[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rsDBWoE.png[/img][/center]
[hr][@Zeroth]

Ushnekh nearly froze as the other Runt hinted that they may have caught on to the fact he could use Magic-- but kept his head down with a firm nod as his prize was tossed back into his arms. Even as panicked thoughts of what may await the runt should his abilities be figured out by some of the more ambitious older Orcs before he had the power to defend himself flitted through his mind, he clamped down on those feelings as fast as they rose; promising himself to suppress his paranoia long enough to redeem his quest with the head warrior.

Though he did his best to keep his nerves properly steeled-- Ushnekh was hardly ready for the raucous fanfare that followed the submission of his kill. As pale as he went when Auguz drew the attention of the entire tribe onto him; the Head Warrior seemed to care little about the Runt's nerves, so long as he could nod along and answer his name when asked. By the time Auguz was finished showing him off; Ushnekh's orange-gold eyes were scanning the surrounding crowd, cataloging the various reactions.

Taking note of any Orcs that had less than savory glints in their eyes as they had taken him in-- he hustled off, not bothering to meet the less-than-pleased gaze of his fellow Runt as he passed by. 

Whatever the other Runt knew, they clearly weren't pleased with the fact that he'd stolen the glory of being first to return with prize in hand... Even if he hadn't wanted the pomp and circumstance that he'd ended up recieving; he'd gotten it anyway, along with the attention of a fellow Runt that clearly seemed to carry a share more cunning than most of the other Runts.

A potential enemy to watch out for... And one he'd likely have to kill at some point.

[quote=SYSTEM]
[b]QUEST COMPLETED![/b]
Quest: [s]Find Something to Eat and Bring it Back Whole[/s][list]
[*][s]Kill a Creature[/s]
[*]Keep the Target in High Quality Condition
[*][s]Return to Camp Uninjured[/s][/list]

[b]LEVEL UP![/b]
Choose ONE:[list]
[*]Increase HP (Health)
[*]Increase MP (Magic)
[*]Increase SP (Stamina)
[*]Gain 1 Skill Rank Point[/list]

[b]A New Quest is Available:[/b]

[b]Quest Giver:[/b] Head Warrior Auguz
[b]Quest Details:[/b] Fulfill Duties within the Tribe (0/2 Minimum)[list]
[*]Be at the Training Circle before sunrise tomorrow morning
[*]Find your own food (1/3 meals provided for)
[*]Find your own shelter
[*]Accept an optional Quest from another Tribe Member[/list]
[/quote]

Taking care to disappear into the camp well before the other Runt could get any ideas about following him to steal his spoils; Ushnekh made his way to one of the communal fires near the outer walls of the camp, patiently moving as he did his best to ensure that none of the other Orcs got any ideas of 'Crushing' the first Runt to return from his hunt. Carefully settling himself down near the fire with his back to the wooden wall, and digging around for a nearby sharpened stone as he slowly took to skinning his kill as he perused the upgrades offered by his level.

Carefully slicing away meat and fat from what remained of the Tatzelwurm's pelt, Ushnekh considered his options; while HP would make him harder to kill, equipment could cover for lack of raw HP. While SP would make him slower to tire and increase his endurance, he could just as easily train his stamina to acquire similar gain, and likely the same for his MP.

The skill level however, was a different story. While Ushnekh was certain he could train up the skill just the same-- it was uncertain how long getting an equivalent skill gain would take... Not to mention the fact that upgrading the skill could open up new possibilities for growth. Sharpening a nearby half-burnt stick into a skewer, the Runt proceeded to place whatever meat wasn't shredded to near uselessness on his improvised cooking implement before setting it to roast and making his selection.

That done, the Runt carefully dug out some of the cooler coals from the fire to cure the inside of the pelt with, carefully massaging them into the skin as he waited for his meal to finish cooking. Once the meat was properly roasted, Ushnekh greedily partook of his meal as he wrapped the pelt over his right shoulder and above his left hip like a sash, tying the mangled strands together and securing them with the Tatzelwurm's fangs to act as a fastener before shifting the his newest wardrobe item so that the fasteners and knots would be just behind his left hip; where it would hopefully be less likely to take a hit.

Gripping his trusty staff, and tucking a few of the leftover Tatzelwurm bones into the waist of his Loincloth, Ushnekh plotted his next course of action. While building his own shelter certainly had its merit as an idea-- getting into the good graces of the Camp's higher-ups was most likely the best course of action to ensure some measure of protection against the more opportunistic of the lower ranking Grunts and scheming Runts.

Which begged the question-- who he would subordinate himself to? 

After some deliberation, Ushnekh decided that his best choices lay with either the Head Scout, or the Shaman. One would give him a greater amount of field work and likely drawing less attention, whereas the Shaman could supply greater insight into the workings of Magic at the expense of likely drawing far more attention.

Gritting his teeth and setting his jaw, the Runt slipped his way through camp; doing his best to remain unnoticed as he made his way to the cluttered lean-to of the Shaman first, carefully scanning his surroundings; aiming to get an idea of how many subordinates or apprentices the Elder Orc kept under her wing-- and if he could sneak glimpses of whatever lessons she offered both knowingly and not...