Stopping at a relatively open spot in the tunnels, Puck and Scarlet could see the dancing light of torches nearby through the tunnel from which they’d come.When they had first heard the muffled footsteps of the unknown group behind them, they were unsure whether to flee, but in the end, they decided against it.If it were Orcs who had found them, running could have dire consequences if it was later discovered they’d avoided contact for unknown reasons.That didn’t mean the meeting bore no risks; Scarlet was more than certain that the group behind them would have ill intentions. Likely, she would have to demonstrate superior strength to fend them off.
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From the first light appearing around the tunnel’s corners to the first sight of the Orc group took surprisingly long, but finally, Puck could make out clear figures.The first thing he noticed was that they were huge! Scarlet had mentioned it briefly before, but seeing it in person was another matter entirely. By Puck’s estimation, every single one of the figures in the group of seven was at least twice as tall and three times as wide as him.Partially covered in external bone plating, their bodies seemed built for war in a way no Gremlin could match. Wiry muscles and bulky necks connected to completely hairless faces.Instead of hair, their bald scalps were covered in runic tattoos, and two large tusks protruded from the corners of their wide mouths.Puck had to admit, had he been alone, he would have been more than intimidated. Looking over at Scarlet, though, most of his worries dissolved. Against her, neither size nor numbers would matter.
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Looking the Orcs over, Scarlet had to admit she was intimidated. Not all races were equal, and an average Gremlin stood no chance against even the weakest Orcs.These Orcs weren’t average either; they seemed like a battle-hardened group, and from at least one of them, she sensed a competing bloodline, making an ideal possible as well.So, she was intimidated, but not without confidence. Orcs valued strength above all, and if she proved hers adequately, they would leave them alone, at least for a while.Standing their ground, Scarlet tensed slightly as the Orcs formed a loose circle around them. Inspecting the tattoos on their scalps more closely, Scarlet confirmed that they were indeed from Kartorok.
Taking a single step forward, Scarlet signaled that she was their leader. In response, the Orc directly in front of them stepped forward as well.Digging deeply into her limited knowledge of the Kartorok language, Scarlet struck her left hand against her heart and said a short sentence in the Orcs' guttural tongue.Watching closely for the Orcs’ reactions, Scarlet saw a hint of surprise on a few faces before they started looking at each other and laughing.Scarlet hadn’t just greeted them—she had greeted them as an equal, something with heavy implications for the Orcs.Gesturing to an Orc standing to his right, the leader crossed his arms over his barrel-like chest. Stepping forward, the selected Orc came to a halt only a few feet in front of Scarlet, making her look nearly straight up to see his face. He wielded a spear that must have weighed at least as much as Scarlet herself.
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Feeling Puck at her back, Scarlet told him to give her more space and was relieved when he complied without complaint. The Orc before her seemed irritated that she was speaking in a language he didn’t understand, sneering before tossing his weapon back to his comrades.Taking off her own backpack, Scarlet handed her axes to Puck as well. Orcs were violent creatures, but not every dispute was settled with weapons; simple brawls were common. To avoid getting cut up for fun or having their belongings taken, Scarlet would have to prove that she could at least fight the Orc on equal footing with just her body.
As they prepared to start, both moved into position, slowly circling each other. But before the fight could begin, something unexpected happened. Looking over to another tunnel, Scarlet heard the clicking sounds of claws on ice.The sound was instantly loud enough for the Orcs to hear as well, making it likely that it was intentional. Walking gracefully into the clearing, Scarlet saw the beast Puck had told her about so many times. Apparently, it hadn’t drowned after all.
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Watching Scarlet and the Orc circle each other, Puck nervously gnawed on his lip. But when he heard the clicking and noticed that Scarlet and her opponent had also paused, his focus shifted entirely.It was him, the creature from the heart of darkness.Feeling its gaze upon him, Puck felt the creature’s eyes bore into his own. There was no mental connection forming, but Puck felt as if he understood everything anyway. It was here to help, and it was here to stay with them.Waiting for the feline to come closer, Puck barely noticed the Orcs maintaining a stance that was somewhere between battle readiness and admiration.
Carefully stepping forward, Puck reached for the beast’s forehead. It was beautiful. Slowly, he began scratching it behind its scaly ears, and soon a low rumbling could be heard from its chest as its snake heads swayed gently from side to side.Pulled out of the moment by Scarlet clearing her throat behind him, Puck glanced at the Orcs. It seemed that a fight was no longer necessary. If there was one thing Orcs respected above all else, it was powerful beasts.Turning to their new companion, Puck spoke aloud what he knew to be true.“Welcome, Taron!”