As she approached, she saw a large, gray, dark-spotted wildcat standing over the carcass. It was purring discontentedly and tossing aside with its paw the stones that Zurka had placed on the carcass for protection. The predator's eyes darted towards her, and Zurka felt a sudden surge of anger. She had killed and almost died for this meal, and now some scavenger dared to lay its cunning muzzle and impudent paw on her! She picked up a stone and threw it at the cat, hitting its target, but the stone only skimmed her back, only angering the predator. It was too late to spin the throwing belt. The cat saw her approaching and was ready to defend its meal.
The creature pounced on her, baring its teeth and stretching out its claws. Zurka grabbed the knife, her heart pounding. She had never fought a wildcat before. The cat's agility did not match her strength, her jump was accurate but uncertain, she was somewhat exhausted and slid along the slippery stone a little further than she wanted. In the end, the young orc's cunning won. Dodging the throws and blows with her paws, she severely wounded the creature with several lunges from the side, and it retreated with a heavy hoarse hiss.
The fight turned out to be faster than she expected, Zurka felt a strange mixture of pity and triumph, watching as the creature crawled away and fell to the ground from loss of blood, which painted the snow with terrible red spots. She stood there for a while, catching her breath, her heart jumping like crazy during the fight. But then she heard something that froze her own blood: a plaintive meow from the slope above. She climbed the rocks and found three small kittens huddled together, their eyes wide with fear. There were small, stale bones and bird feathers lying around them. It looked like they hadn't eaten for days. Their mother was the cat she had just fought.
Her heart softened, and she realized that she couldn't leave them to die in the cold. The laws of the spirits of nature in such a case ordered either to finish off the babies or replace their mother. Zurka admitted that they were very cute. And you wouldn't think from looking at them that they could grow into huge beasts that could bite off an arm!.. She carefully picked them up and put them in the bag she had brought with her, whispering comforting words. They were so tiny and helpless, and she felt a strange kinship with them. After all, she too was an underestimated vulnerable creature, a "little thing" in a world of giants.
With the kittens safely in her possession and the remains of the goat meat in tow, she staggered back to camp. Along the way, she regretted refusing Orgal's help a hundred times. The journey was long, but she was encouraged by the thought of the orc males' reaction to her return. They would never believe that she had fought such a creature and won. But she had something to prove it.
When she arrived, the camp was full of quiet, eerie sounds of the night. The cubs' eyes lit up when they saw the food and the kittens. They gathered around her, their faces frozen in silent question.
"These kittens are not for food!" she told them firmly. "They will be our pets and will help us in hunting when they grow up. You have no idea what it cost me to get this goat! Hunting will be easier with them. Take care of them, and they will take care of us.
The cubs nodded and took the kittens in their arms and began to feed them meat ground on stones. Their curiosity was rewarded. The orcs had long been accustomed to the lizard beasts, but they had never had domestic cats, and the idea of raising the local wild animals to be their friends was intriguing. Zurka knew it would be a challenge, it might not work. But she also knew they needed all the help they could get, anything that would increase their chances of survival.
Her sisters had not yet returned from their raid, and the camp was quiet. The males were tense, the air thick with the scent of fear and anticipation of the unknown. They saw the squeaking meows of her hunt, and listened with genuine interest to her story of the battle with the wildcat. To the orc males, mountain cats were not dangerous, they could grab such a cat with one hand and crush it if necessary. But to little Zurka, a wildcat, even an exhausted one, was a very dangerous opponent, everyone recognized this. For the first time, she felt that she had done something truly important, something that everyone recognized without a doubt.
After listening to this story without blinking, Skoll rose to his full enormous height and said:
- Little one, you have proven that you have a small body, but a big heart and a quick mind. As the elder of the clan, I believe that your current name does not suit you. You are no longer a useless trifle. From now on, we will call you Katzura - Little Mountain Cat! Or Mountain Kitten. The spirit of this beast will now be your patron!
Zurka froze in confusion. Well, she was called little again... But at least a mountain cat! That was much better than being called a useless trifle.
She replied:
- I agree.
Skoll turned to one of the young males:
Dagras, before the sun sets completely - run to the mountains, follow Katzura's tracks and the cat's blood, find the cat and bring her skin! Katzura must get her fur tomorrow!
Dagras, without saying a word, slowly but surely ran to the exit of the camp. The ground shook slightly from his stomping. This, by the way, is one of the reasons why male orcs are excellent warriors, but very bad hunters and scouts. Zurka, or now Katzura, was a little afraid for him, because there are hidden cracks in the mountain ice, which she passes without harm, and he can fall into them... But all the other males were used to following the elder's orders precisely. Skoll ordered rarely but accurately. As well as beating for disobedience.
Extremely tired, she lay down near the smoldering fire and wrapped herself in her old wolf skin with relief. The soft snores of the cubs and the crackling fire lulled her into a much-needed sleep. The day had not been wasted. Tomorrow she would face all difficulties with her head held high and... perhaps in a brand new wildcat coat!