Rauko decides to turn back north, hoping to find some territory that is familiar.
Suddenly, traveling through a large forest mostly of spruces, a dirty-looking wildman sees them. By the time Rauko can drop his heavy gear and arm himself with shield, axe, and knife, Badgerbane has run to attack!
![](https://i.ibb.co/BZcp336/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-A.png)
Rauko runs to the fight and is halfway there when his dog is hit two times by the man's two-handed axe and has trouble staying on her feet. By the time Rauko closes with the man, she has been knocked down and isn't moving.
![](https://i.ibb.co/ZfgbjCp/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-B-Dog.png)
Angered, Rauko stabs the red-clad man in the hip with a knife thrust, then moves over to protect his fallen companion. The whistling axe strikes Rauko in the side, but the wound is minor thanks to his mail. After trading blows a few times, the man stabs him deeply in the leg with a knife.
Wounded, and with his shield seriously damaged by the axe, Rauko is worried. As the fight goes on, he struggles to overcome the intense pain of his wounds.
The man strikes a blow to his shoulder, but loses his grip on the axe. Rauko's shield also slips from his grasp.
![](https://i.ibb.co/qJ5gp6q/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-C.png)
Both retrieve their dropped weapons and the wildman is quicker and Rauko sustains another hit to his thigh.
They trade blows a few more times and Rauko is knocked down, blacking out only for a moment. He rouses himself quickly and struggles to get up as he is hit again.
Blood on his hand is slippery and he can't hold his handaxe.
![](https://i.ibb.co/k27BVbR/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-D-Down.png)
Rauko sees his father's face, calling to him...
![](https://i.ibb.co/sPFvVfL/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-E-Wounds.png)
He goes to be with his father.
![](https://i.ibb.co/z7XXYsN/350-Rauko-80-Njerp-F-The-End.png)