Pairing: Male OC Orc/Female OC Nord

I just want to mention that the amazing author Zoop inspired me to write this story! Zoop has instilled in me a newfound love for orcs, via their wonderful writing. I would definitely recommend you check out their stories 'Duty Calls' and 'The Dragonborn's Keeper' (find them in my 'favourite stories' on my profile). Epic stuff. :) Zoop, if you read this, this is for you! I hope you don't mind.

The White Wolf

I.

She could clearly remember the day he had arrived at Jorrvaskr because of the storm that accompanied him.

The conversation of her fellow Companions had run dry, and so she sat and stared outside. It was pouring rain like she hadn't seen in years. She watched it cascade down the windows in crystalline rivulets, distorting her view of the world beyond.

The wind screeched between the cracks around the door, sounding like the sorrowful ghost of a howling wolf. When it flew open and crashed against the wall, she assumed that a gust had caught the latch. But as she stood to close it again, she saw him standing there, taller than any man she had ever seen, water running down him like he was a waterfall.

His skin was the usual olive-green of the Orsimer, his face broad with a neck like an ox. She caught herself staring at him, with his razor-point tusks and the dark war paint around his eyes running down his cheeks in a steady stream. It dripped from the tip of his knotted black beard and onto the breastplate of his orcish armour.

His opalescent grey-blue eyes watched her, just as she watched him. She found herself wondering what exactly he saw when he looked at her.

"Companion." He greeted with a dip of his head, voice deep and raspy, as if he had inhaled too much smoke from a fire.

"Orsimer." She responded in kind, still unable to look away.

II.

"Harbinger," At her voice, the old man looked up and smiled. The warmth did not leave his face as he took in the visitor. "This man is requesting to join the Companions."

"Are you indeed?" Kodlak set the paper he was holding aside, clasping his hands together and resting them on the desk. She caught the scent of crisp parchment and ink as it wafted towards her; that particular scent had always struck her as a comfort.

"Aye."

"What is your name, friend?"

"Talenok."

"Well, Talenok, we haven't had the pleasure of an orsimer in our ranks in living memory." He assessed the orc carefully, and when he didn't receive a response, he carried on. "What has drawn you to us?"

Talenok, who had been unwavering until this point, now looked a little uncomfortable. "I…" He swallowed and seemed to battle some inner constraint before he continued. "It came to me in a dream."

"Dreams with purpose are often sent by the Divines. Pursuing those dreams is a worthy path, in my experience." He smiled fondly, and she was struck - not for the first time - by the Harbinger's kindness.

III.

In the practise yard, she stood beneath the canopy that covered the outside dining tables, hugging herself against the chill from the wind.

Talenok readied himself, drawing his dual swords, the orcish blades were oddly shaped in comparison to her own Skyforge steel. Vilkas drew his sword, crouching defensively as they circled each other.

It was the orc who moved first, spinning in the rain so fluidly that she swore he was made of liquid metal. Vilkas was unprepared for the move, barely managing to block the hit and stay on his feet. He slid back a few paces, boots unable to grip the wet stones beneath him.

They spun away from each other, reforming their original stances. This time it was the Nord who moved first, catching Talenok across his thigh and drawing a bloody line. The maneuver cost him his ability to block, however, and the orsimer was able to cross his blades across Vilkas' throat, ending the battle as quickly as it had begun.

She had never seen Vilkas bettered in battle, not by anyone but Skjor or Farkas. She could see the frustration in her Sheild-Brother and worried for a moment he would strike out at Talenok again.

When he stepped back and sheathed his sword, she let out a breath she wasn't aware had been locked in her chest. Vilkas bowed his head in acceptance.

"I will tell Kodlak you fought well."

"You have my thanks."

"I do not want it." Vilkas replied evenly, brushing past her without sparing her a glance. Once the door closed behind him, she tentatively smiled at the orsimer.

"Welcome." Was all she could think to say. She turned back to Jorrvaskr. "Come, you are soaked through."

"To the bone." He grunted in agreement and followed her inside.

IV.

Despite being accepted by Kodlak, Talenok was still treated as an outcast among the Companions. She invited him to join them as often as she could, but he seemed content to sit by himself, staring into the fire.

