It Is My Nature by Gundnir
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:05 pm
A scorpion came across a blind dog, sitting quietly at a flowing river. The sightless dog perked its ears, hearing the scorpion, and the scorpion came to rest near the dog.
"Greetings, Dog," said the Scorpion.
"Greetings, Scorpion," replied the dog.
"I must cross this river, but its current is too swift for me. I will surely drown," began the Scorpion.
"I, too, must cross this river, but I cannot see. I will surely drown as well," replied the Dog.
"I will ride on your back, then. I will be your eyes, and you will be my legs. Together, we will cross this river," offered the Scorpion.
"But you are a Scorpion. You will sting me and kill me," said the Dog.
"But if I do this, then you will take me under as well. We will both be killed. Surely you must believe me, I will not sting you," replied the Scorpion.
"Very well," said the Dog. The blind Dog did not trust the Scorpion, but agreed with his logic. "I will carry you across, if you will guide me."
The Scorpion climbed aboard the blind Dog's back and guided him through the water. As they made their way halfway across the river, the Scorpion stung the Dog. The blind Dog howled in pain and began to sink as the Scorpion's venom ran through his veins.
"You have stung me! Now we will both die! Why did you do this?"
"I am a Scorpion," replied the killer. "It is my nature."
Gundnir enjoyed this story the most as a young Orcling. His father told it to him many times, and the newblood Gundnir listened, enthralled, every time. He was dreaming this, his father retelling the fable to him, when he awoke violently. The Orc shot up, eyes wide, and searing pain arced through his entire body.
"Easy....now...mate." A voice spoke softly nearby. It formed Orcish words, gutteral and consonant-heavy, but it was a Human voice that spoke them. He spoke the tongue well, albeit slowly.
"You will....open your....wounds again."
Gundnir waited for the blinding pain to release his sight. The stars in his eyes subsided, and the Orc narrowed his eyes to adjust to the light. His chest and ribs were heavily bandaged. The dressings were clean and tight, and the distinct smell of herbs met his nostrils, alerting him to the fact a salve had been applied to help his wounds heal. His left arm had been burned and wrapped in bandage as well, and it felt like a farmer's plow had sowed his back. A few candles lit what he discovered was a large tent.
Gundnir held his head, and more fire surged through his skull as his memory rushed back to him.
He was in the Basin of Arathi, repelling an Alliance attack. Gundnir led a small warband to attack the enemy's stable, in hopes to release the horses and leave the Alliance force on their feet. The guards sprung from everywhere. A trap. His comrades were engulfed in flame, and an aging Paladin came at him with a massive two-handed warhammer.....
Now he remembered. This one must have taken him. Kept him alive. But why? The white-haired Paladin kept his hammer nearby as he ground a pouch of herbs in a bowl. Interrogation, questioning? No chains shackled Gundnir's limbs. The Human felt the wounded Orc would respect his mercy. Either that or that his injuries would keep him weak, passive.
"Where....?" Gundnir started, his voice raspier than normal. His throat burned.
"Above Arathi....hidden outpost. Your friends.....could....not make it...." The Paladin replied. Gundnir had survived alone.
"Quite a fight....you and...your kind.....put up there...
Rest now...drink"
Gundnir sneered at the Human's arrogance. The Paladin offered the Orc a clay bowl of water. The Orc's senses came back to him, his head crystal clear. He shook the offered "mercy" away.
"Suit...yourself...." The Human turned away, rummaging through his backpack. He smiled warmly, welcoming. Gundnir knew he was safe, and that he would be kept alive until they interrogated him.
Best of luck to them in that regard.
The Human turned back to the Orc with a pair of dice.
"Care for....a game?"
A low, gutteral growl rumbled from Gundnir's chest. His chest heaved, and the ritualistic branded runework that covered the entire right side of his body blazed with fiery life. The bandages ripped free, and Gundnir forced his wounds to close with a feral, green glow. A bolt of lightning slammed the Paladin in the chest, bringing him to his knees. The dice tumbled to the floor, and the Human looked up with shock and utter surprise.
"But...I......"
Gundnir stood tall, proud over the Human. The Orc barred his teeth at the Paladin's "mercy."
"I would not have done tha same fer ya."
Gundnir's fist raised. Frost steamed from his flesh as ice encased his hand. Cold, blue eyes flared with hatred, blazed with rage.
