"I heard a noise, it was a human. He ran off before I could cut him down..." You grunt through your lips and tusks as the two orcs look into your eyes. You barely even knew how to pronounce Yezzra and yet here you were standing in her skin and clothing. Perhaps her memories would come to you? No. You couldn't risk that. The other two orcs began to pick up animal skins, meat, weapons, and plundered gold. "Can't stay here long, if the town finds us we'll be hunted..." The larger, mohawked Orc grumbled. "We can take them!" the scarred orc shouted. "We used to be five, Gorruk. Or have you forgotten how easily humans seem to slay us?" Gorruk spat out a bone as he stomped on a small campfire they had set. "Yezzra, you seem...off." You pause, gulping a little, silently thanking your new form for lacking an Adam's apple. "Human scent makes me sick. You know that." You grumble. The scarred orc, Gorruk, grabbed your face and stared deep into your eyes. You tried not to flinch. "When we return to the Mother Orc, you will choose me for a mate..." You felt a repulsive urge, but Yezzra's body was on fire at the touch, needing Gorruk. Being a different gender was one thing, but a different race is another. "Gorruk..." The mohawked orc grabs Gorruk's arm and pulls him back. "What is it, Borrakh?" He snarls.
You spotted a broken shard of glass sitting on the ground, picking it up and staring at your new reflection. You touched your throat. Your skin has become rough and firm. You feel your stomach and then your chest. "Yezzra! Come on!" Borrakh barked. You snap out of it and stand up straight. "Fine..." You mumble as you follow them. You steady your bow as you walk, your uncovered feet don't hurt as you step over rocks. Gorruk turns to you, noticing the bracelet on your arm as the setting sun begins to shine in it. "Where did you get that?" He snarls curiously. "From that human, he dropped it." You lie. "Give it to me. Perhaps it can be your wedding band-" He reaches toward your arm and you pull away. You didn't even know if this thing could come off, or if it did if you wanted it off. Yezzra was the safest body you could have right now, but if you somehow reverted in front of these two, your body would be burning in pain and unable to resist their no-doubt furious and violent strikes. "I deserve to keep this, I wounded him for it." You spoke. "You didn't say that earlier," Borrakh noted as he turned to face you. You stay calm, with how far away you are, you could easily lie and just pretend they missed a sign of the fight. "You saw blood when you left, right?" That part was truthful, it was just Yezzra's, you remember her blood is almost black but under the strong sunlight it was probably excusable as red. The two orcs believed you. "I cut off his hand and put it on." You explain. "Did you eat it?" Gorruk joked before Borrakh glared at him and interjected with his thoughts. "Human males, so feminine these days. Wearing jewellery?" You turn to Gorruk and smirk. "Perhaps that is why Gorruk wanted it." You still had no clue how Yezzra acted, but you were easing into a rapport with the two. Gorruk's cheeks flushed an almost brownish hue.
By the time you made it to the second river of three between camp and the orc stronghold, you had finally gotten used to the tusks protruding out of your lips, the barren feet on the dirty ground, and the metal armour that gave no protection. Orc bladder was also strong, but Yezzra's body was at a tipping point. As you began to drink from the river with the others, you realized you had no idea how. You began to undress from the metal bikini armour, seeing your new body for the first time in a long time. You were about to wash yourself off and relieve yourself when Gorruk also stripped down and came closer to you. At first, you were against what was about to happen, but then you made the first move, grabbing him and pinning him onto the rocks. Water crashed against your nude bodies as you kissed. Borrakh, fully clothed, grabbed you by the hair and pulled you out of the water before anything could happen. You realize how your body's instinct took over for your brain and quickly get dressed, realizing you no longer need to go.
The Orc Stronghold took two days to reach. The area was barren except for a slaughtered horse from a trading caravan that took a wrong turn. As you enter the stronghold, you notice men labouring as women are given grapes and alcohol pillaged from nearby villages. The women are the only ones wearing proper sewn clothing as the men are dressed in leather, skins, and rags. A woman approaches you and dips her finger in a bottle, covering it in blood as she taps your face and marks an ancient orc symbol on it. "Sister Yezzra, you have survived your challenge. You may claim your mate..." You blink, trying to remember what little orc culture you had learned at various taverns.
Years ago, you had met an orc exile named Vozzukh, who had been expelled from his clan for attempting to overthrow its leader. He told you orc society was matriarchal, where men laboured, fought, and hunted while women raised the young and ruled the clan. Most Orc Men died young, while women would live three hundred years and have many husbands and children.
You blink. If you stay as Yezzra, you're expected to go through the mating ritual, bear children, and work in the clan. You begin to wonder why Yezzra was allowed to leave, why a race of brutal barbarians would even train someone to use a bow... You take a breath, coming up with a way to skillfully ask this question without raising suspicion. "Do you truly think I am ready? What have I accomplished?" You say. The female orc smiles warmly at you, you feel a strange familial connection. Is she Yezzra's mother? She didn't look old enough, but non-humans aged so strangely... "Yezzra, you always wished to explore and leave the village. You survived facing humans. You are going to be a great chieftess..." You paused, realizing exactly what was going on.
Orc Chieftesses were expected to lead from behind, but still fight. That explained the bow. The reason for the armour was that it was a ceremonial symbol, rather than practical attire... "W-what if I do not wish to become chieftess?" You stutter. "You were selected by Chieftess Gorahna herself as one of her many heirs. Do you decline this honour now?" The woman was shocked.
You drop the question. "No, no. I do..." You say. "Good, we'll she will want to see you." You nod and bid farewell to Gorukh and Borrakh as you enter a hut. The orc chieftess, mature but not elderly, sits on a tarp next to a deceased orc mate of hers. She notices your bracelet, giving you an intrigued look. Did she know what it was? You approach and sit across from her. "Leave us..." The woman spoke as she stared at your new face markings. Everybody else left.
"My Rohukh died from a human raid. It was two men and a woman. The woman is in the prisoner tent..." Gorahna sighs. "I have perhaps half a century left of being in my prime, but I do not believe I can continue as chieftess for much longer..." She looked at your bracelet again before turning to you. "Where did you find that?" She asked. "I killed a human and put it on." You give a half-lie. She seems to believe you. "You are one of three to succeed in the trial. How much did you pillage?" She asks. "You would have to ask the other two." You mumble. "Will either be your mate?" She asks. "I don't know." She frowns. "Yezzra you must choose one eventually." You look down as you have a thought. You could kill the Chieftess right now, become her, and be untouchable. Nobody would force you to wed or have another child after such recent grief. "Yezzra." She interrupted your thoughts. "I want you to visit the prisoner and interrogate her. Rip her limbs off if you have to." She smiled as you noticed one of her tusks was cracked.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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