There was a calm sadness about him that hurt her heart when she looked at him. She saw the way he shied away from others as if he were afraid to frighten them; the way he would often wear a hood to hide his features, even when inside.

She wished that he could see himself as she saw him, as there was not an ill thought towards him that she could conjure.

Three weeks after Talenok was delivered to them by the storm, she decided it was time she tried to break through his shell - or at least leave a dent. She found him alone one night in the main hall, in his usual chair before the fire.

She was stumbling home late from The Bannered Mare, and perhaps her boldness was fueled by mead, but also by her curiosity.

"Do you mind?" She gestured to the chair beside him and he nodded his silent assent. She had taken two bottles of mead from a nearby table and she passed him one. He took it after a moment of hesitation, his eyes barely leaving the fire.

She slid into the chair and pulled her boots off, folding her legs beneath her. She took a long pull from the bottle before she turned her gaze towards him. She detected his scent from where she sat, like sage and clean dirt. It was strong, but not unpleasant. His hair was brushed smooth and shone in the firelight. He seemed to take great pride in it.

"Has the fire offended you?" At her words, Talenok gave her a quick look of confusion. "Only you can't seem to stop staring it down."

He seemed uncomfortable with her observation, and took his time to respond, opening and closing his mouth several times before the words were spoken.

"It's only offence is beauty." He said it carefully, gently - as if he had put a lot of thought into each word.

"Do you often find beauty offensive?" She tried to say it lightly, but her shock attached to her words as they were born from her throat.

His eyes rose far enough to watch her hands, and she twitched them around the mead bottle self-consciously. He didn't seem to notice her discomfort.

Finally, he shook his head. "I only envy it."

She wasn't sure how to respond, and so she allowed them to fall back into silence.

V.

She asked him to spar with her one day, knowing she could learn much from his method. After all, she had never seen anything like it. She vaguely wondered if perhaps his actions were controlled by a Divine - his movement seemed otherworldly to her.

He had been easy on her, until she had reminded him he would not break her. He was a patient teacher, going back over the moves she had used and pointing out weaknesses and improvements and strengths that she had never known herself to have.

When they finished, both dripping sweat and heaving great desperate breaths, they collapsed on the steps each happily accepting a bottle of mead from Tilma before she disappeared inside with her broom.

"You said it was a dream that lead you here?"

"I did."

"What was the dream?"

He reflexively straightened his posture and looked down at his lap, examining his bottle as if it was a great discovery.

It didn't seem that he was going to respond, and she was worried she had pushed too far. "I apologise, I should not pry."

"No!" He said too quickly, looking up at her. She smiled placidly, wiping some sweat from her brow.

"I mean, no. Its fine. You don't pry." Talenok cleared his throat and after a moment of gathering his thoughts, began to speak with his voice like glowing embers.

"I dreamt I was a wolf, being chased by a silver ghost. As I ran, I realised it was with a purpose. Towards some place safe. I was joined by other wolves who called me Brother. They tore down the silver ghost before it could touch me. The wolves were black, save for their leader who was as pure white as fresh snowfall. The white wolf sort of...morphed...into a woman. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen." His eyes darted up to her briefly as he said it, and she wasn't blind to the blush on his cheeks. "She told me to come here, to the Companions." He shrugged. "So here I am."

"I am glad for it." She said decidedly.

"Aye?"

"Aye."

VI.

From that day forward, she felt the way he watched her, or rather, didn't watch her; as if his eyes couldn't bare to rest on her for long lest someone see and begin to draw conclusions. At first she thought he must be indifferent or uninterested in her, but his body often gave him away.

Even though his expression was set in steel, colour would rise in his cheeks when she spoke to him, and his body tensed, fingers tightening into fists, or around the flagon of ale he held in his broad hand.

The others had begun to accept him, even joke with him. Now he would sit around the fire with the other Companions at night. He spoke very little, but it was progress regardless.

During the conversations, Talenok would lean slightly in her direction, ear angled as if he was trying to pick up whatever she was saying. Sometimes she spoke a little louder than necessary just so he could hear.

