(Writer note: Based during jodancingtree’s “Following the Other Wizard”. Canohando, Lash, and Yarga battle fiercely against another party of orcs to help a village in Nurn. Tragedy strikes but also new hope for the future. I have full permission to use the characters and plot.)

* * *

It was love that had struck him down, and he had suffered. He had been freed from the darkness, but now he was free of anything holding him, including life. Canohando stared absently into the flames, not seeing. The body of Yarga burned there in the pyre before him. They gave Yarga a warrior’s funeral, which was what he deserved.

As the fire burned on and smoke pelted into the air, Canohando turned away. He stood strong and unyielding, but inside, deep sorrow flooded his heart. He could not be there any longer. He began to walk, not daring to look back. In an instant, Lash was at his side.

“Do we leave?”

Canohando’s answer was sharp and quick. “Yes.” He stopped for a minute to gather his few belongings where he had left them while help building Yarga’s pyre. Lash also gather his belongings, and followed Canohando away from the village.

* * *

There had been a large, cruel hand wrapped in her hair, ugly claws scraping her head. She had been mercilessly dragged away, but kind one had saved her. He brought down the bigger orc with a single arrow to the throat. The kind one grabbed her hand, and pulled her to stand.

“Come, woman. You will be safe near the river. Go!” He led her several feet then urged her to follow some of the escaping villagers. She obeyed, but had glanced back more than once to see the kind one urging others to go as the other two orcs slew the evil ones.

Now she was searching the village for her family. She had found her parent’s hut smoldering, two bodies mixed in the rubble. Her brother and sister were dead also, both their bodies lying in blood on the ground. Her sister’s two children were next to their mother, gone as well.

All the ones she loved were gone, and she was alone in mourning – weeping uncontrollably over the bodies. A hand clamped down upon her shoulder. She turned to see the face of her brother-in-law looking down at her.

“Come, Lokka, you will be my wife now.”

Lokka shuddered. She did not want to be his wife especially as she mourned for her family. She jumped to her feet, jerking her shoulder away. “NO! I will not be yours!”

Her brother-in-law stepped forward. “It is your duty to become my wife.” He reached for her, but Lokka darted away and ran. She did not know where she would go, but she could not stay.

That’s when she saw him – the one who saved her. He was slinging his bow over his shoulder and lifting his small, leather sack to leave. Lokka watched him and his companion stalk towards the woods that led to the mountains. When they were almost to the edge of the woods, she gave a screeching cry and dashed to them. They did not know she was coming toward them until she was right upon them.

Lokka threw herself before Lash and said through her sobs, “Please, kind one, take me with you. I have nothing here to stay for. My family is dead.” She raised her head, face red and tear stained. She held eye contact with Lash, pleadingly. “Take me with you.”

Canohando turned, walking away. But, Lash bent on one knee and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “You do not belong with orcs, woman.”

“My family is dead. My life here is over. Please, you have been kind to me. I will follow you wherever you go.”

Lash looked back at Canohando. The larger orc was disappearing through the trees. Lash shook his head. “I am sorry. You cannot come.”

With that, he went off with his companion. Lokka sat on her knees, watching them again. She looked back at her village only to see the chard huts and the last collection of bodies to be buried. She could see her brother-in-law in the distance carrying her sister away. It was her chance and Lokka took it. She ran into the woods, not a second thought of going back crossing her mind.

* * *

“You have a follower.” It was the first thing Canohando said since they’d left the village nearly two days ago.

Lash glance over his shoulder. Someone was many yards behind them, and seemed determined to keep up. He slumped knowing it was the woman. He had hoped she’d stay in her village, but the woman had followed anyway.

“She is too far from her village now. We cannot leave her.”

“She is your problem. Deal with her as you may.”

They stopped at a stream to refill their water bottles and catch some fish for dinner. Lash caught the fish as Canohando built a fire. When Lash waded out the stream holding a stick full of fish, Canohando jeered lightly at him, “Your woman patiently waits to be called over.”

Lash peered through the trees. There sat Lokka on the fallen leaves beside the path they had came from. She stared at them, unmoving. Lash bent his head in embarrassment. “I will bring her food when it is done.”

He went to her after the first round of fish was cooked. The woman’s eyes grew in hope at his approach. He bent down before her.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Here is some fish.” Lash held out the small pan that he used for cooking. Lokka hesitantly accepted the fillet and took a bite. Though the taste was bland, the warmth of food in her mouth felt good and she took another bite. Lash watched her eat until the fillet was gone. He then offered her his water bottle and she drank until satisfaction.

