The Nomad Chronicles

The days went by as I nursed Snowmaiden back to health. I told her my name is Snakefist. We call each other Snow and Snake for short. She is able to walk and move about, and is recovering well. She seems unconcerned about Stonefist's inevitable arrival. She is sitting by the river on the bank, watching the fish swim.
"He is coming. He is an excellent tracker. He will be alone, armed with a great stone hammer, and a sling."
"I will kill him," I say simply.
"Good," she responds.
A bird alights on my shoulder and whispers in my ear.
"He approaches on the gnolls," I tell Snow.
"Aye, mine chieftain, I will join you, for I must have my revenge."
I mount my horse, and my hawk, Sunfire, rides on my shoulder. Snow rides in front of me. She feels so familiar to me somehow. I feel a strong sense of deja vu.
I see a large lone orc wielding a stone hammer coming over the hills. At sight of Snow riding with me, he roars in rage, and challenges me to dismount. I do, and simply wait for his charge. Snow somehow disappears, but I am too focused on my enemy to notice.
As he approaches, he screams, "You have stolen my slave!" Right before he gets within striking distance, I morph into a great ox. He tried to backpedal, but it's too late, and his momentum carries him into my waiting horns. I toss him high overhead, and he lands behind with a loud thud.
As he stands, I can tell his ankle is broken. I morph into a giant cave bear, and charge him. He readies his hammer, but is attacked by my hawk, Sunfire, who divebombs him, and yanks his head back by the hair. He tries to hit my friend with his weapon, but instead hammers himself in the head leaving himself dazed. I laugh at this as I charge. Suddenly a shadow drops from a lone tree behind him, and a blade flashes in the sun. The blade quickly decapitates Stonefist, and I charge into a headless body.

"I didn't know you are a Ninja."

"I didn't know you are a Shaman."

"Why couldn't you kill him earlier?"

"I had been starved by my father for refusing to eat the cubes. So, I was already very weak when I was sold on the stock market. Never a slave again."

I nod. I summon scavenger beasts to eat the carcass, then we mount my horse and ride back to my cabin. We wash after the battle, and sit on my wooden and hay cushion couch in front of my fireplace.

We drink some mead, and smoke some green herb. "Thank you, Snake. You saved my life."
I turn to her.



"You will be my mate forever. Our love is strong." I look into her eyes, and kiss her. We consummate our savage orc love in my cabin under a full moon. I sleep a deep sleep, and dream of a strange life where I am a human in a world with no orcs and no magic. How strange. I awake to a strange scraping sound on the outside of my cabin. I grab my stone dagger, and move toward my door. I peer outside, and see it's a large buck scraping his antlers on my cabin.
"Oakleaf!" I recognize my old friend, and call him by name. He walks to me, and licks my face. Snow walks sleepily out, and is amused by our interaction. Oakleaf looks toward the woods, and a lovely doe and fawn appear. I tell Snow to fetch some seeds and grains I have for feed for many animals, and we feed them out of our hands. Oakleaf is an amazing huge deer, large enough for a full grown orc to ride.
Oakleaf, and his mate, Willow, kneel down and beckon us to mount them. We do, and let them lead. We ride with their little fawn to a high hill and watch the sun rise. Life is grand.
"I have never met an orc like you, my love," Snow whispers.
"Nor I you, Snow."
"Are there others like us?"
"Maybe."