Smitten Ch. 05

That took a great deal of courage to admit - especially to someone she'd tried to dominate the way she had me. Umog was considerably more complicated than I'd ever thought. And this sort of honesty had to be encouraged.

I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. I did it very carefully - if she suddenly raised her head, I didn't want to be spitted on her sharp tusk.

Umog slowly turned her head, to look me in the eye. I couldn't read her expression entirely, but there was surprise, confusion, sorrow ... and several other things. Her lips parted, and a single sound slipped out.

- "Eh ...?"

- "I don't hate you anymore, Umog. In fact, I think that I like you. Quite a bit."

She had no idea what to make of that. But she eventually leaned over some more, so that she could rest her head on my shoulder. We both fell asleep that way.

***

Shaghar didn't avoid me. When I woke in the morning with a sore shoulder (because Umog had been leaning on it all night - I had the imprint of her tusk on my upper arm), I saw Shaghar's eyes already fixed on me.

She led me to the very end of the crevice. She sat down there, and I sat down beside her.

- "Only Ditgurat and Lagakh know." she said. "And now you. And Snak."

- "That you can do magic? Cast spells?"

- "This is serious, Smit." She placed her hand on my arm for emphasis. "It must remain a secret."

- "I understand. I would never betray you, Shaghar."

- "You must never speak of it."

- "I won't. Is ... is there some stigma? Some prejudice against magic, among your people?"

- "Quite the opposite." said Shaghar. "They would make me a shaman, and look to me for advice, and judgment. Do I look like a shaman to you?"

I didn't know what to say.

- "You look like Shaghar. Beautiful, strong, clever ..."

She shook her head. "If the band thought that I was a shaman, they would bring me their problems, their questions. I cannot provide answers! I barely know what to do with my own life - how can I give others direction? And what if I gave bad advice?"

- "I understand." I hugged her to me, which was probably much better than trying to think of the correct thing to say.

- "My mother taught me." she said, softly.

Ditgurat's sister, Yotul, was what the Topaz Order in Portoa called 'a natural talent'. She could sense - or even see - the aether. She somehow instinctively understood how to use it to manipulate her own body. Yotul increased her strength and stamina. She also learned to replenish her own power. Rest was one way - but sex also helped.

Ditgurat was amazed when her sister began to surpass her in speed, strength and stamina. Yotul confessed her secret. Ditgurat insisted that Yotul teach anyone with the natural ability to sense the aether.

In the end, there were only two children in the whole band with any aptitude: Shaghar, and Lagakh.

- "Lagakh?" I was shocked.

- "Sshh!" Shaghar gave me the evil eye.

- "I'm sorry."

- "My mother taught us to see the aether. To feel it. And then how to ... move it. That is the best way to describe it, but even that doesn't quite fit."

- "What did you do, to hide us? Can you tell me that?"

- "I ... I can make you see things. Sometimes, things that are not there."

- "Illusions?"

- "Yes. I can also see when Lagakh has manipulated the aether. I can see what she has done."

- "That's amazing." I said. "I can hardly imagine what it's like. And I'm not sure that I'd believe it at all, if I hadn't been there."

***

We stayed in that crevice for two days.

Shaghar and Urzoth, the male, went out the far end, to forage for food. They were gone for hours. There was nothing for me to do but worry.

- "She'll be fine." said Coopah. "She knows her way around. And she's certainly safer than you or I would be."

I knew that, but it didn't make the waiting any easier.

They came back in the dark, just before dawn. They brought apples, and wild carrots - not the most popular fare, for a band of half-orcs, but it was enough to sustain us for a day.

- "You look exhausted." said Shaghar.

- "I couldn't sleep." I didn't want to tell her that I'd been imagining all of the worst possible things that might have happened to her. She could have stepped in a hole, and broken her ankle. Gored by an animal. Captured by Kurbag ...

"I was worried." I admitted.

- "Then come sleep beside me. I am very tired as well."

I woke less refreshed than I might have, because Shaghar had also persisted in using me as a pillow. I'd completely lost the feeling in my arm, and it was quite painful to get it back.

While we slept, Umog and Bula had gone out on another foraging expedition. Now I found myself worrying again - and then I was surprised that I was worrying at all.

I'd hated Umog. From the very first day after the shipwreck, she was the one member of the band I would have preferred to avoid. She'd hurt me, physically, and tried to intimidate and dominate me.