Some nights she would sit back and watch him interact with the others. She would find herself wondering what it would feel like for his fingers to run through her hair, to feel his breath on her neck. They were careless, subconscious thoughts and when she caught herself with them, she cast them away to that dark place in her mind where she hid her black secrets.

Still, whenever their eyes did catch, she felt a white-hot spark roll down her spine, like someone had dropped a burning coal down the back of her tunic.

When they took their first assignment together, she let him take the lead, watching the way his body moved deliberately, each step carefully calculated before it was taken. There was a certain grace to him that was unexpected.

They were in a dungeon, working their way through a band of necromancers. The sight of them made her skin crawl, seeing the dead rise again before them, some with blood still seeping from the wounds that had just felled them.

They were deep into it, both breathing hard after the kills they had made so far. She could feel that they were drawing close to the Master and once he was dealt with, they could leave this wretched place. She was so bent on finishing the job, that she didn't notice the tripwire until the battering log was headed straight for her.

Talenok was there in a flash, lunging and pushing her out of the way. Her back hit the stone wall with a thud, and he stood above her, hands pressed against her shoulders, pinning her in place. She looked up into his eyes, realising their colour matched the sky on the first day they had met.

His breath was shallow in his chest, body inching closer to her each time he inhaled. Shefound she liked having him this close, with his now-familiar scent of sage and soil. She liked the feeling of his fingers digging into her skin, even if it was through the padding of her armour.

They stayed like that for several moments, and she began to wonder if he was going to kiss her. She licked her lips at the thought, and he watched her do it, his mouth falling open slightly.

Talenok pushed away from her and the moment passed.

"Be careful." He said without emotion, turning away and continuing along the passage.

VII.

Weeks later, she again found herself alone in the main hall with Talenok. They had all been up, celebrating for no reason as usual. In the small hours, the others had begun to filter away one or two at a time.

As if by unspoken agreement, neither she nor Talenok moved and it wasn't long before it was just them.

When the room fell silent, she tipped up her mug and finished off her spiced wine. She watched him for a moment as he examined the table, smoothing the cracks with his fingers. After the tension in the air between them became thick, she stood and came to sit beside him.

He glanced up at her briefly, and she could tell by the deep flush on his face that he had had as much to drink as her, if not more.

"Tell me of orsimer women." She took a forgotten half-finished bottle from the table and downed it, her eyes not leaving him. He watched her lips on the bottle and he swallowed at the same moment she did, his hands forming fists on top of the table.

"What is there to tell?" His voice was an octave deeper than she was used to it being.

She shrugged carelessly. "Is it your tradition to take a wife?"

Talenok swallowed again, as if he were nervous. "Yes, in a fashion. We take a...mate."

She nodded, understanding. "Have you?"

He looked shocked for a moment, mouth falling open. She found herself staring at his mouth, wondering what it would be like to kiss a man with tusks.

"No, I have not."

There was silence again between them, and she itched to touch him. Instead she clasped her hands in her lap.

"Straja…"

It was the first time she had heard him speak her name, and her heart swelled at the sound. She looked up at him, noticing that his breath had quickened.

"Yes?"

"Could you ever...I mean…" He blushed scarlet and couldn't look at her.

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Talenok." When he didn't look at her, she reached out pressing her fingers against his chin and turning his face towards her. She searched his eyes, and what she saw there was fear, but also hope.

"I could." She said decidedly.

"You could?"

She nodded, her fingers lingering for a moment before she withdrew them as slowly as she could manage. "You have only to ask."

He made a strangled noise and looked away. "I have no right. I am not worthy."

"Not worthy?" She blinked at him in confusion.

"Something as hideous as I could never touch something as beautiful as you."

The pain on his face was enough to drive tears to her eyes, and she inhaled sharply. She opened her mouth to respond, but then there was a call from behind them.

"There y' are!" It was Ria at the top of the stairs, stumbling drunkenly forwards. "I can' get the buckles." She gestured to the straps on her leather armour. "Njada won' help."

She sighed in exasperation, and was about to tell Ria to piss off, but Talenok stood up abruptly. He muttered something that sounded vaguely like 'goodnight' and then he disappeared down the stairs.

