this had now been achieved. Not wanting to stay any longer for risk of stray squig bounding over and trying to eat him, Treek quickly took his leave. He abandoned his underlings to their fate. This did not matter to him though, as there are always more rats for him to trick or bully into joining him. There are always more.