Herbs and Alchemy

Warning: there's a little bit of non consent in this one. Thank you, as always, for the ratings and comments, I do appreciate them. Enjoy.

--------

A tap on the tent had Jayla moaning in annoyance. She's been enjoying the warm floatly joy of Tharo's arms. She kissed his chest and reluctantly got up, finding her borrowed tunic and putting it on, then took it off again and tried a second time as it was inside out. "Yes?"

"Please come out, there are things we need to do." The voice was Maoor, the orc-elf shaman.

Jayla smoothed her clothing and ran a hand through her hair, Tharo staggered to his feet and wrapped a blanket around his waist.

Here goes

. She sent to him and stepped outside.

Two orc guards stood at the door to the tent. Tharo greeted them and Jayla realized they were from the East, her side of the river. Maoor stood eagerly, hands clasped in front of her. The ancient Shaman was adorned with scars, symbols, wore several necklaces, some of bone and animal parts, one of metal with runes on it, and several of different stones and shells. She wore a basic linen tunic tied with a woven belt. Buckskin trousers peeked out from underneath. She was barefoot, her skin a light green.

Jayla balked and backed into Tharo as Maoor raised her hands and announced in orcish, "BEAR WITNESS! The first healer team in forty winters! They emerge and bear the marks of

Akai Heza

!"

Marks

? Jayla glanced behind her and up at Tharo as he took her right wrist and raised her hand into the air. She noticed a band of darker skin around both their biceps.

Maoor stepped forward and put her hand on each of their markings. What happened next hurt, Jayla's arm burned as the markings flashed blue, the light faded, leaving the marks darker than before. Hers was a wavy line with marks alternating along it like a bramble...

Thorntrail, of course

. Tharo's was straight around his bicep, line, block, break,

Hammers

.

A crowd had gathered behind the Shaman of both humans and orcs. Jayla couldn't help but notice one orc explain to a human what was going on and seeing them sneer in disgust. The Herbalist's eyes narrowed and she gripped Tharo's left hand with her own tightly. She sent to Tharo,

I don't think we're safe here

.

No one is ever completely safe, Oag

. He put his hand on her shoulder.

Maoor turned to walk up the hill, "Come, we talk peace with new leaders."

They were escorted to the big tent by a phalanx of orcs.

Tara, Soras Jorn, an orc Jayla didn't recognize, and Bale Slingfire were there as well, with the Western mage, Maoor, and Mavek. They sat on logs around a central fire.

"Sorry I'm late, the Ferry got hung up on a rope."

Jayla leapt up and hugged Gillard before he could get into the tent. "So good to see a familiar face!"

"Miss Thorntrail! You're alive!" He nodded at Tharo, "Stonehammer, good to see you well. Looks like we'll get to finish out the season together." Gillard scowled at the Western mage and gave him a curt nod.

Everyone got seated and talks began about what was needed, how low supplies were in the West and how much the East could spare. The orcs didn't care, they could forage in the swamps and were mostly there to make sure they got the money promised them.

They negotiated pricing for the Eastern grain reserves, which was almost double what Jayla had expected them to get for it.

Jayla sent Tharo a question, he nodded. She stood, trying to keep her voice from shaking and failing, "I have a proposal. We send a quarter of those funds to the school and a temple for Luthia. Pick students from each town to come and learn medicine, herbalism, and magical healing if they have a knack for it. That way each town can have a healer. They may not be channels for the Goddess like Tharo and I, but we can try, and if not, they can learn at least some magic to help with wounds and illness. The orcs as well, especially.

The leader of the Eastern Mercenary orcs eyes narrowed, "Why you do?"

Jayla spoke common for the benefit of the humans, but kept it simple for him, "I'm selfish. I don't want to be the only healer, I want others to heal. If one of your children is badly hurt, you should not have to carry them to my town, you go to nearest one, I teach many, so not far. Also, serve Luthia."

A tight smile crossed the Orc leader's face, "Like her."

Bale wrinkled her nose, "They

RigiZen

."

The Orc leader leaned away from Jayla as though he'd been told she had the plague. Considering she'd killed three people with magic that morning, she couldn't imagine what would get that reaction. She looked at Tharo,

What is

RigiZen

?

Tharo laughed and put his arm around Jayla, staring at the Easterner defiantly. "Bale speaks truth."

Cuddling, we cuddle

.

Jayla laughed.

So we're deviants besides being interspecies?

Very much so

.

Out of pure mischief, she leaned toward the Chief and said in a sultry voice, "You know you want to try it."