She felt a sense of distress overcome her, but grudgingly raised and helped Ria off with her armour.

"Alright, to bed with you, Shield-Sister." She helped Ria down the stairs and into the whelps room. Once the girl was settled in her bed, she looked across to where Talenok slept. He lay facing the wall.

She considered going to him, but decided against it and retreated to her own bed.

VIII.

He avoided her for days after their last encounter and she wasn't sure whether to be offended by it, or worried.

It took Farkas assigning them both to work a job clearing some bandits out of a nearby barrow before he would go anywhere near her. They set out at dawn, with Talenok refusing to even look at her.

After a while of walking, she attempted to talk to him. "Have I offended you?"

He looked at her, bewildered. "Of course not."

"Then why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't."

"Don't lie to me." She snapped with much more force than she had intended.

Talenok hunched his shoulders and stared hard at the ground. "You do not understand." He told her, anger clear in his voice. Whether it was directed at her or towards himself, she wasn't sure.

"So help me!" She insisted, but the only response she received was a violent shake of his head. She set her jaw.

Despite her best efforts, he would not speak again. Another hour passed, and her thoughts were beginning to drive her mad with confusion and targetless anger.

"Enough of this." She pulled up short and took her pack off, settling it on the side of the road next to a tree. "Come here." He must have caught the demanding tone of her voice, as he didn't argue and simply did as she said. "Look at me."

He forced his eyes to hers.

"You are not hideous."

No hesitation: "I am."

"How could you even think that?" She said sternly. When she saw the confounded look on his face, her tone softened. "Can't you see, Talenok?" She reached out and took one of his hands in hers.

"I am not- "

"I swear, by the Nine, if you tell me you are not worthy I will...I'll…" She wasn't exactly sure what she would do, and so the sentence died off as an empty threat. "Oh, forsake it." She closed the distance between them and gripped his shoulders, pushing herself up on her toes to plant a full kiss on his lips.

Talenok stiffened under her touch, and she found herself holding there, lips against his, silently begging him to kiss her back. After a terrifying moment, he conceded and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her back timidly.

Immediately, her entire body came to life. His touch gave her courage, and her entire being sung in time with her quickened heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer still. When they broke apart, she found his eyes and held them.

"Straja -"

"Be quiet." She commanded, and kissed him again. She could feel his entire body trembling against her, and as she felt his arousal swell in his breeches against her stomach, she pushed herself tighter against him. Talenok groaned appreciatively into her mouth, hoisting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Now at the same height, she ran her fingers through his hair.

He pressed her back against the tree, kissing down her neck, his tusks scratching lightly against her sensitive skin and sending tingling shivers down her spine. Talenok thrust his hips up against her, and she felt his hardness against her bottom. She gasped at the feeling, dragging her nails across his scalp.

When she looked at him, his face was clouded by warm desire and she knew it was an expression she mirrored. She was suddenly aware of the fact that far too much clothing lay between them and that she didn't care if he took her in the middle of the road, as long as he did it.

She tugged at his breastplate as he crushed his lips to hers again, signaling she wanted it gone. Talenok rested her on her feet again, and she reached for a buckle.

That was when they heard the snarling behind them.

She looked around him, and saw three wolves closing in behind. "Fuck." She breathed, immediately reaching for her sword and slicing at one as it lunged for Talenok's back. She caught it across the stomach, and it fell with a whimper, its guts spilling free.

Talenok drew his swords and took care of the remaining two. As the wolves lay dead before them, he dropped his weapons and sunk to his knees beside them, whispering words she didn't understand. He ran his hands over the fallen animals, and the sadness radiating from him was overwhelming.

She sheathed her sword and came beside him, resting her hand on his head as he leaned forwards.

"Because of the dream?" She asked quietly.

Talenok nodded mutely, unable to express all of the emotions he was experiencing. After awhile, they moved the wolves to the side of the road and continued on their way without further words.

IX.

That night, exhausted from their day of killing, they decided to stay the night at the nearest inn rather than trek all the way back to Jorrvaskr.