"I am a scorpion," replied the killer. "It is my nature."
"Greetings, Dog," said the Scorpion.
"Greetings, Scorpion," replied the dog.
"I must cross this river, but its current is too swift for me. I will surely drown," began the Scorpion.
"I, too, must cross this river, but I cannot see. I will surely drown as well," replied the Dog.
"I will ride on your back, then. I will be your eyes, and you will be my legs. Together, we will cross this river," offered the Scorpion.
"But you are a Scorpion. You will sting me and kill me," said the Dog.
"But if I do this, then you will take me under as well. We will both be killed. Surely you must believe me, I will not sting you," replied the Scorpion.
"Very well," said the Dog. The blind Dog did not trust the Scorpion, but agreed with his logic. "I will carry you across, if you will guide me."
The Scorpion climbed aboard the blind Dog's back and guided him through the water. As they made their way halfway across the river, the Scorpion stung the Dog. The blind Dog howled in pain and began to sink as the Scorpion's venom ran through his veins.
"You have stung me! Now we will both die! Why did you do this?"
"I am a Scorpion," replied the killer. "It is my nature."
Gundnir enjoyed this story the most as a young Orcling. His father told it to him many times, and the newblood Gundnir listened, enthralled, every time. He was dreaming this, his father retelling the fable to him, when he awoke violently. The Orc shot up, eyes wide, and searing pain arced through his entire body.
"Easy....now...mate." A voice spoke softly nearby. It formed Orcish words, gutteral and consonant-heavy, but it was a Human voice that spoke them. He spoke the tongue well, albeit slowly.
"You will....open your....wounds again."
Gundnir waited for the blinding pain to release his sight. The stars in his eyes subsided, and the Orc narrowed his eyes to adjust to the light. His chest and ribs were heavily bandaged. The dressings were clean and tight, and the distinct smell of herbs met his nostrils, alerting him to the fact a salve had been applied to help his wounds heal. His left arm had been burned and wrapped in bandage as well, and it felt like a farmer's plow had sowed his back. A few candles lit what he discovered was a large tent.
Gundnir held his head, and more fire surged through his skull as his memory rushed back to him.
He was in the Basin of Arathi, repelling an Alliance attack. Gundnir led a small warband to attack the enemy's stable, in hopes to release the horses and leave the Alliance force on their feet. The guards sprung from everywhere. A trap. His comrades were engulfed in flame, and an aging Paladin came at him with a massive two-handed warhammer.....
Now he remembered. This one must have taken him. Kept him alive. But why? The white-haired Paladin kept his hammer nearby as he ground a pouch of herbs in a bowl. Interrogation, questioning? No chains shackled Gundnir's limbs. The Human felt the wounded Orc would respect his mercy. Either that or that his injuries would keep him weak, passive.
"Where....?" Gundnir started, his voice raspier than normal. His throat burned.
"Above Arathi....hidden outpost. Your friends.....could....not make it...." The Paladin replied. Gundnir had survived alone.
"Quite a fight....you and...your kind.....put up there...
Rest now...drink"
Gundnir sneered at the Human's arrogance. The Paladin offered the Orc a clay bowl of water. The Orc's senses came back to him, his head crystal clear. He shook the offered "mercy" away.
"Suit...yourself...." The Human turned away, rummaging through his backpack. He smiled warmly, welcoming. Gundnir knew he was safe, and that he would be kept alive until they interrogated him.
Best of luck to them in that regard.
The Human turned back to the Orc with a pair of dice.
"Care for....a game?"
A low, gutteral growl rumbled from Gundnir's chest. His chest heaved, and the ritualistic branded runework that covered the entire right side of his body blazed with fiery life. The bandages ripped free, and Gundnir forced his wounds to close with a feral, green glow. A bolt of lightning slammed the Paladin in the chest, bringing him to his knees. The dice tumbled to the floor, and the Human looked up with shock and utter surprise.
"But...I......"
Gundnir stood tall, proud over the Human. The Orc barred his teeth at the Paladin's "mercy."
"I would not have done tha same fer ya."
Gundnir's fist raised. Frost steamed from his flesh as ice encased his hand. Cold, blue eyes flared with hatred, blazed with rage.
"I am a scorpion," replied the killer. "It is my nature."