Play It Smart.

“You trust me?” I smiled as I looked over.

“No but you got us this far.” She shook her head at me. I stopped a good hundred yards away. Plenty of range to pop three or four before they could reach us. Plus we were on horseback. Could easily run there little asses over and hardly even feel it.

“Hey. If you leave now and the orcs that are coming won't kill you. Less you can take fifty of them in a fight.” I yelled.

“Bull shit. You don't have fifty orcs.” The lead Kobold shouted back.

“So you do have the ore.” I smiled and looked at Sura. “See that was easy.”

“What no. We have no ore here.” He yelled. I could tell he was getting angry.

“Really so you didn't steal no gold ore from the orcs. Bet you didn't tell the goblins it was gold.”

“What is he talking about. You said it was iron ore.” One of the goblins looked at him and all the goblins turned as well drawing weapons.

“It is. I mean no.” The kobold said shaking his head looking at me. “Fuck. Kill them.” He pointed at us. But the goblins turned on the kobolds. One in heavy armor cut two with his sword before one stabbed him in the neck. The other armored kobold stabbed one in the chest but goblin killed him with his dying breath. The Kobold leader went running our way being chased. I put an arrow at one of their feet making them stop. Sura jumped off of the horse and tripped the kobold.

“You can run and live or stay and die but the orcs are coming and there is no way you can get the ore out of here before the orcs find you. Sura. The coin purse.” I looked at her and she grabbed the kobolds coin purse and tossed it to me. “You can even have the coin that you were promised.”

“Then we go.” A young looking goblin male came out. He was dressed slightly better then the others but that wasn't saying much.

“My prince.” One of the goblins shook his head.

“He is right. We no die because trust some Kobold. We go, we live, we still get money. Let them have rocks. Who we sell it to? Coin we can buy spend.” The prince said and they put their weapons away. Least he seemed smarter then the others.

“Thank you your highness for seeing reason.” I smiled and threw the coin purse to him and he caught it. They went to collect there fallen and leave peacefully.

“Sorry. I know how much you wanted to kill something.” I smiled at Sura as I hopped off the horse.

“Day is still early for this one. Plus they are Goblins. Not worth killing. No honor in it. But it was funny as hell to watch them turn on one another.”

“Agreed.” A voice said and I turned drawing an arrow.

“Relax. I am on your side. I was hired by the kingsforge. I will assume you two were hired by the orcs?”

“Something like that.” I nodded.

“Then we are on the same side it would seem this time.”

“I will kill you all when this is over.” The kobold said from the ground. Sura grabbed him by the hair and punched him in the face. “Ah my nose you bitch.” She hit him again in the stomach.

“You speak. I hit. Got it?” She raised her fist

“I got him.” I said pulling out the length of rope I typically used for hanging deer to bleed them and pinned him down with my knee.

“How did you know to look here?” Sura said. I was curious myself how she came to the same conclusion as me.

“I didn't. I followed you,” She said slyly as she passed me and took an arrow from my quiver. “It's funny. I was hired a while back to hunt down some goblin bandits. Someone beat me to it. A few had been killed by arrows just like yours. digging them up was a real bitch but at least they still had their ears so I still got paid for each kill.” She shrugged and tossed the arrow back to me. Seems we had missed each other on that one.

“Sura. You want to go...”

“Check the mine. You watch her.” Sura nodded and headed off.

“Lovely friend.” Raven smiled as she walked over to the Kobolds bodies.

“If you're going to rob them at least burn them. That old cart should work for fire wood.” I said and nodded with my head. The last thing anyone needed was wolves or something else to catch wind of dead corpses.

“Very well,” Raven said, grabbing an ankle of one and dragged it beside the other. I ended up having to gag the Kobold.

“Think it was smart letting the goblins ?” Raven asked.

“They will tell other goblins what happened and maybe keep some of them from trying something like this in the future.”

“I wouldn't count on it.” Raven shook her head as she used an old lantern she had found to pour the oil on the bodies.

“So you're a mug half-empty kind of girl?”

“No. I don't give a fuck until my mug and coin purse are empty. As long as there are things need killing both will stay full for a long time to come. You saved them today but I may end up killing them tomorrow.” Raven replied. She was probably right but I could hope not.

“You were right. The ore and the wagon are just a little ways in,” Sura said coming out with a smile on her face.

“I don't think the Kobolds will mind us borrowing their horses,” I said looking over.

“Think we need the need him alive?” Sura asked as she looked at the head kobold.

“For now.” I shrugged. I threw some coal and lantern oil on to the fire. We road for the orc camp as I drove.

“Tell me. That cabin where you found the dead goblins. You ever find out who they were selling to.” I looked over at Raven.

“A recently deceased human smuggler.” She smiled. So she had at least found the one responsible it seemed. When we got back I saw several gnomes talking to the orcs.

