Starlight and Blood

CHAPTER 4

Colt gathered the female into his arms only to have her taken away by Buck. His questioning eyes searched the orc. His attention directed towards Sorell who placed a large hand upon his shoulder and shook his head.

Buck's muscles clenched as he carried the female closest to him. They sang with the aftermath of battle begging to be used more. The blood covering him almost clouded him in a haze, keeping him trapped in the bloodlust of war. If not for the feel of soft flesh and the subtle scent of stardust coming from the female he feared he would go off on a rampage. As selfish as it may be, as unreasonable as it was, she was his anchor. This female that had barely been in his life for longer than a few hours was bringing him back from the gates of oblivion.

But why? He wondered. Why did this female affect him so? He had not held a conversation with her nor had he learned her name. He knew nothing about her including if she would accept her but she touched something inside him. The primal part of him that clawed at his insides and craved the blood of his enemies. It soothed the beast and made him crave her in ways he didn't know he could. And he had barely spoken a word to him. It was unusual.

"He is on edge. Let him take her." he advised the youngest.

"Are you certain? Look at him. He is without reason." Colt began, worried for the sake of the female. "You can't continue to let him act like a guard dog. He is too close to snapping."

"He will not harm her. He understands what is at stake. What she means to us." Roan spoke confidently.

"Understanding and being in control are two separate things." Colt grumbled still uncomfortable.

Roan once again looked at the carnage they had left. Limbs of their fore littered the ground and his eyebrows furrowed. The ground thumped, alerting them to the presence of others. Their muscles coiled prepared to fight if the need arose.

Roan could not deny the relief he felt at the sight of Bork along with two more of his fathers. Sure that two of them stayed behind to keep his mother safe. However he doubted the half orc matriarch needed much protection.

"Hmm. Good." Bork nodded glaring at the Ignari corpses in disgust. Buck's face did little changing, still tense from the fight.

Throk, another orc of his mother's Chain and one of his fathers released a growl. His nostrils flared as he tilted his head towards Buck who still seemed to be in the thralls of bloodlust. His height was imposing even for the fully grown orcs present. His shoulders were large and broad and his arms looked to be sculpted from stone. His tusks were the most intimidating. Longer than most and curved upwards. It warned of years in battle and victories well fought.

"Let him be." Roan suggested as the group began to transition back towards his mother's hut.

"The Clan Cleaners will take care of this." Bork grunted. Roan nodded. His tongue ran across his tusks picking up the residue of his enemy's life essence.

They trudged through the forest. Leaves stuck to the damp earth. The scent of pine blended with the almost bitter scent of blood creating a medley of conflicting emotions. Excitement. Worry. Delight. Exhaustion. The bats in the distance chirped, giving a false sense of calm among the group.

Colt walking beside Buck stealing glances at the female. Her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. Beneath the delicate lids her eyes twitched frantically, dreams, perhaps a nightmare. He wondered if the battle was still taking place for her even now.

He couldnt help the worry he felt for her. She was one of very few human females he had encountered. One being his own mother. Being half Orc came with the added weight of always proving one's self to the clan. Smaller than the few full blooded and third blooded orcs left it didnt matter that they still had the blood of warriors still in their veins. Their power constantly tried and tested to see if they were truly of the clan.

Shadows covered his eyes. Reminded of the battles he had endured, and the tests he had accomplished to even be accepted into the clan. The constant taunts and refusal to join chains all because of his size. Despite the inclusion of human female mates into the Orc clans due to a lack of orc females being born he still had to fight to keep his place. The call of a nightbird's question pulled him from the trenches of dark thoughts.

Sorrell calmly walked. However his mind was in turmoil. Was she okay? He knew his chain had much to discuss. Other than the Ignari being so far in their territory there was the fact that the female human could use moonlight. A gift that only the Lunaris, Orcs gifted in the use of such powers by clan, possessed.

Roan's train of thought were on similar footing. Now that things had slowed down his mind was filling up with questions. The most important thing was how she had summoned moonlight? A gift only seen and passed down to those descendants from the Lunaris. The gift was thought to only be passed down by their Gods. He glanced upwards as the canopies gave way to the night sky. The stars twinkled and winked as if to taunt them.

'We know the answer but we won't tell you.' they seemed to say.

Their feet shuffled through the leaves leaving behind barely any tracks. A testament of their years or training.

Throk grunted, causing Roan to look in his direction. His eyes set in such a way he recognized as a sign he had something he wanted to say. Noticing the eyes of the young orc on him he spoke.

"When this female has awakened, what do you plan to do with her?" He questioned.

The words left the space between the two chains tense. Straining the delicate illusion of peace the group presented. Sorrell stared ahead , his face blank. Any emotion unreadable except for the tense of his jaw. Buck's shoulders tensed and coiled even more if possible and Colt casted worried glances at him. His palms itching to snap the female from his arms for fear that he would squeeze her too hard. Hurt her.

Roan bristled at the question. Bork noticing his son's reaction said nothing despite knowing his Chain member had caused the young chain to tighten in defense. He would let them be for now. Only stepping in when things got too heated.

"She is under our care. We will keep her safe and hope that she chooses us."

"She is ours." Buck declared. He tensed. Shocked at how the words left him so easily. But they felt right saying them. And he had never been one to bute his words once they left.

"Your chain sacrifice much for a possibility. It is a waste of time. Take her to the Lunaris and let them take care of her. Find a more willing female for your chain." Thork spoke. He saw little reward from keeping the female that had barely been with them for a day and yet had caused so much.

Colt snatched the still unconscious woman from Buck's arms. So quickly the angry orc turned towards the questioning elder and bared his tusks.

"She is ours. We found her. We claim her." He growled.

"Calm yourself Orcling. " Thork spoke. The words causing even more red to coud the Orcs vision. To be called the equivalent of one who have not forgone the trials of a fangborne. He showed his fangs in challenge.

Not one to back down, Thork bared his back. His muscles coiled. His shoulders bulked. His palms balled, digging sharp stone like nails into his flesh. Flesh that was tough as rock found near the mountains of fire.

Bucks lips pulled back further on a snarl. Fangs and tusks displaying aggression at the older male. The air grew thick. Almost crackling with tension. His blood lust swung on the cusp like a pendulum hanging in a thread. Ready to snap from its weight.

Roans breath hitched. His muscles coiled in preparation. Would he witness a fight between chains? And with the chain of his father? He felt the crushing weight of being leader upon him. The leathers across his chest felt almost uncomfortable.

Bork stared between the two unmoving. His arms crossed over his bare chest. The moonlight caressed his skin turning it something darker than sage. His face is stone still waiting expectantly. Who would break first? Who would make the first blood?

Buck glared at the male, muscles taunt ready to break. Before Roan could interfere....He lunged.....