Bruna’Gash the Darkling, whom they now would call the beast, smiled at his mug. The sweet scent of it filled the room and mixed with the pipesmoke of the elders, while song, drum and laughter filled the whole mountain. Yet, they all still had the hint of fear in their eyes. His fathers words, read by their Khan lingered in them all, for they meant change. Greater than any of them knew. It was not just a very harsh winter that would take many, neither a flu or a rockfall. Not even something like the closing of the mine that he was told was caused by his sister. All that, carried at least the hope that it could be repaired. People would always die, but new orcs would also always be born to carry their voice into the mountain. Winter would always end and even what was destroyed could always be rebuilt. But Aru’Gal told them that the time of the mountain was over. That even their Dragon, was about to die. Bruna was unsure if he would have believed his friend and Khan if those weren’t the words of his own father. Written during his prime, at least Bruna liked to think so.
Still while everyone drowned their fears in song and feast, he remained calm. He couldn’t drink much, even if it was meant to be his day, for the next would be the one he had to ride for the south. For Kara, and for his sister. He would have taken a Wyvern now, but it was unwise to ride during the night, even less so as a storm still answered the shamans song. Despite all that he needed a Wyvern, and only the absolute most loyal riders would ever give up their own, and only if commanded so by their Khan.
Technically he wasn’t even a rider himself yet, not until Aru’Gal would make him one again, but he knew it was only a technicality for the both of them. He had regained his name and would regain a wyvern now. All by bringing his Khan the strange scroll that had planted terror in the Seer’s face, back when he returned to Karn’Arak. He wondered what it was, why it was so important to his Khan, for he was no Shaman or Seer, and certainly not something vile like a Sorcerer or even Druid. Yet he could see the spark in his eyes back when he handed it over to him. Only for a moment before it was conquered by panic. Maybe that was when he realised the Dragons state, maybe that was when he started to know of the eternal winter to come. But there was no point in darkening his mind with those thoughts, only with plans. Whose wyvern to take, and how to keep his honour doing so. It would be a fight and it needed to come this night.
A group of orcs from the valley grabbed him out of his mind as they raised their mug to his name. Even though he planned to not drink much, such could never stay unanswered. “Good to have you back Bruna!” one of them shouted over the celebrating hall and was answered by many more mugs raised. Even some of the elders, smoking their pipes in a dark corner, dared to smile and raise theirs in response. Only the drummers continued to hit their rhythm while the rest drank to his name. Bruna’Gash the beast. He could not help but grin and enjoy the evening for at least a moment. Maybe because he knew it should be one of the last times he could ever smile.
In another corner of the hall Ur’Gak watched the Darkling with fear and weary eyes. He knew Aru’Gal had only made him watcher out of a necessity, and not because he wanted him as his right hand in the clan. Back then when Bruna was exiled he had wondered why seemingly nobody else wanted the title. Maybe it was because they knew the struggle inside their clan would only continue to brew, or maybe they even thought as far to think what would happen if the Darkling, Bruna’Gash the beast, returned. No matter what they had thought they were smarter in that regard then Ur’Gak and he hated himself for that. These times wouldn’t be easy either way, yet at least he wouldn’t have to worry about threats from his own fellow riders. So he thought at least.
“He will need a new Wyvern” Cra’Gal’s low hissing raspy voice reached Ur’Gak deep in his mind and he turned to the old blind man. “I am prepared Seer” he whispered back before he returned his gaze to Bruna and the celebrating crowd around him. The old man leaned in and despite his blindfold stared directly at Ur’Gak “Are you certain, Watcher?”. “I know that I already lost my honour by this” he struggled to keep whispering and not yell at the old man “What else should I do, Seer? Break his legs before the fight?!” Cra’Gal grunted deeply as if he was thinking about the possibility of that yet he shook his head “He wouldn’t call you to fight if his body was broken..”
