CHAPTER EIGHT: Playing pranks can get boring!
Connor was bored and lonely. He looked around; below him all was big and square in black and grey. He had never felt small before. He’d never liked straight lines; he missed his friends and green trees. He was wishing he’d never asked to come spying on the Orcs. It had seemed such an exciting adventure at the time. He knew they hadn’t really wanted to let him go, but he’d made such a nuisance of himself, that he suspected they’d let him go just to get some peace and quiet. He was supposed to be sneaking about trying to find out any information regarding what the Orcs were up to. It had all seemed so exciting at first, but his mischievous streak had got the better of him. He hadn’t been able to resist playing tricks on the Orcs; they wouldn’t even know it was him, unlike at home. But it hadn’t been as fun as he’d been expecting, the Orcs were much too easy to play pranks on. In Aldea the Elves were on the watch out for him and knew his tricks, he’d had to become especially skilled at it. But the Orcs were just too easy and had no appreciation of subtlety. Whatever prank he’d played, when they had actually noticed, they’d just go and hit the nearest Orc. Connor was now bored of watching Orcs fighting.
He wanted to go home, but as he’d been too busy starting Orc fights, he had found out nothing useful. Connor was know in Aldea as a mischievous nuisance and this had been his opportunity, he realised too late, to show them his sneaking skills could be of use. He gave a sigh. Below him he spotted a group of Orcs being led purposefully by a larger Orc. Perhaps he’d be lucky this time and be able to discover something. He imagined the other Sprites, especially Ione and Lily, and the Elves heralding him as a hero for finding out the Orcs’ master plan. He puffed out his small chest and imagined the acclaim.
He flew along the top of the rooftop he’d been sat on, following the group, making sure he was just out of sight. Connor had mastered the skill, few Sprites were able to do, of been able to reduce the amount he sparkled. Plus the light was now dim, as the sun had set.
The Orcs went into one of the warehouses, Connor just managed to sneak in through a missing panel in the top of the wall. He crawled silently along one of the roof rafters, making sure not to flutter his wings. He concealed himself on a rafter near the single bulb lighting the room, above the Orcs. Sitting perfectly still and silent, his sparkle now just a glow and hopefully concealed by the faint light from the bulb. Connor, usually impatient, could sit in this way for a long time, given the need.
Connor soon gathered that this was a meeting of Orc leaders. They were discussing how to band all the little groups of Orcs into units and who was going to lead each one. Connor was soon bored of the discussion; which was more a series of shouts, arguments and occasionally blows. But the larger Orc, Horak was his name, had the upper hand, probably because he was bigger and meaner than the others. He always carried the argument, usually by hitting any Orc that disagreed with him. Connor was getting really bored and giving up on finding out any really useful information. The Elves suspected the Orcs were massing an army already; it wouldn’t be very heroic to just confirm what they suspected. But then Horak said something which made Connor prick his ears and his heart race. One of the other Orcs had said.
“We have mighty army, to do much slaughter. But not large enough wipe scum from our land.”
“Fool,” replied Horak. “Big Boss has magic, scum will leave land without fight.” He laughed evilly. “He turns own science against them.”
All the Orcs joined in his laughter enthusiastically. Connor as silently and dimly lit as possible crept back out of the building his heart in his mouth in case he was spotted. When he got back out in the fresh air, he took a deep breath. With a quick look around checking that no Orcs were looking, he spread his wings, and with a burst of sparkling light flew as fast as he possibly could back to the safety of Aldea.