We came back to egghead. Baruba, oh sorry, master baruba, some free time so that he could make Ushha's mask.
I couldn't put my finger on it, but something changed in the hut. We were running low on food. There was only one full barrel of meat. We will soon have to find a solution. The whole boar would have lasted us a year.
For dinner, I went to take my meat share, but I was stopped by Vorl.
"Yal, you can't eat the boar meat !" he whispered to me as if afraid of someone hearing him.
I frowned, not understanding the situation. I looked at the orphans. Most had their head down. That was when I saw that Rorm and Yurim were missing. I looked at Wolfteeth,, but he was avoiding my gaze. 'What's going on here ?'
Zala, who was behind me and didn't hear Vorl, opened the barrel and took some meat.
" Hey you, what do you think you're doing."
I looked at where the voice came from. It was Neeg, the eldest brother.
"Well, I'm taking my meal. Do you have a problem with that ?" replied Zala.
Neeg was taken aback. He hasn't expected this answer.
" You can't take the meat of this barrel. I prohibit it. Only my brother and I can."
"Are you stupid" This time, it was my turn to be outraged. " We share OUR meat with both of you only because WE wanted it. But now you're saying that you're deciding who has the right to eat OUR meet. Is there something wrong with your head ?"
Neeg was fuming. He was red of anger.
"Who do you think you are to talk to your chief like this ? Do you want to finish like the other two ?" suddenly said Khrud, the younger brother.
" What do you mean ?"
" Neeg being the oldest, took the place of Ushha as the new leader, but Yurim and Rorm opposed it, so we set an example and took care of them."
My face became cold. Inside, my rage was growing. I could see that Zala was in the same state as me. The other orphans started to worry.
" Where are they ?" I coldly ask.
It was Shufa who answered me.
" They are both at Ulga's hut. She is taking care of them."
" What happened ?"
" This morning, after you left, Neeg and his brother gathered us, telling us he had a big announcement to make. That's when he said that since Ushha had become an adult, she could no longer be the chief. And as he was the oldest left, it should be him. Yurim stood up, disagreeing. She said that egghead's orphans were a family and had no chief, and if they had one, it would be you, Yalak. This made Neeg really angry, and said that you were just a crazy kid fooling around. He said you would rather hide behind your mask rather than face him. Neeg then asks Yurim for a hûrbâk. At this moment, Rorm also stood up to defend her, but Khurd was quicker and challenged him to a hûrbâk as well. We all went behind egghead, where the fight would take place. Yurim and Rorm bravely fought, but the brothers were stronger. So they beat them senselessly. We had to quickly bring them to Ulga."
Rage could be seen in my eyes. A hûrbâk is an honorable death match. It's a sacred tradition for orcs. They can't avoid it or they'll be banned from their tribe. However, children aren't allowed to kill each other if they have to fight in a hûrbâk. Neeg knew he was stronger than them, so he took advantage of it to beat them hard and make the others afraid of him.
" You understand now why you have to obey me now, coward." Said Neeg arrogantly.
' If you wanted to make me furious, then I'll grant you a twenty out of ten.'
" I defy you to hûrbâk Neeg, the woodlouse."
Neeg started to grin, but when he heard the second part of my sentence, his face was distorted in anger.
"YOU..." Before he could continue, someone interrupted him.
"YAL ! I wanted to be the one to kick his ass !"
"You b*tch, I.. ", he started but was interrupted by me.
" Well, there is still the weak one if you want to vent yourself."
" I..." the little brother tried to talk.
" Ok, but next time I will decide who to beat first, deal ?"
" Deal."
" Have finished. Saving time will not change the results."
" We're not saving time, you bastard. I challenge Khurd to hûrbâk !"
" I gladly accept b*tch. Once I'm done with you, you'll be bedridden for months."
We went behind the hut to fight. The orphans were encouraging us.
I was facing Neeg. He was a tall orc with big fangs. He's thirteen and thus more muscular than me. I have the strength of an eleven-year-old orc. But it's not like it would be my first time-fighting someone stronger. Unfortunately, I don't know his proficiency at fighting. The two brothers never attend any of Baruba's classes.
Zala was facing Khurd. I had total trust in her victory. She was the best of us when it came to fighting, so I could fight freely without worrying about her fights.
In a hûrbâk, we had to fight bare-handed till one of us gave up or passed out.
We looked at each other. No one wanted to make the first move. Then Neeg relaxed and looked at me arrogantly. ' he thinks this will be an easy fight. That is your second mistake. The first was when you decided to challenge my friends.'
I took a step forward, and it seemed it was the signal he was waiting for as he started to run. At the last moment, he jumped and tried to tackle me. I dodged by jumping, but that's what he was waiting for. He grabbed my foot and swung me to the ground. I succeeded in freeing myself at the last moment and rolling to redirect and absorb the impact. Neeg didn't let me stand up and jump on me. He started to give me punches in the head. 'That hurts. I have underestimated him a little.'
I rolled and freed myself from his grip. I quickly got up and quickly kicked him on the waste. He parried but was surprised by the strength behind it. I took this opportunity to punch him twice.
"Argh"
The punches seemed to enrage him since he charged at me just after. Saura's move against the boar came back to my mind. 'No, I can't do it. It won't work.' I told myself, 'But if I succeed, I'll deal him heavy damage.' I took position and waited for the right time to jump. Neeg was nearly on me, ready to strike me. I jumped, rotated, and landed a powerful smash on his temple. Neeg fell.
' it'll teach you not to act too arrogantly', I was elated to have won again someone stronger.
I turn around and let my guard down. It was a big mistake. I forgot orcs weren't human. Neeg stood up and took advantage of my carelessness to grab my neck and try to choke me off. I tried to free myself, but his grip on me was stronger. I could feel my air depleting quickly.
' Sh*t, I need to breathe, or I will lose.'
That's when Neeg whispered in my ear :
"Once I defeated you, the orphans lost all their hopes. You all will become my slaves. If one or two of you disappear, no one will be bolted enough to speak up. And the adult won't notice anything as they don't pay any attention to us."