Shadow of Mordor - The Novel

Chapter Twelve - Big Game

"She didn't see me."

Torvin had made his camp on a cliff, with hills and valleys all around him, the lush green of Nurn posing a stark contrast to the barren pits of Udún. A Caragor carcass was being butchered by the Dwarf hunter and as Talion walked up, Torvin continued speaking.

"She didn't hear me."

Torvin laid a hand on the Caragor's shoulder, in a semblance of respect to the creature, before saying in a low tone,

"It was a clean kill."

Talion stopped a yard or two behind Torvin, remaining silent for a moment. Torvin turned to the Ranger, and stated determinedly,

"And none of her is gonna go ta' waste."

Torvin turned back to the carcass and continued butchering a leg. He reassumed a bit of his snarky tone, and asked,

"What's yer name, Ranger?"

The Ranger began walking around Torvin, and gave a brisk, one-word anwer -

"Talion."

The Dwarf cracked the Caragor's femur cleanly, and while he sawed through therest of the leg meat, he asked,

"What were ya, a lieutenant?"

Talion stepped onto a small boulder with one leg and rested his forearms on his knee.

"No, actually. I was a Captain."

Torvin's eyebrows shot up, and he looked up at Talion with a mischevous gleam in his eyes.

"Oh, my mistake! We have a Captain in our midst! Well, better look sharp, eh? Captain's comin', better sharpen tha swords, eh, and make sure our boots are nice and shiny!"

Torvin laughed boisterously at his joke, a bemused Talion watching the guffawing Dwarf silently. Torvin let his laughter run its course, then after wiping away a tear, his demeanor turned serious.

"So, tell me, Cap'n, 'ave ya ever hunted a Graug?"

Talion looked at Torvin with a painfully bland expression.

"A Graug has what you promised me?"

Torvin, serious as the grave, nodded once.

"Aye. Not just any Graug. Tha largest one I ever came across."

Torvin watched Talion for a moment, then stuck his butchering knife in the carcass, hoisted the severed leg into his arms, and carried it over to a wooden table.

"We must prepare."

Talion, still looking off at the green landscape of Nurn, stated calmly.

"I should do just fine. I've been trained very well." He walked a few steps over to Torvin, who was staring at the Ranger with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Mah dog, Silver, was trained very well. Tha' was bafore she got eaten by a WARG!"

Talion blinked at the Dwarf, then opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Torvin's rant.

"Tha hunt is not about rules, my Cap'n. We're not gonna line up and 'ave someone play with our lives. It's about instinct, and it's about guts!"

Torvin paused for a half second, then grinned and patted his thick, tree-stump-like midsection.

"Which, as ya can see, I know a thing or two about!"

Talion's brow crinkled ever so slightly, and he stared at Torvin, who sobered up and stepped up to the Ranger.