Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 7: Not Your Enemy

Erinne held her hand out to the dire wolf and smiled as it finally caved and slunk forward, letting her rub its black ears. The moment she did, it gave a moan and practically fell into her lap, it's massive tail beating the ground. She chuckled and continued her methodic massaging until another came over and nudged her hand away from the first.

"I have two hands, silly beasts." She began petting the second as a third hobbled over, stomach slinking across the ground as if begging her for a scratch. "You'll have to wait your turn." It whined sharply. "I'm sorry but you'll have to wait."

"I am surprised you talk to our wolves like that." A voice joined her and she looked over her shoulder to see Chigun and Lebrik. The others had left the pair behind with her and the dire wolves as they went into a village. They thought it best if she was seen by other orcs as little as possible.

"They're intelligent beings, are they not?"

Chigun nodded, "They are, but most humans seem to think them dull witted."

"You forget I've been in this land for fourteen years. Nukbrik had two during my time there. His second I watched him raise from a pup. I don't know if they understand all of our words, but they definitely understand. They're smarter than dogs, more capable of compassion."

"Compassion?"

She indicated the pack that was now surrounding her. "They know. They know I'm not like you, that I feel it deep inside, and they allow me to feel included." One of them stood up and licked her cheek as if to prove the point and then flopped over on top of the black one in her lap. The increase in weight made her fall over and soon they were all standing over her, sneaking in licks, tails wagging.

Erinne laughed and pushed one off roughly, it came back, mouth wide, grabbing onto her arm gently but still giving her a shake. "Oh, so you want to play?" She pushed it again and it bounced back before a burst of energy shot through it and it ran circles around them, darting back in for a nip at her leg and then back out while she giggled.

"I've never in my life seen a dire wolf play with someone that wasn't it's owner."

"They adore her." Lebrik said.

"Even Sheshal accepts her." They pointed at Lohke's dire wolf. "After she attacked her for threatening Lohke in the woods."

"I didn't threaten Lohke, he just startled me." She sat up, "But I did apologize for it and Sheshal accepted."

"Indeed she has." They murmured as the white wolf flopped in her lap next.

"What is this?" The three of them looked up as the dire wolves scattered and ran to their masters as they returned. She laughed at their shocked faces. Honestly, she hadn't enjoyed this much of life in years, nor had she ever shared so much laughter with anyone or anything.

Chigun scratched his chin, "We were asking the same thing. They were all over her."

"I saw that." Lohke replied and grabbed his wolf's head, giving her a good rub before he continued forward. Their brows were furrowed as they all seemed to study her differently in that moment. Alone on the ground now, she felt a little awkward and crossed her legs, biting her lip.

"This wolf has never let anyone but me touch him." She was surprised to hear Cold Hammer speaking up and sought him out, spying him with the only solid black wolf in the group. She'd heard him call him Bukoo which meant darkest night. It suited the wolf.

"Well he was the first one to fall in my lap." She informed him with a smile but he looked skeptical as he pushed the wolf away from him and marched forward.