Tusktaker's Secret Part 9(slight timeskip)

>Two months later…
Lorka felt exhilarated as she ran through the brush with her clan, the lorthar letting out an angry bellow as one of the harriers shot another arrow at it. Spittle flew everywhere as the six legged beast bounded over tree roots and logs, crushing anything in its way.
The harriers had done their job a little too well, the beast was pissed. It was chasing after their two clan mates in the front with little regard for the world around it.
Jor'ak was on Lorka's right, a great iron spear in his hands. Lorka was doing her best to keep up with her father as they ran through the underbrush. They were flanking the right side of the beast, while her friend Torr and his father were on the left. Their job was to ensure if the beast tried to leave the flanks, it would meet a jab from an iron spear, forcing it back in the middle. They needed to guide it towards the pit trap the six of them had dug earlier. Lorthars were ferocious in single combat, the massive sextupeds held many valuable ingredients for casting and leatherworking, but they were notoriously hard to kill.  That's where the pit came in. A lorthar's massive armored bulk would protect it from most lethal wounds, but it could seriously injure itself if all that weight came crashing down on a set of bamboo spikes. Especially to its un-armored belly.
The hunters snapped to attention as one of the harriers let out a whistle, the signal that the beast was approaching the edge of the trap.
Now it was the flankers turn.
Lorka nodded as her father raised his spear and the two let out a war cry as they charged the beast.
The lorthar snapped and screech as it felt four iron spears strike home in its sides. Lorka gritted her teeth as she twisted the spear, knotting it between the lorthar's plates.
The monster let out a pained roared and lurched past its pursuers, determined to escape.
It had no time to notice the massive pit in front of it. With a wail, it descended into the Earth.
Torr and Lorka let loose a whoop of triumph but the elders silenced them.
"We don't know if it's still alive. We need to be careful."
Torr leaned in and spat into the pit. “Ahh, like that thing can hurt us now, I'm sure it's broken ever bone in its-" Torr didn't get to finish his sentence as a massive clawed arm grabbed him by the midsection and began pulling him towards the hole.
Lorka roared and jumped into the pit as Jor'ak and Torr's fathers screamed in protest.
The lorthar was balancing its six legs and using them to hold onto the sides of the pit. One of its taloned hands was grasping Torr firmly around the midsection.
Lorka stabbed the beast in its fingers. It screamed as black ichor shot from its hands.
Torr scrambled free of its claws and then joined Lorka on top of its back.
"What now?" he asked.
"We've got to break its grip on the side of the pit."
Torr nodded his head and drew a large machete. The two made their way over its body, hacking at the limbs of the beast.
It screamed as they tore into its ligaments, rending them to shreds as it attempted to shake them off.
One blow caught Lorka and she started to fall when Torr pulled her back onto the monster's shelled back.He braced himself around her as the lorthar finally lost its balance.
The elders heard a dull sickening crunch and everything went still.
Jor'ak started to fear the worst when a green hand made its way over the edge of the pit. Then Lorka flopped out of it, panting as Torr did the same.
"That…. That was really close." Lorka said.
 Torr nodded his head in agreement.
Jor'ak ran to his daughter and popped her on the head.
"What were you thinking? You could have been killed!"
"Hey is that any way to-"
Jor'ak squished his daughter in a bear hug. "I'm just glad you're all right."
Lorka was surprised for a moment but she returned the hug. "Dad…"
 Torr laughed. "See guys, we had it under control."
Torr's father rapped him on the head. "Boy, you almost got yourself killed. Learn a little humility.
" I'm sorry…"
 Torr's father smiled. "But on the other hand, two of our children just killed a full grown lorthar. Today, we celebrate!”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lorka sat at a table full of Tusk Takers in her house as her mother and aunt  placed food on the table. The hunters had returned after placing the lorthar’s corpse in cold storage. Now, the Clan had gathered together to celebrate their hunt and to honor Lorka and Torr.
After the table was set, the orcs fell silent as their clan leader stood up. Go’rn was the clan father, the keeper of history, the one who came to the birth and death of every Tusk Taker. Keeping a clan together was hard work, and Go’rn was just as capable as a fighter as he was a mentor and leader, though he was getting on in the years. His face bore as small grin as he regarded Torr and Lorka.
“It feels like just a couple years ago, Lorka and Torr were just cubs. Teething, roughhousing, barely even able to walk. Now I see them broad-tusked and blooded sfter their first hunt as clansmen. You have both grown into strong, capable adults. I am do proud of you both!“
Torr and Lorka bowed their heads in respect. “Thank you, Clan Father.” They said in unison.
He walked over to them and dipped his hand into a cup of red face-paint, marking the clan’s symbol (A pair of long tusks with blood dripping from the ends) on their foreheads.
He stepped back to his seat and raised a cup.
“Torr, Lorka, you are now both adults in the eyes of the clan. Do’resh vu Thaht!
All the other orcs raised their cups in unison and repeated the chant. “Do’resh vu Thaht!”
Go’rn’s craggy face cracked into a smile. “Now that’s out of the way, why don’t we dig into to some of Jor’ak’s famous Garuashak?”
