Days went by in a blur.

I couldn't bring myself to do much of anything, except for eating and sleeping.

I felt dumb. I felt powerless.

My father's death woke me up. Woke me up from my delusions, that this world was some kind of playground to me.

It almost felt like I was reborn again. This time, in a much colder, unforgiving world.

And yet, I knew I couldn't give up. So I didn't. Simple.

I pushed myself to go out of the house, and decided the next course of action would be to organize a funeral for him.

That's when I found out that they couldn't recover his body. The goblins took him, and I knew what they did with the bodies they take. They either hang them in front of the tribe's walls, or, if there is a food shortage, they eat them.

Needless to say, that didn't sit right with me.

So, after eight years of living in this world, I finally found my true goal.

To kill the goblin chief.

----------------------------------------

To achieve my new goal, the first step would be to gain influence within the tribe. Once I was held in high respect, I could convince the chief to attack the goblin tribe.

A few orcs died already, and the shaman fell sick, unable to heal them all. However, looking at the whole picture, we orcs still seemed to be winning the war. Every time they attacked, many more goblins were injured or killed than us. Not to mention they should be running low on food as well, as they were using most of their hunters as fighters.

And so, the chief, although clearly shaken by the deaths of his fellow orcs, still remained confident in his decision to stay on the defensive. He knew the goblins should be suffering even larger consequences than us, so he was sure there will eventually be a revolt within the goblin tribe, where they will elect a new leader.

For the time being he ordered for the hunting teams to be larger, always carry weapons, and extended our hunting grounds away from the goblins. He was playing the waiting game.

I dissagreed with this approach, as I sincerely doubted the goblins would be this aggressive without some kind of backing.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The first step I had to take was to become a hunter. The problem was that I was only eight years old, and usually orcs had to be at least twelve before participating in their first hunt. I was sure I would be able to convince the chief to join the hunting team before my coming of age ceremony, but for now it was still too early,

So instead, I focused on training my skills. I kept my job at the butcher's house and continued to train with him, while I also asked Ghor to teach me the basics of hunting. Under his supervision I was even allowed to roam the nearby forest for a while.

While my main goal of joining the hunting team was to gain influence and come into contact with the goblins, I still had to be a good hunter in the first place to even get a spot. Driven by my determination to succeed, I made sure to soak up all the information I was given like a sponge.

I also began talking with Thak, Thok's younger brother. He was currently the youngest hunter, and he quickly told me how they operate.

He said the younger hunters mostly set up snares, and collect any small animals that have been caught. The veteran members, who know the forest the best are usually the ones identifying all the different animal tracks. All of these orcs are members of the second hunting team, Thak included.

The first hunting team, led by Thok himself, does most of the heavy lifting. It is comprised of the most physically able orcs, and they track down and kill animals. They are the ones who go deep inside the forest, sometimes for multiple days, and are in the most danger.

However, they had one big problem. They were losing members. Not only did some of them die to the goblins, but young orcs nearing their coming of age ceremony, as well as the younger orcs from the second team, were reluctant to join their hunts due to fear of death

The day my father died, he decided to help them in their hunt due to their dwindling numbers. The goblins faked animal tracks and suprised them, attacking from the trees above. However, they were quick to react, and quickly managed to get away. Just as they thought they lost them, a stray arrow hit my father in the back, injuring him gravely.

Thok made the rational decision of leaving him behind, as the arrow punctured my father's lungs. And yet, I couldn't forgive him.

----------------------------------------

I was sitting in my house, next to the campfire. I relocated it to the right of a huge oak trunk, acting as a support beam and preventing the roof from caving in.

Two more figures were sitting around the dimly lit fire, looking at me like I had gone crazy.

I just told Mok and Zharra my plan to killing the goblin chief. Well, it wasn't much of a plan anyway, more like a resolution.

I realised long ago that I could not convince the whole tribe of attacking the goblins without sufficient support. The village operated quite democratically, as everyone could speak up and voice their beliefs. So trying to force my ideas on the tribe wouldn't work, and I doubted I could kill the goblins without their support.

'Mok, I need you to become a great hunter and give me support from within the hunting team. This is vital.'

He nodded. 'I plan on joining the hunters anyways. This doesn't change anything.'

I was sure I could convince Thok to support me as well, as we held the same ideas.

'And Zharra, I need you to become a strong shamaness, strong enough to replace the current shaman.'

'Hmm. Alright, but only if you stop telling my dad when I'm skipping lessons.'

'Sure.' I sighed. I didn't intend to keep that promise.

'Thank you both, really.'

I will not let these two die. I will never make the same mistake again.