Urosh, a sleek, black-scaled horosaur, had been her sister's mount for a long time, ever since their mother had chosen him for her in life. He was the largest and fastest of the clan. Zurka had never ridden him or any of the other lizardbeasts in the clan. She approached the dangerous creature cautiously, her heart pounding as she grabbed the reins with trembling hands. The horosaur snorted, eyeing her warily. She tried to swing a leg over his back, but his warm hide was slippery from the melting frost on his body, and when she accidentally pulled on the reins, he bucked, throwing her into the air. She fell sideways and landed with a dull thud that knocked the breath out of her. The cubs and females roared with laughter, while Urosh hissed terribly, exposing a long, fine-toothed mouth, stamped his feet, his forked tongue appearing and disappearing in his mouth. Zurka crawled back to her sister in horror, and the beast-lizard calmed down, continuing to clean his skin.
Garza came closer, a smirk playing on her lips.
- Sister, you almost died of horror when Urosh hissed at you. And what will you do when a mounted human spearman drives his horse right at you? He will impale you on his pike, like a rat!
The laughter grew louder, echoing throughout the camp. Zurka's cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment, but she did not give in. She rose to her feet, dirty snow sticking to the skin of her legs.
- I'll show you what I'll do with it! Give me your throwing spear. I'll show you I'm not useless!
Garza shrugged and handed her the weapon. Heavy, with a black iron tip from the Summoner's army. A rarity. Garza's three other spears were trophies - slightly shortened human infantry spears. Zurka took a moment to balance the spear in her hand, aimed at a distant tree, and threw with all her strength. The spear arced through the air and landed with a dull thud, a miserable distance from its target. Not even halfway. The laughter reached its peak, and Zurka felt the full weight of their taunts on her not-so-mighty shoulders. Garza rolled her eyes, silently indicating what she thought of it, picked up another spear, and with a graceful turn, threw it. The spear flew into the air and sank deep into the tree trunk. The other females watched, amazed by the power and precision of her throw. Garza walked up to the tree, sniffling with the effort, pulled the spear out of the tree, and walked back.
"That's how it's done!"
Zurka's eyes filled with tears of disappointment, and she turned away, hunched over. She realized that she had climbed into the wrong place, but the pain of their laughter was hard to bear.
"I'm going hunting. And I wish you luck," she muttered. "May the spirits of these mountains protect you, sister."
Garza's expression softened, and she placed her hand on Zurka's.
"Calm down, sister. Let each of us mind our own business and not interfere in others'. Can you imagine asking my father, when he was alive, to join his strike force, the warriors on grassosaurs with huge clubs that could crush several enemies with one swing, and break down the gates of the fortress at full speed? No? And I knew right away that it would be stupid. You understand too. Go, sister. Do what you can. And what you can't do, don't do. May the spirits of our fathers and mothers protect you!
Zurka nodded, trying to smile through her disappointment. She knew her sister was right, but that didn't ease the pain inside her. She began to gather her meager belongings, her mind racing with thoughts of how to show off her best side. She had to do something, anything, to show that she was no longer just a "useless brat" but worth something. Gathering her things, she glanced over her shoulder at the tree where the spear hole gaped, like a silent reproach whispering to her from the shadows.
Zurka had neither her own spear nor a bow and arrows. She only had a hunting knife, which had once been a broken steel sword tip that she had found on a forgotten mountain path. She had cleaned the rust off it, sharpened it a little on a suitable stone, made a leather braid for the hilt and wore it tucked into the belt of her fur tunic. For little Zurka, it was almost a short sword. And like most orcs, she was very smart. She thought about how to throw stones better and further, and found a way - you need to put the stone in a leather loop, spin it and release one end. And the stone flies much further and stronger. And it does not require as much strength as throwing a spear! She threw her sleeping skin, which she used as a cloak and sleeping bag for resting on the trail, over her shoulders, braided her long black hair into a single thick braid, and headed away from the camp. She had no grassosaur or horosaur of her own, and hunted on foot or running when her strength allowed.