Grim V

    "Today was a good day." Grim rubbed his aching shoulders, sitting around a fire.

    "When will you start teaching me to fight with a sword?" Kruzz raised his tusks. "I can't use a staff with two hands, so I thought a sword would be more natural.
    "Yes and no." Dax threw another log into the crackling fire, sparks flying past the trees of the near forest into the night air,. "A sword would be more natural for your one hand, but you would get too accustomed to a certain style of fighting. You would get set in your ways and wouldn't evolve if it felt too comfortable. It is my intention to prepare you for any situation and make you work for it. I believe challenging you is the right path for you to grow into your potential."
    "What our wordsmith is saying is that you never know when you have to fight and what weapon will be at hand. I've been in battles where I stormed into the fight with an axe and ended up with two swords. It's good to know how to fight with different weapons and especially how to fight against them as well."
    Grim emptied his waterskin, wishing it were ale instead of water. A memory of pain tingled along a scar on his shoulder. Most things could be used as a weapon if the situation called for it. A piece of a shattered clay pot had given him that scar right before he killed the mother wielding it. Right before he turned to her broodlings. He could still smell the smoke in the air, feel the sting of it in his eyes.
    "Grim?" Kruzz tilted his head and looked at him as if he were drunk. "You alright?"
    "Fine. I'm fine. Was just thinking about stuff better forgotten." Grim shook himself, scratching the still tingling scar.
    "You looked like you were far far away. Wait! What was that?" Dax turned and peered into the darkness.
    "I don't hear..."
    "Shh!" Grim quieted Kruzz to listen.
    He did not make a grab for his weapon yet. He only tried to hear what Dax had heard. It was possible that the know-it-all had better instincts when it came to this. He had spent years with the Elves after all.
    The fire crackled as all else was silent. Grim remained as still as Dax, a sharp glance at Kruzz told him to do the same. Another crack shot through the night, but it didn't come from their fire. It must have been a branch off in the woods.
    The three of them had set up their fire a bit further away form the rest of the settlement. Grim and Dax had taken charge of Kruzz's training and they liked to keep to themselves. Now they were on their own and didn't know what was coming their way.
    It could just be an animal or it could be a band of humans. Silently, Grim removed a short blade form his boot, the leather grip was smooth and comfortable in his hand, better than the rough grain of the wooden sword they had been practicing with, which he placed his other hand on. Dax already had his fingers curled around his staff and Kruzz was following suit.
    A rustling of leaves made Grim tense. There could be no mistake. Something was out there. Dax didn't hesitate and slid from the light of  their circle into the dark woods without a sound.
    More snapping of twigs and rustling of leaves meant whoever or whatever it was, was coming closer. Grim turned to have the fire behind him, to not be blinded. There was a shape coming into the gloomy light. It was huge, too big to be a human and definitely not an animal.
    It was an Orc. Grim's muscles relaxed a bit, but he held on to his dagger, just to be safe. It was a really big Orc.
    "Ho!" The Orc said and raised his giant hands. "By my mother's teats! You're Orcs."
    "So we are." Grim grunted. "Who are you? Where are you from?"
    "Name's Brock! Brogdah Clan! This the Turak settlement?"
    "Yes, it is." Dax appeared behind Brock, leaning against a tree.
    "Whoa. Where'd you come from?"
    "Just being cautious. There is a conflagration in the making."
    "Cautious? Conflagration?" Brock seemed to be tasting the words as he made the sounds for them nice and slow.
    "He means he was being safe. There's war afoot." Grim had been spending too much time with Dax. Not too long ago he would have looked just as dumbstruck as Brock.
    "Ah, okay. That's why I'm here actually, my Elder sent me. Gwarr is done with raiding. He wants to gather a horde and show the humans what we Orcs are made of."
    Kruzz leaned forward, brow furrowed. "What happened? Why would he stop raiding?"
    "Humans lead a cavalry charge against us and trampled many grunts to the ground. He's no longer out for revenge on behalf of the Griklog Clan and what happened in the mountains. Now it's more personal."
    "The Brogdah Clan was defeated?"
    "We had to retreat. Gwarr did't like it, but he said it was the best tactical decision. I would have kept on fighting, but Gwarr ordered us back, leaving some of the wounded behind." Brock balled his fists. "Now, I want revenge for my brothers more than ever."
    "But what does it mean for us?" Kruzz asked looking from Grim to Dax. "How will gathering a horde effect us?"
    Dax scratched the back of his head. "Gwarr will send messengers to all the clans and every Elder will have to decide if they will send their grunts to his aid or not. It will be like in the Great War against the Elves. There will no longer be a question of what this conflict with the humans will bring. If our Elder says we must aid him then that's what we'll have to do. Every one of us."
    Grim scowled and put his blade back into his boot. War. He knew it had been coming, but now it was closer than ever. He did not envy Worg's position as Elder, but was glad that it was not his own choice to make.
    He still remembered the screaming and the fear from so long ago. If it were up to him, he would not return to that life, but if he was ordered to go to war. Then so be it.
    At least, that's what he was telling himself.

   

