The Conversation

The last of the sun's light had fallen away from Thunder Bluff. The Bluff always felt calmer in the evening to Mograg. Few slept at this early hour, but most were out on the hunt, leaving vendors and auction houses idle. Mograg took a piece of leftover Hallow's End candy from a pouch. His body took on the shape of a large bat. He had seen the type before on his journeys across the water in Tirisfal Glade.

Amused, Mograg started flapping his wings, flying about. His wolf companion Gunnar seemed quite sure that the bat was his master. The black dragonling Quidel followed Gunnar in confusion. Mograg tried to gain elevation but never managed to get much more off the ground than he started. He could hover and glide well enough, but what he saw as true flight seemed to elude him.

He eyed the large, hollow totem that ran between the three main rises of the Bluff. He considered that he might have better success leaping from such a height. He had done it enough when working out the design of his parachute cloak to know that he would come to no serious harm should it not work. With the wolf and black dragonling behind him, he headed up through the totem, out the door of the high rise, and started around the side of the totem when he caught a scent on the wind he recognized.

Mograg and his beastial entourage stopped. Kormok walked through the doorway and past him a few feet. The orc stopped and turned, needing a second look for what he had just seen. Kormok's eyes fell onto the wolf Gunnar, peering at him searchingly. As the orc examined the wolf, Mograg willed himself back into his natural tauren shape, eliciting a blink from the orc.

In a voice a bit deeper than most and certainly louder than it needed to be the tauren spoke. "Hello, Kormok." The bull, somewhat playful before, had regained the demeanor others who pay attention have come to expect. He had once greeted the world with kind eyes and a pleasant smile. In those days he was still known by the name Takoda.

Kormok wore a bit of a grin as he spoke, "Oh. I was wondering why Gunnar was following a bat." The orc chuckled.

Mograg gave a slight smirk. "How you are?" The bull's command of the orc language left much to be desired. He found, though, that more often than not he got his point across. To Mograg, that was more than enough.

He had not seen Kormok as happy in some time. Mograg was fully aware that Kormok tended to many duties, many of which were sources of worry. With a smile, Kormok answered, "I am doing... well. Yes." After a brief pause Kormok asked, "Yourself?"

Mograg considered his answer. He knew that he was still troubled by recent events, and that it was to Kormok that he needed to speak of these things. He had been hoping to run into Kormok for this purpose. He also disliked the notion of removing the smile from the orc's face. Steeling his resolve Mograg replied, "Am okay." Kormok smiled again in return. After another moment of hesitation he continued, "Kormok, some time, I wish to talk to you, when you have time to do."

The orc, burdened by armor and gear, gave what passed as a shrug between those used to carrying such loads on their shoulders. "I have a few minutes now, if you wished to speak." Mograg nodded his agreement to the proposition. The bull began walking toward the large bonfire, lit nightly on the Bluff as the sun went down. Kormok took the lead. They walked over to the split-log benches on the side of the Hunter's rise. Mograg took a seat near the outside edge. Kormok sat looking at him from the opposite end of the bench, nearer the center row. Kormok asked, "What troubles you?"

The bull looked over the orc one more time. He felt guilt for what he would now say. He knew that Kormok would not leave the rise in so pleasant a mood as he had entered. Mograg frowned a bit as he spoke, "More than two week go by, and I hope I find peace in it, but I do not."

Kormok, having no warning of what the conversation might entail, gave only a guttural, "Hmm?"

Mograg continued, "I need to under stand the think behind Golrath. It is not a thing that sit well."

Golrath had been a part of the Tears of Draenor long before Mograg. His impression of Golrath was not favorable and had only grown less so over time. For offenses against the clan Kormok had banished the orc. Seventeen days prior, Kormok had lifted the banishment. Mograg had been troubled by it since. This was the third time the clan leadership had taken actions he did not understand. It was the third time Mograg felt compelled to speak his peace.

Resigned to the conversation that he imagined would ensue, Kormok sighed and rested his hands on his knees. "It is a difficult thing to explain."

"Even more so to under stand from out side," the bull replied.

Kormok nodded. "I will try to help you understand my reasons." Mograg nodded his appreciation in turn as the orc continued, "Many had come to Golrath's defense in the time of his banishment. They insisted that he had worked hard to change his ways and regain his honor. They presented convincing evidence, the strongest of which was saving the life of Saayu. I was naturally suspicious."

Mograg nodded in agreement.

