Orc Boyfriend: Dimka (special preview)

I swallow down another anxious lump forming in my throat. I then see the branches before me shudder and I swing my sword, chopping them down. The creatures cackles and I swing again, cutting more branches. As foliage falls around me something tackles me from behind. Claws dig into my shoulders, and it’s feet kick into the middle of my back. I use my sword for balance to keep myself from falling and I throw myself backwards, slamming the creature into a tree. It screams into my ear, kicking against my lower back again to push me away. I whip around, thrashing it so it comes slinging off my back and skittering across the ground. The pine needles can be as slick as oil, and I can see it has trouble gaining traction. 

Their legs are thick and heavy with wide feet tipped with claws. Their top half is thin with long, long, skinny arms. Their skin is pearly, shimmering and almost wet in appearance. Long black hair resembling feathers cascades down around it, obscuring what I am sure is a hideous visage. 

I charge it, swinging my sword but they capture my wrist as I bring the sword down. It’s stronger than their stick like arms would allude. It pushes against me, claws digging into my skin while it laughs with effort. I thrust my hand out, grabbing hold of it’s thin, breakable neck. Their second hand latches onto my arm, viciously clawing down my flesh to try and break the grip. We’re both in a stalemate, trapped by the other.

Their hair moves from their face and I see sharp green eyes gazing up at me. It’s long, sharp ears flick upwards as their mouth of sharp teeth opens to a hiss. Their eyes through, something about them draws me in. I look into the face of my enemy, and although it should be vile to me, I see something beautiful. 

It chuckles, wheezing as my fist closes around their neck. “Not bad.”

My arm is trembling as I lose strength in it. As its claws sink deeper into my flesh, there is a numbness that they bring. I smirk down at it. “Do you want those to be your last words?”

“I can admire a strong opponent. I can give credit-” It trembles and hacks. “Where it is due.”

My sword drops from my grip, stabbing into the earth. I can’t feel my arm anymore and it is slowly slipping to my mind. My eyes feel heavy, my thoughts are sluggish, but I keep a firm grip onto its neck.

The creatures closes its eyes and its arms go limp. I release it, letting it drop to the ground as I fall onto my knees. I reach for my sword, but as I do it leaps up and lunges at me. I thrust my working arm before my face just as it’s torso opens into another wide, snarling mouth. A blood red tongue smacks against my face as more sharp teeth snap at me. The creature pushes me down to the ground but I kick them, throwing them off me and I roll across the ground. I manage to get up, my one arm hanging limp while I keep the other one before my face. 

The creature giggles and licks it chops, both of them. “You’re still quite alert! Good!” They lunge at me, grabbing me with its feet but I throw it down again. I stumble, going for my sword but it keeps coming at me. I finally manage to grab my sword but as I do thunder rumbles. The sky opens up and rain pours down all around us. The forest grows dark and cold and it glows. As I charge forth, lightning strikes. It splits a tree in half, shooting off sparks and flames. 

I hear a scream of agony and when I pick myself up I see the creature amongst the wreckage of the tree. It is trapped and clawing at the ground. This is my chance. I get up but cannot find my sword, it must have gotten thrown in all the chaos of the lightening. I will have to use my bare hands to finish this. I stand over their trapped form and as they look up at me I see a look of panic and fear. 

I don’t know why but I become gripped with pity. I wanted to end this, to hunt and kill this creature, but not like this. I kneel down, pushing away the smoldering branches to see their leg is twisted. It tries to crawl away, clawing at the ground and drag itself to safety. I pick it up into my arms. It struggles but it seems to be in a great deal of pain.

I carry it back to my campsite just as I feel myself grow beyond weak. I feel as weak and limp as my arm and I collapse with the creature. My last thought is that I might never wake up and there is nothing I can do to fight it.

I wake shivering and my teeth chatter. The world is freezing around me, and the rain has become a crisp frost on the forest ground. I raise my head from the ground and see the creature lying before me. It is still and glazed over, so I think for a moment I have been victorious. I survived the night, it didn’t. My arm tingles with needles, but I am able to move it again. My whole body aches from the fight yesterday, but I manage to stand. I move to the creature, seeing it huddled fetal. Last night I took pity upon it, I could have killed it and I am not sure what came over me.