FicWad

“What is this?” Athrum demanded as she approached the hunting party with a troll numbered among them.

“He offered to help with the hunt,” one of the other side with a shrug than leaned closer to her. “I like to see him in action, wonder if his long limbs gets all tangled up.”

“How does he fight with such long tusks anyway?” Another asked in not such a low voice.

Joft glanced their way and chuckled as he finished tying his back, he pulled it on and straightened his body before turning to the others who was watching him. “Ya be ready, mon?” The three other orc’s glanced at each other and shrugged their shoulders in unison. “Dan lets get dis tea party on da way.”

Again the other glanced at each other before they headed out to the wild plains of Nagrand. The trip was made in silence save for an orc giving instructions to the troll about where to go in different regions in case he was caught out there by himself. Athrum wanted to complain about the noise the two were making and scaring all the game away, but they had another days walk before that would come into play.

Joft continued to learn about the land that had be so very gently touched by those who lived there. It was refreshing to see they had such a deep connection with nature around them, he could see why these people were so deep in their shamanic belief. It had been taught at a young age. It reminded him of the gentle tauren, they were also a great believers of being gentle to nature and only taking only what you need. A stop was called and everyone found a place to sit and wrestle out some food to chew on. Athrum kept walking for a few more feet before she sat down near the others, she continued to grumble under her breath about the slower pace they were taking.

“Ya all walk slower dan my gandmodder wif a limp.”

Athrum’s eyes narrowed. “You are the reason we are going so slow, foreigner.”

“I keep up wif ya just fine, clansmen,” he shot back. “I be seasoned, I be able to keep up wif you.”

Athrum laughed at him. “I doubt it, you boney thing! You haven’t got the muscle to fill a winroc’s belly.”

Joft’s eyes narrowed. “Can and will.”

“Uh no,” someone whispered to Joft’s left. “You just smacked a wasp hive with those words.” The others laughed at the troll as Athrum rose to her feet and slung the pack on her shoulders. Joft mimicked her actions and the pair were off, the others scrambled to catch up.

Joft was firm his resolve not to be a hindrance to this party, as the day progressed Athrum pushed them harder and he could tell she was wearing out as well. She wasn’t going to give up until they all dropped from exhaustion. She was taking this too far, whatever thorn Karag had mention had to be a lot bigger than a cliffhoof. He felt his regeneration kicking in several times to keep his body going, it had been a long time since he had pushed himself at such a pace. He was still recovering from a sickness of the spirit which wasn’t helping him.

Darkness finally settled on the plains and Athrum finally called a rest, the other orc’s was not too proud to groan and fall heavily upon the ground. They forwent making a camp or fire, they simply ate rations and slept.

Joft woke, he shivered against the chill of the cloudless night. Two of the orc males were snoring rather loudly, he let out a sigh and sat up reaching for his pack. He pulled free a totem and finished the rune on it and sent part of his will into the stick the object grew warm instantly and he dug it into the ground. His eyes moved over the ribbons of color and the odd lights that twinkled much like the stars that covered the skies over Durtor.

“Interesting trick,” Athrum whispered from her bedroll she was propped on her elbow watching the troll.

“I be useful for more dan an axe,” he answered softly. “Dat not be used much anymore wif all da fighting and murdering in da lands.” He glanced over to see Athrum shifting slightly in her bed.

“Yea? Like what?”

“Healing and singing.”

Athrum paused in her wrestle with her blanket and turned to the troll. “Singing?”

Joft nodded. “What ya tink a savage like me can sing?”

“I have my doubts, with the way you speak it must be hard.”

“I sing in Zandali da tongue of my people,” he stated, realizing the snoring had stopped more eyes glittered from the soft glow of his totem.

“Might as well sing,” one said from the darkness.

Joft closed his eyes and picked one of his favorite haunting tunes, his voice was deep and sharp against the stillness. The rhythm of the song would had gone better with the pounding of drums, his native language made the song flow naturally and pounded with the tale of two hearts torn asunder never to be found again. Once the last note died from his lips the stillness of the night returned, all the orcs were sitting up watching him with interest.

“That one has personal meaning for you,” Athrum whispered after a long while. “What was it about?”

“A lost heart ta a woman dat he could not have.”

“You love someone you cannot have than?” one of the males asked.

“Nah, I be in love with an idea I not find.”

One of them laughed and Joft glanced up at him. “You tink dat funny do you?”

“What is it you cannot find, troll?”

Joft glanced at Athrum. “A woman who be wanting a family wif me,” he reached over and plucked the dying totem from the ground and blew on the heated runes until they were cool enough to stuff back in his backpack. He slipped back into his bed. “Sorry ta keep ya awake. Morning comes quickly.”