"However, Saayu's own words on the matter, and her begging me to give him a chance, were impossible to ignore. More was presented by Mistress Twie. I was given some... interesting insight into the workings of Golrath's mind." The bull held his tongue. In his belly the sickening feeling of a building rage begged for relief. He consciously chose to suppress his instincts. Instead, he nodded placidly once more. Calming himself, he began to stroke the long braid that fell from his chin, studying Kormok.

Kormok continued his explanation, "The evidence that I was given, in addition to the advice of Elder Ruarc, is what caused me to lift his banishment. A warrior of his caliber is not easily brushed aside and stamped out like an errant ember from a bonfire." Kormok gestured to his right, for emphasis.

Mograg frowned. "We keep him because he is good with his steel?"

"No. That is not what I meant, in so many words." Kormok's brow furrowed as he sought out the right turn of phrase to convey the proper meaning to the bull.

Mograg still wore his frown. He spoke with a slightly deeper voice, "It is how it is heard. Please, to explain."

"I was born and raised in the same interment camps as Golrath. While I did not know him when I was but a whelp, I can see how the treatment of the orcs in that place could forge someone into such a wrathful, vengeful creature. This does not, however excuse his behavior by any means." Kormok seemed to the bull satisfied with this new way of explaining his intention.

Mograg nodded. In a voice that had regained calmness of tone and a demeanor diplomatic, "May I tell to you, Kormok, how it is it look to me? May be then you see why I can find no peace." Kormok then nodded and motioned for Mograg to continue. Mograg returned the nod and spoke, "First I know Golrath is not right, he try to kill both N... Iphito, and try to kill Weg. This is on same night. He would do. Manage to rip Weg throat completely away from him. This is two Tears, he try to kill outright. Next, he bring his 'healing'", his voice taking on no small measure of contempt, "to Iphito. It do heal, but cause her pain. He tell her later, with pride in self, that it need not hurt her as it do. She is put in agony for a night for this, for his own whim.

"The one Twie who vouch for this healing, and tell me it is alright for Iphito, is one who vouch for Golrath now. And, then we find he kill his own brother.

"I know Saayu is saved, and for this I too find gratefulness. But he threaten all clan, try to kill at least two, and murder his own brother. Is it save one life for every one you take, and threaten to do does not count?"

Kormok sighed again and appeared many years older for a moment. "I speak as Kormok, and not as Emissary, when I say I wished to kill him with my own hands. He brought harm to my clan, and this is something I will not forgive. I will never call him brother again." Mograg nodded in false assurance of understanding. "His transgressions are not "forgiven"," the orc concluded.

With a deep frown Mograg spoke once more, "At one time, Ruarc ask me to protect the Tears, and I tell him I would do. But, when one who is murder is put in charge of war - put in charge not just to kill enemy, but to keep our own alive - I do not think is thing I can do." He paused and spoke in a voice much more quiet than he had before. "Hard enough these day to wear the tabard." Mograg hesitated a few moments more and regained his diplomatic tone. He bowed his head. "Thank you, Kormok, to help me know your think on this."

The eyes of the bull never stopped studying the face of the orc. As the impact of Mograg's words hit him, Kormok looked gravely saddened. "Your reluctance to wear our colors due to my decision weighs heavily upon me. But I need to believe that he can be redeemed... maybe I can succeed with him where I failed with Slyph. I have to believe there is goodness somewhere, within all things. Otherwise... what am I fighting for?" With that, Kormok rose to his feet.

"I respect that believe," he said rising to bow before Kormok.

Kormok returned the gesture, bowing his head to Mograg. "I hope that you can forgive me one day for what I've done. Weg and Iphito as well."

Mograg spoke softly, "Kormok, you do what you think is right. Am not so dumb as to think the way I think is always right. I hope, in the end, it is you who are right."

"I hope so too, lest my mistake cause more than physical injury that can be healed." Kormok let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Mograg nodded slightly, "Kormok, I know I say thing to you this night that are not easy to hear. They are not said light. Again, thank you to say what you do. I know is not easy to need to explain."

Kormok closed his eyes and nodded once. "Thank you for being honest with your concerns."

"Be well, Kormok. We speak again some time soon, I hope."

Kormok nodded. "Indeed. Strength and honor, Mograg."

"Peace, friend."

Mograg stalked off toward the totem once more, Quidel and Gunnar in tow. With a shake of his head, he flew back to the Felwood.