Closure?

It was at dinner that Grak finally got some insight into his warrior.  Sooj, the village Matriarch of Justice, delivered the news.

“The last of Vok’s band has been brought to justice,” she said in a deceptively melodic voice. “With her death, the Sundance are avenged.”

Grak had never seen a woman close off so quickly and completely. Her eyes rested on her plate, unseeing, and did not move. “You are certain?” she asked in a choked voice.

Rather than taking insult at the doubt, Sooj nodded firmly. “We questioned her to be sure.”

Kaj stared at her half-eaten food, her knife and spoon in her hands. Grak waited for some reaction, joy, anger, relief, anything. Instead she continued to stare.

He looked down at his own nearly-empty plate. He almost held his breath as he waited for her to move again. Finally, she scooped up a spoon full of mashed roots.

“Well, I suppose that’s it then.” Her voice shook, which she attempted to cover up by shoving the spoon into her mouth.

Sooj kept her eyes away from the human warrior. “We gave them last rights, scattered their ashes at the Burning Meadow,” she said, between casual bites. “You can go, let them know.”

Kaj nodded before the Matriarch finished. “That would be good, I think. Tomorrow, I’ll head out at first light, if someone from the night watch would be kind enough to wake me.”

A murmur of assent rumbled through the hall. Grak polished off his food, watching the orcs watch the human. There was an odd, protective air about them. It felt distinctly odd, and completely different from his own xenophobic village. He wondered if other humans received similar treatment from the Krak’esh.

The orc to his left elbowed him sharply. "Why are you dressed like a pinkie magicker?"

Grak sighed. That answered that question. "My attempts at shamanic magic were less than adequate," he said simply. "So I followed my talents."

The orc's brows lowered in confusion. "And they just let you?"

That prompted half a smile. "Human academics are in a world of their own. They view every one with suspicion until you prove you're not going to accidentally smash all their experiments."

His expression cleared up. "Then they taught you everything?"

Grak shook his head ruefully. "No, then they let you slave for them as an assistant until they think you've learned something. I believe they call it 'apprenticeship.'"

The other orc  barked with laughter. "Nice to see some pinkies have their heads on straight. I'm Grus, I teach the young warriors the basics. Kids are good for the most part, but sometimes they need a kick in the ass to remember their place."