[Thenamir]

Thenamir took cover behind a patch of scrub brush on a rise and squinted into the visible area trying to catch a glimpse of the approaching noise. In a few moments he was rewarded for his vigilance -- a small patrol of soldiers, too tall for the average orc but otherwise equipped in similar fashion, dim metal helmets obscuring their faces, marching in no particular formation and keeping loose synchronization with a swift cadence being called out by the foremost.

Their path appreared to be heading in the general direction of the rest of Thenamir's party, following the same rough trail. He was about to steal back and warn them, when one of the soldiers, the last in the small column, called out, "Hola! Wurrmazh! Give us a rest! We've been marching straight through since we left Orthanc!"

"Lazy maggot-flesh!" replied the cleader, interrupting the march tempo. "You would rest until those we relieve decayed to their bones, eh? You'll take your turn on patrol like all of us!"

One of the others spoke up, "Ghaztrak is right! Give us a moment to sit and eat before we cross the pass."

"Bah," Wurrmazh spat, not hiding his annoyance and contempt. "Rest if you must, carrion filth. "But when the Boss finds out that you let the tarks get away becuase you were late to relief, he'll feed you to those new troops in the caverns! So be quick!"

They stopped within 20 yards of Thenamir's position and sat on a rock, breaking out some foul-smelling strips of dried flesh and ripping into them with their animal teeth. Thenamir found the smell repulsive, but was glad of it, since it meant he was downwind of them -- Orcs' sense of smell is keen.

"Any idea what's going on?" one of them asked. "There's been a lot of noise about trouble over here, especially since the last relief failed to come back."

"Who says they failed to come back?!" Wurrmazh roared. "You'd best be careful about talking like that, Maulok. It might get back to Orthanc that you were spreading lies."

"Eveyone in out barracks was talking about it before we left," Maulok retorted. "Sometimes whol patrols come back bloody and maimed...or not at all."

"Well, you'll just have to keep a better eye around you, and make sure it doesn't happen to you, is all," Wurrmazh said in a sneer. "Keep proper watch and do as your told! And the more you talk, the less you eat. We're leaving in a moment, I won't wait much longer."

Maulok and Ghaztrak returned to their rations, but Thenamir had heard enough. He stole down from his perch and made his way back to the others...