Javad watched the clock wearily. Just one more day to go. He didn't expect things could get more boring. His daydreaming was broken by a commotion at the entrance. A tall figure in a robe marched into his classroom, ignoring the questions from his instructor, Wakil. The cloaked one made a beeline directly towards him. A hand clapped down on his shoulder, painfully. "Look away and listen." A deep voice whispered. "Shora needs you. Go to her now. Or die."

He turned in surprise, but the giant was already storming back out of the room. The confused instructor kept glancing back and forth at the large departing individual and Javad. Once the giant in the robe was gone, Wakil gathered his composure. "What was that about, Javad? Do we have a problem here?"

"I'm gonna die." Javad said without thinking. The nearest students laughed at this statement.

Ignoring the comments, Javad collected his thoughts and stood to his feet to address his teacher. "My father is in trouble. He is very sick. That was my uncle. I have to go now. I'm not sure when I'll return."

"You don't take after your uncle much." Wakil paused for a moment, then waved his hand. "Go Javad. May your father recover. Let the school know when you return."

He gathered his supplies quickly, expecting his angry "uncle" to surprise him at any time. Javad expected the giant, who could only be one 'person', to meet him outside the school. But nobody was there. How had the orc even found him? Shora told him her brother had cut ties with her. Something had to be wrong. He worried this was some ploy of her brother to end him. But if that was his plan, he could have cut him down in front of his whole classroom without anyone being able to stop him.

Javad ran the whole way. He rounded a hill, coming face to face with the creek bed and the surrounding woods. Trees were toppled, branches strewn everywhere. Near the boulders and the creek, was the site of a bloodbath. It would usually take a battle to stain the ground so much.

The elephant bull across the creek greeted him with a trumpeting warning. The great beast had bruises all over his head and swelling around one eye. The elephant kept his distance. Just what the hell had happened out here? Javad worried for his friend, and only the smell of a fire and the food on it calmed him.

He followed his nose and found the campfire. A huge skull with sharp teeth and a sturdy jaw spooked him so much he leaped back. But it was just the skull, the rest of the body was nowhere to be found. And Shora was there, a battered and unconscious version of her, but alive. Her left arm and right leg were tied to wooden splints. Shallow breaths as only one side of her chest rose and fell.

He knelt beside her and put his hand over her heart. Her heartbeat was strong enough to vibrate her ribcage slightly. The beats came at a slower rate than his own. But what was an orc's heartbeat supposed to sound like? Her arm reached up, grabbing at his wrist. She had a lot of strength for someone so injured. Her hand felt around, as if questioning who she was grabbing. Satisfied with the answer, it rested back at her side.

"How did Uzgar find you, Shora? And why did he come get me? She needs a healer." Which was one thing Javad was not, or a hunter.

"This is all your fault. Little Javad." Uzgar entered the campsite, with a slab of meat. "Shora is mending quickly. She doesn't need your healers. If she wasn't camped out here, alone, she wouldn't have been hurt. I spotted the chimera in the north, and went to retrieve a few warriors as quickly as possible. I hadn't expected it to head towards Shora's camp. We saw its tracks going south too late."

"How did you know where her camp was?"

Uzgar tilted his head. "How do you think? When she left, I followed at a distance."

"If it's my fault, why'd you want me here?"

Uzgar scowled at him. "It is our way to take responsibility. Do you not know the word? Feed her and take care of anything she needs."

"Did you really leave her alone just for that? She was defenseless while you were looking for me at the school."

Uzgar smashed his fist down on the rock at his side. "Watch your words. She was never alone."

Javad heard movement behind him. Turning, he saw a figure perched on a distant rock. An orcish grin greeted him. "How did you find my school? How'd you find my classroom? You must have passed hundreds of people to get there."

"Shora had a map here. I found you by asking your name. I then walked to the building they pointed at. If you walk quickly and with purpose, your people don't interrupt with questions. Even if a strange giant is among them. I learned this during the war. Your people feared me. Yes, as a fighter. But much more feared later. Qismat besieged us in our mountain. I would depart during the night and cause as much death and destruction to your army as possible. I'd strike them down wherever I found them. Compared to that, sneaking into an isolated human school is nothing."

Javad was afraid to ask, but he had to. "I hope you didn't kill anyone."

"I didn't. It wasn't necessary."

Javad was desperate to change the subject, so he pointed at the huge skull. "That's what attacked her? Where is the rest of it?"

"The creature is dead and butchered. The story is for Shora to tell. I didn't bring it down, only dragged it far away where its remains wouldn't attract more predators. My comrade will be around for some time more. You will not leave until Shora is healed enough to travel. Convince her to return home. The world is a dangerous place. She risks her life out here alone."

Javad looked down at her, and her unsteady breathing. "Shouldn't you convince her of that? You're her brother."

Uzgar shook his head. "I failed as her guardian. I could never be tough on her. She doesn't heed my advice most times. But you are who she wants. You can convince her. Tell her this plan of being your mate is foolish."

"I did tell her. I said she couldn't be my mate. No human would accept it."

Uzgar nodded. "Intractable. Perhaps she might listen now. A powerful foe makes one… more humble."

Javad was surprised. "I didn't know orcs knew the meaning of the word."

"Intractable?"

"No, humble."

He leaned closer to Javad. "We didn't use to. The word is an unfriendly neighbor now." The orc stood up, raising his fist and pointing his thumb backwards. "I'm going now. My presence will encourage Shora's delusions. Only you, Javad, can convince her out of them. If you fail, Shora will die out here. If not some threat from the wilderness, it will be by human hands. My friend will remain, but out of sight."

"Uzgar. You should stay. This will be rough for her. It will calm her, having you around."

Uzgar, for the first time since Javad had known him, smiled. "She knows my scent, and even that would encourage her. "Watch over my sister…"

"Or die," Javad said.

Uzgar growled in agreement. "Indeed."