I can't say that I didn't enjoy sex with her at all - but I certainly enjoyed it far less than I did with any of the other females who lay with me.

But then she accepted my conditions for bathing. Umog changed, just a little - for the better. And then she became pregnant.

I was surprised to discover that she was more loyal to Ditgurat than I'd expected. Umog would spit, complain, and challenge, but in a crisis, she could be counted on. I also have to admit that Snak's comment had quite an impact on me.

If Umog truly did like me, she had a unique way of showing it. Yet, when we finally reached the crevice, she'd reached out to touch me. She had missed me. She'd been worried about me.

Now I was worried about her.

I was fairly certain that she could handle herself against any member of the band - even Kurbag himself. But what if she and Bula ran into all 12 of them?

I sat down in the far end of the crevice, so that I would be the first to see them when they returned. Shaghar only smiled indulgently, well aware of what I was doing - and why. Snak brought me another apple, and watched with me for a while.

- "Do you like her, too, Smit?" said my buck-toothed companion.

Out of the mouths of orclets.

- "I don't know, Snak. It's ... complicated."

- "Mmm ... is it because she cares about you?"

- "You're very wise for your age." I said.

- "Does that mean you would worry about me, if I was gone?"

- "I worry about you all the time. When we were hiding on the wreck? I was terrified. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Snak grinned. "You like me, then."

- "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I? You're strong, and brave, and clever ..."

- "I like you too, Smit." she said. My little friend leaned back against the wall of the crevice, and smiled.

She sat with me in companionable silence for a time. Coopah came down to keep us company. Later in the day, both of them went to rejoin Ditgurat and the others.

Shaghar came to check on me.

- "Waiting for Umog?"

- "Yes." I admitted. "I'm not sure why, but I suppose that's what I'm doing."

Shaghar didn't say anything. She patted me on the shoulder, and left me to my vigil.

They returned just before dusk, Bula leading the way. She stopped some twenty meters away, so that I could recognize them, and let the others know that they were back.

Umog saw me.

She and Bula entered the crevice, carrying more apples and quite a few gooseberries. They passed their finds to other members of the group - except for one fine apple, which Umog saved for me.

- "Thank you." I said.

- "You waited ... for us?" she asked.

- "For you. I was ... worried."

Umog just stared at me for a moment. But there was a look in her eyes that I'd never seen there before. Was it ... uncertainty?

She didn't know what to do - or what to say. I took the initiative, and slowly leaned forwards. We were just about the same height. I leaned just a little more, until our faces were only inches apart.

No, I didn't intend to kiss her. I never had. For one thing, Umog's tusks were sharp. For another, her breath was usually foul enough to make my eyes water. Tonight, though, she smelled of apples - she and Bula had obviously been gorging themselves as they gathered for the rest of us.

- "Lean forward, Umog - just a bit."

She hesitated for a moment, but then she did it. Our foreheads made contact. Our eyes were very close together. It was a surprisingly intimate moment - and I don't believe that there had been many of those in Umog's life to date.

- "Why?" she whispered. "Why you do this?"

- "Do you like it?"

She didn't answer. I wasn't surprised. Any such admission would make Umog feel vulnerable - weak. But she hadn't said no, either - because she did like it.

"You've changed how you treat me." I said. "So I will, too. Is it alright if I show you some affection?"

These were uncharted waters for Umog. In fact, she didn't understand everything I'd said. I only learned later that there is no orcish word for 'affection'. Nor do they have a word for 'love' - instead, they use the human or elvish words.

Still, she caught the gist of what I meant - and she didn't know how to respond.

So I put my arms around her. Not in a sexual manner, exactly - it was intended as a gesture of comfort, of closeness.

Even half-orcs like hugs.

Umog understood what I was trying to tell her: I care about you, and I want to show you that I do. She responded by wrapping her powerful arms around me. Yes, she squeezed me a lot tighter than I would've liked, but having been pummelled and nearly strangled by her before, I could tell that she was making an effort to be gentle. Relatively gentle.

After a time, by some unspoken agreement, we sat down side by side, resting our backs against the wall of the crevice.

I had my arm around Umog, and hers was around me. She'd leaned closer, so that our heads were touching. There was no need to say anything. We'd had sex together - often very intense sex - but his was absolutely the most intimate we had ever been with each other.