“Thank you, kind one” Lokka said, bowing her head.

“I am Lash. My companion is called Canohando.”

“I am Lokka.”

“Why do you follow us?”

Lokka looked up again, straight into Lash’s eyes. Tears pricked her eyes, but her face was sturdy. “I mourn for my family. I will not go back there. Not for now.”

Lash bent his head in sorrow. “We are in mourning too. Our brother was slain in the raid.”

“I saw” Lokka said, remembering the pyre that she passed on her way through the village to find her family. She took Lash’s grey hand in hers. “May I stay with you? We can mourn together.”

Lash was surprised that the woman had taken his hand in hers. Whenever they had visited the villages of Nurn, the women were not afraid of them but tried to stir clear of any touching when dealing with the orcs. This woman had outright flung herself before him. Lash and Canohando had each other to lean on, but the woman had no one and she needed him. For an instant, he saw his mother in her and he could not refuse.

“I do not know if my companion will allow you to stay with us. You may come for now.”

It had been almost another day's journey when the orcs finally arrived at their stone house in the mountains. The orcs had walked side by side, while Lokka stayed a small distance behind. Barely any words were spoken while they journeyed. Lokka said nothing, but thanked Lash when he gave her a piece of cooked meat for breakfast.

The most that was said between Canohando and Lash, though, concerned Lokka.

"The woman will not leave me."

"If you ask of me what to do about her, I already told you to deal with her as you may."

"I do not want her to leave."

Canohando only nodded, and Lash knew then what to do with her.

It was dusk when they entered the stone house. Canohando went in first, but stopped in the doorway. He tried desperately to leave the anger and grief of Yarga's death from his thoughts, but entering the house had spawned a new wave of pain. He stood for several minutes, peering around the dirt-floored house. Never again would Yarga set foot in there. Slung at his side, Canohando's hand rested on the drum Yarga so cherished. Never would he hear the pulsing beat his friend played.

That was enough. He dropped his gear and quickly left with only Yarga's drum.

Lash watched until Canohando was out of sight. He hung his head. He was afraid, unsure whether his friend would even return, but knew better to go after him. All he could do was wait.

But, not alone.

He saw Lokka waiting on the path. He gestured for her to come, and she did.

"Will he return?" Lokka asked as Lash closed the door.

"I do not know" he replied, searching for a distraction. He found one with the hearth. "I will start a fire and cook the remaining meat for dinner."

Lokka stopped him before he went to collect wood from the outside woodpile. "You build the fire; I will cook."

Lash nodded then stepped out.

Fifteen minutes later, a fire was roaring and Lokka was standing over a pan - a ladle spoon in her hand. Lash sat on a low, skin-covered stool near the hearth carving new arrows. All was quiet save for the fire crackling and the scrapping of the knife.

The pounding started. It was low and distant, but they could hear it, feel it. Canohando wasn't too far away. Lash breathed in relief.

As the sad beat pulsed on, the sorrow in Lokka's heart became heavy and she put down the pan. Lash did not expect it, but he was not surprised. A piercing scream full of agony and rage tore through the stone house. Lokka bent over, face in hands against the dirt floor. She sobbed deep from her chest. Lash watched her, knowing inside him that he felt the same as she did, though he did not show it openly.

Lokka stayed with her face to the floor. The meat that had been cooked was now cold. Lash had gotten up, but quickly returned with his most prized possession - his flute. He began to play a soft, melancholy tune that sunk into the bones. The tune faded after a while, and Lash opened his eyes to find Lokka on her knees before him. Her eyes were red and cheeks wet with tears that still streamed down.

"You and your companion, you mourn through music" Lokka said, sadness but also wonder on her face.

"We find peace in it as well."

Lokka rested a hand on Lash's knobby knee, but said no more. There was silence for a little while longer until Lash asked, "Woman, may I take you as a wife?"

"Yes" Lokka answered with hesitation.

Lash had expected a different answer, and was nearly speechless by the one he received. "You will be my wife in every way even though I am an orc?"

"It is tradition among my people for a widowed or unwed woman to be taken as a wife by their brother-in-law. Because my sister was killed, I was to be taken by her husband. He is a crude man, like most all men in my village. None of them would help when I was being dragged away. But, you saved me. You have been so kind to me, I do not care if you are of the orc race. I will be your wife in every way."

Lash lay a hand upon her head. This time it was a gentle stroke instead of piercing claws running through her hair.