Not Alone

[Srelok]

I sat in my hammock, staring ahead. The weave Azguh made lay beside me. The residual emotion clinging to it an interesting diversion to the pain in my body. The cane Ritina got for me lay on my lap, another reminder of my frailty. My hand was shaking, a sign of my fatigue, and my joints were aching. All in all a shitty state for my body to be in, and I knew exactly why that was so. Not that it did any good.
The frustrations were already building, and I'd decided a while ago to remove myself from company. So now I sat here, trying to remain as alone as I could. Not an easy task with all those damn Laughing Skull staring at me wherever I  went, snickering behind my back.

It would have been easy to blame Kogra. Too easy, therefore unfair as well.
I looked at the axe That was placed next to the hammock. I felt somehow naked without it, even if it only ever brings me pain..
I stood up leaning on the cane, and stepped out toward the beach. Better to distance myself. I had to ignore several whispers and snickers as Laughing Skull saw me limp outside. One of them, a ringleader named Skinwringer, stepped in front of me and looked at me. I could hear the grin in his voice.
"Going out again, whitey? Maybe you should stay inside, be less of an emberassment for your tribe of greenies."
"Yes, very cute Skinwringer. Now get out of my way." Some of the others started snickering again. He bore down on me, malice in his voice as he answered.
"Or what, you'll make me, cripple? You should stay out of view, or just die. Not like you'll live long anyway."
I stood my ground, but wasn't sure how to deal with this situation. I narrowed my eyes and felt around for the presence of the spirits. Air was ofcourse all around us, but I'd rather not antagonise them. They were my problem and I didn't want to involve the tribe.
"Just let me pass, Skinwringer. no need for this."
Right then, I heard a noise behind, a clearing of a throat.
"Brave of you boys, picking on an injured non-combatant."
I risked a glance behind, looking straight into a pair of oddly glowing blue eyes.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I realised Azguh came to my aid.
"And who might you be, glowy-eyes?"
Azguh folded her arms in front of her chest, one eyebrow going up as she seemed to be seizing the group of laughing skulls up. "Why would you care? Doesn't change what you're doing."
I held up a hand, telling her to back off. Skinwringer pushed past me to face the female, staring her down.
"Fitting, one freak coming to the aid of another freak. And what are you gonna do about it, eh?"
Azguh didn't move much as the male approached, just looking straight at him with those weird eyes. "What am I going to do? It's more the question what you're going to do. Thought your kind valued strength. Not very strong ganging up on one weakened orc."
The Laughing Skull seemed to grow a little taller, like he was looming even hiher, but the three others seemed to be hesitating. I just looked at them, ignoring Skinwringer.
"She's right, you know. It's a little sad what you're doing."
Skinwringer was still looming over Azguh, apperently seriously pissed off at her now.
Azguh simply kept looking up at him, appearing rather calm. "Staring is rude as well, you know."
As I stared at the three flunkies they seemed to decide it wasn't worth it and walked off. Funny how they abandonned skinwringer. I turned around, basically surrounding Skinwringer.
"So, how does that feel? Two on one."
Skinwringer looked behind him, realised he was alone, and with a growl stalked off, leaving me face to face with the Halfbreed.
"Thank you for the help.."She merely shrugged a little, her face a mask of nearly no emotion. "You're welcome. Just be careful around them, might not be the last time they'll try something like that."
"I know. And next time I might not have a brave female to protect me."
Stupid. To make it worse, I grinned sheepishly.
"Not much brave about it. I was simply passing by." Her shoulder moved into a casual shrug, her face not even changing expression.
"If you say so. I was headed to the beach, get some fresh air. You're welcome to join me.."
"I was actually going to try and hunt down some food, was getting rather hungry." Azguh flashed a small smile. I returned it, then nodded a simple farewell. I watched her go before limping down to the beach by myself. I needed a rest after all that excitement...

As I sat down on the beach I thought back to the encounter. Was it just a coincidence that she was there..?
Probably was. Stupid to read too much into it, she was never going to be interested in me..

[Sinami]

HAH! I thought my spider sense was tingling! I was right!

Anyway, lovely little story. I want more. Gief. Now.

[Gridish]

Brooooo! Looks good :3. I second what Sinami said.

Gief moar naoh.

