The Hunt (Work in Progress)

It had been days and the pain was growing unbearable. Food had been scarce and the tension grew within the small orc encampment. Arguments had taken over conversation, anger spilled in all directions as fuses continued to shorten and a violent outburst was nearing.

"Where are they?!" Demanded one of the burlier females, her eyes eagerly scanning the surrounding fields of their camp, "They should have been back by now." She urged, her voice as deep and dark as the hunger that was playing on her mind before her head spun, her eyes landed on the younger male a few feet away.

He looked scared as her eyes bore down upon him, knowing that if the hunters didn't return soon, the task to find food would be pushed onto his shoulders instead.

"I don't know, surely they'll be here soon?" He started, his lip quivering as the impatient orc closed the distance, her hand raised in anger as he cowered backwards, "Please Ragash!" he pleaded as her heavy fist rained down upon his cheek, knocking him down to the floor.

"Please?" She repeated, a hatred filled humour to her voice. "You want more?" She threatened, raising her fist again as a second strike grew eager for the boys face before stopping, hesitating in the air as his eyes lit up, his shaky hand lifted to point behind her.

As Ragash turned, a cruel smile lifted along her lips to the sight of the hunting parties return, several large figures were walking across the fields, each carrying a creature of some kind.

The largest at the front seemed to represent the energy for the entire party, they were slow, worn out. their makeshift clothes were bloodied, ruined with mud and torn more than they usually were but even with this obviously pain stricken party, he was smiling, his large hand patting triumphantly on the dead deer slumped over his shoulder.

"We eat" he announced as they entered the camp, his voice boomed with pride before dropping his hunt to the ground.

The pile of dead grew one by one as each placed their kill down, moving to sit by their own tent before those who had remained behind, came forwards to prepare the meat.

The leader, Hock, moved to the young boy who was now nursing a sore jaw, his large hand lifted the boy to his feet as a disappointed sigh filled the silence.

"Ido, when will you learn to protect yourself?"

Like a knife to the heart, his words pierced the boy with an agonising pain. His eyes fell to the ground as he nodded. "Yes father, I'm sorry fath-" his words cut short as he was shoved away as he always was at this point. "You're an embarrassment" Hock growled before Ido stepped away to help the others.

He pulled away one of the smaller kills as the others argued over who would do what.

His fingers ran tenderly along the soft pelt of what was just this morning a beautiful white rabbit, his heart ached to know that it's life had been given so theirs could continue and as he unsheathed the small knife from his waist, Ido begrudgingly plunged it into the rabbits stomach.

Expecting to hear the sickening squelch of his his knife entering it's flesh, Ido's eyes tightened as a screech of steel grinding against steel violated his senses, a shiver down his spine as the knife tugged, attempted to twist inside of his grip and the lifeless rabbit shifted against his hand.

His eyes opened as the confusion took over, looking down at what was happening, a fear entered his heart, plunged his soul into a darkness he had never experienced. His body froze as the creature came to life, it's body twisted, the knife being pushed from it's body and leaving a gaping hole where it had been.

What should have been blood, organs, flesh and bone was instead a strange array of steel, gears grinding in unison as it began to speed up, the contraption grew energetic in his hold, legs flailing about as he dropped it to the floor. Ido was mesmerised into silence as he watched it scramble to it's feet. His heart pounded as the sweet yet mysterious creature finally stood, it's eyes were lifeless as it looked up at him and before he could reach out and lift it up again, it was already backing away slowly. He tried to reach and it scrambled away, little legs carrying it out of his reach and towards the nearest tent.

Ido took chase, too amazed by this sudden chance event that had found him, eagerly on it's tail, he pushed into the tent, the sunlight behind hidden by it's thin fabric as the strange "rabbit" stood in the center of the room.

With every step the young orc took, the creature shook, evidently scared by his approach. He lowered himself to his knees and let his fingers idle near the front of it's face, trying to let it take his scent, thinking it would calm the creature perhaps?

Perhaps by chance, sheer luck or maybe it could feel that he meant no harm or threat but after a moment, the soft fur of it's pelt once again graced his fingers. An audible gasp of joy escaped Ido before a sickening scream filled the air outside.

it was followed by another, and another and each one brought paint to Ido's heart, his blood thickened before he felt the sharp pain of razor sharp teeth sink into his fingers, his own howl of pain danced in the air like a thick smoke with the others as the confusion only grew stronger.

The contraption hung from his fingers as he jerked his hand away before the sharp fangs released, it scurried on the ground and stood between him and the entrance, it's beady black eyes staring up at Ido as he tried to turn, fell from his knees and onto the ground.

"What's going on?" He heard a far too familiar voice ask from outside the tent before more screams answered Hock's confusion, heavy foot falls spiraled around the tent, shadows of his small group outside danced across the tent's walls, their bodies taken down by strange figures as Hock pushed into the tent, his breathing shallow as fear played upon his features. Fresh blood trickled down his face as his large hands held a dreadful war axe against his heaving chest.

"Ido, you're.." There was a moment of relief on his father's face but Ido watched as the hulking warrior's lips froze, his eyes fell down to the rabbit that was between them now and as Hock's fear fell to anger, his axe lifted high, Ido lunged forwards, protecting the small creature with a plead escaping him. "He's different, he's protecting me" Ido swore in desperation.

"Ido! Move you fool!" Hock hurled the words at him, his foot tried to kicked his son from the creature. "That thing will kill you!" He growled but before another kick could be aimed, a heavy creak echoed outside, it was in this moment that both father and son, realised the screams had stopped, the sound of rushed feet on the earth was no more and the shadows that had surrounded the tent were no more.

Hock's eyes moved to Ido again as his lips opened but before words could form, blood spat from his mouth, dripped down his chin as his eyes rolled back. A horn protruding out of his chest.

His body dragged back, out of the tent, The entrance torn off with Hock's departure, his axe catching on one of the poles, causing the tent to collapse above Ido. Hiding his body but not before he saw the strange creature outside, the pile of animal furs hanging from it's large figure before the "rabbit" burrowed into his arms for protection, if he tried to move, it bit down hard again whilst the loud thuds of one large mechanical creatures feet moved away from what was left of the camp.

As Ido slowly crawled out from the tent, he could see still in the distance, the strange mass of mechanical creatures that had merged into one, his fear forgotten as the bodies of his small group surrounded the camp site. Their blood dyed the grass red as his heart continued to race, his tears flowed down his cheeks as he found comfort in the small bundle of fur and gears that was nestled against his chest.

And here begins the adventures of Ido and his trusty companion "Fluff-n-Grind"