Kruzz VI

It no longer hurt as much to walk around. The first couple of days his legs had screamed at him for every step he made. Kruzz cursed them for their weakness and then himself for having let himself slip down the path of defeat. But most of all he cursed the loss of his arm.
    He sometimes woke in the middle of the night and felt it tingle from his fingertips all the way up to his elbow, but when he tried to massage some life into his limb with his right hand he grasped at nothing but air. He cursed his mind for not understanding that his arm was gone.
    As he neared the fighting pit in the early dawn, he saw grunts of the Griklog Clan, his clan, get ready for war. Traglok was taking all the grunts of their clan that would follow him to go kill humans. Maybe they would be able to take back the mines and their camp, maybe not. Either way, Kruzz yearned to go with them, but as he had been before, not as he was now. He cursed them all for leaving him behind.
    "Morning, Kruzz. How's the cursing going?" Grim stood in the middle of the pit, wooden sword in hand and a shield on the ground next to him. Dax sat next to him cross-legged with two staves resting on his knees, scowling.
    "It's going well enough." A slight tug at the side of his mouth almost turned into a smile. A reflex of old that he did try to suppress, but the bitterness came rushing up inside him, drawing his lips back into a grim line.
    "I still don't think it's the proper thing to do. Sure, anger can have its uses, that's how I got him up on his feet again, but now I think it would be better for him to be more focused on better things. Let him get back to full strength with positivity and serenity." Dax raised his eyebrows and tusks in unison, looking at Kruzz hopefully.
    Kruzz knew he meant well, but Grim's suggestion helped more than he would let on. Grim had told him to curse everything that annoyed him, deny none of his emotions, just let them reign free. It was the Orc way and anger would fuel his determination. Grim was sure that it was what he needed most and Kruzz couldn't deny the strength he took from it.
    "I think you're just moping around, because I suggested something and it's working." Grim flipped the shield up from the ground and caught it in his free hand, laughing out loud. "Your not always the smartest, you know."
    Dax stood up and tossed Kruzz a staff, "I'm quite capable of conceding my own short comings, Grim. I'm just inclined to believe otherwise and think a different tack would be the wiser course."
    Kruzz wanted to curse Dax for his weird way of saying things and for always thinking that he knew everything better, but he didn't. Dax had helped him when he needed it most and he wouldn't be standing here, once again with staff in hand if it weren't for him.
    Keeping silent, Kruzz began to go through the motions with the staff. Dax had shown him a routine of movement that helped you focus and strengthen your body and sense for balance. Balance was something he needed most. When fighting, actually when moving in general - Dax had explained - the body had to move in certain patterns to stay balanced. Two feet standing apart, knees bent and arms spread brought you into a simple balanced position, but if you were missing an arm, you ended up with too much weight on one side. Shifting your stance and bring more weight on the opposite leg could bring you back into a balanced state.
    Kruzz cursed inwardly every time he felt himself wobble, struggling to stay on his mark, but he was getting better at it. His body was learning what to do and began to compensate for the weight differential on its own. The more he moved, the more he learned.
    "You warmed up and ready?" Dax tapped his staff on the ground three times.
    Kruzz twisted out of the routine movements he had been taught and spun his staff at Dax in response. The older grunt parried and tried to knock Kruzz off balance by pushing harder and harder. Kruzz stopped putting pressure on his staff and let himself get pushed back, spinning his body to the side to let Dax pass him.
    "Good!" Grim shouted as Kruzz jumped aside from one of Dax's blows. "Your opponents will always think you are weaker, because you're missing an arm, but strength isn't everything."
    Dax caught a swing of Kruzz's staff right before it touched his temple. Kruzz leveraged his weight to pressed against Dax's staff to no avail.
    Dax grabbed his staff with two hands and held against the pressure. "Trying to match your opponents strength when they have two arms against your one is futile. Unless you are significantly stronger you will lose balance and..."
    With little effort he shoved Kruzz aside, but Kruzz used Dax's shove to spin around and whack his staff against Dax's shin.
    "And will have to use the fact that your opponent underestimates you to your advantage." Grim finished for him, tusks spread wide."
    Kruzz felt his lips twitch and settle back into a line. It wasn't every day Grim could beat Dax with words, but it wasn't enough to fully break through Kruzz's shell. Not even the added bonus of Dax jumping up and down from the blow to his shin helped.
    The first bout in a best of five against Dax went to him. So far he had always lost three to one or less. He was starting off on a good foot today and he had made sure that Dax only had one good foot left.
    Kruzz lost two in a row, won the fourth and again lost the last match. Although he didn't beat Dax, he felt as if he had improved and that was all that mattered. He knew that Dax was still holding back, giving him time to adapt to his deficiencies, as he called it. Kruzz cursed himself for letting Dax take it easy on him, but he could accept it, for he knew that Grim would not.
    So far he had never scored a hit on Grim. Kruzz did not curse himself for that. It was his challenge. At the moment, everything he had to do and learn was a challenge, but beating Grim was the challenge above all others. It was only made harder by having to wield a staff against sword and shield, but he would learn to wield others weapons with one hand too when the time was ripe.
    Grim was as tough as ever, blocking every swipe of Kruzz's staff with shield or sword. He mostly stayed on the defensive to let Kruzz try to get in some strikes at first, but at some point he would switch into an aggressive stance and Kruzz would find himself hard-pressed trying to back away or block incoming attacks.
    It was their third bout, Kruzz having lost two. He spun with his staff, Grim parrying the strike to his right side with his sword. Kruzz used the pressure of the parry to pivot the staff and strike left, which Grim caught on his shield. Kruzz backed away a step and turned as if to try another spin attack. It was a feint. Instead of following through he sprung forward with the staff slicing through the air, going for Grim's left side again.
    Kruzz's own left side was wide open with no arm to protect himself. Grim's sword lashed out to thump against Kruzz's ribs with it's dull edge. Kruzz felt the pain and gasped, but also felt his staff slide along the rim of Grim's shield and thump against something hard.
    "Ouch!" Grim shook his head, a red spot at his temple marked where the staff had hit him. "You got me."
    "You got me first." Kruzz had dropped his staff to rub at his side. "But I did get you right after. It doesn't count, but it's improvement." And then he smiled.

   

Dax III

'The early riser chooses his path!'
    That was a saying Dax had learned from the Elves. One of many wisdoms he remembered from his time with those so different from his own kind. Their philosophies on life were often focused on patience and understanding.
    Unlike elves, Dax did not have more than a century of living and thus patience wasn't always easy, but he had been patient. It was what Kruzz had needed, for his path would not be easy. But now, patience had run its course.
    The sun was rising on the horizon, giving the sky an orange glow, but all Dax could see was the flap to the shaman's hut, where Kruzz still lay. Today, he told himself, would be different. He had been patient as long as he could be. Now, he had to get the brood back on his feet or it would be too late.
    Dax took a deep breath to find his center, then shoved the flap aside and entered the hut. Kruzz was still lying on the slab of rock, asleep. The shaman, Vorg, lay a few feet away on the ground under some furs. Dax would not be needing his help today.
    He went to stand over the brood and watched. Kruzz's brow was furrowed, tusks bared as he tossed his head from left to right. It was a fitful and restless sleep. Dax's gaze slid over the young orc's body and stopped at the sight of the stump where his left arm ended. It was well bandaged and probably healing at a good rate. The rest of his body was covered by a fur.
    Dax lifted the cover from Kruzz's legs. As he had feared, their light green color was turning pale. Their strength was ebbing away and the longer it took for the brood to get back on his feet the harder it would be to get them back to their former strength.
    Dax sighed, but he knew what he had to do. It was not the Elvish way that he had been taught, but the Orcish way that was in his blood. He tossed the fur from Kruzz's body and pulled on his good arm, bringing the brood upright with a jolt.
    "Ahhh! What are you doing?" Kruzz jerked to wakefulness.
    Vorg stirred in the corner, but when his eyes were no longer clouded from sleep and he saw what was happening, he only nodded and lay back down.
    "I'm doing what needs to be done to get you on your path." Dax heaved the young orc onto his shoulder.
    "What path? There's no path for me. Let me down!" Kruzz struggled feebly. He didn't have the strength to stop Dax.
    Dax stepped out of the hut with Kruzz pummeling his back with his good arm. He ignored it. Kruzz showing some spirit, displaying a will to fight was the whole point of this endeavor. Without saying another word Dax strode forward through the settlement to the fighting pit where he had recently fought Ragnur.
    Kruzz's wailing continued, but Dax shut the brood's cries from his mind. He crossed to the middle of the arena and set Kruzz onto his feet. Either his legs or his will could not hold him and he fell on his backside. It didn't matter. He would be getting up soon enough or never again.
    "What are we doing here? Take me back to the shaman!" Kruzz's whining was turning into outrage. That was good.
    Dax remained silent and walked to the edge of the arena where he retrieved two staves. He tossed one to the broken orc sitting on the ground. It bounced once and rolled the rest of the way to Kruzz's feet.
    "What am I supposed to do with that? I can't fight." He kicked the staff away.
    The rage of a moment before gave way to despair. Dax saw the shift of emotions clearly. Where once the brood had been confident in his abilities, knowing he would conquer the world, now he lacked all self-esteem. It was time to force some of it back.
    Dax began to circle the youth, twirling his staff in his hands all the while. Every three seconds he'd tap the end of the staff on the ground with a thud. Kruzz remained impassive as Dax set the beat. Now he would have to make the brood listen.
    "You are an orc." Thud. "Orcs are warriors." Thud. "They fight no matter what!" Thud. "But you have given up." Thud. "So what does that make you?"
    Instead of thudding the staff on the ground he jabbed Kruzz in the chest. Not hard, rather in a goading manner to make his anger flare up. The brood only gasped in surprise.
    "I'm nothing!" Kruzz shoved the staff from his chest, but Dax brought it back with force.
    The staff took the brood under his chin, knocking his upright torso toward the ground. Kruzz cried out, catching himself with his right arm. Blood dripped from his mouth to the dirt and as he returned to his sitting position his eyes darted at Dax filled with rage.
    "Another insolent remark and you will regret it even more." Dax bared his tusks in a snarl.
    He had to be tough now. Had to be strong and superior, ignore his friend's trembling and his hate. Dax could think of no other way to draw the youth from the edge of desolation. He resumed his circling and carelessly twirled the staff once more.
    "A grunt has proven his strength." Thud. "He has fought and prevailed." Thud. "He will fight again to protect his tribe." Thud. "You have proven yourself, have fought and prevailed." Thud. "But you would not protect your tribe." Thud. "You say you cannot fight."
    Another jab to the chest. A fire burned in Kruzz's eyes, tusks raised in defiance. Dax knew and feared the brood's thoughts, "I can't fight!" But they remained unspoken, maybe out of fear or respect of being beaten again. When no further response came, Dax continued walking around him.
    "A brood is as reckless as a berserker." Thud. "As thickheaded as a rock." Thud. "And when he's hurt he cries and gives up, running to a mother." Thud. "That's what you are to me, Kruzz. A brood!"
    A final jab that would break or make him. Dax shut his eyes, not knowing what the next step would be. If Kruzz gave up, there was no more he could do. The staff shot toward his chest and stopped.
    Dax opened his eyes, he felt resistance where there had been none before. Over the tip of the staff he saw Kruzz holding its end with his right hand. It hadn't touched his chest. Now Dax saw his eyes and knew he had succeeded. The rage and fire was there and sullen defiance had turned into action. All of this, Dax realized in a second, but it still didn't give him enough time to react.
    Kruzz shoved the staff back into Dax's face with such force it snapped his head back. Blood dripped from his nose as he grinned.
    "I went on the Hunt! I fought and I proved my strength! I am not a broodling anymore!" Kruzz bent his knees and got onto his feet with some effort. He was still shorter than Dax, but he swore the young grunt had grown since last he stood.
    "Good!" Dax wiped the blood from his face and went to pick up the other staff. "Then show me what you can do and I'll teach you whatever you think you can't do."
    Dax tossed the staff and Kruzz caught it in his right hand, ready to start anew.

   

Grim IV

"He needs to get up and move around, dammit!" Grim shoved the flap to Dax's hut aside and entered.
    "Hello Grim. What can I do for you? Dax sat on an old tree stump, reading a piece of parchment he had unfurled in his hand.
    "Kruzz is as stubborn as a rock. Hell, he's a mountain. How am I supposed to get him back on his feet if he ignores me, sits there, does nothing and ends up yelling at me, telling me to leave." Grim paced back and forth in the small hut, gesturing wildly with his hands.
    Dax sighed and rolled up the parchment. "You must understand that the brood is still going through a period of shock. I agree, he should be moving around. It's not good for his muscles to be still all the time, making it harder for him to move once he does, but that's his choice. For now we must give him time."
    "Brood. You always call him that. He killed that huge beast, he's a grunt now and he should act like one." Grim's fist slammed down on a wooden chest. The pine split from the impact. He barely felt it.
    Dax stared at his broken chest with surprise. "I understand that you're upset and want to help him. You're letting your anger out to compensate the frustration of not getting through to him. Let's go outside and talk where you can't break anymore of my things."
    "I don't want to talk to you anymore. All you do is talk. Talk, talk, talk. You never get anything done." Grim turned and stormed out of the hut. He needed to cool off. He was seething with anger the way when battle rage was upon him.
    He didn't realize it immediately, but he was on his way to Worg's hut, his elder. Some deep anchored feeling of trustworthy guidance must have led him there. Every Orc grew up knowing that the elder was the wisest grunt in the settlement. If you had something troubling you, you could always turn to him.
    Yargol was guarding the hut and stood menacingly in front of the flap. He held out his hand for Grim to stop and usually he would have. Any other day he would have respected the elder's privacy and the guards task to protect the elder, but not today.
    Grim slapped Yargol's hand aside and backhandedly knocked his fist in his face. Yargol stumbled out of the way not knowing what hit him. Stepping through the flap, Grim found himself standing behind Traglok who was having an audience with Elder Worg.
    Both turned around as Yargol dashed through the flap shouting, spear poised at Grim's throat. Yargol's eyes darted from Grim to Worg. Worg's surprised look turned sour, tusks raised. He shook his head and pointed for Yargol to leave. He did so grudgingly, fire burning in his eyes as he watched Grim before leaving the hut.
    "Grim. What do we owe this surprise visit to?" Worg sounded tired. The disappointing look he had given Grim at his interruption had faded to drooping tusks and heavy jowls. He was old and he looked it.
    Grim wondered if he had been right to come here. From the look of him Worg didn't have it in him to give advice. The attack on his settlement had rattled the old grunt and Kruzz's injury had given him the rest. He was broken.
    "I came..." Grim didn't know what he had come for. Advice? For what? Worg wasn't handling Kruzz's situation any better than he was.
    "It doesn't matter what you came for. It matters that you're here." Traglok interrupted. "Grim, you and I have had our differences, but at heart we're both warriors."
    Grim wasn't too sure about Traglok being much of a warrior, but he was glad that he had spoken, giving him more time to think.
    "Worg, when we left our settlement at the Blacktop Mountains you pronounced me as our leader in battle. So far we've only run. I can't take it any longer. We need to fight back. Those bloody humans killed our mothers and our broods. I say it's time that we get our revenge."
    Worg shook his head back and forth gently. If it was possible, he looked even older than before. "Go. Do what you must. Less than a week ago I would have stopped you. I would have told you what to do and you would have listened, but not anymore. I don't have the energy to stop you. Lead those that will follow you and get your revenge, Traglok. I will not stand in your way."
    Worg sat down on the ground, cross-legged, defeated.
    Traglok grinned and turned to Grim. "Are you with me? We could use a fighter like you." After the attack on their home Traglok had said pretty much the opposite. They had fought about who should lead the Clan in an attack. Grim had been enraged, full of fury and had wanted to avenge those he had seen slain, immediately.
    Now though, he was relieved that Traglok had been given command. He wouldn't want that burden on his shoulders. Telling others to do horrible things in war wasn't easy, but being told to do so by your commander didn't make doing them any easier. Grim's anger had almost put him in a position of command, something he had been running from over the last few years.
    His thoughts about Kruzz still had his blood boiling and the prospect of crushing some human skulls was tempting, but reason won out. Grim would not let his anger drag him back to a place where he didn't want to be? "I don't think so, Traglok."
    Traglok shrugged and exited the tent, leaving Grim and Worg alone. "So if you didn't come here to support him, then why did you come?" Worg patted the ground, beckoning Grim to take a seat.
    With reason came some sort of peace. He still felt the frustration, but the uncontrollable rage had dissolved. He still wasn't sure if the old grunt would be able to help him, but where was the harm in letting him try? Grim could think of none and sat down. "I'm troubled, Elder."
    "Aren't we all? Is it the young grunt that's gnawing on your conscience the way he is on mine?" Worg's lips twitched into a sad smile as Grim nodded. "Life throws many obstacles in our way and we must find the best solution to each problem. I've lived for a long time and I've overcome many rivers and boulders in my path, but how to deal with a grunt that does not want to get better. That's new for me too."
    Grim's tusks sank. As expected, he would find no answers here. He shifted and started to get up, but was stopped by Worg's hand on his knee.
    "It's new for the both of us and together we will find a way. It can take some time, but with dedication we will get Kruzz back on his feet. I don't know how, but by Nature's Will, I know that we'll succeed."