“Thank the maker. You found it.” One of the gnomes said as he came forward.

“Vignar?” I looked at Sura and she nodded.

“Where was it?” Vignar asked.

“Thieves had it hidden nearby.” Sura said.

“Raven got off of her horse and tossed him at the ground at the snomes feet.

“Andrus. Should have known. Greedy son of a bitch. Hope you rot in hell.” Vignar spat on him and signaled the other gnomes to take him then looked up at me. “How did you get involved in this, sir?”

“I am a tracker. Sura hired me on behalf of her tribe.”

“And a damn good one at that it seems. What do you want for this?” Vignar put his hands on his hip.

“That her tribe see no punishment and continue to do business with you in the future.”

“Very well.” He gave a shrug. “It be getting dark soon and I rather not be on the road. I will get a room in the inn for the night. Two of your men will escort the ore in the morning personally to make sure it arrives without further incident,” Vignar said looking at the orc chief.

“Agreed.”

“Come Raven. I will see you are paid.” Vignar smiled. Raven gave me a smile as she passed. That was one woman I hoped I never have to cross blades with.

“Thank you, daughter,” the chief said as he came over.

“No matter how far the tribe may be it will never be far from my heart. But you owe thanks to this one more then to me,” Sura said as she hopped off.

“Then you have our thanks stranger. You are welcome to come and eat with us this night.”

“And Sura. Would she be welcome as well?” I replied. I wasn't going to turn my back on her now.

“The traitor bitch has no place at our...” Gorn said stepping forward though never finished what he was saying as the chief threw a punch that sent the younger orc on his ass. The old man had some fight in him it seemed.

“My daughter saved our honor when many showed her none, any orc who speaks ill of her deeds again shall have no place in this tribe and walk the long road alone. As chief I say this. It is spoken, it is law,” he replied. “Come. Let us feast tonight as we may die tomorrow.” Feast we did as they cooked a large wild boar over the fire and served a drink strong enough to make me go blind if I drank too much. I was caught a little off-guard as several of the orc women came out dressed in loin cloths and war paint, their large breasts bouncing as they moved to the beat of drums.

“Well, there is something you don't see every day.” I smiled.

“Do orc women appeal to you human?” The chief laughed.

“I like all women. Just not used to them running around topless.” I shrugged.

“It is our way from the time of old before meeting the first of your men as it is told. We remember our ancestors in this way as it has been before word took shape,” the old orc said. I knew by 'word took shape' he was referring to the writing. No one knew what had come before that except for stories passed from generation to generation.

“If only all civilization was so wise.” I smiled and raised my cup.

“Ha. Agreed.” He laughed and drank.

“Though there would be very little civilization left if all races thought as we orcs,” an older orc woman said as she came over and sat. Not bad looking for her age or that she was an orc.

“This is Gova, our master blacksmith.”

“Thank you for your help today.” She smiled.

“It was just a couple of goblins and kobolds.”

“Maybe so but you helped my daughter. For that, you have my thanks.”

“Your Sura's mom?”

“Yes. She came from me. There are many who still do not wish her here but they cannot defy the chief nor what she and you did for the clan. At the very least she will be allowed to visit us as she likes though I know she has no wish to live among us after her own tribe scorned her for so long. It is a hard road she must walk alone. Being of two tribes but never being fully welcome by either. Luckily she is strong. She will endure.”

“That she is.” I nodded as I watched her dance. After a while, she took a seat with a few of her friends on a long log by the campfire. Sura nodded for me to come over.

“Human,” one of the girls said raising a cup.

“This is Wren and Shel,” Sura said as she slid over giving me a place to sit beside her.

“Ladies.”

“Don't think I have ever been called that before. Don't know I should take it as a compliment or insult.” Wren laughed.

“Ha. Wren is no lady. The only thing more open then her mouth is her pussy,” Shel responded.

“You know if the human was one of us, you would be expected to fuck him, Sura.” Wren gave her a look.

“You are so profane, Wren.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“Orc men and women who fight together fuck together. It is not law so much as tradition. We orcs are driven by our passions. Feasting, fighting, and fucking like there is no tomorrow.” Wren smiled.

"We know which Wren most prefers. No offense to the human but I don't think he could measure up to orc men," Sura said and took a drink of her mug. She seemed a little on the defensive.

"How do you know, Sura? Have you ever seen the human naked?" Wren replied and reached over putting her hand on my dick and balls and giving them a squeeze through my pants. “Feels like he measures up pretty well to me. If he were orc, I would fuck him.”

“Speaking of fucking,” Shel said as she looked up and one of the male orcs came over. Wren stood up and went to him and grabbed his ass as they walked away. “Well, I am going to go dance.”

“You know I wouldn't say no if you asked,” Sura said as she glanced over at me.

“Asked what?”

“Fucking. Nothing like a good fucking after a fight. That is if you think you can handle me, human."