Although Talenok had tried to insist a room with two beds, there were none available, much to his dismay. She tried not to take it personally, considering they had just had a rough, albeit successful day. Her muscles sang angrily with the death blows she had delivered the bandits.

Once they were inside the room, she immediately started to strip away her armour without another thought towards it.

When she was down to her tunic and leather leggings, she stopped and turned to look at him. He stood facing the wall, his chest bare and heaving with each breath. His muscles rippled as he stretched, carefully stowing his armour on a chair.

He must have felt her eyes on him, because he turned his head to her, eyes widening when he saw the expression of appreciation on her face. She felt his eyes sweep her body as well and she stepped towards him.

His closeness brought the familiar burn back to her, and she hesitantly reached out, pressing her hands against his stomach. He was truly enormous, a good two and a half feet taller. With each nervous breath he took, his muscles contracted, and his eyes slid shut as she ran her fingers up his chest, resting just below his shoulders.

When the movement stopped, he opened his eyes again, and she smiled at him. He leaned down towards her, raising a hand to weave into the hair at the back of her head. As their lips touched, she was again overwhelmed by how carefully he handled her.

She kissed him back, slowly, savouring, opening her eyes to meet his gaze. His pupils had dilated, quite striking against the paleness of the rest of his eye. His hand at her head drew her closer against him, and she was flush against his body.

Talenok's free hand came to rest at her hip, strong and warm, even through her top. As she brushed her fingers down over his tense thigh muscles, he winced. She pulled back, fingers having touched on something sticky. Her hand was stained red.

She pulled away from him immediately, checking his leg and seeing a long gash there. She gasped, wondering wildly how she had not noticed this before now.

"You're wounded."

Talenok let out a breath, releasing her hips. She gave him a stern look, and gestured for him to rest on the bed. She pulled down his breeches, leaving him in nothing but his small clothes. Her breath caught as she took him in, but she pushed her desire aside for the moment.

He lay on his good side, giving her full access to the wound. She took a pitcher of water from the table and ripped strips of cloth from her spare tunic as rags and bandage. When it was clean, it did not look as bad as it had before. She wrapped it tightly and tied it off, knowing that that was where her knowledge of healing ended.

"You should have told me." She scolded, coming to sit on the bed beside him. She lifted her legs, hugging them to her chest and watching him over her knees.

He looked down and away, shifting so that he was sitting with his back against the headboard.

"Thank you."

From her position, she reached out to touch his hand, running her finger over the thick calluses and scars that marred it.

It came to her that she knew hardly anything of this man and suddenly a million questions came to her mind, but she pushed them back. Perhaps this was not the time. Her eyes explored him as her hand stilled, until her eyes came to rest on his small clothes

She reached out, brushing down his stomach and lower, lower until - he caught her hand and pulled it to his lips. He kissed her palm and then let her go, shaking his head.

"I cannot."

Her heart dropped into her gut and she withdrew her hand self-consciously.

"I understand." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"You do?"

She shrugged. "I am not orsimer. Perhaps I could not fulfill your, uh...needs."

"No, that is not…" Talenok drifted off, shifting uncomfortably. "I am quite positive you could fulfill my needs, beyond all of my wildest expectations."

"Then, what?"

"I would go slow, if you would permit."

"Slow?"

He backtracked slightly. "If your interest in me is beyond an itch."

For a moment, she wasn't sure what he meant. "An itch?" And then it came to her. "Ah. I'm unsure of what you think of me, Talenok, but I do not seek to use you as some perverse tool. Some temporary fix for my lusts."

"I had scarcely hoped...I'm sure there are others better suited."

"I will decide that for myself." She struggled to keep her temper, knowing that truly he meant well in his own way.

"My words are showing the wrong story." He grunted and closed his eyes as if struggling with his own mind. "Let me begin again."

She waited in silence for him.

"You remember my dream?" When she nodded, he continued. "The white wolf in my dream, who turned into the woman. From the moment I saw her...I knew I must be near her. It is why I came to the Companions."

His eyes met hers, searching her expression but she wasn't sure what for.

"It was you, Straja. You are the white wolf."

Her eyes widened as she realised what that meant. She remembered him telling her of the dream, how he had said that it was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. How he had blushed and looked at her as he said it.