"Inappropriate." Bale growled at Jayla. Though the Chief's eyes were lit with mortified curiosity.

Talks continued for another hour, then Jayla and Tharo were given leave to cross the river. A rope now spanned the river and a small log raft let them cross without having to swim, though it kept getting stuck on knots, and by the end of the trip Jayla thought swimming would have been faster. She was off the raft as soon as it hit land and she headed straight for their tent.

She dropped the ridiculous tunic she'd been given and plunged into the spring fed pool, drinking deeply, then scrubbed herself down, dried off and put on her own clothes. She got a small fire going and hung the kettle, helping herself to a swig of brandy.

"Don't put that away yet." Tharo placed two plates heaped with orcish food in front of the fire. Jayla handed him the Brandy.

"I think the East got the short end of that deal."

"Yes, but no one else is going to die. Worth it, I think." The orc sat down and put one of the plates on his lap. He nodded to the other one, "You've lost a dog's worth of weight and you didn't have much to begin with, eat."

Jayla looked him over, "You did too. I can see your abs now."

Tharo looked down and almost spilled his food, "Luthia's tears, that's weird. You got the short end of this whole deal there, ribs." He patted the ground and she sat next to him, taking the plate and devouring a ball of

shook goiga

like someone was going to take it from her.

"We should go to the med tent and see if anyone else needs help." She said with her mouth full.

"Easy there. Recover first. After that last post-healing round I'm a little nervous to..."

Jayla nodded. "Maybe let's not use magic during

Zen Naak

for awhile, I thought we were going to die."

Tharo nodded, "What a way to go."

"It looked like it started to hurt by the third one."

"Oh yes. Are you..."

"Raw, feeling sand scoured. That was scary. Had you heard an

Akai Heza

joining is like that?"

"Hints, not explicitly. I think we're a special case in many ways."

"Why would Luthia try to kill us?"

Tharo's yellow eyes locked on her, he was quiet long enough to make her nervous. "If Luthia wanted to kill us, we'd be dead."

"So why?"

Tharo shrugged, "She obviously gets something out of it. Remember it quit when we started using her power on each other, I think that's what she wants us to do."

"I'm going to regret setting up this school. I think we have a lot more work ahead of us."

"Better we find replacements than every plague victim showing up at our door. I'm going to finish the season and my alchemy before the healer students show up, I think some of it can tie in with what we'll be doing."

"I hope Luthia will allow more than one healer team. Now that orcs and humans are more or less at peace."

"Only one way to find out." Tharo put the last of the food in his mouth, set his plate on the ground and put an arm around her. "You still worried about the town burning us at the stake?"

She leaned into him, enjoying the solid warmth of his body, "Not once we save a couple of their children. I think my students have our back." She drifted, finally feeling comfortable and safe. She laughed."What's so funny,

Oag

?"

"

Rigi Zen

. I mean, I should have figured they'd think cuddling was kinky, but..." Jayla snorted and shook with laughter, "Why do we have to be weird? We can't just whip and bite each other like everyone else?"

Tharo's fangs dug lightly into her ear, "We can do that too. Wait, whipping and biting is weird for humans?"

"Whipping. Biting is normal. Ish. In places. Pain raises eyebrows."

Light flowed into the tent as someone opened the flap. "THARO!" Neela dropped her basket and ran into the tent, embracing him. "You're OK!"

"We're fine, kid."

"Neela!" Jayla cried, "I'm so sorry, having to go with Kurdoz after all you've been through. I just wanted to get you back safe. Are you OK? Kurdoz behaved?"

Neela nodded "Thank you, yes. He keeps asking me back to the tent, I... " The girl shook her head.

"You don't have to go, he won't steal you."

"But I want to, he was so nice, but I'm scared. What does he want?"

"What do you think he wants? He didn't..."

"NO! No, he just held me until The Captain got there. He didn't try anything."

"Did he say 'Tunoz'?" Tharo asked.

Neela nodded, "

Dikrak Tunoz

."

Tharo chuckled, "Wouldn't have expected it from him." The orc smiled at Neela, "You are his little bird and he wants to keep you safe. He thinks you're cute. Like a kitten. The others might laugh at him for it, but I don't think he'll care."

Jayla's eyes got big "He wants to

cuddle her

?!" She asked Tharo. He nodded and Jayla burst into laughter, "We're contagious!"

Tharo grinned, "We'll corrupt the whole country by next week at this rate." Tharo saw Neela's look of terror and covered his teeth.

