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Last Hope of Mankind


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Summary: Estel age 11 has been captured by orcs. Why haven't they tortured him yet? Why did they take him to their village and treated his wounds? Was everything that he was taught about orcs since birth been false all this time? Are they any different from elves, humans and any other beings? And why has this orc child keep pulling his hair as if wanting to play with him? What would Estel learn from them that would help him during the War with the Ring and when he is King? Or will he in the end be killed by the family that he only knows by calling him a traitor?

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"Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living.
Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress."

--Bruce Barton

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"Talking"
"Elfish and Black Speech"
"(Translating in either Elfish or Black Speech)"
'thoughts'

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Chapter Fourteen

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Mokûrz woke up the next morning alone; Kaghed wasn't in sight. He looked around a started to find Brura sitting across from him tending the fire. He watch as Brura sat dry dung (1) into the fireplace and started the fire with a flick of her hands with flint and stone.

"Lat na ez pam (You are awake I see)." The female orc said not looking at him.

"Where is Kaghed?" Mokûrz asked her, looking around himself. Where is he? And why is this orc here?

"Doing his duties Zotan-lufutatar (Warlord) is. Young one come here," the orc waved to him to sit next her. Slowly Mokûrz got up from the bed and with caution walked up to her. The orc woman slightly smiled at the child.

"This fire do you see?" Brura asked him after he sat down. Slowly Mokûrz nodded. "That the fire has energy; energy with a spirit we believe. Laws that help us not to disturb it nor anger it; do not cut a knife though it, do not poke with it with a stick; do not burn wood."

"Why do you use dung instead of dead wood?" Mokûrz found himself asking. He somewhat understood Brura that everything like plants and animals had a spirit inside of them. For it will not be so farfetched if people also believe that fire too has spirit or made up of spiritual energy all together. However using dung instead of wood puzzled him. Elves don't use living wood like chopping a tree from the forest, much as he observe walking with Kaghed and seeing Brura use it to burn as wood, but dead wood around the tree. To the elves the trees left their unused branches on the ground there for a gift for them to use.

"Wood is scarce, why cut a tree when we could easily use something else?" Brura asked him

"But what about the dead wood that is left on the ground?"

"Disrespectful it is. Like someone taking something from you when you sat it on the ground, would you?"

Mokûrz never thought it that way. "But does it stink when you use it?"

Brura smirked. "Smell any odor do you?"

Mokûrz smelt. No he could not. "Nar (No)." he said.

"When you became one of us, it would be one of your chores to fetch dung and dried it. Soon winter will come and dung wouldn't be scarce."

Mokûrz cocked his head. "Oh." Is all he could say. He slightly watch as the orc woman tends back to her work. She was making something into the pot over the fire. He wouldn't identify of what content in it. He knew it wasn't food, but something like a remedy he guessed.

"Mokûrz (Estel) stir. Be back I will." The orc woman said to him. Quickly he gripped the wood spoon from her hands, slightly filching with her shape claws slightly brush against his hands. The orc woman watches him for a moment and then left.

Mokûrz was alone; stirring of what he didn't know what. It didn't take long until Kaghed walked up cough once as Brura come into right behind him.

"Mokûrz (Estel) get dress." Kaghed said. Mokûrz didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was something serious just looking at Kaghed's eyes. Quickly Mokûrz grabbed his shirt that he wore yesterday, his boots and his belt.

Nodding Kaghed nodded at him, side glanced at Brura who silently watch as the men went and done their business. Without another word, Kaghed left the ger (tent). No knowing what to do, Mokûrz looked at Brura.

"Az (Go)." She said.

Nodding Mokûrz ran after the Warlord.

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It was very early the morning, Mokûrz thought as he looked around himself trying to keep up with Kaghed's long strides. Would he walk fast as Kaghed when he grows up?

Kaghed suddenly stopped. He saw orc men and women out about putting down their homes, putting their belongings on their horses and the large dog like creatures that look like wargs.

"One of our scouts told us men are coming. We are preparing to leave. Earlier than I expected. I hope we would go after the Ritual," Kaghed told him. Fear grew inside Mokûrz.