We didn't talk; Umog was no conversationalist. It was nice, though, to sit together in silence as I thought about how our relationship was changing. I was actually thinking warm thoughts about her - which I would never have believed possible.

I was idly stroking her flank, letting my hand run gently from her hip to her ribs. My arm was round her, so that was about all I could reach. I only meant it in a comforting, friendly way. But then I stroked a little higher, and my thumb made contact with the underside of her breast.

Umog didn't flinch, or stir - but she definitely noticed. I stroked her again, careful not to reach so high again. Umog shifted slightly, to sit a little lower down. She also turned away from me just a little more.

That left the back of head and her coal-black hair resting against my shoulder. It also put her breast directly in the path of my stroking hand. The invitation couldn't have been clearer.

Umog's breasts were extremely firm. I knew that already because I'd had my hands on them before, usually as I tried to keep her at arm's length while she rode me, trying to keep her from punching me in the ribs.

But now I caressed her, letting my fingertips run lightly across the surface of her breast. Any orc can grab a tit, or pinch a nipple. But I was willing to wager that Umog had never been fondled, or caressed by someone who cared about her. It's the intimacy, the closeness that makes the act pleasurable, I believe.

Eventually, though, I used the palm of my hand over her nipple, which was already partially engorged. It grew even stiffer as I toyed with it. Umog began breathing a little louder, and a little more rapidly.

Umog moved her hand, so that it came to rest on my thigh. I knew the power of her fingers - none better. But she did not grab, or squeeze (or puncture my skin with her nails). She was making a tremendous effort to be gentle, to stroke my leg without causing me pain.

That deserved a reward. I raised my free hand to her nearer breast, and began caressing it, too. Umog made a sound I'd never heard from her before: she sighed.

She moved her hand, resting it over the growing stiffness in my loincloth. Again, she was extremely gentle with my tenderest parts. We were becoming much more aroused.

I wasn't sure how far we could we go, in the cramped confines of the crevice, and with others so close by. But Umog had her own ideas on that subject.

She reached inside my loincloth, and pulled out my throbbing erection. Then she sat up, and turned, pivoting until she sat astride me, her knees on either side of my legs. Umog lifted her own clothing, and rubbed the head of my cock against her nether lips. Then she sat down, slowly, gradually impaling herself on me.

Twice, she had to reverse direction, but eventually she sank down all the way, taking me to the root. She was incredibly hot, inside. And then Umog surprised me again.

She sat still. She let me savour the feel of us joined together; perhaps that was what she was doing, as well. She put her arms around me, and held me close, which ended up pulling my face into her breasts.

Umog didn't ride me; she squeezed me. Instead of a mad gallop to orgasm, she did her best to let us both enjoy the sensations. When she did begin to move, it was a slow, sensual movement of her hips. I knew what she was trying to do: Umog wasn't fucking me - she was making love to me.

It was astonishing.

It was also having an unforeseen effect on both of us. My mind might have had trouble grappling with what was happening, but Umog herself was experiencing new sensations, both physical and emotional.

She peaked atop me, suddenly and unexpectedly. Now she lost control, and squeezed me hard, with arms, legs, and vagina. I couldn't control myself, and erupted inside her.

***

We weren't the first to wake in the morning. Others were up and about first, which meant that they saw us asleep, side by side, with our hands on each other. Half-orcs don't lack a sense of smell, either.

Ditgurat grinned at me, when I was awake enough to take in my surroundings. Shaghar had a smile for me as well, and a kiss on the cheek. As far as I could tell, in my groggy state, they seemed to approve.

Umog was mildly embarrassed. She'd spent years building an image - the tough, cold-hearted warrior, brutal and violent. But what had happened had happened, and she didn't try to deny it. She just wasn't prepared to talk about it.

We spent another day in the crevice, trying to stay warm, and eating more apples.

That night, though, our fortunes changed.

Ghorza returned - with Lagakh and her scouting party. Just the sight of Lagakh filled me with confidence. There was something supremely indomitable about her.

Ogash was there, looking petulant as ever. Gurukk and Durz were males, both lean and lanky. They were nowhere as big as Oag, or even Ushug. But I came to see that they were quick, blessed with impressive foot and hand speed, as well as stamina. Both were warriors.

