Spooning With Orcs

He was damn near as big as a mountain, looming over her even lying down. Sandy knew this was necessary. The fire was not enough to drive away the chill in the air that pierced straight to the bone now that the sun had set. Morkoth was, at least, very hot-blooded. She could feel the heat radiating from him when she sat beside him earlier. At first she thought it was from the campfire, but now that she was closer, the orc's natural body heat was apparent.

"Do not be afraid," the huge Uruk said quietly. "I will not harm you."

"Sorry," she muttered, finally sinking to the ground in front of him. The flattened grass of the campsite was cold beneath her, and she shivered.

He lay there patiently, not touching her or drawing her close. Just...waiting.

Taking a deep breath and squeezing her eyes shut, Sandy hesitantly backed into his chest. It was like wrapping herself in an electric blanket going full tilt. She let her breath out slowly, restraining the impulse to burrow deeper into the comforting heat of Morkoth's body.

Cradling her head on her arm, she tried to relax enough to sleep. She could feel every breath he took, his chest expanding and contracting like a bellows, the sound of his breathing almost a purr. His heavy, well-muscled arm encircled her waist protectively.

Glancing over, she saw Brianna was having a harder time with the idea, but then, so was Ghrulagûrz. His expression alone, as he sat cross-legged on the ground, was in no way welcoming. Sandy sympathized with her friend in this; the orcs were an anomaly in Brianna's world view that she probably couldn't reconcile. Sandy was having a rough enough time of it, and she at least had a passing familiarity with the species. As she had revealed to Morkoth, that familiarity was not a reassuring one.

"Down!" snapped Nûrzgrat, shoving the big Uruk over. Ghrulagûrz tipped awkwardly, sprawling on the ground. "Now you," he snarled at Brianna. Sandy winced with the woman; cozying up to that orc was not an inviting prospect. When she didn't move fast enough to suit him, Nûrzgrat made a grab for her arm.

Sandy half rose, intending to rush to her friend's defense, but Morkoth would not release her.

"Let them be," he said, his voice rumbling like an avalanche in his chest. She wondered if she could break his hold; he was big, very muscular, and undoubtedly determined. Her training had certainly included defense against such opponents. But what would the others do, if she tried anything? She was the outsider here. Morkoth may want to give her the impression that he was a gentle giant, but if she didn't do what he wanted, he'd likely have a few supporters behind him, making sure he got it.

She needn't have worried. Ghrulagûrz lurched to his feet and advanced on his leader. He looked nearly as vicious as he had when Nûlkol had grabbed Brianna before.

"Easy," Nûrzgrat said, letting go of Brianna and stepping back. "I ain't kidding, boy," he snarled, pressing his hand flat against the bigger Uruk's chest in a warding gesture. Ghrulagûrz flinched and backed off. "You know it's cold. Do whatcha gotta do."

Turning to Brianna, he said, "I ain't tellin' you again, either. Get up against him or you'll freeze. You got nothin' to worry about from him."

"That's easy for you to say," Brianna replied, hugging herself and shivering.

Rolling his eyes, Nûrzgrat squatted down next to her and whispered something in her ear. Brianna started, a surprised expression on her face. Obviously, she hadn't expected whatever the leader said.

Straightening, Nûrzgrat met Ghrulagûrz's furious gaze, then silently pointed toward the fire. The bigger Uruk stomped over and threw himself down on his side, very like a child throwing a tantrum. But he lay still.

Brianna joined him with considerably less terror than she had shown before. Sandy just stared in shock as her friend lay down in the curve of Ghrulagûrz's body. What had Nûrzgrat said to her?

Settling back down, Sandy watched. While the damaged Uruk didn't retreat from contact with Brianna, he certainly didn't embrace her like Morkoth did Sandy. Still, she could tell he wanted to, for his hand clenched and rose off his side uncertainly, returned, rose, clenched, until finally he settled on keeping to himself.

Sandy was so preoccupied with what was happening to Brianna, she forgot completely about her own situation. It was brought home like a blunt force trauma when she realized Morkoth's cloth breeches were in no way masking the erection pressed firmly to her backside.

Oh my god, don't say anything, don't draw attention to it, pretend you don't notice...

Was he like that when she first lay down against him? She honestly couldn't remember. As intrusive as it was now, she couldn't imagine how she missed it before. Regardless, Sandy reacted as she would to any unspoken threat, her body tensing and shivering. Unfortunately, Morkoth interpreted the trembling as weather-related, and pulled her closer. She whimpered and went completely rigid.

"I will not harm you," Morkoth rumbled into her ear. She could feel his hot breath on her neck.

"I'm finding it very difficult to trust you," Sandy hissed through clenched teeth, "with your dick in my ass."

She felt him startle against her. "It bothers you?"

Feeling damn near reckless in her exasperation, Sandy retorted, "What are you, retarded? Of course it bothers me! Would you feel comfortable with a knife at your throat?"

"It's not a knife...," he began, but she elbowed him in the ribs sharply, surprising him into silence.

"No shit, Buckwheat," she growled. "At least a knife would be quick."

"Ah," he said, as if the light finally dawned. "You think I will rape you. No. That I will not do."

"Yeah, well, you have a funny way of convincing me."

"It is not necessary," he said, then seemed to be settling down to sleep, as if that was the end of the discussion.