'Men?' Mokûrz thought. Kaghed then handed him a knife. Mokûrz took and shocked to see it was the same knife that he had before he came into the village. It was a knife that Adar (father) given him a few years back; ever since then he has treasured it. He had thought he lost it forever during the battle and escaping the orcs.

"I kept it until you are healed. It is wise for a child to carry a weapon when danger is near." Kaghed explained to him.

"Where will we be going?"

"You will be going with Brura." Kaghed said now walking up to another male orc. He held of what appeared to be large sack.

"Where will you be?" Mokûrz asked him with alarmed.

"I will be staying with the others to make sure the men do not follow."

Fear again crept up. It wasn't for that he will be staying with Brura, but what if Kaghed is killed?

"But—,"

"It is my duty as Warlord, Mokûrz to stay behind with the men. Just as it will be yours also when you are older."

Mokûrz stopped to think. What does this orc mean…? The orc with a sack handed it to Kaghed and bowed. Mokûrz watch as Kaghed carefully sat it down and gasps. Five little wargs with their wobbled legs stepped out, growling.

Mokûrz didn't know what to think. Never in his life did he ever saw a litter of wargs nor did he thought that the first thought that came to mind when he saw them was 'cute'.

"Pick one." Kaghed said to him. Mokûrz snapped his head towards him.

"What? Why?" Mokûrz asked him, thinking he understood him wrong.

"Before you go with Brura you need an animal companion; who watch over you and befriends you. A warg is much more than a beast of burden." Kaghed explained to him. "Even the Betrayers of Mordor keep them but they use them for tools. We are more like…elves to creatures; we are like equals to them. Choosing a warg is a lifetime of friendship. Choose wisely, gathlûk (my son)."

Mokûrz will admit he was nervous. 'A lifetime of friendship' ring though is head as he kneeled on his hands and knees. He never thought that wargs were more than tools to orcs. He had seen wargs before only briefly only a few times. And those few times weren't pleasant. He approaches the litter with caution, gripping his knife just in case this was a trick and one of the wargs attacks him.

Of what he saw the litter growled much how cats meow, very playfully with their siblings. Using the knowledge of the elves and using the language of the orcs, Mokûrz talked to them making the other orc looked at Kaghed in questionable look.

"Throm'ka atigat sma niz (Hello there little ones). (2)" Mokûrz said to them. The litter looks up at him wonder, each of them coming closer to him. "Which one do you wish for me to be your companion?" he asked them.

Kaghed didn't mind the orc male, watching his future son; for he already knew that the child was first raised by elves. The orc shook his head watching both his Warlod and his future son. 'Humans are weird.' He thought.

Mokûrz too ignore the orc, and went to watch each of the little wargs with wonder. He can tell which the leader, the followers and the loner was. The largest of the five was the leader, as the runt was the loner, much as is it in nature. He watch the eldest was aggressive something that Mokûrz knew that he wouldn't want for an animal companion. The leader in the litter bites its siblings making them yelp in pain, not even stopping when its siblings was clearly in pain. The leader loved to hurt others, something that Mokûrz hate.

The other three was medium sized, each of them follow the leader, nicer to each other however walk in fear of their leader.

The loner however was small compare to its siblings; however it wasn't bothered by its size, but used wit instead of its strength. Mokûrz watch in amazement as the runt ran into its leader biting its leg making its sibling to let go of its other sibling. Of course the leader attacks the runt, which escaped without a scratch making the leader angry as it ran after it. Seeing this warg's courage of facing its larger sibling, its honor to the others and its wit of attacking it Mokûrz knew that this was the one he wanted. He felt connected to it, thinking of his brothers of how they described when he asked them how they picked their horses as their companions.

Before the leader attacked the runt, Mokûrz picked it up into his arms and stood up. The runt wiggled in his arms, trying to get comfortable. Mokûrz turned and glanced at Kaghed to see his opinion of his chosen companion. (3)

Kaghed smiled. The child had chosen well. He too had picked the runt when he was Mokûrz's age, as his father taught him to look past of what you see in the naked eye. Kaghed walked up to Mokûrz as the child handed the runt to him.

