New Warchief

[moonshadows]

“The trolls say the ship will be sea-worthy in another week.”

The orc woman grunted. “Good. The sooner, the better.”

“Want to get out of this miserable jungle?” The male orc nodded sympathetically. “Can’t blame you.”

“No. I’m not leaving.”

Kortuk of the Bleeding Hollow clan raised one eyebrow. “Then…?”

“My daughter. I want her delivered to Doomhammer as soon as possible.”

“That may be a problem. Doomhammer fell in battle months ago.”

Kalika jerked as if stabbed. “What? Then who leads the Horde?”

“The son of Durotan,” the other orc said with pride. “He’s a shaman, and a powerful one.”

“Is he honorable?” the orc woman demanded, hands in his shirt.

“Of course – Doomhammer never would have passed the title on to him otherwise.”

Kalika glowered, but released him. “Well, anything’s better than letting Rend get his black hands on her.”

“What do you mean? What’s this about Rend?”

Angrily, the exiled Dragonmaw explained what had transpired with her clan and the Blackrocks since the end of the Second War.

“I’ll make sure Warchief Thrall knows,” Kortuk promised grimly. “But what’s the deal with your daughter? I didn’t know you had one.”

“She’s a weapon,” Kalika said shortly. “One that I won’t let fall into the wrong hands. I’ll kill her first – while I still can,” she muttered.

“Come on, Kalika. She’s just a child, how dangerous-”

“She’s killed her first man.”

The other orc’s eyes widened. “She’s how old?”

“Twelve.”

“Impressive.”

“She killed him when she was six.”

The Bleeding Hollow orc gaped. “Was it an accident?”

Kalika bared her teeth in a bloodthirsty grin. “Stuck my dagger in his throat. I taught her well.”

“A warrior, then. But I still don’t see-”

Kalika’s gesture cut him off. “She’s not a warrior, she’s a weapon looking for a hand to wield her. You remember the reputation I had?”

Kortuk nodded. “How could I not?”

“Some day, I will be remembered only as the mother of my daughter.” The Dragonmaw closed her eyes and shuddered briefly. “I only hope that legacy is one of honor and glory instead of slaughter and atrocities.”

“You think that’s a possibility?”

Kalika scowled. “That depends on the hand that controls her.”