A New Friend

The ride back to the keep only took about five minutes of easy riding, and they were soon passing under the ruined main gate.

One of the soldiers spoke up.

"These poor men. Slaughtered by the orcs, and for what?"

"Retaliation, human! We are driven further and further north each year by "poor men" just like these. They leave us with no way to survive! But no longer! We are not animals for the humans to drive to extinction! We will fight back!"

The men were surprised by the now conscious Mog's words, but it made little difference to many of them. Orcs were not very intelligent, and usually they are portrayed as brutes and animals because of this.

The angry men looked ready to explode after hearing Mog speak, but the next one to speak was actually Jeb.

"Is what you say true, Mog? Even if it is murdering these men is not the answer! They could not have caused you any harm!"

"Lies! They Attacked our village while we were out hunting only three days ago! They burned it to the ground and killed many, just because we are orcs! Yet they have not caused us any harm? I'd kill them all over again if I could!"

Jeb and the others stood there, pondering what they had just been told.

"The women folk and young ones who couldn't escape, murdered! Yet you defend THEM?! You are just as guilty as they are!"

"Mog, look, we had no idea what was going on here, we just heard orcs had attacked and assumed the worst. I apologize to you, for what those men, no, monsters did, and I apologize for attacking you and your party."

"I understand the divide between our people, so I understand why you assumed the worst, human, but you did my brothers and I a favor. Now we can rest with our loved ones. Please, send me to join them. I would rather die and join them than live on alone."

"Mog, you can still live on, and do good for other orc tribes. You do not have to lay down and die just because you managed to survive. Join us, Mog. We owe you at least that much."

"You speak very wise worlds, human. Untie me. I will join you, but I will never fight my own kind, unless absolutely necessary."

"Aye untie him. And names Jeb, so you can stop calling me human now."

"Aye, Jeb, that I can do. Now, I must take care of my people. They deserve to be buried, not allowed to rot. We were so enraged, we did not even consider burying them until now."

"Allow us to help you, as a token of friendship. Come on men, let us go."