   

Kruzz V

Kruzz opened his eyes. He was in a shaman's hut. Herbs were burning next to him. His vision blurred as he moved his head. He wanted to get up, but he didn't know how to tell his body to do so. Someone sat next to him on his right.    "Hey there little grunt." Dax's voice was strong and reassuring, but also worried.
    "What happened? Why am I here?" Kruzz tried to lift this head and focus on Dax, but he didn't have the strength for it. His right hand pressed against the slab of rock he was lying on. He didn't even feel his left hand and thus couldn't manage to push himself up into a sitting position..
    "Calm down, Kruzz. You need to rest. Just lay still. Try to sleep some more."
    He gave up and lay down. He didn't have the strength he needed. "I feel like I've been sleeping for too long. What happened?" Kruzz slowly lifted his right hand to rub at his eyes. He still couldn't move his left.
    "You killed a big creature on your Hunt." Dax smiled.
    Memories slowly started to resurface. He remembered the fight. He could feel the pain in his left arm, where the creature had cut a deep gash... Kruzz turned his head to look down at where his left arm should be. All he could see was the shoulder and a bit of his arm ending in a stump.
    Now he remembered the screaming as they cut into him. He wanted to shout out in horror as the realization set in. Dax put a hand on Kruzz's right shoulder and squeezed.
    "I know, my friend. I know it is hard to take."
    Kruzz shifted to get the older Orc's hand off of him. "How could you know? Did you lose a limb?" Tears came to his eyes unbidden. He wanted to get up and scream, throw a tantrum, but he didn't have the energy for it.
    Dax lowered his gaze and let his hand drop away. "No. I haven't experienced what you are going through, but I hoped I could help you gather strength in this hard time."
    Kruzz turned his head to his left, away from Dax. His lips pressed together in an act of silence. He didn't want to see anyone at the moment, but now all he saw was his stump, so he shut his eyes.
    A rustling came from behind him as someone entered the hut.
    "Hey there, Kruzz. You're awake!" Grim's rumbling voice awoke something within him. Lately, Kruzz had been telling himself how he wanted to be just as good a fighter as Grim. As strong and as fearless. That could never be now.
    Why did this happen? What would they be able to do about it? Nothing!
    Kruzz opened his eyes and turned to the two of them. "Go away! I want to be alone." Tears leaked down his cheeks as he snarled at his friends. They couldn't help him. No one could.
    "Now look here, Kruzz." Grim grabbed a hold of his shoulder. The one that still had an arm attached to it. "Things may look bad now, but as soon as you've recovered and the shaman says you can get up. You and me, we can spar and work on fighting with one arm. I'll teach you all I know. You're a grunt now and you should learn to fight like one." His tusks rose up hopefully.
    Kruzz sniffed and turned his head away from his friends, looking straight at the ceiling. Under his breath he said, "what's the point."
    "Maybe we should let him rest some more. Give him some time." Dax sighed and got up from his seat.
    "You said that he needs to know that..." Grim turned on Dax.
    "Yes, but he needs some time to digest this first. Let him rest and we'll come back soon." Dax started to move toward the hut's flap.
    Grim smiled down at him. "You'll see. Once you have your strength back we'll still make a warrior out of you. It'll just take some more training."
    "What's the point!" Kruzz yelled. "Stop wasting your time with me and leave."
    "But..." Grim's tusks sank and his shoulders fell.
    "Get out!" Kruzz's throat burned and all the energy he had was drained out of him. He just wanted to be alone. Be alone and sleep. Forever.
    "We better go." He could see Dax out of the corner of his eye, coming back to lead Grim out of the hut.
    "I tried. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I thought I could make him look forward to training. You know? Now though, I don't know if I'll be able to get through to him. What if he never lets us help him?" Grim's voice trailed off as they walked further away, leaving Kruzz alone.
    Broken and alone.

   

