Chapter 38

With Xiao Chen knocked out cold after his body underwent so much strain, his warriors started retracing their steps back towards the entrance of the forest.

After finding a good, wide and flat ground and having ample rest, Sakh'arran took command of the Yohan First Battalion and applied what the chief had taught them.

*****

"Dig faster, we don't know when the goblins we'll come for revenge!"

Sakh'arran bellowed towards the warriors of Yohan as they dug a ditch around their chosen camp. Trot'thar and Gur'kan took with them their groups to gather timber for the walls and firewood to cook their meals while Drae'ghanna's group kept watch for any incoming danger.

The Black Tortoise group dug as fast as they could, the sky seems to be aiding them as it began raining hard. The hard ground starting to become soft as time goes on.

"Put your backs onto it, strike the ground like your life depends on it!"

Sakh'arran continued to shout commands as he strike the ground with all his might with a pickaxe. Baskets were soon pass around to carry the dug soil and carried towards where the walls would be erected.

A mound of dirt and soil soon piled up as they finally were able to make a six by six deep and wide ditch surrounding the campsite.

Xiao Chen's commanders were all feeling nervous with the absence of their chief to give commands. It was the first time for them to take the initiative and try to apply what the chieftain had taught them.

A few hours later, the Azure Dragon and White Tiger group came back and on their shoulders were logs for the walls and firewood for their meals.

They began erecting the walls, glancing around from time to time to check their surroundings. Fear, confusion and anxiety had taken a hold on them as their chieftain was out of commission.

*****

"Chief, you need to get well quickly. We your warriors are lost, we need you. We need you to guide us, to be the pillar that erects and binds us together...I need you..."

Drae'ghana whispered unto Xiao Chen's ears as she laid the chieftain upon her lap beside a fire inside the central tent. She was more nervous than any of the other commanders, the chieftain's wellbeing, she had to be first to know of it.

She even snarled at Gur'kan who tried to replaced her on taking care of the chieftain. She didn't understand herself very well, the only thing she cared about was the chieftain getting back on his own two feet and taking command of them. Guiding them and becoming their beacon of hope for a brighter future.

The emotional female orc didn't know what she was experiencing, she felt confused and misjudged what she felt to be just an undying loyalty to the chief.

Female orcs rarely express their emotions towards the opposite gender, almost all the time, it was the male expressing their intention to be their mate and if the female approves then they will be together.

The long-ears were famed for being eternal lovers due to their long life-spans which could reach a thousand of years but it wasn't known that it was actually the female orcs who are eternal lovers, they loved till their death.

They fall in love to deeply that they can never get out of it, even foregoing marrying if it wasn't the one they fall in love with would be their partner.

Orcs are brutes and savage warriors, that was the common thing that the other races deemed them to be but they also possessed such complex emotions just like them. They are not some mindless beasts that acts upon instinct, they possess all the emotions available to other races.

"Gar'unn'ah, I pray to you...help the chieftain to recover quickly...heal him of whatever illness had fallen upon him"

Drae'ghanna prayed with her heart towards the Orcish goddess of life, tears suddenly smearing her cheeks without her noticing.

It was the first time that she revealed such a fragile state, most of the time she would be screaming at her enemies. Relishing upon their agonizing howls as she dismembers their limbs and bathing on their blood.

*****

Raising the flaps of the chieftain's tent and taking a look inside, Gur'kan witnessed Drae'ghanna's delicate state. Shaking his head in understanding, he lowered the tent's flaps and continued to guard the entrance and giving the emotionally unstable female orc some private time with the chief.

Staring at the dark clouds covering the sky, raindrops trickling down his cheeks, Gur'kan prayed to the gods watching over them that they protect them from unforeseen harm and aid the chieftain upon his recovery.

*****

Confined within their tents because of the heavy rain, the warriors of Yohan were at a loss, their recent victory against the goblins, they can't feel it. It was like they were the ones who lost the engagement because of the chief's situation.

Straining his eyes to try and have a clear sight of the woods up ahead at all times, Sakh'arran patiently kept watch, alongside him was the muscle head Galum'nor who also can't stay still after seeing Xiao Chen's situation. The muscle head was also feeling distressed on the current situation.

Thunder roared and lightning flashed from time to time as the Yohan First Battalion continued to wait for any news about their chieftain.

*****

"Ugh..."

Xiao Chen muttered as he clutched his head in pain, it was like he was having a very terrible headache. Looking down on his body that was smeared with medicinal paste, he can't help but smile wryly to himself.

"Demons... Gu'rhazza... the old orc world, Ferindyl..."

He softly muttered to himself, gathering his thoughts together and clearing his mind of the confusing knowledge that he just acquired after his out of this world experience.

Xiao Chen felt a warm sensation on his legs, curious on what might be producing such warmth, he strained his eyes to adjust to the darkness that engulfed his surroundings.

There he saw the fast asleep Drae'ghanna by his legs just beside his bed made up of straw and quilt from Thyrian hides.

Xiao Chen didn't have any memories of what happened after he smiled towards the worried Gur'kan, he awoke from the trance that the demon had subjected him to after being defeated by Gu'rhazza's spirit, after that everything was blank to him.

He didn't know who carried him nor where he is at exactly right now but at least he knew who took good care of him while he was out cold due to the aftereffects of Ozshe's doing.

Stretching his limbs, a bit, pain, immense pain assaulted his senses as some of the scabs that covered his wounds broke apart, fresh blood started to ooze out upon the cracks of his scabs.

Drae'ghanna's nose twitch a bit upon the scent of fresh blood, alert and ready she opened her eyes. Raising her head up she came eye to eye with the chieftain, reeling back in surprise, she almost crashed against the central wooden post that held the tent.

"Uh...chief!!! You're finally awake!!!"

She said with a tint of excitement upon her voice but then she remembered the things she said while the chief was on his bed, a red hue emerged from her cheeks because of embarrassment as she was worried that the chief might have heard everything that she had spoken.

"Ugh...Yes... I'm finally awake"

Xiao Chen muttered dumbly as he stared in confusion towards the embarrassed female warrior in front of him. 'What exactly happened, while I was knocked out' he screamed within his mind.

Smiling wryly towards Drae'ghanna

"What's our current situation?"

He asked quickly to escape from the awkward situation that they were in.

"Uhm...we had taken camp just outside the woods, Sakh'arran ordered the warriors to erect what you call a fort to protect us from any sudden counter-attack from the goblins"

Drae'ghanna answered slowly with her head still looking down on the ground. Her cheeks still felt hot and the red hue upon them was still apparent.