“I am called Ikrah from the Skalsser Tribe! I come here to speak with your leader!” he shouted while moving forward slowly.

Ikrah was preparing himself to flee away if needed be. Him dropping his weapon was a common way for orcs to say that they came with no hostile intentions.

Presenting himself in the line of fire, Ikrah was covered in sweat despite the wind that was howling and making his long hair flutter. He felt scared, but thinking about the many who will die if a battle breaks out between them and their visitors, he steeled his heart and stood still, waiting for the response of those on the walls.

Like the jaws of a monster, the wooden gate slowly opened. The many warriors on the walls lowered their weapons and stood still like statues. Ikrah sighed in relief as the weapons that were aimed at him were lowered. It was not good to have many weapons aimed at you that could end your life with a simple mistake.

From behind the wooden gate that opened, Ikrah saw many orcs in full armor. They were all standing still in formations shaped like boxes.

“Ikrah of the Skalsser Tribe! You may enter!” the loud voice came again as the warriors on the walls started to decrease. The others continued to walk around the walls to return to their patrol.

Patting the head of his warg, Ikrah walked alongside his steed as they enter through the wooden gates. Upon entering, Ikrah found thousands of warriors waiting for him inside. What he saw when he was outside was just but a part of the many warriors that they could possibly fight against.

Ikrah was so nervous that his legs were trembling. Inside the walls, all eyes were looking at him. He felt like he was a prey that just entered a den of predators who can’t wait to pounce on him. Orcs in full armor with huge shields were all at the ready and standing still with just their eyes moving.

“Welcome to our camp.” someone patted Ikrah on the shoulder, which made his steed snarl and bare its fangs at the one who approached him. “Stay your claws and fangs.” the orc snorted then walked past by them. “Follow me!” he continued and waved for Ikrah to follow after him.

The orcs parted to allow them to pass through. Ikrah was surprised and felt nervous about the silence as the orcs in armor moved without uttering any word, which was totally not what he was used to. Only the sound of their equipments and footsteps was the thing he heard and not a single word, even a whisper.

Ikrah had his guard up for anything that might happen. He was looking around the camp for possible routes of retreat and so did his warg, who was walking beside him.

They followed the orc, who was leading them deeper into the camp. Tents were properly arranged and in the center was the biggest one. He also saw a box looking structure which were placed in some places.

*****

“Shush… Don’t make a sound.” the leader of the Verakhs that infiltrated the Skalsser Tribe warned his comrades who were with him. They could hear the noise of battle and screams of pain from where they were. Using the wooden huts and tents that were spread around, they stayed hidden from the few orcs who were coming in and out of their homes. 

“Who are they fighting, captain?” a Verakh whispered. “That’s what we are here to find out.” their leader whispered back in response as they make their way towards where the noise was originating from.

The tent of the Skalsser chief was long torn down by the fight that was going on. Those who were waiting outside the tent joined the fray, which added more chaos. Xok’nath was surrounded by his trusted warriors and pointed his weapon at Yukah and his allies. “You have no honor! Challenging me to a duel and springing an ambush against me! You are no different from your human masters!” Xok’nath bellowed as he put the blame on Yukah and those who were with him.

“Capture them! They are traitors to the way of orcs!” he loudly shouted and woke up the entire tribe. The Skalsser orcs all came out of their homes to find out what was going on. There in the tent of their chieftain, which was torn down, they could see Yukah and some elders of the tribe being surrounded by their chieftain and his trusted warriors.

“Ha! You are just scared of Yukah! You yourself is the traitor to our ways! Challenging someone who you surely could defeat then avoided accepting the challenge of someone who you aren’t confident in winning against. How low can you get!?” an elder orc stepped forward and mocked Xok’nath.

A spear soared through the air and brought down the exposed elder, who vomited blood. “You will cause the tribe’s demise. May our ancestors show mercy on us…” the elder kneeled down on one knee and Xok’nath’s weapon ended his life.

“The entire tribe as my witness, I call out Mazu’rotha!” Yukah shouted while slamming his weapon on the ground. “You have no right slave! A slave and a traitor to the ways of the orc! Capture them!” Xok’nath shouted back as his warriors tightened the encirclement.

“Let’s go!” the leader of the Verakhs waved at his companions as they make their exit out of the tribe. The entire tribe was awakened, and they didn’t want to be surrounded by the entire tribe. Elites they may be, but if they are surrounded in all directions by numerous enemies, all their trainings, skills and knowledge won’t save them.

Sprinting away while staying in the shadows, the Verakhs retreated out of the tribe. 

The Skalsser orcs didn’t know what really happened, and they just stood still as they don’t know who to side with, but the tribe was long divided into two after Xok’nath assumed leadership of the tribe. Many of them considered the duel between Xok’nath and the previous chieftain as a hoax. Adding to the purge that followed, they have long been unsatisfied with their current chieftain, but they still have to uphold their traditions.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep