6
A cool autumn wind blew across southern Nagrand as two young orcs settled themselves beneath a large shady tree. From the shade, they had a fine view of the orcs congregated in the flat land around Oshu'gun mountain. The female laughed as she pointed toward a group of young girls running full-tilt across the valley.
"I've won that race every year I entered," she said. "I can beat any girl from any clan."
The male smiled appreciatively. "I bet you can. You're a fast runner. How come you're not running this year, Sync?"
She lowered her eyes and smiled shyly. "It's more fun being with you, Gordost."
He closed his big hand over her much smaller one. "I just hope your mother doesn't find us again."
"She'll be busy all afternoon tanning hides. One of the Thunderlord women has a new technique Mother wants to learn."
"She wasn't too hard on you when she caught us yesterday, was she?" Gordost asked anxiously. "She seemed awful mad. I hated when she made me leave."
"Oh, no. She only lectured me about how I was too young for boys and how I had no business messing with a Frostwolf." Sync smiled wryly. "Of course, she didn't like it when I started studying with that Bleeding Hollow rogue, either. But I knew he was the right teacher for me."
"How did you get her to let you train as a rogue?" asked Gordost. "My father despises rogues. He says they're devious and sneaky and you can't trust them."
"My mother's not too fond of rogues, either, but it's what I am. I can't be anything else." Sync shrugged. "That's why everyone calls me Unsyncable, because I don't do what people expect me to. Well, that and because I can swim. But I am a good rogue. Want to see me vanish again? The trainer says I'm getting really good at it."
Gordost grinned. "No. I like you to stay here where I can see you."
She smiled again. "I'm sure Mother will like you, once she gets to know you. She's finally accepted that I'm going to be a rogue."
"I hope she does. And I think I like rogues."
Sync snuggled against Gordost, putting her head on his chest. "I love the Kosh'harg festivals, don't you? It's so much fun to see everyone and - and to meet new people."
Gordost slipped his arm around her. "I'm sure glad I met you."
She looked up with another smile. "Me, too."
Sync sighed happily and closed her eyes. Without intending to, she soon fell asleep. In the peace of the autumn afternoon, Gordost leaned his head back against the broad tree trunk and closed his eyes.
An ear-splitting scream jolted them both awake. Sync clawed the ground as her body was dragged face down away from Gordost. Something heavy sat on top of her. A hand pressed her head down, mashing her face into the dirt. Then she heard her mother's voice.
"What are you doing? I told you to stay away from my daughter!"
Sync tried to yell but dry dirt in her mouth made her gag. She tried to vanish but in desperation she could not concentrate. Then she recognized the sharp sound of a slap. Her mother's voice sounded again.
"Let her up," Bryla ordered, "but don't let go of her."
The weight lifted from Sync's back, and someone took hold of her hair and hoisted her roughly to her feet. She twisted to look at her captor. It was Grom. Sync gasped. Then she noticed Gordost struggling ferociously as Harcos pinioned the boy's arms behind his back.
Bryla's hand lashed out toward Sync. The girl stood stiff, taking the full impact of the blow.
"What do you think you're doing? I told you to stay away from that boy!"
"But Mother, I - I - ."
Bryla turned back to the boy. "I will have to talk with your father."
"You can't," the boy said.
Bryla slapped him again. "Impudent pup! Did no one ever teach you manners?"
"My father is at Oshu'gun with the other shaman," the boy replied, licking a trickle of blood from his lip. "They won't be back for days."
"Then I will talk to your mother. We will put a stop to this. Sync is too young for boys, and she will never be old enough to mess with a Frostwolf."
"We were just sitting here. We weren't doing anything wrong," Sync insisted.
Bryla slapped her again, but this time Sync responded by lashing out with one foot. Her kick caught Bryla's shin, and the older orc grabbed Sync by her shirt front. She drew her daughter upward till Sync's toes barely touched the ground.
"I told you to leave the boy alone. And you disobeyed me. Again! Can't you ever do anything you're supposed to?" With a powerful shove, Bryla released the girl.
Sync sprawled on the ground. She drew her arms under her and pushed up to see Gordost straining against Harcos' iron grip.
"Stop it!" Gordost yelled. "I asked her to go with me. I was the one who disobeyed."
Bryla swung her foot toward Sync, catching her under the chin and sending her sprawling once more. Then Sync heard Grom's voice.
"Stay down."
Sync rolled onto her side and wiped her hand across her chin. She was bleeding. Bryla looked from her daughter to the boy as if deciding what to do next.
"Let's go find his mother," Grom spoke up. "I've got Sync, Harcos can bring the boy."
Bryla sighed and growled at the same time but she nodded her consent. She pointed at Sync, her hand shaking with rage. "I'd rather see you with Grom than with that boy."
Grom snickered as he twined his fingers around Sync's arm. "I thought you didn't like me, Bryla."
"I don't," she said. "You're rude. You're disobedient. You're undisciplined. And you've encouraged both my children to act the same way. But I'd rather Sync be with you than with that boy. Our chieftain will throw her out of the clan if he finds out she's been messing with a Frostwolf. And that is not going to happen to any child of mine."