Hearing Levi say that, Beorn actually felt more at ease. If he wanted something from them, it meant this tribe had value. Cooperation could continue long-term.
Even so, Beorn was puzzled. "I do not know what a small tribe like ours could have that would catch your eye."
Only a few years ago, Beorn had lived here alone. He had watched this tribe grow and knew every household by name. If there were any special crafts or produce, he would know it.
"Your specialty is mainly in your own homestead. I am interested in your beekeeping."
"Beekeeping?" Beorn fell silent for several seconds. He had not expected that. "It is not a secret. My bees are somewhat unusual, so our methods might differ from other places…"
Before he could say more, a commotion rose outside the village. Bestial howls rolled through every lane and over every roof.
"They are here!" Beorn turned his head. "I agree to this. We will speak later. Now I will make those orcs learn that the new tribe of the Anduin Vale is no soft target to plunder at will. Prepare to meet them!"
Hunters raised longbows. Warriors drew steel.
"Loose!"
The first volley, modest in number, felled dozens of wargs. Orc riders tumbled to the frozen ground, rolled, and lay still. Survivors scrambled up and drove forward with the main body, howling.
A second volley flew. More of the vanguard fell. By then the orcs had reached the village edge. Screeching, they swung cleavers and clubs. Seeing militia with barely a few sets of proper armor among them, they grinned with ugly delight.
Just as the warg-riders were about to crash through, an earth-shaking roar split the air. Beorn leapt down from a high platform and, in the next heartbeat, became a thick-furred, hide-hard giant bear. He plowed through spearpoints and blades, smashing the foremost orc vanguard aside like saplings.
That single strike lit a fire in every chest behind him. The clansfolk gripped their weapons and followed with ferocity, meeting blade with blade.
Shouts and steel rang together. Under Beorn's lead, even though the orcs outnumbered them several times over, the assault was stopped and held.
"Ungh!"
A hunter drawing his bow felt a stab in his back and toppled forward. The orc who had ambushed him raised a spiked club to smash down!
Clang!
A long sword blazing blue met the blow and cast it aside. The orc whirled, ready to tear into whatever fool had dared steal his kill.
In the next instant, his eyes went clear with shock.
"Though a young tribe needs hardening, I cannot watch a warrior die before me," Levi said. "Especially when none of this needed to happen."
"Ah!" The orc shrieked in fear and ran.
Swoosh.
An arrow struck the back of his neck with clean precision. He stiffened and dropped where he stood.
That arrow was not Levi's.
He turned to see the hunter already on his feet again. The man bowed gravely to Levi, then spun back into the fight. His wound had not slowed him at all.
Just like back home. A hard-fighting folk.
"Forget the bear," the orc cavalry leader snarled when he saw their charge falter. He forced calm into his voice and changed tactics at once. "There are not many of those. Kill the ones behind first."
No matter how strong one bear was, he was still one bear. Fine. Do not fight him. Rush the village, grab what you can, and run.
At his order, the wargs veered aside, carrying their riders toward the clan's line.
Just as the two sides were about to clash, Beorn did not look back. He kept tearing through the orcs in front of him, a force of nature in fur.
"Stupid bear." The orc leader spat, half gloating as he pushed most of his force into the rear.
The clansmen did not flinch. After the first exchange, the confusion of first-timers had burned away. Their fighting spirit ran hot now. They lowered spears and lifted shields to meet the rush.
The orcs were not soft either. The real fight had only just begun. Both sides had barely warmed up. Win or lose would depend on what came next.
Awooo!!
Wargs with the keenest eyes suddenly choked out a wail. They skidded to a halt, nearly throwing their riders.
"What is it?" The orc leader was about to lash his mount when instinct stopped him. This was not simple. He followed his warg's gaze.
On the clansmen's right-rear flank, a man pulled his sword from an orc's skull that lay stuck in the ground. He turned with a low swish and swept aside his linen cloak, revealing his armor and his face as he looked into the orc host.
Hm?
Levi's gaze slid across the press and settled on the orc leader. Their eyes met.
"Found you," he said.
The leader froze from head to toe. His scalp prickled like it might split. The warg under him stepped back without being told.
Why is he here! If you were coming, you could have shown yourself earlier. What were you doing watching from the back!
"Kill!"
Whatever the orcs thought, the Beorning warriors did not care. Seizing the instant of orc hesitation, they launched a furious counterattack.
But the orcs' minds were no longer on the clansmen before them. Backing away step by step, they kept glancing over their shoulders at the black figure, terrified he would suddenly rush in. They could not spare a strike for the opponents in front of their faces. They dared not stop to counter.
Misfortune doubled. Just as their will to fight failed, a proud cry rang from above. Gandalf arrived astride the Eagle-king. With a single stoop, the Eagle-king's talons scythed a wide swath through the orcs.
At the lowest sweep, Gandalf raised his staff. Brilliant white surged from its tip. He leapt from the Eagle-king's back into a thicket of orc spears, swept dozens aside with one blow, and stood unruffled, robe untorn.
The retreat of the orcs was sealed. Levi surged forward and cut down the leader with a single stroke. Leaderless, the orcs and wargs darted this way and that, faltered, and were swiftly wiped out.
Thud.
Still in bear form, Beorn came pounding over. As he ran, he shrank. The savage great bear that could fell a tree with one paw dwindled back to a towering, two-meter man, breath fogging in the cold.
He met Levi's eyes and nodded once, a warrior's thanks given without a word.