"What?" Neela looked helpless and confused.

Jayla held up a hand in reassurance, "I just found out orcs think cuddling is deviant behavior, and apparently Kurdoz is really into it."

"So he wants to hold me and pet me?"

Jayla and Tharo nodded. Neela blushed.

Jayla leaned close and said quietly, "So are you relieved or disappointed?"

Neela opened her mouth, "Y- Don't mock me. I'm terrified."

"I'm not judging. Do what will help heal your heart. I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thank you. Oh, the basket, it's some tea and a few more blankets, I figured if you were going to take any more patients."

"You're shockingly considerate after we sent you back here in the arms of the scariest orc in the west. Thank you. Send patients on over. Let's get this over with so we can sleep."

Neela told the medics to send over the rest of their injured and excused herself to the orc camp, proudly displaying her arm band. The orcs she passed nodded in respect. She held her head high and tried not to run.

Kurdoz wasn't in his tent. Neela went looking for him around the camp and found him on the practice field. She watched as he took on two opponents with a tree he'd uprooted.

This is insane, you're insane

. She thought to herself, and considered sneaking away back to the med tent.

"Neela!" Kurdoz knocked over the other orcs, dropped the tree and headed toward her. He stopped short, reached out and gently petted her head. She looked up at him and put her hand on his wrist. "Kurdoz. You're so nice."

"I take." He picked her up and carried her back to his tent.

Kurdoz set her down gently next to the fire and blew on it to get the flames going, adding a few sticks. He grabbed the kettle, "Stay. Neela Stay. Kurdoz..." He pointed at the ground, to the tent entrance, and back at the ground.

"Kurdoz will be right back. Neela will stay here." She said, nodding.

"Kurdoz riback. Neela show speak." He petted her hair again and left.

Neela fed the fire and got it to a comfortable size, noting the pile of wood nearby, he wouldn't run out any time soon. She explored, drawn to the double bearded axe that was the same height she was. She admired the shine of it, a few rust spots, but in good shape. The handle was a hard, dark wood she didn't recognize. It was wrapped at the top and bottom with leather and sinew. It was well-used but well taken care of.

"Kurdoz

Goodnak Oag

." The orc said at the entrance of the tent.

"It's good quality. Well made."

The orc tilted his head, questioning. He was carrying two steaming bowls of food and the kettle, which he hung over the fire, then set the bowls down and sat by the fire, patting the spot next to him. "gooqually?"

Neela pointed at the kettle, "Good. Strong." She flexed her arm. His brow furrowed.

She took a deep breath and put her hand on his bicep, lowering her voice, "Strong." She tapped her chest with her fists, "Rrrah! Strong."

Kurdoz grinned at her antics. Neela leaned away from the massive display of fangs and tusks. His left tusk was broken. She hesitantly approached, touching his right tusk, "Good quality." She touched his left tusk, "Broken."

Kurdoz picked up a stick "GooKwaly." He snapped it in half, "Bowken."

"Yes!" She sighed in relief.

He picked up another stick half as big around as her wrist, "Stong."

Neela took it from him and broke it in half, she shook her head, "Not strong. Weak." She pointed at the axe, "Strong."

Kurdoz nodded and patted the ground again. "

Shook Goiga

." he handed her a bowl when she sat down. Neela looked at the green doughy ball and back at the orc. He picked it up and broke it in half, revealing some sort of stringy meat and herbs inside, he put it in front of her mouth. She leaned back and took it from his hands, breaking it apart and eating it. "Food."

"Food." He ate his, scooping the bowl out with his fingers.

Neela pointed at the meat, "What was this?" Kurdoz blinked. She held up her hand, put her two outer fingers up and touched her thumb to her middle ones, "Deer?" pointing back at the meat.

Kurdoz shook his head and startled her with a very loud bray, then flapped his hands like wings.

She laughed, "Goose." She honked and flapped her hands.

He smiled and nodded. "Goose."

She finished the bowl of food in silence, Kurdoz honked again and made her jump. She gaped at him in confusion and outrage. He laughed. "Neela,

Tuz. Naog Tuz

." He took her arm and encouraged her into his lap.

"Tuz?"

Kurdoz leaned away from her, "Eee!" He said in a little voice.

She laughed at the huge orc acting scared. "Scared. Yes. Neela

Tuz

."

"

Tuz

Kurdoz?"

She nodded emphatically, "Very scared of Kurdoz."