Ur’Gak shook his head before he turned to the blind old man “Why do you want me to fight him this badly?” His question darkened the old man's face as his hidden gaze returned to the shadows “You know he will call you out to fight. He needs a wyvern and with his daughter down in the south he has no time to tame one.” “Stop pret~” Urg’Gak tried to speak yet Cra’Gal continued “Who else would he call then the man who took his title? Is there bad blood with any of his riders?” Ur’Gak remained silent to his question until his raspy voice of poison continued “No. If anything they still see him as heir of his father and respect him like they did the Khan.” “Yet why do you want me to win?” Cra’gal made a bitter smile and shook his head. “Oh no watcher. I do not need you to win.” he answered “I need him, to die.” Ur’Gak frowned “But why, Seer?” Finally the old man had to think and grasp for words before he continued “That shan’t be your interest, Watcher. Just bring me his head and end this charade.” With these words Cra’gal vanished back into the crowd. Ur’Gak’s heart raised in the beat of the drums that filled the hall. He knew the Seer was right and that he would be the one that would have to fight his fellow rider. Be it for his title, his wyvern or merely his life. Yet despite his own urge to win, he hated to be used as the Seers pawn. Whatever scheme the old man was hiding, it was without honour. Unworthy of either a Seer or a Watcher and he would not taint his name like this. No matter how many grand words the Seer tried to plant into his mind. No matter if it was for the clans future, or just his own, neither deserved to live if they could only do so without honour.
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He looked across the room were Bruna was leaning against Aru’Gals throne. They spoke and laughed, shared a drink. Even though one was from the Valley and the other from the mountain, they were like brothers and if their Khan ever had to take a side, it was no question on which one he would stand.
Drums and songs became distant to Ur’Gak as he tried to think of a path. It was one thing to not dishonour his name, but another to fight a man he knew he could not beat. For Bruna was a mountain of Muscles, just like his father was. A true beast that if he should ever get beaten would take many to do such. Ur’gak told himself he was not afraid, but that didn’t mean he had to be stupid either. He saw Cra’Gal sit and smoke a big pipe among the other Shamans, and he felt his blind gaze upon him. A defiant grunt escaped him and he walked towards the Khan’s throne.
Aru’Gal and Bruna stopped talking and slowly looked at the Watcher as he arrived. “My Khan” he started and made a little bow with his head before he turned to Bruna with a raised mug “To your name, beast!” Bruna’s answer was a wicked grin as he raised his own. Aru’Gal looked over to his father at the other side of the hall. Despite the Seers blindfold he knew that he was watching. “Has the Seer sent you?” He plainly asked Ur’Gak and made Bruna lose his grin to instead stare at the watcher like a wyvern waiting for its master's command to feast.
Ur’gak was taken back by the question but quickly shook his head “No…” his eyes then returned to his Khan “But he tried..”
Bruna grunted “What does he want then?” but Aru’Gal waved his hand and shook his head. “That doesn’t matter if he is not here on his words.” With but a grunt and an obedient nod Bruna stopped his question and drank from his mug.
The watcher turned his eyes from his Khan to the beast “You will ride for the south tomorrow?” “Of course I will.” Bruna quickly answered. Ur’gak nodded “If you can spare me my Khan, I would accompany him to the south.”
Both Bruna and Aru’Gal raised a brow. “You will leave your clan alone in times like these, watcher?” Aru’Gal asked, almost amused, for he knew why Ur’Gak was offering. Bruna shook his head and grunted back “It is my family, and I will go alone.”
Yet Ur’Gak continued more aggressive “I do care for every family of the clan, Beast. As watcher I have to care for all of them and if our Chieftain deems us to leave the mountain I shall see where we can go.” Aru’gal thought long about the watchers words and nodded yet Bruna was the first to speak “Bah! Just before I took my name you pleaded that we don’t leave it!”
“He is right, Bruna.” Aru’gal said while he slowly nodded and looked at Ur’gak “If anyone of us should look for a new place to live it is the Watcher.” Bruna was about to protest but Aru’Gal continued “And having two riders down there would be better anyway. If either of you dies I want the other to return and tell his tale.”
Bruna and Ur’Gak stared at each other like barking wolves just before the beast’s dark threatening voice broke through their gaze “I still need a Wyvern.” his eyes pierced at Ur’Gak and both of them were ready to entertain the hall with a fight.
“You can take Gor’Mash’s” Aru’gal said, making both of the other Darklings raise their brow at him. “He is one of the most loyal, so he will understand and if I have to take anyone on my own beast it is him.”
“Will he just hand it away?” Bruna asked in disbelief
“While we remain at the mountain he has time to tame another. You however have to look for your daughter as soon as you can.” Bruna nodded thankfully at Aru’Gals words while Ur’Gak was stunned. “You will fly with the dawn. Prepare for it.” Both Bruna and Ur’Gak stared at each other a moment longer before both riders pressed their fists against their chest. Bruna then emptied his Mug, he did drink more than he had planned, before they both walked out of the hall and down the mountain to prepare for their long journey south.