Page 12 of Orc Savage

On Protheka, we would call that a worg. But this is a wolf. On Earth, we call them wolves.

It seems I have lost all my most important memories and have only remembered the useless ones.

I know that wolves are wild animals on Earth. I have not had a lot of contact with humans on Earth, but I do know that they do not interact with wild animals like wolves.

This one does, though,I think to myself, still frowning.

“How can you live like this?” I ask her as I count the numerous dangerous things that are all around me.

I can smell more wolves outside. I also smell blood.

My blood.

When I look down at myself, I see that I’ve been haphazardly sewn up, and parts of me are also wrapped up in sheets and sheets of gauze.

You’ve been wounded. You shouldn’t be in a place like this!

“You’re safe here,” she tells me curtly. “Safer than where you were when I found you, anyway. Listen, I found you on the edge of the lake. You were wounded, you lost a lot of blood. I brought you back here, and I took care of you.” She gestures vaguely in my direction before she turns.

“You saved me?”

She shrugs when she turns back to me.

“Yes.”

“I’ve lost all my memories.” I offer the words to her almost as a peace offering. I did insult her place of living right after she saved my life.

“You need to rest.” Her voice is matter-of-fact. “And I’ll get you some food. But it is important for you to rest and recover.”

“I have to do something.” These words are another offering, although I am not sure which God I am offering them to. “I need to do something important.”

I shake my head when it starts to ache.

“But when I try to remember, it just hurts.”

The human woman sighs and runs a hand over her dark, bald head.

“You’ll remember. But you’re going to hurt yourself if you try to force yourself. Just rest and recover. I think we should get you off the floor and onto the bed.”

I try to stand, but pain shoots and stabs through me right away.

I get onto my stomach and start to crawl toward the bed on the far side of the room while the human woman helps me.

I am panting and sweating by the time I have reached the bed.

This feels familiar. Although I am not sure why the feeling of copious amounts of sweat would be important.

I am nearly crying when I finally make it to the bed, and I feel pathetic for it.

The human woman doesn’t laugh at me. Instead, she peers worriedly at me.

“Okay. Just wait here,” she says.

I couldn’t go anywhere even if I wanted to. How can one orc be in this much pain?

She returns moments later with a bowl of food.

It is fragrant and hot and slightly salty.