[Mission] Worgs, Orcs, and Blood (Gauls, private)

[Kruol Gaadish]

Winter. Second Brightening in the Month of Kalendryas. Era XV PF.

South. Southwest. Go to worg raiders' camp.

Simple instructions, Kruol thought, if it was not so ratta-kissing cold.

They've been riding for candlemarks now. But it felt longer. Colder, definately. He was not sweating. But he was tired. Even the flimsey leather armour and cap seemed to be colder than the air around him. Kruol coughed, swore out loud and urged Arrg onward. "Do not stop", he barked at the beast who barked in turn. He was hungry. They were both hungry.

Rations tasted like old meat. It was probably old meat. The water was bitter. Both Hammer and Spear could not wait for the taste of warm blood, the sweet smell of fresh flesh. It was a lust stronger than his desire to rape all the elven women and maybe even their men.

Probably not their men, on second thought.

Where were these damn worg riders? Were they dead?

They urged on in a medium pace. There was no other comfortable pace. Slower and they'd freeze. Faster and they'd tire. His crotch was sore, his thighs burned. This was the life of a warrior. This was the life of an Orc of the Horde.

"You can eat the weaker worgs, Arrg", Kruol assured his mount with a rough, glutteral chuckle. "But you will give me the legs. You know I like the legs."

[Gauls]

The were indeed simple that Kruol received. He was to join his new unit of worg riders not far from the action at Peda. The 2nd SK Fury was camped awaiting orders. The orders that he held in his possession were what they needed to join their brethren. Kruol had a long journey ahead of him. It was at least 6 brightenings to the staz camp. With the pangs of hunger already gnawing at him and his mount, Kruol would no doubt have to stop to eat and rest.

The Narim trade route did not take long to reach for Kruol on his worg but there was still a lot of ground to cover. Luckily the weather was with him. The seasons had just changed and the linguiring of summer air kept it from getting too cold for the pair without proper winter clothes. Luckily the orc was hardy to withstand those tough weather types.

Just past the trade route, there was a bit of a stretch of open ground. Kruol would be passing the Narim Catellum line soon which was a marker of the southern boundary of the orc lands. Soon he would be in enemy territory.

[Kruol Gaadish]

"Arrg! Stop!" barked Kruol and the worg slowed to a halt, catching its breath and aiming its stomach on the ground for some rest. "Here", he said tossing some ration at the animal. "Gods don't be so damn greedy", the orc barked again, laughing at the same time. The fiesty animal finished the meat as if it was elf bread and Kruol shook his head. "The road is long", he told the beast, "but we will have food soon." A crook, ugly grin formed on the Hammer's pig-like features. They were nearing enemy territory indeed. He gave the beast a few minutes to rest up as he walked around, allowing blood to reach his legs and groin again. He longed for yum-yum, maybe there are human whores at camp. Any whore will do.

Kruol then gave Arrg some water from his canteen, then took a drink himself. He was fairly familiar with the territory around Ire and knew where some streams were. He would need a refill after the morrow. Water was most important, any warrior knew that. To reach the source, they would need to ride.

For Orckon.

For Blood.

For Glory.

"Arrg!" The worg barked back and stood on its nasty legs again. Kruol hopped on, his hunched figure atop his nightmarish steed. "Go! Make fast! For yum-yum!"

[Gauls]

The first brightening was winding down finally. The suns finally set and now a cool breeze was taking over from the sting of the sun beating down on Kruol. The orc was now beyond the safety of the orc patrolled territory and being an orc much less riding atop a beast like a worg would draw many arrows from any Imperial patrols he might run across. No doubt Kruol would have heard the warnings being touted in Orckon about the probability of shara patrols roaming this area. Then again, the Great Horde was just through here on their way to Peda so it may have frightened the skiddish shara away.

There was a choice that had to be made. Either Kruol would stop and camp for the night getting a good rest and start again strong the next brightening or he could press on and try to get a bit closer to his destination and perhaps a water source while he was not hindered by sunlight or the chance of running into a patrol. Either way, it was paramount that the order he carried reached their intended commander.

[Kruol Gaadish]

Darkening was falling. His nightvision was good, but not as good as dark elfies. They lived in caves. Kruol scoffs at caves. He scoffs at many things. "Arrg!", he barked then yanked at the worg's reins. The animal slowed, but when he showed the inclination to stop completely, Kruol urged him onward. "Not stop yet." He said flatly. "We need shelter. Not out in open. You want to die like ratta beech?" Kruol scoffed, this time out loud.

Looking around, the Hammer was looking for anything that might provide him shelter -- rocks, trees, a cave, maybe even an inn he can pillage. Whatever. The last thing he wanted was to sleep in the open with his worg and wake up to Jorel and Jalat arguing who should take him. "You smell nuthin'?", he asked the beast. Worgs were usually impatient, especially this donkey of a creature, but being a reject like Kruol taught Arrg many things. For one, survival was the number one priority. He knew that the worg wouldn't second guess eating him. That was good since he often told Arrg that if things got bad, or if got pissed enough, he'd eat him too.