Athrum listened as the others settled and were asleep in record time, she tried to return to the bliss of slumber but it would not come. His words echoed her own aching soul. She could not find that person either, tears stung her eyes as she pulled her blanket over her head. She wanted to hate him for opening that wound, she didn’t have the will to do it. He was hurting like she was, she felt it in the heaviness of his tone.

~

Joft watched as the others were out in the long grasses creeping up on their selected targets. His eyes kept wandering to Athrum who was almost close enough to the talbuk. With practiced ease the woman notched her arrow and braced her muscular body, with the patience of stone she waited for the creature to return to line of sight before letting the arrow fly. The creature made a noise and started charging her, Joft jumped to his feet when she did nothing save notch another arrow. Those sharp hooves and horns were getting dangerously close when the second arrow was released. The creature tripped, Athrum dropped her bow and ran toward the crying talbuk and ended the life with a prayer of thanks to the animal.

Athrum finished with the animal glancing up to find the troll turning away from the hill he had been standing on. Puzzlement ran over her face for an instant before she continued to content with the animal. She brought the packaged beast to the camp finding another of the party already had brought down an animal. “Do you know what the troll was doing on the hill?”

“Watching you, he was on his feet when the talbuk was charging you.”

“What?” She snorted as her stomach twisted. “I was perfectly safe.”

“I know that,” he answered with a shrug and continued readying his kill for travel.

Joft watched the animals before him, he didn’t have the bow and arrows to fall back on. He just had his weapons and the elements, he took a deep breath and wondered if he could kill it without too much damage to the meat. He wasn’t going back empty handed that was for sure, he felt he had to prove himself now that he said he could keep up with the others.

Lightening leapt from his palms and slammed against the nearest talbuk which arched over to the next animal. He cursed under his breath as he imbued his weapons with the powers of wind and fire. The sharp hooves hit hard, and the horns tore chunks out of his arms. He was able to beat the creature back and eventually killed it, the shaman shook his head at the thoughtlessness of his actions. He meant only to bring one down, now he had to carry two back to camp. He ignored his healing flesh as he worked with the animals to prepare them to be carried to camp. It was a mess business but it would make the long hike back better. He was really glad after the fifth time blood squirted in his face that they had camped near a water source.

“Troll,” Athrum called out and laughed seeing his general state. “You have blood from head to toe.”

“A killer I be,” he stated with a shrug. “Dis part, not so much.”

Athrum knelt beside him and put her hand on his healing arm, she gave him a puzzled look and he snorted. “Let me show you,” she said softly handing him her knife. She pointed out ways to avoid the blood splattering all over she was very knowledge about the methods of carving the meat and bone.

He cut his hand with her insanely sharp knife, he pulled away dropping the weapon as he put pressure on the palm of his hand. She moved toward him quickly and forced his hands apart. “Let me see,” she ordered. “Did you cut the bone?”

“I tink I cut through da hand,” he stated angrily, they wrestled a bit before he would give up his hold on the wound. “Ya going make me bleed to deaf.”

“Don’t be such a whiner,” she said freeing some bandages from her hip pack and blotted it on the wound in effort to see the damage done. The flesh knitted right before her eyes her jaw dropped when the wound sealed, her gaze went to his face. “You used healing spells?”

“Nah, we trolls heals fast, we able ta regenerate lost limbs in a few days. Makes us good for dangerous work.” Her touch grew soft against his three fingered hand, her brown skin contrasted against his blue. She looked like she was going to burst into tears, she released him suddenly and turned her attention to the talbuk.

“We better finish this before it grows to dark.”

Joft nodded wondering what had been going through that mind of hers. They carried the animals to camp and packaged them with the rest of the meat and tethered it to the tree. Joft excused himself he moved toward the small lake, he glanced back before stripping down and slipping into the water. He scrubbed his face and arms clean before taking a swim in the cool water, soon there after he dealt with his bloody armor. A cry broke through the air causing Joft to jump and glance around, a brown body leapt off the outcropping and balled up as it fell toward the lake. The splash was a glorious wave of destruction that pleased the orc who laughed as soon as his head poked out of the water. The second male announced his splash would be much bigger than that and moved to take a running leap as the orc in the water swam out of the way.

Joft laughed as the second was much the same as the first, the two argued about which was bigger. They looked to Joft to settle the argument. “Couldn’t see water was in my eyes both times,” this seemed to still their quarrel since the troll was no where near the splash zone.

The small party left the next morning heavily burdened by the meat, they stopped several times to hunt smaller game and to rest. The males grew more talkative after knowing that Joft could pull his own weight and was willing to go on another hunting trip despite Athrum’s treatment.

Athrum was quiet for most of the trip back, her mind reeling from all she had learned from the troll. He had a strength she lacked, she saw it when he laughed and talked with the others. She knew he was aching like she was because of the loss they felt, yet he was not bitter he kept his voice and actions light. She couldn’t figure out where he found the power to do that.