With Hope and Without Hope

Chapter 8: Bored Orcs Bad

"What're you doing over here?" Norgry stopped mid-stride as he found Fagrod standing guard over the halflings. "You're supposed to be on the others."

"Machlhug wanted to switch," Fagrod muttered. "Said he was bored. My guess is he was feeling a bit empty in the gut. Always he was asking why we couldn't make a meal out of the rats, seeing as how they're bite-size and all. I reckoned it better if he put some distance between him and them, so I told him I'd take his shift."

Norgry grunted. Not a bad move on Fagrod's part. "Well, maybe one shift. After that, I need you back on duty over the elf and the others. Those three'll try to escape given half a chance. Need someone I know is going to keep an eye out. Can't have no bumblings by this Mordor lot. I ain't losing them." Fagrod nodded.

"And another thing. Keep a careful eye on Uglúk. He was right pleased when I told him about the elf but didn't want nothing to do with the man or the dwarf after that. He's got half a mind to leave those two to die and just keep the elf. Says mortals are too much trouble to keep alive, that the halflings are enough to worry about."

"What he have to say about the sport we had?"

Norgry gave a harsh laugh. "Oh, he was none too pleased until he realized he would be getting some sport of his own with the elf. See, I figured that's where his mind was headed anyway. I just made him think it was all his idea in the first place. After he got to thinking about the elf, he didn't think too much about the other two. Which is good for us, 'cause I think they'll get this lot to quit their complaining along the way. I'm sure tired of the whining! So I have no thoughts of killing them yet."

Suddenly, Norgry heard shouting and hollering, and he and Fagrod turned to a loud ruckus rising up on the forest side of the camp. Norgry groaned. "Not again. I can't take much more of this! I think it's time for some heads to roll." Fagrod smiled.

Quickly ordering Fagrod to stay with the halflings, Norgry took a few steps until the other prisoners were in sight. Still under watch, though one of the guards was looking curiously at the scuffle. He gave him a warning scowl, and the orc resigned himself to his post. Only then did Norgry make his way to the brawl.

By then there were Northerners, Mordor rats, and uruks battling it out with a fury. As he watched, Norgry realized two things: Mauhúr and his lads had shown up, having come through the Forest, and were looking to show they were Isengarders not to be messed with. And they were mainly showing Grishnákh, who seemed to think he could take on the entire lot single-handedly. His Mordor lads were making themselves scarce.

So be it, then. Somebody had to put Grishnákh in his place. If Mauhúr wanted to take that on, it was all his. Norgry was going to just sit back and watch the show.