Mermaids are Menacing (Book 2) Complete

13.) What Lurks

"Keep arms up." Gorza said, demonstrating the proper position. Her shoulders were hunched both forearms held protectively in front of her head at an angle. "Protect head." She repeated.

This is sparing practice to raise my rank.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked, but I was hungry. I don't believe Gorza could have been more thrilled when I brought the topic up. Now were out in the yellow grass field and Ortha's swinging at me, while Gorza's standing over there on the sidelines acting like a proud parent teaching her kid to walk.

When Gorza told me I'd have to fight for the spot my original fear was that I might be crushed under big green fists and die. I mean they're alot bigger and more muscular than I am. Very quickly I realized I was much faster than Ortha. But the first time she hit me I flew back and landed uncomfortably on my tail.  The hit did hurt but like a light bruising tomorrow, instead of a pile of broken bones contained in a meat bag that I had expected to be.

Orc combat wasn't like my brothers roughhousing in the yard, it was a full on fight. Kicking, punching, and anything you can do without a weapon was allowed and encouraged. Gorza had showed me a scar on her ankle in the shape of a bite mark. A challenger had bit her when Gorza was going in for a submission hold. I briefly thought that these people are crazy but maybe I am too at this point.

We are working on defense. Mainly how to take a hit when I can't avoid it. I'm fast but a match isn't a race. Theres also not a whole lot of space to generate speed. If I leave the circle, it  means I forfeit which is apparently way worse than losing.

Rank was decided through combat and lineage. Since I am not an orc to begin with, I started at the back of the line and could only move up through matches with other women. I could challenge any woman for her place in the hierarchy and if I beat her we'd switch places. 

"Bait lower! Bend knees!" Gorza shouted fiercely.

"My knee's are bent!" I replied and then my legs were swept out from under me with the force of Gorzas right leg. "Ugh!" The sound came out of me when I hit the red dirt again.

"Bait! Legs must be strong like tree." She said entering the circle. Orthas black locks still swung around, the little decorative metal bits made a soft tink sound when she shook some of the red dirt off her hair. She barely had and dirt on her but I was powdered with red.  

"Come, try to push over." Gorza said in her squatting position. With a sigh I stood up.

"Gorza theres no way I'm going to be able to knock you over." I said exasperated.

"You fight best to be better." Gorza urged me. "Now come try me."

I vaguely wanted to ask why Ortha was still at the back of the line if that was true but I thought it might be a sensative spot. With all my strength, I ran at Gorza and she batted me away like a fly. This was a poorer version of her fight with the male Orc. What was his name again?

"You see me. Not waste strength running. Dig feet in. Let Orc burn out, then strike." She patted her thigh.

At the end of the day my arms and legs felt like mushy and my tail sore. The men had brought back an elk, from where I have no clue. I sat with Ortha and Gorza on the ground with my meal. It was more fat than meat. The women had cooked it over a fire rather than under ground so the meat was a bit tough. I chewed up the stringy fatty bits unhappily. Everyday I run around this area and the only things I manage to sniff out are the little game. Fat flightless birds, rabbits, and the occasional short tailed cat. Where are the men going to find the big animals. I could probably eat an entire elk by myself at this point.