They were good friends.

[Gauls]

The worg was good for something since the old gristled creature wasn't high enough on the orc food list to be "good eat'n". He was good enough to smell dead fish. Dead fish meant a creek or lake was nearby. Searching a bit further the pair would come across this rotting fish on the bank of a small creek. The creek had cut a sizable creek bed into the otherwise flat terrain. Perhaps going down into the creek bed would provide the shelter or at least get the pair out of plain sight that they desired.

The water smelled funny. Within the muddy banks, it could be seen thousands of foot prints. They were orc prints! Pieces of weapons and armaments were strewn about along with discarded fragments of horde chow tossed aside by the orc that couldn't stomach another bite. The water seemed fresh until closer inspection... feces and probably other bodily fluids floated in this water. The current of the creek was not strong enough to carry it off downstream. The large piles of orc waste was apparent in a straight path leading toward Peda in the Southwest. It was an easy trail that could lead any blind orc to the Hordes location, maybe even the unit Kruol was looking for since the worg riders were supposed to be guarding the Horde's rear.

[Kruol Gaadish]

"Good worg", Kruol said smartly. The animal hissed, immediately going after whatever it could eat once its rider dismounted. Indeed, they found the stream. Not so much good water though. But somehow Kruol grinned. They were close. Getting closer. He regarded the dead bodies and the filth and decided that he was better off checking the cracks and nooks of the stream in search for some good, non-foul water. Either way, he'd take some and douse himself with it. If anything, it would cover his scent. The hoo-mans and the elfies and their allies tend to have dogs and such on darkening patrols. He didn't want them to find him alone. They would find the HORDE.

He allowed about a quarter candlemark's rest. That was all he really needed. By this time he'd bark for Arrg and then mount up again. He'd fill the canteen with water and then urge his mount onward. "We ride, Arrg", he said stiffly, "follow the trail. We eat meat tonight."

[Gauls]

End brightening 2

After finding some clean (enough) water and a good spot to lay in concealment to rest, the pair were on the trail again. A very large trail to be more clear. The trampling of the ground upon which the horde had passed was a sign of how large the horde was. Junk dropped by the marching orcs was everywhere.

Kruol would get another brightening of travel nearly complete when they finally run across the first live person since leaving Ire brightenings ago. It was a human and a gnome. The human was on a wood cart pulled by a mule. The gnome, who was only about 3 feet tall, was hunched down over a metal object that had been trampled into the mud and he was brushing it off to get a better look at.

"Lookie 'ere! Got some shiny thing 'ere! Make a good price I'm sure. Yup, sure, sure." the gnome said loud enough for the human sitting on the cart to hear.

"Oh come on Gaff! We have lingered here long enough. What if more of them damn orcs come back this way!"

Kruol was about 100 feet away from the cart on the road and approaching from behind the cart. Both the human and gnome had their backs facing the worg rider but the mule starting sensing danger and began to get restless jerking upon the reigns.

"What's the matter boy?" the man said trying to control the mule.

The gnome began to look around but was looking side to side at the trees on both sides of them thinking it was something in the brush that was spoking the mule. Sparse trees did line the road all the way back to where Kruol was. The wind was blowing against them and so their scent reaching the two pan handlers was not going to be an issue. What was not clear was how the two were armed. So far, no weapons could be seen. That didn't mean that the gnome didn't have some gadget or magic of some sort to call upon.

[Kruol Gaadish]

Arrg hissed. Kruol pulled at the worg's leesh, attempting to control the sizable beast. He could see the cart-top human and his gnome friend. They did not look armed, nor did they appear particularly well-protected. This was interesting. Very interesting. Usually people were more defended, especially civillians, during wartime. Kruol growled and he saw and heard the human try to calm his mule down. The animal was smarter than both man and gnome. Kruol grinned then barked the command.

Charge.

Worgs were fast, strong. They were like horses, but better. Clumsy on loose terrain, less endurance, but they make up for all that with their massive, wolf-like jaws. Kruol urged the beast on, allowing it to wrap itself in the heat of battle -- and the promise of food. Orc and Worg were brothers in arms. The Horde was still brightenings away. They needed refreshment. They needed meat.

"I AM ORC!", Kruol roared as he approached the wagon first. He knew that the gnome probably tasted like bone with skin, so the mule and man was first on his to-eat list. When they were near enough, he'd simply hop off Arrg and charge from behind. The animal would do more damage without his added weight. Plus, it could chase down the mule if it decided to run.

Kruol's plan was simple: hit.Kill.Eat. Repeat.

[Gauls]

The worg lept from nearly a standing position and easily cleared the rear of the wagon knocking the man from his seat onto the ground as the worg flew over him and onto the back of the mule. One quick snap of his mighty jaws upon the top of the mule's neck severed the poor beast's spine collapsing the animal in a heap under Arrg's weight.

It was only a few seconds more that Kruol was upon the poor man lying flat on his back. The gnome dropped his shiny thing and spun around to see what was going on.