Dax II

The shaman's hut was filled with herb smoke. Dax could tell that some of the herbs were being burned to dull the senses, but others just made the room smell better.
    Kruzz still lay on the slab of rock and Vorg was seated next to him. A frown was on his face as he studied the putrid flesh of the young Orc's arm. The brood was unconscious. Dax should be calling him a grunt, he had proved his strength after all, but seeing him in such a weak state reminded him of how young Kruzz still was.
    Vorg looked up at Dax, eyes red and brow furrowed. Even with the plugs in his nose he was bound to inhale some of the herbs. He should go out and get some fresh air, but he had been trying to help Kruzz any way that he could. To no avail.
    "I've dissected the creature he killed. It's poison glands were mostly full, but I couldn't make an antidote in such short time. It's spreading too fast."
    Dax clasped his hand on Vorg's shoulder. "You have done all that you could. Nobody expected more."
    Vorg shuddered. "I'm going to have to take his arm off. At least that way he'll have a chance at living. If I don't do that the venom is bound to spread all the way to his heart."
    Dax sighed. Poor Kruzz. It seemed like he was going to have a bright future ahead of him. This changed everything. Maybe he hadn't been ready for the Hunt. But who could have foreseen such a huge creature as his animal. What was the meaning of that beast coming to him for the Hunt?
    "I better get things ready. The sooner we do it the better. I had just hoped that my treatment would work, but it's too late now." Vorg got up with a grunt and headed towards the flap. "I'll need your help when it's time. You and that other big fellow. Grim was his name?"
    Dax nodded. "I'll go and get him."
    They both left the hut, leaving Kruzz behind.
    It was still early and the sun blinded him when he stepped outside. Dax went to look for Grim in his tent, but he wasn't there when he looked inside. He took a look around the fighting pit where some of the grunts were training and some of the broods were watching and imitating them. Grim wasn't there either.
    Nor was he bathing in the stream. That would surprised Dax anyway. Grim probably hadn't bathed even once in the last month. It was far more likely to find him where there was something to eat. But even the burning meat on the spit hadn't lured the big brute over.
    There wasn't much else he could do, but ask around. Someone must have seen him. Who better to start with than their elder. Elder Worg was in his hut, but he wasn't alone. Dax was asked to wait outside by his guard while he went in to ask permission for Dax to enter.
    The guard came back out and grunted with a nod towards the flap. Dax went inside and was surprised to have finally found Grim, who was standing next to where Worg sat. "There you are. I've been looking for you."
    "Then you've heard. Your shaman wants to take the little grunt's arm off." Grim scowled. "I guess it's better than letting him die, but what will his future hold now. You said the Hunt had meaning. What does this outcome say about Kruzz's fate?"
    Grim's eyes were ablaze. Not with hatred for Dax, he could see that. It was frustration and anger at the world. Maybe there was more to Grim than he would have thought. Not just a lazy, strong, brute who did whatever he wanted. He genuinely cared for Kruzz. That was clear.
    Worg's head sagged on his chest and he looked old and weak. Not like the strong leader that a clan should have. "It's my fault. I thought he was ready. I thought he had greatness within him. The Hunt was going to be his first triumph of many more to come. My plans for him have failed."
    Dax watched Grim grind his teeth. He probably wanted to yell at his elder, but he had too much respect to do so. Did he think it was Worg's fault? Worg was taking the blame, but that didn't make it true. What the two of them needed was something to keep them from despair. They needed hope.
    Dax took a deep breath and slapped his fist into the palm of his other hand. "Don't you two see what this is? This is a decisive moment not only for Kruzz, but for us. It will be hard for him to get used to only having one arm, but with our help he will be able to learn that not only strength matters. It will be our task to make him what he can become. Losing an arm does not make him less of an Orc. Losing hope will make him less than he can be."
    A slight grin spread over Grim's lips, his tusks thrust upward. "You always know what to say, don't you?"
    "I don't know if this will work." Worg still sat on the ground, his body slumped. "But we should at least try to help this young grunt. He will need us in the hard time to come."
    "Good!" Dax crossed over and gently laid his hand on Grim's shoulder. "Then there's only one more thing to do, before we can help Kruzz on this hard path. Vorg asked me to get you, so we could help him do what needs doing."
    All of the good vibes he had just spread were sucked away in an instant. Grim's smile turned into a frown and a deep rumbling growl came from his throat. "We'd better get it done then. The sooner the better."
    Together they stalked out of Worg's hut and walked silently through the settlement. Inside the shaman's hut, Vorg was waiting. He had his tools laid out before him and fresh herbs were burning.
    "Here, take these." He handed them plugs for their noses. "You'll need all the strength you have to hold him down. He'll struggle as soon as I start."
    Grim held on to Kruzz's legs and Dax held on to his arms. The brood winced when he grabbed the wrist of his left arm. It's light green coloring had become increasingly blue over the last few days. It was getting high time to remove it.
    "I'll make the cut up here." Vorg indicated a spot slightly below the shoulder, well above the infected flesh. "You two just keep him restrained."
    Vorg lifted the saw from his collection of tools and placed it where he was going to cut. "Hold on tight now."
    The brood looked peaceful as he lay there. His eyes were shut and his breathing was calm. Then Vorg began to saw. Kruzz's eyes burst open, his limbs struggled and he screamed. Oh, how he screamed.

   

Grim III

Grim sat in his hut mulling over his thoughts. Was Dax right? Could he have done more? Could he have been more? He was in deep thought. Something he wasn't used to. Something he hadn't let himself do in a long time. He had tried to bury his past, but now memories long gone were coming back to the surface.
    He could still smell the smoke in the air. Orcs lay dead and dying everywhere. Only a few of their own clan were among them. He could still smell the blood and feel his heart pounding in his chest. The battle rage was upon him and he loved every second of it.
    Their elder had ordered them to kill every last mother and broodling. It was not a regular feud between the two clans. Not the kind of problems that could be dealt with through a show of strength, a few raids and a final finding of mutual respect. Their elder wanted to destroy the clan and wanted to make sure that none of them survived.
    Grim was young at the time and strong. He did not think about his orders, he just did as he was told and killed with ease. Now he would have questioned those orders. Especially, after what he saw that day.
    Grim rose up from the ground and grunted as he knocked a large jug aside. Why was he torturing himself with those memories. He was no longer there. He was here and everything was good.
    Except that a war was coming. Actually, it had already begun.
    Dax's head popped through the flap into his hut. "Grim! Kruzz is back from his Hunt. He's hurt!"
    Grim huffed and stomped outside. "Is it bad?"
    His tusks clamped over his upper lip. He liked the little brood. It would be a shame if he wouldn't make it.
    "I think his arm was severely injured. I saw a lot of blood. He's with Vorg, our shaman." Dax went ahead taking quick strides to the shaman's hut.
    A lot of blood. That didn't sound good. "Did he at least kill the beast?"
    "I don't know." Dax opened the flap and stepped inside. Grim followed.
    Smoke filled the room. Grim could smell the shaman's herbs. They would take away pain, making you numb and drowsy. Kruzz was lying on a large slab of rock. Burning bundles of herbs were placed next to his head, one on each side. Vorg was bent over him.
    Dax circled around the rock and hissed when he saw Kruzz's arm. Grim went to look as well and drew in his tusks. The left arm had a long deep cut that went from his wrist, past his elbow, halfway up to his shoulder. The blood was still running freely, rather than thickening and the edges of the wound had a bluish-purple color.
    "Poisoned?" Dax asked Vorg.
    "Looks like it." He pressed against the flesh. Kruzz winced, but his eyes were still closed. "The creature he killed was a big beast. I've never seen its like around here. Its venom is acting fast. You two help hold him down while I bind his arm and treat the wound."
    Grim obeyed and held the brood down by his shoulders. Vorg got a leather strap and pulled it across Kruzz's arm, above the wound. Dax leaned over his body and held on to his hand, pressing it against the stone. As the strap was tightened, Kruzz began to struggle and when Vorg got out some powder that he pressed into the wound he began to scream, but Grim didn't let him budge.
    Afterward Kruzz was breathing heavily. He twitched sometimes, but Grim thought he was going to be alright. He looked up at the shaman, but Vorg was shaking his head. "I've never seen this before. I don't know if my treatment will help. We have to wait and see."
    "He'll be alright. You'll see." Dax smiled weakly."Look, he's awake. He's a strong one, he is."
    Kruzz's eyelids fluttered open. "Grim? Dax?" He winced and drew in a sharp breath. "I killed the beast. I finished my Hunt."
    "Yes, you did." Grim grasped his right hand. "You're one of us now. A grunt! But now you need to rest."
    Kruzz smiled. "Okay." He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

