[Regin Hardhammer]

Ishkur yanked off one more chunk of meat and then wiped his grimy hands on the side of his pants. He looked over at Gwerr and laughed, "Uruks and Elves! Couldn't you think of anything more to my liking than that? Both of them give me a giant pain in my head. You know, Gwerr, I have run across a man or two in Arda who did not seem so bad. Once, I went into a tavern in Harad. It was a hang out for a bunch of us who were fighting for the local lord. At first, we stared grimly at eacher other, but once we started drinking everything changed. We lifted many a tankard that evening, orcs and men alike, and ended up passed out on the floor heaped up in one big pile. Really, I don't think we are so different. They hate us and we hate them, because we're more alike than anything else."

"Now Elves and Uruks are something else. They deserve each others company. We should lock them up in a big room and let them kill each other. You know Gwerr, those two are a lot alike. Each thinks they're better than anybody else. They try to act like bosses and lord it over everyone. Bah, I can't stand either of them! They make me sick."

Ishkur turned towards Gwerr and saw a puzzled look on his face. Then he laughed again. "I know what you are thinking. You're asking why somebody who hate Uruks so much is willing to use Makdush and his buddies. Isn't that right?" Ishkur went on without stopping, "I'll tell you why. If I learned anything in the past few thousand years, it's this....that sometimes you have to put up with people you hate if you're going to get what you really want. What I really want is a place in the mountains away from all this mess and the bosses, maybe with a good herd of horses and lots of time to hunt. Maybe even with a female by my side or maybe not. I am not sure about that part. But I am sure that we won't get to the north unless we stick together. I've heard bad stories about some of the things left over up there....things that take a particular dislike to orcs....so we're going to need everybody to fight. That's why I put up with Uruks. And no, I don't think they are any smarter than us. They just think they are and they have lots of people fooled."

"So you'd put up with Uruk to get what you want?" Gwerr echoed Ishkur's words.

His friend nodded, "Yeah, sure. That's what I said. Didn't you hear me?"

"Yah, I heard you. But I have another question.... Would you put up with Elves if you thought they would help you get what you wanted."

Ishkur stared back at Gwerr. His face turned a sickly green color. "Put up with Elves? You must be out of your mind. That's not gonna happen. That's never gonna happen. Elves and Orcs don't get along. Nothing's ever gonna change that. Nothing."

"But what if you needed something real bad, and the only way you could get it was to use an Elf?" Gwerr was curious.

"Huh, I can't imagine that. And if it happened, I don't know. I guess I'd have to think about that a long time, or else I'd come and ask you to make the decision."

"Anyways, my friend Gwerr, I don't think we're gonna have to worry about that. The only thing I'm worrying about is when those men are gonna leave camp so I can fill my tankard. I rode back down there earlier, and it looked as if they were getting things together to go in a little while. I don't think they're waiting till nightfall. I wish they'd get their bodies in the saddle and head out. I am feeling mighty thirsty. Hey, do you want to go down there and have another look?" Ishkur asked of Gwerr.