Lambug and Shelur were females. I'd only seen Lambug once before, and - amazingly - in all my time with the Red Knees, I'd never seen Shelur. Both spent the bulk of their time on the periphery of the band's territory, scouting and hunting.

Lambug was a female version of Gurukk and Durz, but Shelur surprised me. She had ash grey hair, the colour of my sleeping blanket at my family home in Portoa. Her ears were long and narrow, and stuck out almost horizontally from the sides of her head. She had a tiny nose, but extremely long (and sharp) tusks. She saw me looking, and smiled. There was considerable intelligence in her yellow eyes, unless I was mistaken.

Lagakh hugged me, obviously relieved to see me still alive. Then she picked up Snak and spun her about.

Ogash took the liberty of hugging me, too, though she spoiled the effect somewhat by licking my earlobe.

Shelur approached me next. Shy she was not.

- "This is the Osh-Smit?" She had an intriguing, gravelly voice.

- "Aka'Magosh, Shelur." I said. A blessing on you and yours.

- "Aka'Magosh, Smit." she replied. "You speak well."

- "Thank you. I try."

- "So I hear." she said.

Uh oh. Future trouble, unless I was mistaken. Well, trouble in the sense that she was indicating, with her eyes and her voice, that she was considering sex with me. It struck me as odd, even then, given that we were involved in a murderous fight for our very survival.

That said, I'd had fairly passionate sex with Umog only last night. Maybe half-orcs don't separate war and sex. Actually ... maybe humans don't, either.

Ghorza hung back a little. I was glad she did, because it gave us a semi-private moment while the others were still renewing acquaintances.

She was looking a little hesitant, a little shy. I ignored that, and took her in my arms, squeezing her tight.

- "You're safe." I breathed into her ear.

- "I am sorry." she said. "I had to run - to leave you on the beach."

- "Of course you did! Ghorza: I would have done exactly the same, if the roles had been reversed. You saved Ditgurat. And Shaghar - not to mention Coopah and the others."

- "You are not ... angry?"

- "No! They'd be dead if you hadn't been so quick. You spoiled Kurbag's plans - we wouldn't all be here if not for you."

I hugged her again, holding her close. That seemed to help get the message across. She'd been feeling guilty for leaving me (and Snak) on the beach. She knew that it had been the right thing to do - she'd known that instantly - but now she finally seemed to accept that I understood it, too.

That night, I stayed close to Ghorza.

In the morning, I woke slowly. I was stiff, and sore, and slightly groggy again. Shelur the scout was on guard. She winked at me.

For a moment, I was somewhat disoriented. Then I remembered where I was: sleeping in a hole in the ground, along with an old man and a group of savage half-orcs.

Except that they weren't 'savage'. Five of them were my lovers. Even if it felt odd to consider Umog my lover, she was now much more of a friend than before. The biggest wonder, for me, wasn't that I could consider half-orcs my lover - it was how I could be so sure that I loved Shaghar, while at the same time I adored Ghorza (and it wasn't simply that I lusted after her trim little body).

I missed Ushug. That, as much as anything else, spoke volumes. They were my folk now. My band. I would do whatever I could for Ditgurat and her people.

That opportunity came sooner than I'd expected.

That morning, after we'd finished the last of the apples and gooseberries, the chieftain called a council of war.

- "We are 18." said Ditgurat. "Can we fight?"

I had to look around, and double-check her count. She'd been very generous: she was including Coopah, two young females and a young male, Snak ... and me. I was no fighter. I'm strong - especially in the upper body - but that's not at all the same thing.

We had Ditgurat and Lagakh. Umog. The three males: Urzoth, Gurukk, and Durz. Lambug and Shelur looked dangerous. I'd seen Bula chop down trees with Ushug, but was she a warrior? Then there was Shaghar, Ghorza, and ... Ogash.

I didn't really know the quality or the fighting skill of Kurbag's adherents. But if they were all like Oag, then we couldn't possibly stand against them.

- "I will kill Kurbag." said Lagakh.

I believed her. So did everyone else there.

- "Where do we meet them?" asked Ditgurat.

There were several suggestions. Under the Blasted Tree. By the Bloody Rock (whatever and wherever that was). At the source of the stream. If the second two ideas were as foolish as the first, then we were probably doomed.