Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 7: Not Your Enemy

"Gather up, we'll get ready to move out." He announced, taking control. The orcs obeyed him immediately and she frowned and looked back at Lohke. He was standing still, hand in the fur of his wolf, but eyes on her. The others were gathering their things as Cold Hammer had bid them to do.

Erinne rose slowly, "Is something wrong?"

Lohke sighed heavily, "Come here, little human."

Nervousness pricked underneath her skin, making chill bumps rise and her heartrate pick up. She had to take a moment to find her center before she walked towards him. She couldn't stop her fists from clenching as she prepared herself for whatever words came out of his mouth, memories of Nukbrik summoning her jarred through her mind, but he always struck her when she reached him. She thought Lohke was different, hoped he was different.

After several days with him, Lohke hadn't been cruel to her not once, but still she prepared herself. Lohke must've caught on though because he said, "I'm not going to hurt you, when will you see that?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized and then frowned at her own self. Had she really just apologized? To an orc?

"I know, it's a force of habit now." He took her hand in his and uncurled her fist. "You're not a fighter anymore." She yanked her hand back and stared up at him, eyes wide, heart suddenly pounding. He gave her a sympathetic smile, if it could be called that. It barely tugged up the corner of his lips. He couldn't know she was a fighter right? He didn't know that.

He continued to pet the wolf as she stood next to him. "Do you know where we are?" He finally asked her.

"Not really." Her voice was as tense as she felt.

"War Monger Clan...near Everfen." She backed away from him, heat rising inside of her and she didn't know if she should bolt or fight. Lohke held up his hands in a show of peace. "I am not your enemy." He reminded her.

She didn't know what to believe. Her heart was trying to leave her body, fear gnawed at her gut. "I won't go back there." Her words weren't rational, but if he was bringing it up it was because he knew, right? If he knew...

"No one is taking you back to Everfen." He stepped closer and fear lurched in her gut and she ran...straight into Cold Hammer. She didn't scream, she didn't yell, she just swung for his face and scrambled backwards. "Take it easy! We're not taking you back there."

"Settle down, Human." Cold Hammer reached for her and she felt him grabbing at her as the other stared on with uncertainty and she wheeled, taking another shot at his face, pulling back too late as she realized he wasn't grabbing her but that one of the dire wolves had come up behind her.

She hit Bukoo squarely in the eye and he snarled and knocked her down with one wave of his head and rubbed at his face with his paw. Erinne's heart dropped and she grabbed his face. Several orcs were shouting a warning for her not to touch him, but she did it anyways.

"I'm so sorry, Bukoo!" She pulled him to her and he let her, resting his snout on her shoulder. Silence followed her words, but her chest was heaving, panic at the edge of her soul. She wanted to run, but she was still clinging to his fur when he laid down on her lap yet again and the other wolves crowded in around her, comforting her.

A collective sigh passed around the orcs and Lohke spoke to her again, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

She refused to meet his gaze.

She was surprised Cold Hammer spoke next, "In the War Monger village, we heard rumors of a human in the Everfen fighting rings. We know about the rings, but not that there have been human involvement. We sought out more information about it and learned that the slave who fought in the ring was called Garonessa. That's you."

She didn't look at any of them now. She didn't know what she was supposed to say to that, what she was supposed to do. Lohke continued, "Further investigation and we got a description of the woman they had fighting there. We have no intentions of taking you back. That I swear to you as a solemn oath."

Those words hit her and she clung to Bukoo, hoping, praying to whatever gods would listen, that he meant his words. She finally picked her head up a little and saw Cold Hammer first. He looked as stern as he ever did, lifting his chin higher, "You are a strong warrior. You kept yourself alive. There is pride in that."

Was that a compliment? From the orc who hated her the most and didn't want her here? She didn't mention it as she spotted Lohke. "I only wanted to let you know what we heard. Also, to formally apologize that we had not found you sooner."

She was shaking in the middle of the dire wolves that had clustered around her, still holding onto Bukoo like a lifeline, but she lifted her chin. "You're really not going to take me back there?"

"Why would you think that?" Lohke asked her earnestly, "We're taking you to human territory."

"You could've changed your mind."

"I am not Nukbrik. I keep my word and especially my oaths. You are safe with me." He started forward again, but when he reached the circle of dire wolves, they growled at him. He looked taken aback, as if he'd never heard one growl his entire life. "It seems you are also safe with them, Sheobulf."

She-wolf. That actually earned him a smile from her and she gave the black wolf one last pat before she clambered out from under him and picked her way through the crowd of wolves until she was beside Lohke. She was still shook, but she felt more confident now, "I'm trying to learn that, to understand it."

"If humans tried to drag me back, I would run, too." She frowned at those words, staring up at him. "Let's get far away from here, and tonight when we make camp, I will tell you the truth of my life."

***Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! There will be a new chapter posted every Monday! Stay tuned for more Rise of the Warrior of Everfen***