Fires blazed high above the wood and leather huts, coarse guttural bellows mingling with higher-pitched shouts and screams and the snarls of battle-boars. It was, in Onaya's opinion, a very bad idea for the flimsier humans to be attacking the orc town, but then there was no understanding humans. She seized her mace, dashing out the door. A tall man with spiky brown hair and burning eyes loomed in front of her, an ugly leer of disgust further marring his abhorrent features. She bared her own fangs in a returning snarl, lifting her weapon to catch his blade.
She was almost of age to take the Trials, and her father had been pushing her hard. For a moment she entertained the amusing thought that this whole raid was just another training exercise he had arranged for her – but then, beyond her adversary, she saw her neighbor fall with a choked gurgle and all her levity fled. Her father would never put his people in such harm's way. Rage rose in her throat, lending strength to her arms. A fury-fueled blow of the mace and the man fell, his head bashed gruesomely in. Onaya ran forward, seizing a javelin without breaking stride, eyes narrowing as she honed in on the archer who had slain her neighbor. She slung the javelin with all her strength, and the human woman fell.
Onaya looked around, searching for her next foe, but the humans had been beaten off. A bucket chain had already started, the townsfolk working together to smother the fires set by the marauders. She moved to join in, but paused at a familiar holler. Her father hurried up, his blade still stained and dripping red. "Daughter," he greeted. "How many?"
She ducked her head. "Only two," she admitted.
He patted her shoulder. "You did well, for one not yet of age," he said gruffly.
Onaya nodded silently, she knew she would need to be much fiercer in the Trials, but for now she accepted her father's slight praise. Glancing around, she saw the fires under control, and followed her father towards the citizens gathering in the middle of the town.
Soundtrack for this is the first several songs from the compilation "Ringwraiths" by World and Fantasy Music by the Fiechters. Just a little thing to get my hand back in, writing. :D
