The thundering of hooves , echoed over the great meadows that lay south of the Grey mountains. From one of the rolling hills a group of heroes descended, led by a man named Tunaraz.Their brows were furrowed and many sported fantastic facial hair that would be the envy of the mysterious dwarves that lived beneath the mountains in their dark caverns. He was old now, his brownish hair had many streaks of iron within them, not unlike the sword at his side, or the tip of the spear he now held in hand, he aimed it towards the wild auroch that was running out before them with it's clumsy yet broad and heavy frame!
"To us the glory of the hunt! Await and see me drive my spear through it's shoulders!", he dug his heels in the flanks of his steed and without giving a sign of notice the blonde pony dashed forwards, accompanied by two great hunting hounds! The hunting band picked up the pace, both men and steeds sweating with exertion and excitement! "To me the kill!", another yelled with glee! And with great whooping and shouting , the hunting band had began to rush forward in a joyfull frenzy! Javelins were hurled forward as the swiftest ponies managed to get on the auroch's flank! The beast let out a groan and turned to the side, it's great horns would surely have ended the rider's life had he not steered away in time, the javelins missed their goal and splintered in all directions upon impact, a man howled as a piece of wood got lodged in his leg, "A worthy foe!"
With their long hair rippling wildly during the dash through the air, like tattered banners would violently lash and slap in a stormwind, they sent another few javelins piercing the cold air towards the auroch! One of the elder men aimed true and the javelin had found it's way in the side of the great bovine! The beast let out a howl of it's own as the pain pierced it's muscled leg and yet more javelins found their mark in it. It lumbered to a halt finally as the hunting dogs jumped upon the creature, great animals they were, very hairy like their masters and no less fearsome.
Than an unfamiliar hunting horn sounded, many of the hunters turned their heads. Men appeared out of the tall grass, holding mean spears in hand. By their looks they surely must have been cousins to Tunaraz’ and his company, for they were just as broad broad, tall and no less fair. “To arms men! We have found thieves on horses in our fields, killing our bounty of today’s hunt!”, a young man mocked! The newcomers laughed as one! Tunaraz dismounted, with a proud swagger in his step he moved over to the young man and he spoke to him with a slow thoughtfull rise of his head, “Who makes claim on the ancient ox that me and my own have felled? Perhaps the young man needs to know to whom he speaks!” The youngster puffed his chest up, which expanded far, a warrior he must be, “I know to whom I speak, and let it not be taken in a foul tone! Habuk is my name, the eagle!” … The elder man ran a thick finger over his chin and he spoke anew upon hearing the name, “I have heard of you and yours young Habuk. They say you are a great huntsman, a great warrior.. but also the dread of women with pretty daughters!” The youth smiled broadly and slapped a strong hand on his chest, “All these stories must be true, for me and my own, the Habukôm, we like to fall on our prey and then leave when we are done with our feasting and many fine things we have enjoyed!”, then he extended an arm with a finger pointing straight for the now dead game, “As we shall feast on that and woo yet more women, as we display them our fine horns!”
Laughter came, from both groups, yet Tunaraz' men would laugh with the memory of their own youth and the certainty that this auroch would not be taken from them by someone so much lesser in years and wisdom. “You can boast, you can jest!”, Tunaraz said as he widened his hands to both sides, palms up, “Yet you can not take this auroch, the first spear that pierced the beast had been from my own and so has the last! Nor would I even offer the trophies gotten aside the meat! Hahah!”
Habuk looked at him with a grin, and the fierce light of a young men shone in his blue eyes, which were no less blue than Tunaraz own! “You have become greedy in your old age! Greedy yes! For first you take from me and mine the glory of the hunt! Now you would deny us to eat and have a chance to woo fine women? Perhaps we should take it and send you and yours to the Wild Hunt first ere we can fill our stomachs in your memory! ” Both of them smiled at one another, there was a strange feral enjoyment in their words and looks, “You may be sent too soon to the Hunt upon the attempt! Rather we would have you enjoy another delicacy which this land has come to offer in latest years!” , Tunaraz pointed towards the great treeline that was the border of Mirkwood and yet further to the great mountains, “You may go south, and go find and gorge on ork-flesh! And sip on their blood! For the auroch is surely a beast too noble to be chewed on by carrion eating birds!” Habuk’s eyebrow twitched, yet not out of anger or dismay! “We do not enjoy the taste of ork, yet our long-knives, axes and spears have tasted more than once their livers and hearts!
“You have fought orks?”, a man blurted out in the back, he was named Ulfrid. He was one of the elders and came forth to stand with his old battle-friend. “I have fought orks! And me and my own have laid many to an early grave, even the swarthy men from the east, who have plagued our ancestors in days long past! They keep coming back to torment us and see us driven away.”, a tone of anger had now set in Habuk’s voice, and his white teeth clenched on eachother at an unknown memory! Tunaraz and Ulfrid shared a glance and then Tunaraz himself spoke, “Come then, young Habuk, for the fellers of orks and swarthy men of the east there is always a place at my table! Let us feast together then and see an end to argument!”, he would come over to embrace the youth , their thick limbs slapping eachother on the back and they knew eachother as kindred spirits! “Let us see what stories we can share for great times of evil have come in our lifetimes!” Then both groups of men all walked over to eachother and while most were separated by many decades, they all embraced, laughed and shared words of friendship, like true followers of the Wild Hunt would do! Then as they began to move to the town named Honungmaerc Habuk would throw an arm over Tunaraz’ shoulder. As they leaned heads to one another Habuk whispered, “I may yet have you keep the horns then, old man!”
Tunaraz laughed.