The table descended into a flurry of grunting, raucous laughter, and clanking silverware as the orcs enjoyed their feast. Lorka was seated next to her Radha, Jor’ak, and her aunt A’kua.  A’kua’s husband couldn’t make it because he was taking care of their daughter. Poor girl just got her wisdom teeth taken out.
“So Lorka, you’re father told me you were the one that killed the lorthar?” Radha asked.
“W-well, Torr helped.”
A’kua laughed and patted Lorka on the shoulder. “You’re too modest. That’s really impressive.”
“I was just trying to save Torr. “She muttered. The attention she had been receiving was embarrassing. Any clansman worth their salt would have tried to help another if they were in trouble. It didn’t help that it had given her father certain ideas.
“You know…Torr has grown into a fine man. Have you ever thought about dating him?” Jor’ak suggested.
“Dad!” Lorka hissed.
Jor’ak didn’t notice it, but both A’kua and Radha cast a worried look at each other.
“What? I’m just sayin! He’s fine young man, good family; strong hunter…and you aren’t dating anyone.”
“Dad, I don’t have any interest in Torr. “
Jor’ak fidgeted in his seat. “You aren’t…gay are you?”
Both A’kua and Radha had to stifle their laughter as Lorka’s mouth dropped open in horror. “What? No!  Why would you think that?”
“Well…you’re a strong, beautiful woman and I’ve just never heard you talk about liking a guy or dating one.” Jor’ak leaned forward. “I promise it wouldn’t change anything if you were.”
“Dad I’m not a lesbian!” she said with an exasperated sigh. “I’ve known Torr my whole life; he’s just…like a brother. It’d be weird if we dated.”
Jor’ak nodded his head. “I see. Maybe you should think about it though. I mean, I just think he’d be good for you.”
“I’ll keep my options open, but I’m not promising anything.” She said
Jor’ak patted her on the shoulder as he got up. “That’s all I’m asking for. ’I'm gonna go put some more ribs on the grill. Let you three have some girl time.”
When he was gone, A’kua made a tsk-ing sound“You two still haven’t told him?”
“Well, we were going to eventually…it’s just not the easiest thing to talk about.” Radha said. “He’s a good man, but he’s got his fair share of issues with humans.”
A’kua snorted. “There’s nothing wrong with them. My husband is just as capable as any orc. I mean sure he can’t punch out a dire boar, but the things he can do with his hands…” she said with a lustful sigh.
“Ugggh, too much information Auntie.”
A’kua raised her eyebrow. “And I’m sure you’ve been a perfect chaste maiden with your humie.”
Both older orcs laughed at Lorka’s exasperated sputtering as she tried to tell A’kua it was none of her business what she did with her humie.
“I’m just giving you a hard time, dear.” A’kua said.
“I know, I know. Still doesn’t keep it from being embarrassing.” Lorka grumbled.
“Do you like him a lot?” her aunt asked.
“I uh, I told him that I loved him.” Lorka admitted.
A’kua’s grin cracked into a full smile. “That’s wonderful! How did he take the news?”
“He said that he, uh, loved me too.” She mumbled quietly.
“That’s excellent! So things are getting really serious between you too?”
“Yeah, we’ve been talking about going to the same college so we wouldn’t have to spend much time apart. He doesn’t really know what he wants to do, so we were thinking of going to this school with a good pharmacology and chemistry department.”
“Good for you Lorka, that all sounds wonderful!” A’kua exclaimed.
“Well…it would be if we knew how to break the news to Jor’ak without giving him a heart attack.” Radha said. “He still has it set in his head Lorka is going to take up hunting.”
“I know he loves you a lot Lorka. I’m sure once you talk it out with him, things will be fine. You are an adult, after all.” A’kua said.

The three chatted for a while about various things until the party started to wind down. Most of the other orcs including Go’rn had departed. Jor’ak was outside cleaning the grill, and Radha was loading the dishes in the water.
Lorka sheepishly made her way to A’kua and pulled her aside. “Can I talk to you for a bit? It’s about Thomas.”
“Of course dear.”
Lorka pulled her aunt into her room and closed the door.
“I need your advice, and I think you’re the only person I can talk to about this.”
“Go ahead Lorka, I’m all ears.”
“I’m really scared about how things are going with Thomas. I love him, I really do…but how can I tell my dad about him and not freak out? What if he hates Thomas? What if he hurts him? What if…what if he is ashamed of me because I’m dating a human?”
A’kua pulled Lorka into a hug. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay. Listen. When I fell in love with my husband, it wasn’t easy. I was one of the first orcs to take a human mate after the Exodus. I got a lot of odd looks and stares. Some of the men even talked about throwing me out of the clan. But know what we did? We stuck together because we knew we made each other happy and that we couldn’t let other people tell us how to live our lives together. And now we have a wonderful daughter together, and I’m still a proud Tusk Taker. Because Lorka, we aren’t just a clan…we’re family. And we take care of each other. I’m sure your father will accept Thomas with a bit of time. And I know for a fact he would never be ashamed of you.”
“Thank you Auntie, I’ll do my best to make it work.”
She grinned. “You better.”