Love And War

13

"Again!" The Tauren exclaimed. "Let the dummy feel your rage," I rested my hands on my knees, panting.

"I'm trying," I replied.

"No, you're not. You're not focusing," he said and hit me around the head. "Focus!" I grunted and picked up my axe I charged at the dummy roaring as I did, and the blade struck its wooden shoulders. I tried to pull the axe out but it wouldn't move. "Pull!"

"I'm trying!" I exclaimed.

"No you're not," he growled. He watched me struggle a few more times before he tore the blade out of the dummy for me and threw my axe at my feet. I said nothing, turned and walked away. "Where are you going?"

"Away," I yelled. He said no more and allowed me to leave. I walked as far away from the Taurens tent as I could. I stopped when I reached a river. I knelt down and caught my reflection. But, I didn't like what I saw and washed it away. I splashed cold water on the back of my neck and huffed.

I should be fighting with other orcs, not training again. By noon the sun was at its highest, and I had retreated into the cool water of the river. A few Kodos wandered past unphased by me, a calf trotted over and stood at the edge. I slowly walked over to it, and reached my hand out to it. It sniffed my hand before resting its nose against it.

I smiled at the creature, its mother stood by but she didn't feel threatened. Like me the calf had been born abnormal, it was smaller and its horn hadn't developed very well, it was blind in one eye and half its skull was sunken in. But it was strong, and it had overcome its abnormalities. I waded out of the water, the calf backed off a little bit and allowed me to put my armour back on.

I sat down by it, and it rolled over. I huffed a laugh and scratched its rough stomach. The creature snorted, its mother came closer and just watched. She didn't charge, she was content. I smiled as the beast gave me its complete trust. The Kodo snorted and whinnied as it lay there, how beings killed these creatures I couldn't understand.

I gently stroked its face, its eyes closing slowly. I pulled its head onto my legs, its mother had now laid down next to me just watching. I also gently stroked a hand down her face, she snorted happily. The Kodos spent most of the day with me. But a Warg wasn't far off in the distance, we could hear it howl. Both baby and mother bolted away, not giving me a second look.

I took that as my leave too, I had no weapons and I didn't want something to die unnecessarily. The death of the Warg did not need to happen. I returned to the Tauren who was now sat in front of a fire, he lifted his head. "Are you ready to continue?" he asked.

"Yes," I nodded.