[Srelok]

We crested the sand dune silently, though I was struggling on the wooden foot. Azguh seemed to notice, but kept quiet. She spotted our prey before me. A small family group of Hyena's.
"Good eyes. How do you want to play this?"
"Well, seeing you're entirely useless on a wooden foot, I suggest I distract one to get it away from the pack. Perhaps you can wave your arms and throw down some fancy lightning or so."
Azguh showed a teasing smirk, clearly trying to lure me out of my thoughtful mood. I grinned slightly at her remark, even though her words hit home harder then intended. I fully knew I shouldn't be out hunting, would just slow her down. But I needed the time alone with everything happening.
"Fine, if you feel like playing bait is up your alley. I'll wait here and wave my arms around."
"You do that. Make sure you wave hard enough." She moved off, leaving me as a spectator, alone with my thoughts for now. I watched her approach the pack as memorie sof earlier came back. That letter Rhonya had given me, About Makaroth leaving. The residual emotion on the parchment, Rhonya's sadness as well as Makaroth's sorrow and regret.
As Azguh launched herself at one of the Hyena's I remembered the injuries of last night's battle. Sakinra losing her life-companion, all the felburns suffered by the orcs. I hated not being able to help out in these things...
Azguh had managed to get loose, and was sprinting back to my position, two Hyena's on her heels. One would be enough, so I muttered a few words, draining the lungs of one, causing it to collapse unconscious. The second one was almost upon Azguh, who had turned And was raising her spear defensively. She could easily kill it alone, but was giving me a chance to be useful. She knew surprisingly well what I would need to feel better...
Again I mumbled a few words, flicking my fingers at the Hyena. Not exactly waving my arms, but I was sure she'd approve of the effect as the Hyena was decapitated by a gust of razorsharp wind. Blood spattered her as the beast fell down.
I approached her, limping through the sand.
"Was that hard enough?" Azguh licked some of the blood off her lips, before wiping her face, letting out a soft mock grumble.
"A simple finger waggling? Not very impressive. But it'll do."
"Well, imagine if I -did- wave my arms, if a finger waggle does that?" I motioned to the very dead Hyena. "Nevertheless, I aim to please. Let's get the beast back to camp."

-------------------------------------

When we returned to camp I set about cleaning the beast as Azguh started a fire. Not for heat, as spirits knew it was hot enough in Uldum. After a while I felt those softly glowing eyes upon me.
"It's nothing, just some tribe drama. And a lot of injuries last night..."
"Just some tribe drama? Isn't that always the case, when something is bothering you? Sometimes I think it'd be better for you if you come with -me-, instead of me joining the tribe as you all so gladly try to convince me to."
"You know I can't leave them... Even if I want to sometimes. I've always been a loner, like you..."
"I know, you have your vows. Still. I suppose it has good and bad sides, the tribe. Do the good ones outweigh the bad?" She sounded genuinely curious, which made me smile as I looked at her properly. She was sitting with her legs crossed, head leaning on one hand.
"Well, most of the time everything's good. Some squabbling, but every family has that I hear. We support each other in the hard times, and we celebrate the little things. Some things though, like what happened to Makaroth..." I flinched again, thinking back to the moment I woke up to find my foot and a large part of my lower leg gone...
"That's good, I suppose. If you want to have to deal with others so much, even though you're a loner." I nodded slightly, a small smile forming on my lips.
"I was given a gift so I could help others. Doesn't really aid in me being a loner does it?" I finished the cleaning and placed a few pieces of meat on the rocks around the fire. Then I sat down and removed the prosthetic, airing the stump a moment.
"Perhaps. But aiding yourself is needed as well sometimes." She nodded at the stump with a meaningful look.
"I know... I'm already taking a step back, staying out of fights and trying to keep myself emotionally detached as much as I can...." I stretched my legs, sitting quietly a while. After a while she seemed to relax as well, waiting for the food to be done. I decided to cool down a bit by undressing. I stopped at my loincloth, sitting still and enjoying the wind playing with my braids and flowing over my scarred skin. I felt her eyes on me again, travelling over my flesh. She remained silent though, her intentions unclear. I still had difficulty reading her.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Hm. Nothing much. You always ask me, when I look at you just for a moment." I looked around at her, but she was indeed just looking at me.
"Ghrm... You're just about the one orc I can't read effortlessly. Feels rather annoying, actually..."
"Hah. Good, let's keep it that way. Keeps you on your toes." She grinned wide, slapping her thigh with a hand. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're cruel... And I can't help but like it. What did you do to me?"
"You know I am. And I can't answer that for you. What do -you- think I did to you?"
"I have a feeling you put a spell on me. You sure you're not a mage?" I grinned broadly at her, shifting to sit a little closer before flipping the meat over.
"Quite sure. Nothing much happens if I wave my arms, sadly. Apart from me maybe poking my own eye out, or someone elses."
"Don't. I like your eyes." I looked into them as I said it, showing I meant it.
"So you keep saying. You're just odd." There she went again... Always with that tone..
"I'm odd for liking you? That sounds rather self-deprecating."
"Most are alarmed by those eyes. Not you. Makes you the odd one out. Or perhaps I am, for having them in the first place."
"Or maybe we're both odd. Makes us fit together." May as well put it out there. She knew how I felt, but it couldn't hurt telling her.
"Perhaps. You won't give up on that, will you?" I smiled slightly.
"Do you need to ask?" My eyes flicked to the meat, which was pretty much done.
"Ghrm... Dinner." I busied myself getting the meat to her, then started eating. Probably better to say nothing, have her bring it up....
"Thank you," she said as she took the meat. She ate quietly for a few moments.
"Well, I admire your determination." I raised an eyebrow at her words, still munching on my strip of meat.
"That almost sounded like a compliment," I said a little dryly.
"Perhaps it was." Azguh took a bite of the meat while letting out a soft, deep chuckle. "I can be nice too sometimes, you know."
"I may be more aware of that then just about anyone.." I finished off the meat, producing an aleskin. I took a sip, then passed it to her.
"Here, drink. Have some fun."
"I suppose you're right about that." She said, while taking the skin and drinking deeply. "Trying to get me drunk, are you?" I grinned slightly, winking at her.
"Maybe..."
Azguh shook her head slightly, giving the skin back to him while taking another bite of her food.
"You're adorable."

