|
Ulwakh had thought life would be easier once their company joined the rest of the host. He had figured that the pair of them could descend into blessed anonymity and escape the ever watchful eyes of Kharn. And he had hoped that the whole affair could be forgotten and blown over.
Ulwakh had been wrong.
Almost as soon as their company joined the rest of the force, they had been given an assignment that removed them from the camp. Apparently, there had been some unease over the Dwarven stronghold to the east and some fear that the Elves might send for aid. Their company had been sent to monitor and hinder any communications between the Elves and Dwarves. The company had been split up into smaller groups so as to cover more ground; no messengers were to get through, and if there were to be a messenger, the preferable option would be that the Dwarves did not know of him at all. Preferably.
At first, little seemed to happen, but finally, when Grimkul and Ulwakh and their fellows were patrolling closer to the mountains than was usual, perhaps a league or so from the Dwarven gate, a scout brought word of an Elf coming their way. Eager for more fighting, the Orcs set up for ambush. The Elf proved a hardier warrior than any of them had expected, though he was on the verge of being overcome when a fierce band of Dwarves rushed in out of nowhere.
Grimkul whirled about to face this new foe on their flanks, wielding his scimitar mightily. Little love did he bear the Dwarves, in particular those select few that had so handily eluded his killing stroke in the last backfired ambush. In the back of his mind, he was disappointed to see that none of those now fighting were they, but he fought fiercely nonetheless, cleaning slicing through the neck of one Dwarf before they had retreated back behind their gates.
The members of the small band scowled and spat as the losses were tallied up: two Dwarves and the Elf messenger, compared to seven Orcs. But mostly, they counted it as a victory: the Elf had not gotten through, and the Dwarves’ attack had been turned to retreat almost immediately. Grinning maliciously, the Orcs set up their victory sign.
The three bodies of their foes were quickly despoiled and hacked apart, then left to rot or be consumed by scavengers. The heads were removed and speared on three stakes. The features of each face were horribly mangled but not beyond clear recognition. Then they were left to be found by their comrades and families as the Orcs headed off to report the skirmish to the Captain.
|