Legends of Skyrim: The Wood Orc (BOOK ONE)

I - Bonds of the Outcast

Pine Forest was a wooded area in southern Skyrim, not far from the borders with Cyrodiil and Hammerfell. It covered a large portion of Falkreath Hold and a small part of Whiterun Hold. Lake Ilinalta and the White River were major bodies of water running through the forest. Both were abundant with underwater life, such as Fish and Mudcrabs. The forest was surrounded by two mountain ranges, the Jerall Mountains to the south and the Throat of the World to the east. The White River flowed peacefully through the land, until the silence was broken by a whistling arrow piercing the air. It landed in the river with a wet thunk. Blood slowly seeped from the slain fish and began to follow the flow. Three more sunk themselves into more fish as they tried to swim against the current to escape. From the branches of a nearby tree, behind a wooden mask painted white and green, sat an archer known by many hunters in the area simply as the Wood Orc. His true name, known only to him and his prey, was Durag Ugrua. He had wandered free of his tribe for almost a decade, but had only spent a year in Skyrim. This landscape was new and unfamiliar to him, save one aspect that constantly followed him: the province was burdened by Civil War. Though he found himself agreeing with the ideals of the "Stormcloak Rebellion", he refused to include himself with the burdens of another War. The last time he involved himself in these types of affairs, he had been banished from his tribe, and the favour of Malacath had been stripped from him. Never again, he swore that day, Will I engage in the affairs of War.
He pondered over his decisions that night. The fish tasted bland, and the bones cracked against his tusks in an unpleasant fashion.

Looking up into the night sky as his fire began to crackle into nothingness, Durag found himself underneath a prominent Constellation of eight stars in the shape of a horse: the Steed. He felt its blessing wash over him, and began to feel sleep overtake him. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he rolled off of his fur bedroll, just in time to avoid the swing of a giant wooden club. The bedroll flopped up against the momentum, and Durag scarcely had time to collect his bearings before the club lifted and swung down again. Rolling this time for his bow, Durag now looked towards his attacker. It was a giant, standing at almost 12 feet tall, with thick skin, long powerful limbs, large hands and feet, and thick greyish-brown hair with decorated braids and beads. Durag could clearly observe its physical similarities with his own species - jutting lower canines, tapered ears, and the presence of stumpy horns on the temples. However, its presence here was a mystery; despite the moderate intelligence of giants, they were supposed to be reclusive, and only hostile if provoked. Before it could swing its mighty club for a third time, an arrow pierced its back, and Durag watched as three Nords burst from the nearby shrubbery and lunged towards the Giant. As it became distracted with its new challengers, Durag quickly donned his mask and climbed a nearby tree. He watched for a moment before pulling back the string and aiming. He watched the Nords, all adorned in unfamiliar armours, quickly become overwhelmed. The Giant towered over them and, with one swing of the club, knocked them all off their feet. As it prepared to crush one of the women, an arrow shot into it's back, then another, and another, and another. From the perspective of these fighters, the arrows shot from every direction.

Until finally, the masked Orc jumped from the trees onto the Giant's back and shot an arrow through its skull. The creature let out a shocked gargle of pain before falling on its face, the arrow popping back out of its head. As silence filled the airs of Pine Forest once again, the Wood Orc slung his bow over his back and, with a "You're welcome," he turned to gather what remained of his destroyed camp.
The man helped the fallen woman up, and they both watched in wonder as their saviour payed them no more mind. The second woman, however, stepped forward. Durag turned as he heard her footsteps crunch the leaves beneath. Her auburn hair clung to her face with sweat, and he could just about make out the shape of running war paint, in the shape of a claw slash across her face. "You handle yourself well," she commemorated, "You could make for a decent Shield-Brother."
"Aela," the first woman spoke up, "I-I shouldn't think that he--"
"Quiet, whelp!" this "Aela" suddenly snapped.
Durag looked up, his mask still covering his face. "Shield-Brother?" he asked.
"An outsider, eh?" Aela knelt next to him, catching an amulet as it fell from his bag, "Never heard of the Companions?"
Durag quickly snatched the amulet back and placed it around his neck. It was the last thing given to him by his father before he departed from the stronghold, never to return. "We are brothers and sisters in honour," Aela continued, "And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough."
Durag removed his mask. For the first time, Aela knew whom she was conversing with. "Why would you proposition an Orc?" Durag demanded.

The other two Companions approached Aela in an attempt to convince her to leave this Orc, but she shot them a glare that stopped them in their tracks. "You think you are unworthy because of that?" she asked.
"I know I am unworthy because..." Durag stopped himself before slinging his bag over his back, "... Of business that is mine and mine alone."
Before she turned her back, Aela rose and spoke, "If you change your mind, and decide you would rather seek the company of those who would support and succour you, find us in Whiterun. Ask for Kodlak Whitemane."
Durag didn't look back as he walked away. He didn't even speak as he pulled his mask back over his face. He climbed the tallest tree in the forest, but he could not escape his woes. The invitation clung to his brain like a tumour, but his humiliation would not allow him to accept. He once again removed his mask and looked upon it. From the moment he had carved it, all those years ago, nothing but disparity and isolation had consumed him. He had made it to honour his father, to honour his tribe, but somewhere along the way, vengeance and hatred had corrupted his crusade. He had been so concerned and obsessed with his own struggles that he never even considered how and why his actions hurt those around him. He felt his hands clench the mask in anger, until it snapped in half in his grip. He dropped them, and they fell from the tree. A splash echoed up from the ground as they floated down Lake Ilinalta. He watched as they faded out of view. His old life was over. He would forge a new path... a new mask. At first light, he would set for Whiterun, seek out this Kodlak Whitemane, and become a part of something new. Malacath may have forsaken him, but now he would control his own destiny.

If I want to be a member of the Companions, I have to speak to their leader, Kodlak Whitemane, in Whiterun...
- Durag Ugrua, 9th of Sun's Height