[Alfirin]

To me, it seems like most orc alliances are based mostly on enligtened self interest. That is when deciding whether or not to help a fellow orc, the train of thought runs directly to "How will helping this orc benefit/cost me, versus how will NOT helping him".) Under those circumstances most of the interactions become a little clearer. Healing minor injuries of thier comrades in arms makes sense, since it means you don't lose fellow fighters and possibly have someone to guard your back in a fight, assuming that orcs, at least on a very limited level, have something equivalent to "gratitude" (assuming you are a rank and file orc) or another sword arm (if you are the commanding orc.)

If an orc is mortally wounded, however, most other orcs would probably not do much to help, since they would consider the cost to them exceeded the benefit. Commanders would not want seriosly injured men slowing down the ranks and the additional loss of manpower to carry and care for the incapacitated. In fact there would probably be a bit of incentive to actively "finish off" the mortally wounded. You can try and put a nice gloss on this by claiming it is mercy killing and putting them "out of their misery" But I suspect the real reason for most orcs to finish off any wounded fellows would be to speed up their ability to aquire thier resources, both better gear if the dying orc has it (maybe that was the source of the worn out orc shoes the fellowship found when they were tracking the party, some orc dying and the orc who found them noting the dead orc's boots were in better shape than his own. Or even, since orcs are cannibalistic, wanting to get the dying orc into the cookpot before whatever was killing him spoiled the meat.

Shagrat and Gorbag is actually a very good example. Originally they want to go into business together, since each recognizes the other as being a powerful ally in any sort of endevor like they are planning (basically, a co head for thier little bandit party) The conflict starts when they see Frodo's mithril coat i.e. sometihng of actual value and personal greed takes over. I sometimes wonder if either one really did orignally plan to take the coat to Barad-Dur. I think it possible that both probably orignally planned to simply keep it for themselves. After all, Frodo had a lot of other stuff on him that would have done as proof that they had him. Plus I seem to recall the orders simply said they had to prvide a complete LIST of items removed from the prisoner, not the items themselves (presumably unless called for, and in that case, Sauron would probably have sent a Nazgul to pick it up by beast.) I think Shagrat only ended up delivering it along with all of the other stuff post battle in order to sort of "bribe" the powers that be to not punish him for letting two whole battalions basically massacre each other (the "See, I'm a good soldier, I followed your orders to the letter, everything is here." line) and maybe actually get the higher ups to go against the above Orcish tradition and give him that kind of heavier healing. Remember, Shagrat was pretty badly wounded himself; in his position(given the assumption I am right), I might be worried about what would happen if I bumped into any other orcs on the way, or was send down to the Barad-dur Barracks. Getting the Barad Dur brass to look favorably on me and sort of put me "under thier protection" until I was healed might sound pretty good.)