James woke up to find himself lying on a carpet of green grass. Nearby he could hear the trickle and gurgle of a running stream or river, and as he sat up he could see a sea-green sky looking down on him. But what immediately grabbed his attention was the fact that not one, but two suns were shining in the sky.

"What is this?"

He rubbed his eyes and tried pinching himself, but it was no use. Either he was in a deep sleep, his brain was not functioning properly...or he was in another world.

"Have I been isekaid?" he asked aloud.

Really wondering if he had been transferred to another world like in the fiction light novels and short stories he liked to read, James stood up and looked around. Besides the strange color of the sky and the suns, he also saw unfamiliar birds and as he followed his ears to the stream he saw a purple colored fish leap out of the water. Warily looking around, he made his way to the side of the river, dipping his hand into the cool running water.

James was about to cup the water with his hand and draw it to his mouth to drink when he heard a cry. And not just any cry, but a piercing scream broken by the sound of wailing. Whirling around, he raced along the river through some tall green grass. As he ran the wails intensified. Following the noise, he broke through the tall riverbank rushes and abruptly stopped, startled by what he saw. In front of him in a small circle of trampled grass was an orc. And not just any orc, but a recently pregnant one, judging from the green blood and the still wet umbilical cord. As he watched the woman tied off the cord and then cut it with a knife, her face damp with sweat that caused her braided hair to stick to her face. From her bottom lip emerged two tusks, and though he saw that she was rippling with strong muscle she cradled her newborn child in her arms as if he were the most fragile thing in the world.

All of this James took in in an instant, as the instant she cut the cord she hid her child from him as if protecting the babe from him. Baring her fangs she weakly tried to roar or curse or spit on him but she was still too weak from giving birth. Taking a step back he was first intimidated by the new mother but a moment later he stopped and faced her. Scared for his safety, he still couldn't abandon them. Thinking quickly, he held up his hands in a placating gesture. Slowly, always making sure to face her, he stepped towards the river and cupped his hands, carrying a tiny amount of water in them. Slowly he made his way back to her, and as he looked into her yellow-green eyes, he couldn't help himself despite the circumstances.

"I come in peace."

Warily the woman allowed him to help her drink. Making several trips he helped hydrate her until she was no longer as wary of him. Then he stood back and looked at her, taking in her leather armor and thick leather boots with worn soles, and the stone hoop earring in her right ear.

"Where is your husband? Where are your people?"

The woman looked at him confused and barked out something in a guttural speech he couldn't understand.

"Right...you don't understand English. Uhh..."

He motioned with his hand over his eyes as if searching, then mimed walking and pointed at her before throwing his hands apart palms out. Where are your people?

She still looked confused so he tried again with the same results. Her only response was to speak again in a low voice. While it didn't help him understand her, it did bring about a stark realization.

Ah, crap. Another language...

He was right, as the orc woman was in fact speaking Azh'Kath'Ran

"Ah!"

She yelled in pain, and her head sank back down in the grass. Rushing to her side, James felt her forehead and found it clammy and cold, not what he would have expected from someone with her powerful thick build. A moment later he almost felt his bones crack when the woman's hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed his arm. Looking at him with pallid eyes, she thrust the child into his arms, still wet with the birthing fluids. Muttering in her own tongue, she raise her hand and pointed off in a direction before pointing at her child.

Her meaning was clear. James cradled the child in his hands, making sure to support his neck. Then he simply said 'I will return' before placing his free hand on her shoulder in a brief gesture of support before racing away.

Brekka panted as she watched the human run away on his weak legs. Though the traditional enemy of her people, she had been surprised when he had stopped to help her. Feeling weak and still in pain from the birth, she could only hope with a desperate agony that her child would be safe.

"Be safe, little Grep'Thal..."

James took note of the position of the two suns in the sky, using them as a reference as he ran. As he did he could not help but look at the child he held. Though he was big and heavy, he also had an innocence to him and James could not help but smile to himself. But as the wind picked up, he worried for the baby's health and quickly stopped and removed his shirt to wrap the child in before continuing on.

Then he saw it. With a backdrop of snow capped mountains, a village or settlement resting in a small depression. Perhaps arranged this way to stay out of sight of the plains he had just run through, the settlement had several housing spaces made of animal hides, and he could see several orcs hovering over fires and tending to very distinct animals, including one that looked like a six legged jacked goat. James was suddenly confronted by the very worrying thought that if they saw him they would attack him without knowing about the woman he had stumbled upon. What would happen if she died by the river?

Shaking his head and calling himself every kind of fool, he gently laid the child down on the ground. Then, taking a deep breath, he put four fingers in his mouth.

Ik'laus was getting worried. Where was his wife? She was ready to give birth any day now, and he had not been able to find her all day. Could something have happened to her? The humans were always encroaching on their land, so he could not help but be fearful for her as both a loving husband and father to be.