"Nooooo.....!!!" the man cried.

[Kruol Gaadish]

"Yes", Kruol said simply in response to the human's scream. There was no time for drama. This was not a play in some fancy Jaedaxian threatre. This was war. This was food. He is Orc. With his his massive, calloused hands, Kruol reached for the human's head, grabbed, and twisted. There shouldn't be too much struggling after that. Then, with a low hiss at Arrg, he added, "get the gnome when you're done with that." There was no need to have a little critter going around telling everyone of the unfortuante attack. "Arrg!", barked Kruol in case the worg was savoring his meal, "you finish that when you kill gnome! I eat human. You can have cow-horse!"

It was a feast, but Kruol knew how to pace himself. The bloodlust was there, he could feel it burning past his eye and the hollow space where other eye should have been. Still, there was a long trek ahead. And it would be very useful to have spare food, especially meat, for the journey. That, and Kruol was a little interested in the stuffs that was in the cart.

[Gauls]

Arrg lept off the mule corpse and onto the ground. The human's leg was twitching for a few seconds then stopped. He was dead. The worg had heard the order to kill the gnome but so did the gnome. He wasn't going to stand there to be made into a worg toothpick. As Arrg moved to pounce, the gnome muttered a bit then shot out from his hand a bolt of electricity that sent Arrg rolling backward with a yelp.

"He he he!" the gnome clattered as he stole away into the bushes. "Hope that mule arse tastes good!" he yelled out again as he disappeared from sight.

Kruol should have known the little gnome had to of know some magic. They never could fight fair. This one seemed to have a hand in elementism. Chasing a knobby gnome through the brush was not a very good time filler. It usually turns up nothing. Instead, looking through the cart that the human was driving would turn up something. The cart had an assortment of discarded armor. Most of it was orc armor that fell off or was thrown off by the horde that passed through here. There were bracers, iron breastplates, grieves, some odd and end long swords, daggers, and a quiver of arrows but no bow. There were some tangled mixes of leather straps, rope, belts, etc. most of which were broken or in bad condition.

[Kruol Gaadish]

Kruol growled furiously. He leaped off the human he just disposed off and rushed to Arrg. "Shake it off", he mumbled before rubbing the wolf-beast behind the ears. It was a rare display of affection; then again, it was a rare brightening to be attacked by lightning from a gnome. "We get him back", Kruol assured his mount, "him, his brothers, sisters, mother, father, and all of them. Then we take his toys and stick it in his foul end-pipe, hah!" If Arrg was indeed only stunned and not mortally injured, Kruol would allowed him his meal. Simple pleasures were the best things about wartime.

Back on the wagon, Kruol allowed himself to get the fleshling's arms and legs first. He saved the fatty parts for later. It was a long journey ahead. As he picked off the fresh meat from the corpse, Kruol negotiated with the scores of armour and items. He picked out the ones that looked decent enough, fit, and did not look hopelessly useless. When Arrg was done, he'd fetch the ropes and other things and see if he could weave some kind of makeshift leather-patch armour with it. The important thing was to keep his exposed parts covered.

Armour good. Food good. Weapons good. He is orc.

[Gauls]

Leather flank pads for Arrg and a nice steel breastplate, iron war hammer, and leather bracers for Kruol. Not a bad haul for an easy kill. The two would have the rest of the brightening to themselves to first gorge then rest before heading on to their destination. The orders for his unit still had to be delivered. The gnome may or may not still be in the area but Arrg was not picking up on any scents. The worg was burned a bit on the right shoulder where the electric bolt struck him but he was no worse for wear.

Still a couple brightenings to go before they could join their comrades and do some real fighting. The next time won't be so easy.

[Kruol Gaadish]

"Not bad", Kruol agreed as he picked out the poor bastard's eyes. They were juicy and sweet. He grunted at Arrg who was still eating. "You don't eat lot", he growled, "or you get fat and we both die, hah!" He slapped himself in the knee before going about figuring out how to package the damn corpse and save the meat. He'd have to slice the fething man into decent bite sizes or some such. That, and Arrg would need to eat between the couple of brightenings' ride ahead.

Swearing loudly now, Kruol took a drink to wash down his decent meal before kicking Arrg lightly on the side to get him to quit eating for now. "Later", he grunted, "Later or I eat you now." He held his new war hammer and slammed it passionately on the hard earth. "We rest now. Get over here." Arrg knew the drill. The two of them needed each other more for warmth than anything -- especially with Winter coming. "Too many winters without a hovel or even a cave", Kruol grumbled, "at least I have worg with stupid name ..."

Arrg hissed.

"Just kidding you have pretty name, hah!"

After a few candlemarks, Kruol stretched, allowed Arrg to wake up and continued. They'd leave a majority of the meat behind. Kruol would stuff the fatty parts, especially the stomach in some of his clothes. He'd also stuff the dead man's clothes between his chest and the breastplate. He knew that metal became cold, especially when riding. He didn't need sores to start off his wartime killing.

He is orc.

"RUN!", he growled and urged Arrg into a decent pace.