   

Kruzz III

"What was your Hunt like?" Kruzz was sharpening the tip of his spear. It was almost time.
    Grim laughed out loud and gave him a slap on the back.
    "Oh, it was glorious. I stalked the forest for my prey." He held his own spear in both hands and looked from left to right as if he was doing it all over again. "The elder told me to sit and wait. He said that the animal would chose me and that it would come. I waited for about five minutes until I could stand it no longer."
    Dax chuckled. "I'm amazed you even managed to wait that long. Many broods are impatient and go out to find their destiny." He smiled and put a hand on Kruzz's shoulder. "But those who wait are rewarded with easy success. Why go out to search for your prey when you know it will come to you?"
    "For the hunt!" Grim growled. "You make it very hard for me to like you. I was impressed like all the others to see you fight, but you speak of the Hunt as if it were nothing important. It's a great ritual that determines your worth as a warrior. The lust for blood presses you onwards to find your prey. That is the Orc way. That is how it should be." Grim crossed his arms as if that settled the matter.
    "I believe the ritual has merit. It is an important day for a brood to prove his strength to his peers and to be accepted into the ranks of warriors, but I also believe it has its flaws. For most Orcs do not understand the true meaning of the ritual and its spiritual context. You for instance might think that I was a weakling, since the prey I found - or should I say that found me - was an owl."
    "An owl?" Grim barked with laughter. He bent over and slapped his knee. "Dax, the slayer of owls!" He continued to laugh and didn't stop, even when Dax continued speaking.
    "An owl is an old sign for wisdom. The ritual pointed out a very different kind of strength within me. It did not determine that I was a weak warrior. You yourself said that you were impressed by my skill. The animal that chooses to be your prey says a lot more about your true nature than just your capabilities as a warrior."
    "Of course you say that. Your prey was an owl." Grim couldn't stop laughing.
    "What was your animal?" Kruzz looked at the strong Orc with big eyes. Dax was smart and there may be truth to what he said, but killing an owl was not what Kruzz had imagined when he thought about the Hunt.
    "It was a bear." Grim's laughter subsided and he once again played the part of the hunter, jabbing his spear into the air. "It was big and fierce. When I found it, it stepped up onto its hind legs and roared with fury."
    Kruzz could imagine what it must have been like. He wondered how he would hold his own against a bear. "And what did you do?"
    "I roared right back into its face." Grim laughed aloud. "And then I charged. It swiped me aside with a big swing of its claws, breaking my spear in half. I didn't know what to do then, but I had to react fast, because the bear was on the attack. It charged, so I jumped up to a tree branch. The bear crashed into the tree below and I dropped on its back. We wrestled until I got ahold of the tip of my spear that was lying on the ground and I jabbed it into the bear's eye."
    Grim was on the ground after having rolled around imitating the wrestling match with the bear. Now that was the kind of Hunt Kruzz had imagined. He had respected Grim for his strength and the fighting skills he had shown against the humans, but this tale made Kruzz look up to him in a new light. Grim wasn't just a grunt. He was a beast of an Orc. Stronger than a bear. And that was when he was younger, just of age for the hunt. By now, he must have grown even stronger. Especially, since he did so much hard work in the mines.
    "Quite the challenge." Dax stroked his chin with his fingers. "I think I know what your Hunt means."
    "I know exactly what it means. It means I'm stronger than a bear. That's all that matters."
    "If that's all that matters you should be a renowned warrior. Not many grunts can boast of their Hunt having involved a bear. Especially, fighting that bear bare handed, because of a broken spear. No, no, no. There is more meaning in your story. You're right of course, it shows lots of strength."
    Grim gave a satisfied grunt.
    "But the symbolism of the bear entails more than strength. It's also a sign for leadership."
    Grim guffawed. "You mean to tell me I should be a great leader. An elder of one of the war clans, like Gwarr?"
    "On the contrary." Dax's eyes widened as he understood. "The fact that you wrestled the bear and had such a strenuous fight leads me to believe that you are anti-authority. I think the bear means that you are capable of being a great leader, but something inside you is against leadership. That is why you became part of the new settlement near the mines. You have a warrior's appetite for blood and you have the skill to fight, but you still did not choose to become a warrior."
    Kruzz furrowed his brow, trying to understand. Grim was speechless. Everything Dax had said was confusing, especially the way he said it, but some of it rang true. Grim had always been a lazy worker. It had been well known in the settlement that he would always get up late and would not listen when given orders.
    Dax smiled and seemed satisfied with his explanation. He used the following silence to add some more 'wisdom', as he would call it. "Like I said, I think you have it in you to become a great leader. You just have to defeat whatever it is inside you that is stopping you. You've already defeated a bear, so why not defeat that as well?"
    Grim grabbed his spear and growled. "Stop your stupid drivel and stick your bow where the sun don't shine." Grim huffed and left their circle. Kruzz wondered what had made him so mad.
    "What did I say?" Dax shrugged. "Well, looks like it's time. Elder Worg is coming to get you."
    Kruzz stiffened. What would his future bring? He visualized Grim's fight against the bear and then Dax waiting for his owl. There was no way to know until it happened. He would have to go and figure it out.
    His Hunt was about to begin.

   