Kaghed looked over it, making sure the warg was healthy; it was but thin but it could easily be fix, he knew. He went saw it was a girl, the same gender his own animal companion is.

"You had chosen well, Mokûrz." Kaghed praised him as he handed her back to him.

"Really?" the human child, holding the warg protective embrace. In his arms, the warg started to make a purring like sound.

Kaghed nodded. He turned back to the orc. The orc male looked pleased of serving his Warlord. He was also glad that he finally got rid of the runt. He can't understand why Kaghed would be happy to have a runt in his home. But then again, runts are weak as humans are, so it was logically that they would like each other.

The two left ending back to the ger (tent).

"What are you going to name her?" Kaghed asked him.

'It's a girl?' Mokûrz thought looking at it. He never thought of looking. "I will think about it." Mokûrz answered him thoughtfully. This runt needs a strong name, something fitting. But what?

They walk in silence.

"Kaghed," Mokûrz began. "Why did you have me this?" he mention the warg.

"Everyone needs an animal companion." Kaghed told him. "This female is small yes, but she grows. She will provide you with a ride on her back when she is older; a companion in battle and when she first gives birth to her first litter, she will also provide you with her milk." (4)

"Her milk?" Mokûrz asked in surprised. He can't see himself drink any warg milk.

"Of course." Kaghed said grinning.

Mokûrz looked back to the female warg in a new look.

They arrived at the ger (tent) and Brura wasn't in sight.

"Put the warg down, Mokûrz. Come and help me." Has he started to put stuff out from the ger (tent).

Mokûrz hesitated. "But—,"

"Do not worry, Mokûrz. She will not leave you."

Mokûrz nodded and satting down the warg. Instead Kaghed was right, she stayed near them as the two disabled the ger (tent), just like everyone else around them.

In less than an hour, the ger (tent) was now in pieces, tightly and safely on the beasts of burdens.

It was time to move.

Mokûrz picked up the little warg into his arms. This was it, it was final. His life is now with the orcs.

(End of Chapter)

Words: 3,031

(1) Dry dung: Mongols believe that burning wood is disrespectful. It is common even Today as people around the world (even in the USA) used dry cow dung instead of wood.

(2) Throm'ka: I use the orc language from WoW for "Hello" This form of hello is formal and respectful.

(3) I got the idea of choosing Wargs as an animal companion from Star Wars with Tusken Raiders and their bantha mounts as the two have unique bond between them as it is their culture. When a mount died, its rider was often left behind to wander the desert alone. They held that if the fallen bantha's spirit wished for the ride to find a new mount, it would be so. If not, the rider would die amongst Tatoonine's endless dunes. The bond worked both ways, as accounts in Wookieepedia (Star Wars wiki) stated that is worked both ways. Even when a Tusken Raider marries, so does their mount to the wife's own mount. Their unique bond is so strong that their bond goes to their children. If the Tusken family is gifted with a son or daughter, so does their mounts that gifted with a same gender cub.

(4) Mongols are known to drink horse milk. In LotR Wargs are used like horses, so twisty orcs use them for milk.

Author's Notes: You are all shocked? Yes its updated. Hope the chapter is good.

Table of Contents in the Black Speech:

Bhûllûk (accept son)

Bosnauk/Narish (ally/friend)

Krank (father)

Lobmau (female warrior)

Loburuk (female orc)

Lûb (daughter)

Lûk (son)

Shardâg (human child)

Shatraug (witch)

Urukdâg (orc child)

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"Good Orc(s) Challenge": To any Authors out there those wish to do this Challenge. The story must be about one or group(s) of orcs that are "good", different from the Orcs that we see from the movies & books. In the story, you must show the way these orcs live, their families and their way of life, such as: their customs, their religion etc. Also make a believable excuse WHY and HOW these orcs are "good". In this Challenge, you must write a reasonable way to get these orcs to help any LotR Character that you choose; doesn't matter where in the time line, it is your choice. The Plot of the story is also your choice. This Challenge is NOT a one-shot. It MUST be a more than one chapter story. Good luck.

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—FireChildSlytherin5