Confused, Sandy hissed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"A man would give you a choice," he replied quietly. "I must do the same."

"Not that I'm complaining, but why?"

He sighed. "Go to sleep, Sandy."

"But..."

"Sleep."

Rolling her eyes, Sandy huffed crossly. By degrees, she could feel the tension slipping away, in spite of the intimidating pressure against her rear end. Looking over, she saw Brianna huddled against Ghrulagûrz, eyes drooping with fatigue. The big Uruk stared over her head at the campfire. He didn't look like he intended to sleep at all. Satisfied that at least her friend was all right, Sandy relaxed and closed her eyes. In the stillness, she could hear the snuffling grunts of the youngest orcs as they slept, the shuffling around of the leader as he tried to find a comfortable lie, the logs in the firepit crackling, Morkoth's low warning growl...

Eyes flaring open, Sandy's gaze darted around. Limping painfully into camp was Nûlkol, clutching his side. He halted in the space between Sandy and Brie, eyes slowly drifting from one to the other. There was nothing at all friendly in his face, and Sandy found herself pressing into Morkoth's body, seeking his protection.

"Where's mine, I wonder?" Nûlkol growled. "Who will embrace poor Nûlkol in the cold, cold night?" Settling his gaze on Brianna, he dropped to a crouch and crawled on hands and feet toward her. He looked like a huge spider. Ghrulagûrz, face contorted with hate, bolted upright and hovered protectively over Brianna's trembling form. Sandy met her gaze briefly; her friend was terrified.

"Ah, sweet thing," the menacing Uruk crooned. "Nûlkol will be kind. Nûlkol will please you. Nûlkol misses you so much."

With mounting horror and shock, Sandy realized he wasn't talking to Brianna.

Ghrulagûrz vaulted to his feet and went for Nûlkol's throat. Brianna curled up in a ball, covering her head as the two orcs battled nearly on top of her. Breaking free of Morkoth's loosened hold, Sandy scrambled across the ground to Brie, dodging big clawed feet. The roaring was deafening. Fixated on one goal, she made it to the other woman and dragged her trembling, sobbing form away from the combatants.

The fight woke everyone, including the younger ones. Razkaar squealed like a piglet and scuttled for cover. Thakûf retreated out of their way, but otherwise showed only curious interest.

Nûrzgrat, of course, was furious.

"What the fuck is going on!" he bellowed. Stomping over, he grabbed each Uruk by the hair and yanked them apart. Nûlkol he threw to the ground. All he could reasonably do against Ghrulagûrz's rage was thrust an arm out to block him from further mayhem. Morkoth's strength was needed to subdue the huge Uruk by putting him in a chokehold.

"Somethin' going on?" Frûmâdûrz asked from the darkness outside the fire's light.

"Get back to your watch!" Nûrzgrat barked. "I don't know who the fuck started it, and I don't give a shit. You, get your ass over there. You, back to your woman. If I hear another peep out of anyone, I'm cutting throats. Am I understood?"

Though Ghrulagûrz snarled, he nodded, and Morkoth released him. Nûlkol laughed. Sandy shuddered at the sound, for it put her in mind of a hyena.

"Are you okay?" she asked Brianna. "Didn't get stepped on, I hope?"

"No, I'm fine," Brianna replied. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "They just don't get along, do they?"

"Not at all," Sandy agreed. "So what did Nûrzgrat say about him? When he whispered to you."

Leaning close to Sandy's ear, Brianna murmured, "He said Ghrulagûrz's name means 'broken club.' He's...well, he's impotent."

Sandy's eyes widened, and she looked hard at her friend. "Seriously?" Brianna just nodded. "So...I've got Morkoth's...little friend knocking at my back door, and you've got...nothing?"

"Nothing," Brianna replied. "Not a flicker. There is something so incredibly not right with him. If it kills me, I'll find out."

"Well, don't go that far," Sandy advised. "Before you launch a campaign, trying to fix that little problem, maybe you'd better do the test."

Brianna's jaw dropped open, and she hissed, "I'll do no such thing! Why don't you test Morkoth?"

"Maybe I will!" Sandy retorted. As camp settled back down, she shot one last glare at Brianna, then returned to Morkoth's side. In a matter of minutes, the crackle of the campfire was joined by multiple snoring orcs.

"You are...not harmed?" Ghrulagûrz asked in an undertone. His breathing still hadn't settled down. Brianna was having a hard time relaxing herself, feeling his chest still heaving against her back.

"I'm fine," she said stiffly.

"You are so small," he said uncertainly.

"Yes, and very breakable, so mind yourself," she snapped.

"I have displeased you." His voice was sullen.

Rubbing her forehead with an unsteady hand, Brianna shook her head. "No, it's all right. I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out." Laughing nervously, she said, "I've never in my life wanted to see anyone die, but in Nûlkol's case, I'll make an exception."

His chest spasmed briefly. It might have been a laugh, but Ghrulagûrz struck her as someone for whom laughter did not come easily. "Nûrzgrat will not let us kill him."

"I'm sure I don't know why," Brianna grumbled. "He scares the bejesus out of me. It's like...he has this aura around him that makes my threat detecting radar go haywire."

Gradually, Ghrulagûrz relaxed. "I will kill him one day," he said softly. It seemed to Brianna that he spoke as one swearing an oath.

"I'll cheer when you do."