He put his arms around her and petted her hair, running his fingers through it gently. "

Noag Tuz. Tunoz Liaga Dikrak

."

"Safe little bird."

"Safe little bird." He repeated, rubbing her arms.

Neela tried to process what she was feeling, she felt good, she liked the feeling of being surrounded by the big, warm orc, but she couldn't relax. "Why?" She looked up at him, her head on his chest, hills of orcish muscle marching to a horizon of tusks as long as her palm.

She made like she was petting a cat.

Yellow eyes gazed down at her, he stroked her cheek with a finger. "

Noag

Goodnok

." Neela felt proud she at least knew that word. "Battle? You want something different than battle?"

His expression told her he didn't understand. His hand began to explore her face, fingers trailing across her forehead, brushing her hair behind her ear, then traveling around it's edge. Neela felt a jolt of something she definitely shouldn't be feeling and squirmed. Sitting up a little. The orc's brows raised in curiosity, his thumb traced her bottom lip. Neela had her head against one of his arms, her legs draped across his opposite thigh. She stared up at him. His chest raised with a deep breath, she saw his nostrils expand. He looked surprised and ran two fingers across her mouth, slowly. Instinctively her tongue met them. Her lips closed around the tips.

Oh Goddess what did I just do? What's happening?

She felt a jolt of desire and the orc's expression changed to something more dangerous.

Kurdoz sniffed the air and looked down at her again. "

Zen Naak

?"

Neela didn't know what he meant and shook her head. She began to tremble. He cupped the back of her head and put his hand on her breast, his expression determined. His thumb brushed her nipple, which, she realized with mild horror was rock hard. She whimpered.

"

Tunoz.

Neela

Noag, Kurdoz Taan

." He touched his ear.

Safe

.

You say no, I'll listen

. His hand drifted towards her waist and lifted up her shirt, fingers heading upwards, exploring, brushing bare flesh, finding her traitorous nipple and circling it with a fingertip.

She gasped, lower muscles tensing in an attempt to quell the tension building between her legs. She felt drugged.

Goddess' tits, why not?

She captured his wrist and he froze, withdrawing a little. She pulled it down toward her waist, releasing it and fumbling with the drawstring on her skirt. Once that was loose she pulled it off and adjusted her bottom across his lap, she wore no underwear, nothing but air between bare sensitive flesh and a massive, hesitant green hand. She grasped two of his fingers and guided them down to her valley. The orc took a deep breath and with glacial slowness dipped his fingers between her lower lips.

"Oh Goddess." She pulled his hand farther down and rocked her hips, "Need, Kurdoz, what did you do to me? Please?"

Kurdoz' yellow eyes were locked on her face as he made a pass along her cleft, again, then inserted a finger into her.

She clenched around it, closed her eyes and gasped at the sensation. She gripped his knee, with one hand, her other against his side, arching onto his hand and moaning softly.

The finger went deeper, curling, moving. Careful, calculated. She hooked a heel at his elbow and encouraged him.

Then there were two fingers, working in and out of her with more confidence, she responded, panting, blocked all thought and focused on bringing herself to climax on his great green hand, whimpering when they hit the spot that would quickly send her over the edge. She panted, whispered, "Kurdoz, I'm going to cum." The orc knew not to change what he was doing and continued stroking her insides as her body arched involuntarily, tensed, convulsed and began to tremble.

He growled low, encouraging her, "

Gee, Neela. Loga Kaggaz Kog Okak

."

She didn't know or care what he meant, riding the crest of a wave of mind-blowing pleasure. The orc continued to watch, his expression predatory and fascinated.

After a minute she pushed his arm away with her foot, panting and still twitching. The big orc chuckled. She finally looked up at him.

Gods, what did I just do? With an orc? Now what? I suppose I should return the favor for my own safety

.

She took a moment to recover, then reached for his breeches. Kurdoz pulled away from her, putting his hand on hers. He looked frightened or offended, she couldn't tell. Neela pointed from her to him and back, "Don't you want that too?"

He hesitantly lifted his hand off of hers, hanging his head in shame. "Kurdoz

Laiga

."

Another word she knew. "Little? You're little." She stared at his face in disbelief. "There is no way." She ran her hand over his pants, feeling semi hardness, she rubbed it, keeping her eyes on his face as she stroked him through the soft leather, feeling him slowly stiffen. She fought to keep her expression neutral as the staff under her hand grew, it was NOT small. "Show me. I don't care how small it is, I'll use my hand." She shrugged and held up her hand to demonstrate what she had in mind, then nodded at his pants.