Plum's head was pounding, her mouth was dry and she was thirsty. A strong spicy-sweet taste lingered in her mouth and she smelled like grog. The only thing she remembered was the night ending with her head in Urim's lap.

What a night she wanted to forget, how would she face Urim next time she saw him. Perhaps a hot bath would help her forget.

    Tiptoeing through a maze of pass out, sleeping drunk orcs. Plum was relieved when she didn't see Urim.

“Yes,” Plum quietly said to herself said, once she made it outside Dimmore.

    The hot spring was just outside Dimmore. Plum just wanted to wash away her hangover. She couldn't wait to wash away the smell of grog.

Plum froze her eyes widened when she saw Urim bathing in the spring, it took her breath away to see him.

She wanted to look away and respect his privacy, but she couldn't. Despite how hard. she didn't want to look she couldn't help but look. Urim is strong and powerful with a body fit for an orc chieftain. How could she not admire such an orc?

Why am I looking so hard, Plum thought. I'm just a pervert peeping Plum. She glanced at him once more for good measure then decided to give him his privacy. She looked enough to never forget.

   Plum waited until she was sure Urim had left and there was no one else around. The water was warm, it relaxed her nervous and calmed her mind. A lot had happened, and in all the excitement she had forgotten that she killed a steedsaaker.

She smiled at the thought of rubbing it in everyone's face. She never thought the hunt would go so well for her. She held her breath and went underwater until she wasn't able to hold her breath anymore.

She rose from the water then screamed from the top of her lungs when she saw Urim standing there watching her.

“Urim! What are you doing?” Plum said.

Urim smirked, “You were peeping at me first so I thought I'd return the compliment.” His eyes explored every inch of her body.

“I was not peeping,” Plum stuttered trying to cover herself.

“You weren't?” Urim asked.

“I mean…Well, I was, but I wasn't,” Plum tried to explain.

"So you were peeping then?" Urim laughed.

Plum blushed, and slowly sank underwater. Why did she always manage to make a fool out of herself in front of Urim?

He enjoyed it, making Plum blush.

    So much for the relaxing bath, Plum sighed. She had really been looking forward to it. Though embarrassing she walked away with a pretty amazing memory or Urim.

She smiled to herself, she did get to see Urim, but Urim also saw her. She already couldn't get Urim out her mind, the last thing she needed was an image of him etched into her head of his perfectly formed muscular body.

    Plum felt her face go flush, she tried to think about something else. She decided to go see her father. She had accomplished an amazing feat but had yet to receive her father's praise, his was the only one that mattered to her.

    There was a line of orcs outside her tent when she arrived. All the orcs stopped and stared at her.

It's the huntress, they whispered among themselves.

“Huntress," Plum repeated.

The begin to groom themselves, slicking their hair back, dusting their clothes off while they all stared and smiled at Plum.

A frustrated orc exited the tent as Plum was about to enter.

“Father, what going on,” Plum asked.

Brandyl sat with his arms crossed as he grimaced at the entrance of the tent.

“You killed a steedsaaker, Plum there's not an orc in the horde that doesn't want you as a mate now.” Brandyl snarled.

“Are you mad that I killed the steepsaaker?” Plum asked.

“No, Plum no,” Brandyl said. “When you killed that steedsaaker, that was the proudest moment of my life."

Plum smiled.

“I'm so proud of you Plum, but now every male orc wants you for a mate. Even the Chieftain.” Brandyl snorted.

“The Chieftain… Even Urim?” Plum asked.

Brandyl raised his eyebrows, “ So my daughter has chosen.” He sighed.

Plum blushed and nodded yes.

“Then I hope it works out for you, but Urim hasn't…”

Silence when Urim entered the tent.

“I wish to make huntress my wife, name your price,” Urim demanded.

“My price,” Brandyl glanced at his daughter.

He hated to disappoint Plum but he had to protect her.

“If you wish to marry my daughter I want the hide of One Eye.”

It's a steep nonnegotiable price. Plum looked at Urim, she couldn't read his face, but no one can kill One Eye.

Is he trying to prevent me from getting a mate, Plum thought.

“If you don't agree with my price, then so be it. Plum is my daughter and I love her and I can't give her to some orc as a trophy wife. She killed a steepsaaker and has earned the name huntress now every orc in the horde wishes to make her their mate. Even if you claim her, others will challenge you. My daughter deserves and mates that will love and cherish her but she needs a mate that is strong enough to protect her when the challengers come."

“I don't agree with your price” Urim said rising to the challenge. “Plum is worth more.”

He stripped down to nothing but his loincloth and his weapon as was customary for a marital hunt.

“Wait for me Plum, I will prove myself worthy of you.” Urim declared.

“I'll wait,” Plum said as he exited the tent.

"Plum I'm happy for you," Brandyl said. "But there something I need to ask you."

    Brandyl waited until he was sure Urim was far enough away. He didn't want him to hear.

"Last night, when you were drunk you said Gneth pushed you in front of the steepsaaker. Is that true." Brandyl asked.

"Someone did push me," Plum said. "I felt a hand on my back. But I can't say for sure that it was Gneth."

"So Agronsk could have pushed you?" Brandyl said.

"I guess it's possible," Plum said. "But do you really think Chieftain Agronsk is capable of doing something like that."

    Brandyl grunted as he walked out of the tent. He didn't want to believe it.

"Hey old man you look, troubled," Orgul said.

"Who you calling old," Brandyl snarled.

"What happened to the line of orc vying for the princess," Orgul asked.

"Probably scared off by Urim or my price," Brandyl said.

"What did you ask for?" Orgul said.

"One Eye," Brandyl replied.

"You know you just may have sent Chieftain Urim to his death. And all for Plum." Orgul said.

"Perhaps you underestimate the chieftain," Brandyl said.

"Or you overestimate him," Orgul said

"Perhaps," Brandyl said.

"So what's really on your mind, I know Plum's love life is not what troubles you," Orgul said.

"You were at the hunt, what did you see just before just Plum shoot her arrow?" Brandyl asked.

"Well, Plum tried to help Gneth and his father, the steedsaaker charged them and Plum jumped out in front of them, then Urim pushed Plum out the way."

"And that's all you saw, nothing more?" Brandyl said.

"Yeah, what going on?" Orgul asked.

"Plum was pushed in front of that steedsaaker," Brandyl said.

"Father, are you sure," Orgul said.

"Plum said she was pushed and I believe her," Brandyl said.

"Father, do you know what your saying those are serious accusations." Orgul said.

"I know," Brandyl sighed "I know, but for now let's just keep this quiet."

"Ok, but what are you going to do?"

Brandyl thought for a long time, "I going to find out who pushed Plum and I'm going to kill him."