Orctober Instadrabbles by cuarthol

The Burned Land

histories, burned, sacrifice, remember

The watchfires never burned quite warm enough to dry the snowmelt from their clothing.  An angry bark from the overseer reminded them not to get too close, too comfortable, and forget their watch.

It was not long after the alarm was raised, a shadow caught sneaking across the road.  Iron boots went crashing through the brush after their quarry.

He saw them as they vanished down into the hollow.  He could gain a fat reward for this prize, a small reprieve from his miserable life.

The histories would not remember the orc’s sacrifice.  He had never trusted those promises, anyway.

Chapter End Notes

Building on inspiration from the last chapter - Tuor and Voronwë pursued by orcs who sought for Turin, a "what if" they were not caught because one of the Orcs let them go?