Orcblood Legacy: Skirmishes: Orcs Bernard Bertram (good books to read TXT) 📖

contorted with confusion, not understanding the seemingly random movement of its guest. “I Gub,” it spoke, still smiling, “who you?”

Fangdarr was baffled. Did the creature not realize he had nearly claimed its life? After closer inspection, he believed the answer was obvious. Taking a step forward, he slid Driktarr onto his back. His black-skinned hand disappeared beneath the ogre’s as it wrapped entirely around his hand and forearm and shook it roughly. “Fangdarr,” he replied.

Gub clapped his meaty hands together happily and bounced up and down, hitting his head against the low ceiling. After the third impact, the ogre finally looked up, wondering what had fallen on its head and rubbing his skull tenderly. As the ludicrous beast’s gaze fell upon Fangdarr once more, it seemed to have forgotten he had ever existed. Its gray eyes lit up with pure joy at the sight of a visitor. Quickly, Gub spun around and started scraping through a small pile of collected junk in the corner of the den.

“Here go!” Gub exclaimed with excitement, turning back to Fangdarr with what remained of a deer’s skull, though most of the bone had been broken or fragmented.

The orc looked at the gift curiously, then back to Gub’s waiting face, full of childish eagerness. Slowly, he extended his hand and grabbed the skull and smiled awkwardly to the ogre. Too confused to form the words, Fangdarr grunted in thanks.

Gub sat and watched Fangdarr hold his new trinket with delight. Now, the ogre waited patiently, a look of expectation slowly replacing the happiness. Fangdarr caught on eventually and rummaged through a small pouch at his waist. From within, the orc produced a dense, round rock that he had picked up the previous day to throw at birds and knock them from branches. Fangdarr showed the stone to Gub and held it out for the ogre.

He watched as Gub’s eyes lit up. The ogre hugged the trinket tightly and gently tucked it beneath the fold of its stomach for safekeeping. With a yelp of surprise, Fangdarr, too, was lifted into the air and pressed against Gub’s chest. The orc struggled to breath beneath the too-tight squeeze of his new friend and gasped for air after being dropped to the ground carelessly many moments later.

Still trying to catch his breath, Fangdarr rose to his feet and stared at Gub. “Friend,” he said between pants—one final check to be sure his safety was secured.

Gub flashed a toothy smile and let out a sigh of happiness, blowing gruesome breath into Fangdarr’s face that forced a few blinks. “Friend!”

GUB

Fangdarr watched as his folly roamed through the wood with grace. It slowly patted at the ground, exposing the more exquisite and rare plants tucked beneath the fallen leaves. As it grazed blissfully, Fangdarr waited patiently behind a tree with his bow in hand.

Suddenly, the orc heard a twig snap at his rear, followed by the loud swishing of brush being pushed aside. Immediately he turned to see the simple and brutish ogre he had befriended the day prior.

“Gub! Shh!” Fangdarr urged, motioning desperately with his hands to the senseless beast. Before Gub even had a chance to flash his toothy smile, the orc was already staring wide-eyed at his prize as it dashed in the opposite direction.

“OH! Faydar, look! Deer!” Gub shouted at the top of his lungs in excitement. If the creature had not already rushed off, it certainly would have by the ogre’s subsequent pounding on the forest floor with his eager hops.

All the orc could do was shake his head in frustration. How does this creature survive out here? It scares away all the food! Forcing himself back to tranquility, Fangdarr let his simmering rage dissipate and instead walked over to Gub—still flailing in wild joy.

“Gub, we need food,” the orc begged, bringing an end to the ogre’s smile. “Where you find food?” Already Fangdarr was starting to regret befriending the massive oaf. He watched Gub’s face quickly turn from confusion, to glee, to perplexion, then fear, and finally denial. How he wished he could hear the jumbled and slow thoughts of this creature.

Then, Gub’s eyes lit up. “Food! I know where,” he responded in his usual slumped and sluggish tone. Without hesitation, the ogre took off running to the east. Fangdarr nearly broke out in laughter upon seeing the bulging belly of his friend jiggle as Gub took off. Shaking his head once more, the orc followed.

Together they ran, dashing through the woods for what seemed half the day. Finally, Gub skidded to a halt abruptly, nearly causing Fangdarr to crash into him. Breathing heavily from such an extended trek, the orc scanned the area. He expected to see some sort of indicator that their meal was nearby. But all Fangdarr could see was exactly what had surrounded them before they even left. There was naught but trees, stones, and brush.

“Where food, Gub?” Fangdarr asked after catching his breath. The burning in his legs was intense, though his stubbornness refused to allow him to sit.

The ogre turned to him and gave a yelp of surprise as if he had no idea who Fangdarr was or how he had appeared behind him. “Who you?!” Gub yelled, tripping over himself and crawling away desperately.

Fangdarr stood completely confounded at the ogre’s reaction. “Gub . . . It’s Fangdarr. You remember?” No matter his words, no recognition came from the poor disturbed creature. The orc could see the same fear staining the gray orbs of his newfound friend as their first encounter, renewing his pity. As Fangdarr took a step closer, Gub whimpered and continued to crawl backwards before backing into a large tree. His profound fear only grew upon the realization that he was seemingly trapped against this advancing demon.

How can he not remember me? We just spent half the day racing through the forest to find food! The orc rubbed his temple in thought, frustrated at the inconvenience of dealing with such an imbecilic creature. After pondering, Fangdarr fell on an