---------------------------------------------

Another silence passed while we ate and rested after. I decided not to bother her about it, see what she'd do.
Azguh stretched out her arms as she got to her feet suddenly. "I need to go on a little walk. Call of nature."
Almost casually she moved over to me first, leaning down to plant a quick, barely felt kiss on my cheek, before simply walking off without another word. I was left behind, utterly speechless. The kiss was light, but left me rooted to the spot.
I grumbled softly, remaing seated to see if she was coming back.
It took her quite a while, but eventually she returned, simply lying down on her furs as if nothing had happened. By that time I'd replaced my leg and wrapped myself in my kilt. I looked at her a few moments, to see if anything else would happen, though I was sure I'd pushed it lately.
"Go sleep, Srelok. You need your rest." Her voice came from the pile of furs she was lying on, and she'd removed her boots and most of her armor, clearly getting ready to sleep.
"Ghrm... Alright, though I have one more question for you. When we're done here with that staff business I intend to travel to the Eastern Kingdoms, to find a relic of my mother's. Would you mind coming with me?"
"Have I ever minded?" Was the only answer, her back turned towards him now, her form covered by the furs.

I smiled, nodded quietly and lay down to sleep.

[Nosh'marak]

Grumpy Srelok finds love! \o/

[Srelok]

Uldum, Ramkahen. Somewhere last night.
Night was ending, slowly making place for the sunrise. Near a small copse of palms in the high grass was spread out a small camp. One set of sleeping furs was untouched. In the other, two orcs seemed to be sleeping. The male was heavily scarred with snowwhite hair and yellowish green skin, the female was more blue then green next to him, sleeping against him. Bare skin touching bare skin. She seemed to be sleeping a little restlessly. The male however, appeared wide awake...



I looked at Azguh, sleeping next to me. She seemed unfamiliar with the concept of sleeping together. I'd accidently woken her up several times just stroking her back or hair. I wasn't exactly used to it myself ofcourse..
My eyes roamed her naked skin, taking in all details I'd missed last night, commiting everything to memory. She'd said she was thinking about joining the tribe after all, but you never know... I myself went missing all the time as new blood. What if she regretted it in the morning and left after all?
"No. Don't think like that.." I whispered to myself, at which she grunted softly.
I could safely say by now she wanted me to close off my empathic ability, at least toward Sinami. After I did that she relaxed immediately. Was she jealous herself? Perhaps, but not consciously. Last night we'd connected deeper then I'd ever connected with anyone. For a time we'd become one, at least in my mind, our emotionscapes melding together. I had experienced all her emotions, her fears and her desires. What she wanted in life.. It was actually a bit terrifying, as I wasn't sure I could give her all that.
But baby steps. Let's first see how she feels and thinks in the morning, if she wanted to go through with her idea of becoming new blood.
I found myself nodding off, finally overcome with exhaustion as the sun crested the mountains, beginning the heat of the day. Soon she'd awaken, and I'd better be rested. So I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to overcome me, whispering a few words before I was under.
"I love you..."