"I would move slowly as to not frighten the wolf away." Talenok's last words came as a whisper and she felt her breath leave her entirely.

She tried to speak, but choked on the words and realised in a rush that she was crying, tears falling down her cheeks in steady streams.

His expression was horrified, obviously drawing the wrong conclusion from her reaction. He moved to stand, but she reacted in a flash and held him in place, kissing him fiercely.

He relaxed in her grip and tentatively stroked her arm. She pulled back, hastily wiping tears from her cheeks. Her fingers found his.

"We can move as slowly as you would like, but you will not frighten this wolf away."

"I should frighten you." He whispered.

"Stop, Talenok."

He shook his head and looked at her incredulously. "Just look at me, Straja!"

She took her time, smoothing back his dark hair, running her fingers across his lips and cheeks and ears.

"I am, Talenok. I have not looked away since first I saw you." She pressed her lips to his cheek, and felt his arms curl around her.

"Why?" His voice was small.

"You are a true warrior, with the most gentle soul I have ever known." She stroked his hair soothingly, feeling his hands twitch at her back. She kissed his brow.

"You would not think it, looking at me."

"No, you would not." She agreed, smiling at him and relishing the sight of his hesitant smile in return.

She did not push him that night, instead she was simply content to sleep with his arms around her and his breath in her hair.

X.

When she awoke, she found herself alone in the bed. She sat up, finding Talenok sitting in a chair, staring hard at the wall with a look of utter despair on his face.

"Talenok."

He looked at her, and his eyes were sad.

"Do you still doubt?" She asked. He couldn't look at her, and turned his face back to the wall, swallowing hard.

"I want what is best for you."

She got up slowly, pushing her tangled hair back over her shoulders.

"Look at me." She commanded. His eyes turned to her.

With a deliberate slowness, she pushed her small clothes down over her thighs, letting them slide to the floor. Next, she grabbed the hem of her tunic and pulled it over her head, baring her full naked body to him.

He twitched in the chair, eyes locked to her as she walked towards him. He had put back on his leather breeches. She straddled him in the chair, raising his chin gently to kiss her. He didn't move to touch her, but kissed her back. His breath came in pants, and as she massaged at his scalp and ears, he groaned.

Encouraged, she ran her nails down his chest, hard enough to leave faint lines. "Touch me." She commanded, and his hands moved to her back, fingers exploring her before they moved to her front, palms pressing against her breasts. When she moaned, she could feel his hardness against her womanhood and rolled her hips against him.

He gasped, fingers moving to dig into her hips as she moved again and again. The sensation drove her wild, and she nipped at his neck to silence herself.

After a moment, she reached down between them, untying the laces that held his trousers shut. When they were undone, Talenok was able to inch them far enough down that his length sprung free.

He was sizeable and she found herself aching at the thought of him inside of her. She wasted no time, giving him only a couple of strokes with her hand before she positioned him at her entrance and sat down onto him. She whimpered at the fullness of him within her, and rocked her hips experimentally.

Talenok let out a breath, mouth falling open and eyes squeezed shut. "Look at me." She breathed, using his shoulders for support as she rode him. His eyes snapped open, and she moved again, causing them both to moan.

Eventually, she picked up her pace until they were both moving with it, him grabbing her buttocks and guiding her up and down. All she was aware of in the world was him and his body and the pleasure he was giving her as she drew closer and closer to the mountain inside her he was climbing. When she reached the peak, white exploded behind her eyes and she collapsed against him, heaving. Talenok pounded up into her vigorously, until he too was at the top. He spent himself inside her with her name on his lips.

They sat like that for awhile, him still buried deep inside her, with her head on his shoulder, hair draped across his chest.

"There is no doubt for me." She murmured after awhile, and he rumbled his agreement, pressing slow kisses along her neck and chest.

"The white wolf does not seem frightened." He remarked shyly.

"No, she does not." When he chuckled against her throat, she knew that she had wiped away both of their doubts.

Thanks for reading! I have ideas about how I could turn this pairing into a full blown story, which I might do in the future. Let me know if you would be interested in it! :D