Watching for those lost

[Rhonya]

With a low painful growl the female lowered herself on the edge of the stone, close to the edges of the camp. It was night now, darkness surrounding her form and the sounds of the night creatures sounding all around her. Crickets, frogs, it was an orchestra of its own, something of beauty to behold in the greenish swamp. Everything was alive, everything was green with life and normally Rhonya would’ve marveled to be in a place like this. To watch things grow, swim in the swamp waters, hunt, connect with the Wild here just to see how it felt being a part of this place.
Not tonight. Tonight she was keeping herself awake with sheer willpower. The potion she’d gotten from that witchdoctor Jahzeem had helped her a bit in this, she felt more awake, more energized and able to keep her watch on the rocks she was sitting on. Her right hand moved to her bandaged side and she remembered what had happened…


Chaos.. Chaos all around her. Orcs, elves, Trolls, all their allies ran with them, protected them and helped them. In return the orcs did the same, but they were outnumbered. Bullets were flying everywhere around them, and Rhonya saw others getting hit here and there. A shadow passed over and she looked up, seeing one of the Rylak fly over, dropping even more grenades on the fleeing Banners, of which so many were already being dragged or carried, leaving a trail of blood on the already red ground. It didn’t look like the Iron Horde was going to give up any time soon… She grunted, they had to keep going. Her eyes moved over those around her. Trakmar right next to her as she tried to help carry him. Bleeding from several wounds, shrapnel and bullets, the huge Mag’har had taken quite the beating.

Krogon was walking on the other side of her. The old Orc tried his best to also carry his exiled tribemember with him, but blood was running down his own form, the red liquid mixing with the stains of red dust that stuck to everything here. He kept going though, pushing though, pushing himself to his limit, something that Rhonya admired at that moment.

Rargnasha was up front, yelling, trying to keep everyone together.

“We need to move, now!”

His deep and loud voice made it over the screams around them, the sounds of the rifles, the grenades. Hearing it and just being able to listen to his commands gave her hope, a purpose. She’d follow him and she’d be alright, as she had always done. He would lead them out safely, or at least die trying. They could say about her Chieftain what they wanted, but he cared for his tribe, for his orcs and she knew he would everything in his power to get the orcs and their allies out of there.

Rhonya saw it again as he called the shaman up front to take the mountain down. The first one to stand in front of her... was her brother, her Chieftain. Forming a protective wall of shields and even those without shield joined in to take the volley of bullets for their shaman. It hurt her deep, seeing them get hurt in front of her, taking injuries so they could focus their efforts on the spirits. Gashuks hand in her own gave her some comfort. She wasn’t alone in this. She had others at her side, calling with her, giving each other strength. Her focus wasn’t so much on Earth right there, but more on her fellow shaman, asking the spirits to hear them, to give them the energy to go on, to keep them strong and able to stand against the onslaught going on around them.

They listened…The spirits heard their plea and they answered, bringing down rocks onto the path, the trees falling, giving them the precious time needed to get back to Stonard.
Though, the moment before the blockade came down, Rhonya felt a pang of pain in her side and the warmth of something running down the side of her hip and leg. And that was where it had all gone black for her, the world fading, the last thing she saw was the familiar face of Grek’thar and of the female shaman who caught her form before it hit the ground.

She’d awoken in the inn, Grek’thar working on her wound, cauterizing it shut. Panic had gripped her, was everyone alive? Where was everyone? Not all of the tribe had been with them, she had to go outside, find them…

The same panic still filled her now, at that moment, sitting on the rocks at the edge of the town. Where was Therak? Sadok…Kogra? Sinami, Kyrazha, other wounded back in the keep… Did they make it out in time before the Iron Horde swept through the gates? Were they warned, or overrun? Captive, maybe escaped, alive, or… dead?

With a deep sigh she kneeled down, a groan of pain escaping her lips as this put pressure on the wound again, but she shook her head and put the pain aside. Her hands touched the ground, her fingers feeling the mossy earth, digging them in. She was exhausted. So tired... But she had to try.

“Spirits of the Wild, Spirits of life… Hear my plea. Guide those that are lost, those that are searching for their way. Guide them here, to us, into the arms of safety and rest. Please aid them, as you aided us yesterday. Give them a path, a chance to reach us. A sign we’re here, to help them in their search. This is all I ask… A chance.”

She closed her eyes, a single tear running over her cheek down her chin, dripping on the ground. Rhonya bit her lower lip, shaking her head, looking up again. This was no time to cry. This was a time to be strong, to show the others things would be alright. Morale was a powerful thing. The she-orc would stand her watch and wait for those she loved.
Her tribe, her family and their allies.