Dax

The arena wasn't much more than a large circle marked off by rocks, but it was the place where any such battles of honor were faught. Dax stood in the center with two short swords sheathed on his back, forming a cross. They had a slight curve with only one edge sharpened, fashioned in the Elven style. His bow lay in his tent. He wouldn't need it today.
    Ragnur was not there yet. Orcs from the two clans were starting to gather around to come see the spectacle. Dax hailed those that he knew better and they wished him luck. He laughed and smiled. Luck would not decide his fate, unless Ragnur became very lucky indeed. He knew what he was getting himself into. Most would fear fighting Ragnur, but Dax had done it before and Grim's words had convinced him that Ragnur had not changed.
    Time passed and Dax waited as a large mass assembled to be entertained. Many knew Dax and they would cheer for him, but some remembered Ragnur and were his friends from before he left their clan. They still held a grudge and would be glad to see Dax fall.
    Finally, Ragnur arrived. The fight would begin any moment now. His big sword was slung over his back and he walked into the circle with confidence and ease. He smiled with his big tusks pointing up. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Make it worth my while and don't die too fast. I want to enjoy this."
    "You seem to be under the impression that I'm no match for you, Rag. What makes you think that you will win? Your strength or your wits?" Dax paused for effect. "Oh, I forgot. You only have one of those attributes."
    A deep rumble came from Ragnur's throat as he drew his sword, breaking the strap that held it to his back.
    "Snappy comeback." Dax heartbeat increased. That was normal, he reminded himself. His body was preparing for the fight.
    "Stop your yapping and draw your weapon. I'm going to finish you once and for all."
    "As you wish." He drew the two swords from his back and went into a defensive stance. He faced Ragnur with his right side, making himself a slim target to hit. His right sword was raised and his left lowered. His legs were apart to give him a stronger sense of balance.
    Ragnur roared in anger and charged and swung his blade. It bit into the ground at an angle. Dax had easily dodged the first blow.
    "Come on you've got to aim better than that." With a backhand swing, Ragnur ripped the blade free with all his strength and tried to hit Dax, but he dodged again.
    "Nevermind. I forgot you wanted the fight to last. Take your time."
    "Shut up, you Elf scum! Shut up!" Ragnur raised his blade and swung it left and right. He was getting faster the angrier he got. Dax ducked and jumped aside as fast as he could, but Ragnur's rage was burning hot. Finally, a swing of his large sword came too close and Dax had to block it with one of his swords. The attack had such force in it that it knocked Dax's blade aside and he stumbled.
    His arm ached from blocking. He took a few steps back as Ragnur paused to get a breath of air.  They were both beginning to sweat. It cost a lot of energy to move around so much, especially for Ragnur, swinging that huge blade. It seemed though that he had energy to spare, before Dax could come up with something witty to say, he renewed his assault.
    The Orcs watching cheered with every swing and hissed with every successful dodge. They stamped their feet and banged their fists together. They wanted to see the clash of steel and smell blood in the air. These fights weren't uncommon, but they were always entertaining to the masses.
    Dax had to block another attack, almost losing the grip on his sword. He was starting to think that maybe he had underestimated Ragnur's stamina. He thought he would be slowing down by now, but the big Orc was beginning to look like an unstoppable force of nature. Maybe it was time to switch to the offensive.
    He dodged another strike and felt gust of wind race over his head. That had been a close one, but he used Ragnur's missed swing to get close and swipe his blade across Ragnur's thigh. The huge Orc howled in pain and instead of attacking with his sword, what Dax had been expecting, he swung only his fist in a backhand blow, knocking Dax against the side of his head.
    Dax stumbled as the Orcs began to chant at the first sight of blood. He tried to recover, before Ragnur could swing his sword, but he was surprised again when it wasn't Ragnur's blade that came at him, it was his foot that slammed into his gut. Dax was knocked to the ground.
    "In the dirt, where you should be." Ragnur walked up to where he was lying chuckling all the while. He slowly raised his sword above his head. "Any last words?"
    Dax looked up at his foe and realized that this was quite a predicament. He hadn't planned for this, but he already had an idea. "From this vantage point I can see that you have a bugger in your nose."
    Ragnur yelled out in fury as the gathered Orcs laughed. He used as much force as he could muster and brought his mighty sword crashing down. Dax was quick though and rammed both his swords in the ground next to his head, crossing each other. The handles locked in the middle and when Ragnur's blade went for Dax's head it crashed into the crossed swords and was blocked.
    The attack had come with such force that the short swords had actually sunk further into the ground, but their dull edges hadn't been rammed into Dax's skull. Maybe he had been in need of some luck. Ragnur looked down at him, wrinkling his brow. Before he could gather the few thoughts that he had, Dax sprang into action. He slid out from under his swords, propped his hands next to his head and pushed himself upward to deliver a kick to Ragnur's face with both feet.
    Ragnur dropped his sword and stumbled backwards. Dax caught himself from crashing to the ground and got to his feet. He ran towards Ragnur with speed, jumped up and gave him a forceful headbutt.
    A cheer went up from the spectators. Dax was sure that Grim enjoyed the sight of that. Though it had hurt like hell. At least it seemed to have hurt Ragnur even more. His nose was broken, blood dripping down his tusks and chin. He looked around wildly. Fire burned in his eyes.
    "My sword? I made it to hack you to pieces with." His words came out gurgly from the blood in his throat. He hacked it up and spat it out. He looked Dax up and down. "You don't have your weapons anymore either. Now we can fight like real grunts! I'll crush you with my fists."
    "I'd like to see you try." This is what he had been preparing for. Dax would prove once and for all that even though he wasn't the strongest, he knew what he was doing in a fight. He straightened his back and looked Ragnur in the eye. He relaxed his body and mind, just like the Elves had taught him.
    Orcs all around them chanted as Ragnur once again came running at him with rage. As his fist swung, Dax dodged and grabbed hold of it. He twisted his body and used Ragnur's own momentum to throw him over his shoulder. Ragnur's arm was wrenched out of its socket as he crashed to the ground. He howled in pain.
    There was a shocked silence from the gathered crowd. None of them had seen such a display of fighting before. The war with the Elves was a long time ago and nobody had fought one since. Dax was the only Orc for miles who had had any real contact with the Elves.
    Dax slowly walked over to Ragnur's sword and lifted the heavy thing from the ground with both hands. He crossed the arena to stand before his foe. Ragnur was kneeling and still holding his arm. Rage and pain formed a gruesome snarl of his lips. His breathing was heavy. Dax almost thought there was no more fight left in him, but then he got back onto his feet.
    "Don't do it, Rag. This fight is over if you want it to be or not. Give up and we'll both go on to live another day."
    Ragnur only screamed and charged with the strength he had left. Dax heaved the heavy sword through the air as he approached and sliced his head clear off. The large body crashed to the ground. The fight was over.
    Dax sighed with a heavy heart as the Orcs all around him cheered his name.

   

