Page 27 of The Orc's Rage

“They’ll soon see what an opportunity this is.” Kargorr unrolled the map, which one of his scouts had been slowly filling in as they explored and ruined the nearest villages. “Raids will be quicker.”

Orgha nodded, clearly unwilling to contradict Kargorr—to his face, anyway. Who knew what Orgha talked about in the privacy of his tent with hisyapira?

“Post more guards,” Kargorr said after a moment, “and send out patrols to ensure our location remains undiscovered. That should set their minds at ease.”

By the time the humans were aware of thegrrosekpresence here, it would be too late.

Rising to his feet, Orgha groaned. He was getting older, and the journey here had probably not been easy on him.

“As you say,kazek.” He tapped his chest with his fist. “I’ll distribute the orders.” He paused at the tent door. “When will we attack next?”

“As soon as the camp is in working order again.” Kargorr studied the map. “Then we will venture southwest.”

“What is your end goal?” Orgha asked. “How far south will we travel?”

Kargorr narrowed his eyes. “As far as we have to in order to wipe them out. When we’ve secured enough territory here, we will invite the otherparogto join us.”

Orgha’s eyebrows flew up. “You don’t mean that.”

Was Lord Kargorr’s second-in-command doubting him? Again?

“I do,” Kargorr said firmly. “The humans have built large cities down south, much too big for us to take alone. Once we’ve shown that I have might on our side, when I have enough human heads to parade around on pikes, morale will be higher than ever. Otherkazekwill see the benefit.”

Yes, it was highly uncommon for oneparogto meet another, not to mention work alongside each other for a mutual goal. They fought over territory when they did get too close. But allgrrosekheld a hatred of humans in common, and Lord Kargorr believed it would be enough to unite them.

Orgha’s eyes were still wide, but he gave a nod of understanding.

His doubt wouldn’t last for long. Kargorr had a good feeling about this change. Or perhaps it was just the soft, wet, tight cunt of his new concubine talking.

Instantly his cock woke up, and he shuddered under the landslide of need that coursed through him. All it took was thinking about her for his body to want to seek hers out.

But Kargorr had important things to do. He’d worked hard to seed her, and surely it would take soon. The idea sated him, at least for now.

While he patrolled theparog, though, taking stock of how fast things were progressing and where moregrrosekmight be needed to complete the construction, his gaze lingered on his own tent. He would need to assign her guards while he was gone, of course. And a caretaker, too.

He thought on this. Usually older males beyond their fighting years were tasked with such things, but Lord Kargorr bristled at the idea of one coming too close to her, bringing her food and water and emptying the wet basket. He would have to find a female he could trust. A female who was already paired up would be ideal, and who could, perhaps, lend Cedar some guidance on how to better become a part of theparog. He considered finding a human for her, but didn’t want them scheming or working together.

The number ofgrrosekwho fit this new requirement were much fewer and farther between. Then, if he added that they needed to speak the human tongue...

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Orgha would probably not like what Kargorr had in mind, but it would be necessary.

Ignoring his tent for now, Lord Kargorr continued his circuit, interfering where needed. He would broach the subject with his right hand later, perhaps when the alcohol was flowing. Beer and wine always tended to put an orc in a good mood.

15

Cedar

She would have to talk to him about this business of keeping her trapped inside. After days of riding on Liga, Cedar had a deep need to stretch her legs. And even though this tent was much larger than Kargorr’s last one, her body craved walking, at least for a little while. And her mind needed to talk to someone else, just for a moment.

Cedar wanted to remember what it was like to be human.

She poked her head out of the tent in the afternoon, when Kargorr had been gone for most of the day already. Usually he visited her around lunchtime to bring her food—and do other things—but today it had been an orc woman she’d never met before, with a mostly shaved head and a pile of braids at the base of her skull. The orc had deposited the food and then left before Cedar could even ask her a question.

There was no one immediately standing outside the tent, not like there had been at the previous camp. Something had changed—perhaps Kargorr trusted her more now.

For a moment, the allure of escape was strong. The camp was chaotic as the orcs set up their new village, and there was a good chance no one would notice her slip away. The perimeter of the camp, marked with heavy wooden posts, wasn’t complete yet. She could cross easily without being seen.

Cedar’s heart sped up as she stepped out onto the muddy path. Straw was being laid down on it, and someone was spreading a clay-like mixture over the top. A few young orcs ran through it, and the woman paving it yelled at them. Something about it was so normal that Cedar paused, hesitating right at the entrance to the tent.

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