She opened her eyes, meeting the shine of a new day's morning. She looked up and saw the back of Ghash as he sat on the edge of her cot, his thick mane flooding down his spine. She couldn't help but feel slightly relieved as if she thought he would leave in the night. He sat focused on sharpening his sword, seeming to not have noticed her. Seeing the opportunity, she glanced mischievously at the remains of the braid she had made in his hair.

Silently, she reached for the braid. She had barely touched him before his hand flew to her wrist. "Control yourself, she-elf." She gave a pout. "You get really uppity about your hair, for someone who doesn't take care of it." she said. "I am certain few would appreciate your fixations! You are like a whelp with a plaything!" he said, letting her arm go.

"Whelp with a plaything?" she laughed, "Do orcs have children's toys?"/" I neither know nor care." he replied. "Do Uruks have toys then." she corrected, rolling her eyes. He flashed a faint smirk over his shoulder at her. "The distinction is not so complex." he muttered. "Answer the question!" she pressed.

He turned back to his blade, continuing in his work as he gave a simple, "The answer is no."/ "Seriously? What do the children do?" she inquired. "Train." he replied. "Do you do anything other than train?" she asked, "We do not chatter so much as you seem to enjoy." he said. She crossed her arms, "Is that your way of telling me to shut up?" she grumbled as she glared at him. "So she can be taught." he shot back.

She gave him a sharp punch to the arm, which earned a low chuckle from him. Setting the wet-stone aside, he raised his hand for her to take. She reflexively took it and was immediately jerked to her feet. "Come, we have work yet ahead." he said before briskly marching out. Rolling her eyes at the strange creature, she pulled on her boots and gathered her bow and arrows.

Of all the things she enjoyed about having him there, hunting was not on the list. They had to be silent, and she had to deal with his heckling and judging! One would think it would be difficult to heckle if you had to be silent, this was, however, no complication for him. He would give her looks, roll his eyes, and direct her with Uruk hand signs she couldn't understand!

She had finally set eyes on a deer and was readying her aim, but this wasn't enough for the blasted orc! He stood there drumming his fingers on his arm, and nodding his head in the direction of the deer. With a sigh of exasperation, she suddenly lowered the weapon and roughly shoved it into his grasp. If he was going to be so patronizing, then he could shoot it!

Raising a brow of annoyance at her, he laid the arrow in its place and drew it back with complete ease and knowledge of the weapon. She had a feeling he would know how to effectively use a bow. She had no intention of giving him something else to wave in front of her like a trophy. So she moved, leveling her face with the bow to check his aim, which he seemed to not notice. She considered adjusting his hand placement, but she didn't think she could move him, nor annoy him. She instead chose a different approach. Waiting till just before he shot, she turned her attention back to his hair.

He instantly jumped back from her, alerting the deer and sending it bolting away. With a roar, he swung to face her. "Cofounded woman!!" he exclaimed, whilst she stood laughing without any shame. "Don't bug me when I'm hunting next time!" she said. "Lati murtag!" he hissed. "I'm going to assume whatever you said was in acknowledgment of my justified behavior." she said with a smirk. "No, it was the acknowledgment that you are a plague on me!!" he snapped. "Not one of my crimes are equal to this repercussion!!"/ "Oh don't be so whiny. You chose to stay." she said, taking her bow from him. "That is only because my every attempt to escape has failed!" he grumbled. "I know, I'm just so addictive." she chuckled.

"Come, detain us no further." he grumbled. Chuckling, she followed. In spite of his complaints, she, of course, got a deer. She felt certain she would have gotten one sooner had he not been pestering her. Though it helped that he was quiet the majority of the remaining hunt, as he was most likely pouting. Nevertheless, she had it, and she needed to process it, which was never pleasant.

"Ugh, I swear, this never gets easier! You'd think after years of doing this I'd get the nack!" she muttered as she fought to part the hide. "What I wouldn't give for some Lake Town Burgundy." she continued. Hearing nothing from her companion, she glanced to him. He stood quietly staring away from her. "Or a hug from an annabon." she said with crossed arms. After a moment, he slowly cast an inquiring gaze on her. "I beg your pardon?" he said. "Oh nothing, I was just wondering if you were still in there." he rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, you can't still be mad about the hair!" she said. "You think me so immature?" he questioned. "Well, I don't know! Why else would you just stand there, staring into the void!"/ "I am merely in thought." he replied. "Well, don't get lost, it's foreign territory." she said with a smirk, which earned a raised brow from him. She gave a chuckle as she turned back to her work.

"Are you at constant ease?" he questioned out of the blue. "What? Why?" she asked, "These are hazardous land and you act as if there is naught to concern you." he murmured in response. "What are you expecting? Some orc scout to jump out from the darkness?" she mocked. "As far as I'm concerned, these are my woods, and I'm not planning on being anxious in my own home. Relax and pass me those shears, please." she said. He stood, glaring at her nonchalance before rolling his eyes and doing as she asked. She thanked him, but he only crossed his arms angrily. "You going to fuss over what pieces I keep?" she asked with a smirk. "You never listen anyway." he grumbled. "Well maybe I would just this once if you just relaxed for a moment." he glared at her for a time before relenting as he uncrossed his arms. "Is that your idea of relaxed?" she scoffed. "It is as 'relaxed' as I shall concede to." he said. At this, she cracked and gave a laugh. "Alright, alright, fair is fair!" she said as she turned back to the deer.

It seemed so strange to her. From the days, no, years, of deafening silence and loneliness, to banter and company. To anger and happiness from nothing and numbness. She was equally as confused as to why she chose an Uruk-Hai as he was. Of all the beauties of her people, she picked the opposite of that. More than the times she would think about what he was, were the times she caught herself forgetting it.

Moments where she thought the gleaming yellow of his eyes were beautiful, or when the touch of his rusty black skin was a comfort. No, he was not beautiful. His skin was rough and hard, his gaze was threatening, and his teeth reminded her of a wolf. But somehow, she would forget it, and see the person and not the monster. Or maybe both.