Grim II

Grim grabbed a hunk of meat from a platter that a mother was offering him. He turned back to his little friend Kruzz.
    "Three days, huh? That's not a lot of time to prepare. Worg must really want to challenge you." He chuckled.
    Kruzz looked solemn. "I don't know if he just wants to make my life miserable or if he actually hates me."
    Another grunt stepped up to their fire and sat down next to them. It was Dax, bow slung over his shoulder. "Sorry for overhearing, but I have a different view on your situation."
    "And what would that be?" Grim bared his tusks, raising an eyebrow. He didn't like they way this Orc spoke. It was unnatural. Kruzz seemed interested though, so he wouldn't tell him to sit somewhere else... yet.
    "Well, I would consider your Elder's position and reputation. We have traditions and customs of old to follow. What would other Elders and Clans think if Worg were to just accept you as a full fledged grunt, just because you killed some humans in an attack on your settlement. Other broods killed humans too, didn't they? Why shouldn't they be allowed to carry weapons and go on the Hunt?"
    "You sure know a lot about me." Kruzz looked at Dax questioningly. "I think I'm the only one who asked and I'm one of the oldest."
    "Yes, you're one of the oldest, but not the oldest. And I don't think you're necessarily the only one who asked. I think you have the most potential and that is what your Elder saw in you. Now you have to be challenged and you have to prove your strength so that Worg's decision to let you carry a weapon, go on the Hunt and call yourself a grunt cannot be challenged by any other Elder. If you succeed you will be known by all as an exception to our customs, but you will have earned it."
    "Are you saying Worg is making the brood into some kind of hero?" Grim was amazed and a little bit confused by Dax's words.
    "A Hero?" Kruzz perked up.
    "Not a hero, but an icon. A symbol of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. You'd be the youngest brood to go on the Hunt for generations, maybe ever. More broods are bound to want to follow in your footsteps, but they will have to prove their strength just like you have. Worg has to make it difficult for you to make you special. Otherwise too many broodlings would demand to go on the Hunt when they are too young and they would die. We can't have that happen."
    "So, either I fail and everything stays as it is or I succeed and become a symbol for the next generations. Great! I was feeling enough pressure just thinking about going on the Hunt in three days. Now I'm carrying the whole future of generations to come on my shoulders." Kruzz's face slumped as he looked down at his food. Grim felt bad for the brood. No one had ever put so much responsibility on his shoulders.
    "At least you don't have to face Rag in a fight to the death tomorrow." Dax laughed.
    "How can you laugh about that. I'd be worried if I had to face him."
    "Hah!" Grim bit another big chunk off his meat. "Ragnur is all show. Sure he's strong, but he doesn't know anything about fighting properly. He's a blacksmith, that's all."
    "I'm glad to hear nothing's changed. He used to bully me a lot when we were broods. He was a lot bigger and stronger back then, but I showed him. With this." Dax pointed at his head.
    "Did you headbutt him? That's what I would have done!" Grim smiled broadly. Maybe this Dax was alright!
    "No, nothing like that!" Dax shook his head. "I tricked him, that's all. I'm smarter than him and I used that to my advantage." That wasn't what Grim had expected. It sounded weak. "After I humiliated him he left our clan and joined yours."
    Grim sighed. "I was hoping your fight tomorrow would be something to see. Now it sounds like your going to trip him and make him fall on his back."
    "Hah! Don't worry. I'll show you something you've never seen before. It'll be a fight to remember!" Dax smiled and stood up. Leaving Grim and Kruzz wondering about his plans for fighting Ragnur.

   

Kruzz II

They had been traveling for days. Kruzz's feet hurt, but he didn't let it show. He was carrying a pack with food and mining equipment on his back and held his spear in his hand. The pack was heavy, but the spear was worth it. He was proud to have it and would not show any sign of weakness.
     Reeba had spoken to Worg as promised. The Elder was impressed with Kruzz's fighting ability that he had proven against the humans, but he also said that they must follow traditions. Only a grunt should wield a weapon and if Kruzz wanted to be a grunt then he would have to work like one. If he were to carry the same load a grown grunt carried and did not complain, making it all the way to the Turak Clan's settlement then he would be allowed to go on the Hunt. He'd be one of the youngest grunts to do so in living history.
    Kruzz wasn't sure if Worg wanted him to pass this trial or not. It was a very heavy load, but not the heaviest. Grim's load must have been twice as heavy and the blacksmith, Ragnur, carried three packs, all as big as Kruzz's and he had a very large sword slung over his back as well. Kruzz wanted to become just as strong as them. He wanted to be a grown grunt and prove his strength. That was why he didn't complain, even though his back ached and he felt like he could not go another step.
    Grim was still hurt from the fight against the humans, so even though he insisted on carrying more than others, he was going slow. He and Kruzz ended up going at about the same speed and Kruzz used Grim's presence and display of strength as motivation. He kept him going.
    It didn't take Grim long to notice Kruzz staring at him while they traveled and on the second day he spoke to him. "So, I hear you want to go on the Hunt. You can't have seen more then fourteen summers. You sure you're up to it." He smiled with his big tusks sticking out.
    "Fifteen!" Kruzz declared proudly, wanting to seem tough. "I've seen fifteen summers and I killed humans during the attack."
    "And you think that makes you a grunt, do you?" Grim was still smiling. Kruzz began to worry that it wasn't a friendly smile, but more of a humored smile. As if Grim was making fun of him.
    "It doesn't make me grown up, but it proves my strength and the Elder has given me this trial to see if I am up to the task. He will let me go on the Hunt once we arrive the settlement, if I make it on my own. I will not disappoint him. I will prove my strength." That would show Grim that he was serious.
    Grim scrutinized him, looking him up and down. His smile had faded and then he suddenly burst out laughing. "I like you, broodling. I really do. And I'm excited to see you go on the Hunt. I'm sure you will soon." He gave Kruzz a hefty pat on the back, which almost made him fall.
    After that Grim and he talked more often. Sometimes while walking, sometimes when they made camp in the evenings. Kruzz was starting to feel like he was already one of the others. A grunt. The others didn't speak to him like Grim did. Traglok and Ragnur didn't even look at him, as if he were just another broodling not worth their time.
    Two more days of traveling and they finally arrived at the Turak Clan settlement. They were greeted with mixed welcomes. Kruzz's clan, the Griklog, was relatively new founded. The broodlings were only of the second generation. The first generation having joined together out of volunteers or castoffs. Some may have originally come from the Turak.
    Kruzz dropped off his pack with the others. The mothers would sort through their food and equipment and would begin building up their own little camp within the Turak settlement. As other grunts started moving through the settlement, greeting Orcs they knew and introducing themselves to others, Kruzz decided to do the same.
    That was his plan at least, until he got distracted. There was a gathering of Orcs near the edge of the settlement. A target was displayed more than fifty feet away. One Orc was surrounded by the others and he held a bow. He was knocking an arrow and took his aim. The tension was high as everyone watched. He let the arrow fly and everyone cheered when it hit the target.
    "Roah!" Ragnur showed up behind Kruzz, shoving him aside, roaring with rage. He stepped into the mass of Orcs. "Dax! I challenge you! Lay down that piece of wood with string and fight me with a real weapon!" Ragnur pulled his large sword from his back. The blade was as wide as a cleaver and almost as long as Kruzz was tall. "I made this for you. So that I could split your head with it!"
    Dax, who everyone had watched shooting his bow, turned to face his challenger. His tusks twisted into a grin. "Rag! I haven't seen you in years. I heard you were coming back. Welcome!"
    "Don't call me that you useless heap of an Orc. Do you accept my challenge or not? Answer me or I'll cut you in half where you stand." Ragnur was seething, weapon in hand, ready to strike at a moments notice.
    Dax seemed more amused than threatened and took his time pondering the threat. Which only made Ragnur madder. "I accept! But not today. I'm sure you and your clan are tired after traveling. Today is a day to celebrate our coming together not a day of mourning a death. Tomorrow we can fight." Kruzz thought Dax had a weird way of speaking, it sounded so formal, not blunt the way other Orcs spoke.
    "Raaarrr!" Ragnur turned his back on the crowd and stamped off. Kruzz didn't quite understand what was going on. What had Dax done to Ragnur that made him so mad? But he didn't get a chance to find out. Reeba was standing next to him. She must have witnessed the confrontation and had gotten distracted. Now that the tension was gone she turned to him.
    "Kruzz, the Elder wants to speak with you. You have proven your strength twice over. He will tell you when it is time to go on the Hunt."