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He moved over to tend to the Graus goats when suddenly the calm air was broken by the sound of piercing whistle. Every orc turned and saw a human waving his hands to get their attention from the top of the ridge. How he had gotten so close to them was embarrassing, but instantly the cry went up.

"Human! Attack!"

The orcs raised their weapons, many of them made from sharpened bone of many a fierce beast they had slain. Ducking down, the human picked something up and raced away. He stopped quickly though, realizing that there was no way he could outrun them and with a carefully bitten back curse so as not to fill the air with profanity like a drunken sailor, he turned around and began making his way down.

Ik'Laus had lost no time grabbing his curved sword that was almost as tall as a human and dashing after the filthy human. To his amazement he soon saw the human step out and down into the ravine towards them, carrying something in his hands as if it wear an offering. And why was the human not wearing armor?

Feeling that something was not right, Ik'Laus stopped a short distance in front of the human and watched him meet his eyes, whereupon he quickly stooped down and unwrapped his bundle. To his shock an orc baby newly born began crying feebly. Stepping back as if offering the child to him, the human pointed back the way he had come and began screaming at anyone he could see.

"Stop!"

The orcs who were quickly following behind him paused, many of them with boulders on their slings and spears in their hands ready to let fly.

"The human has an orc child! Don't hurt it!"

Ik'Laus ran forward and examined the child. In an instant he saw that it was newly born, with the umblical cord still attached. But that meant...

He roared and before the human could breathe Ik'Laus' fist was firmly clamped around it's throat.

"Where is Brekka?!? If I find out you killed her..."

The human babbled frantically and pointed back the way he had come. Despite the hand around his neck he grabbed at Ik'Laus' arm as if gently pulling him. Surprised, he released the human but the human made no effort to escape. Seeing him standing there, he reached out and grabbed at his wrist, pointing with his other hand.

"You...you know where Brekka is? Is she safe?!?"

The human spoke again, but Ik'Laus still couldn't understand. At last his eyes softened and the fierce glare he wore was replaced with worry.

"Take me to her."

James was relieved when the orc released his neck and finally agreed to follow him. He hated that he could not make himself known or communicate in their language. So he was quite relieved when Ik'Laus followed him, scooping up the newborn in his massive hands. James lost no time running back the way he had come. Behind him he heard the orc shout something to the other orcs and before he knew it several of them were following him. Checking every now and then to make sure they still followed him, James led them back to the river where he had found the orc woman.

The instant he found her he pointed and shouted at them. Dashing past him, the orc rushed to her side.

"Brekka! Brekka!"

Slowly Brekka opened her eyes. It was later in the day now, but she saw that she was slightly further away from the river and by a roaring fire. As she took in her surroundings, she saw her husband Ik'Laus hovering over her.

"Hey" she weakly smiled.

"Brekka!"

He held her face in his lap as he placed his forehead over hers, savouring the relief of having his wife safely by his side again.

"How did you find me?"

"You'll never guess. A human led me to you."

"A human? And is our son..."

"He's fine. He delivered him to me."

He passed over their son, now dressed and wrapped up warmly after having been properly bathed. As she helf her son, Brekka cried with relief as she cooed softly at him.

"And the human?"

"He is here."

Ik'Laus looked up and she followed his gaze to see the human, now without his upper garment and hovering on the other side of the fire looking extremely uncomfortable being surrounded by so many orcs. The scene was so comical that she could not help herself and laughed for several long moments, happy with relief.

"Hey, come here."

They kissed and she stroked her husband's cheek.

"I thought I wouldn't see you or our child again. I didn't think he would find you."

"Silly, then why did you give him our son?"

There was no anger in his gaze, only curiosity.

"I gave him Grep'Thal because...because I didn't know what else to do at the time. He found me, and when he saw that I had just given birth he helped me drink from the river."

"I'm happy you did. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."

They kissed again and Ik'Laus looked up.

"Human! Come here."

James was a bit chilly not having a shirt anymore since his had been given previously to keeping the child warm. He didn't regret it, but he also knew that his position was still up in the air around the orcs and many of them still viewed him suspiciously or with outright hostility. Hearing a familiar voice speak, he looked up and saw the orc husband motion for him to join them. Glancing at the orcs around him James slowly got up from the fire and walked over. As he did the orc gently removed his wife's head from his lap and stood up, towering over him as he looked down on him. When James reached him, the orc gently patted his shoulder and spoke several sentences.

"You have saved my wife and protected my child. The Othrek Clan will forever be indebted to you."

He held out a carved bone necklace. This was not some crude shamanistic piece. James could tell just by looking at it, at all the care that had been taken into carving the bones, that it was significant. Perhaps it even told a story. He was right, as it actually told the history of the Othrek for the past five hundred years. Placing it over James' head, Ik'Laus continued.

"You are now part of Clan Othrek. Carry this honor well."

And placing his thick hand over James' heart, Ik'Laus welcomed James into his clan. Neither of them knew or could even begin to anticipate all of the crazy things that were about to happen...