Before you start reading the actual fic, please read this first:
I understand and accept FanFiction.net's NC-17 policy from a technical point of view. Since I am fairly new to this place, I don't know where they would draw the line, so I decided to post just a kind of teaser of "Filling the Void" here. You can find the complete story (20,589 words) at www.uruk-hai.org. However, you will need to obtain the password in order to read it. I welcome any constructive reviews for this fic, also here at FF.net.

Disclaimer: Tolkien's work & intellectual property are his own, i.e. the Tolkien Estate's etc.. We all know that.

Summary:
This fic is about a consensual relationship between Lurtz & Uglúk, based on the premise that they developed a friendship and, I guess, love for each other (although these stubborn Uruks would never admit it of course) ;-).

Warning: Kinky/squicky pairing, violence, violent sex. Sorry folks, no happy ending (character death)

Filling the Void

The sun had almost reached its zenith. It illuminated the layers of mist veiling the Dunland foothills, and an image of spectacular beauty unfolded, its rays creating shrouds of rainbow colors among wavering whiteness. It was as if the elements could not quite decide if they should highlight or hide the dark creatures that moved slowly in the space between the rocks and the open plain stretching toward Tharbad.

One of the creatures stood apart from the others in the pale, yet still strong late November sun and watched the tall figures move about. They slowed down reluctantly and unwillingly, until they finally began to set up camp. Some were muttering and growling their dissent, and he listened, his body tense.

A vicious ray of that overwhelming brightness hit his eyes, and they flared in bright gold for a split second. The creature stifled a reflex to sneeze and squinted, turning his head from the pale disc. He hated the sun as much as they did, but they all had to learn certain things. So far, he was content with their obedience.

The leader of the Uruk-hai stretched his broad back to get rid of the tension that he felt since they had left the precinct of Isengard. Then he slowly walked down the slope toward the settling figures to join them - Saruman's army, the Fighting Uruk-hai. The others watched him warily, some nodding recognition, but all moving out of his way in a manner just measured enough to imply that they were not afraid of him. After all, the Uruk-hai were not supposed to know fear.

Lurtz knew better than that. His lips curled in a cruel, joyless smile.

The Great Orcs of Isengard were less given to infighting and rebelliousness than their lower brethren, but it had happened - especially during the first days after the troop had left Isengard. Some had been a bit too eager to fight and do a little exploration of their own. As a consequence, Lurtz had taken it upon himself to provide them with exactly one more opportunity to fight and explore, namely explore the limits of their capabilities. The troublemakers were no longer with the Fighting Uruk-hai, except as examples firmly implanted in the memories of their brothers.

However relieved Lurtz had been to vent some of the hatred that Saruman had instilled in him, he had not succumbed to the temptation of unnecessary cruelty. It was his responsibility, if not his choice, to lead them and forge them into an efficient army. If they could not rely on each other or on their leader's judgment, they would not be much good in that upcoming battle Saruman had promised them. And the Great Orcs wanted to win this battle. It was their sole purpose, and under the wizard's watchful eye they had begun to train for it with a fervor and a singled-mindedness which made them a race apart from their kind.

The firstborn of the Uruk-hai thought about all this while returning to his belongings - weapons, armor and a rough blanket to sleep on - that one of his subordinates had laid out in a rather neat heap.
The hateful sun blinded Lurtz again for a split second, but seeing the arrangement on the floor gave him a small pang of pleasure. The emotion came as a surprise, as he was a being who knew little pleasure except for losing himself in battle.

Almost entirely at ease now, the powerful creature squatted to check his few possessions. Finding them in order, he contemplated how much he looked forward to joining the others for a meal.

Something is wrong...

He had the sudden sensation of something chilly crawling up his neck - a purely instinctive warning his warrior self gave. Immediately he was on his feet, scanning his environment with all senses.

There! Him again!

His snarl turned into a throaty growl, and Lurtz fixed his cold eyes on the other Uruk, who stood about forty feet away and watched his leader intently. This other did not stare, but conveyed the impression of someone observing something greatly entertaining. The watcher's air of haughtiness infuriated Lurtz, but when the leader of Uruk-hai fully turned toward the insolent creature, fangs bared and his eyes flaring, the other one slowly, casually averted his gaze. Lurtz was trembling with the impulse to charge and rip this Uruk to shreds with just his teeth and claws. He knew he could, but -

...it is not the right thing to do! Killing him because the leader of the Fighting Uruk-hai cannot stand to be looked upon by one of his own kind?

Lurtz forced himself to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply, inevitably taking in the other's scent.

This one is of higher rank, and he is not afraid. What does he want? When he looked away, he made me feel as if he was doing it just to do me a favor. A favor! The insult! Does he want trouble? If that is what he is after, he's got his course laid out for him...

***********

It was the night of a New Moon. The Uruk-hai travelled south, but winter was in the air wherever they went. The ground beneath their feet was hard, and the cold air barely stirred from their movement but carried faint sounds across the stillness of forests and grass-covered plains. They had learned to move as stealthily as possible for such big and strong creatures, and they had truly begun to cooperate as a unit. Lurtz had quietly assessed the skills as well as tolerable weaknesses in his warriors. He had also noticed that some of the Uruks were starting to bond beyond the friendly swagger and brawling that had been their short-lived privilege at Orthanc.

He had to admit that Saruman's orders had been sound: the few weeks the Great Orcs had spent in the Dunland foothills had proven valuable for their training. This was a sparsely populated area, largely considered uncivilized by Men and Elves alike. The army of the White Hand had had its opportunity to learn more about the world outside the iron confines of Orthanc without alerting the peoples of Middle-earth to its existence. The Dunlendings kept to themselves - they were a superstitious and fearful people; their ties with the surrounding population long severed. Lurtz remembered how the highest of the Istari had chuckled to himself when he imagined what his fierce Uruk-hai would make of their first encounter with Men...

The Uruk's body shuddered in an unexpected flash of anger. No, he did not want to think of his mysterious master!

Shaking his head and tossing some strands of coarse black hair out of his face, Lurtz made speed, feeling rather than hearing how the others took on the challenge. They were already catching up with him, the low sound of their breathing still as regular and effortless as before.

He had decided that they would run the whole night, using the darkness as cover. Their strategy needed to change now that they were approaching land inhabited by Men and Elves - land usurped by the mortal enemies of Saruman and of that other Dark Lord. But as much as they all craved the excitement of a good fight, they were still under orders to avoid these opponents and not prey on them.

The Dunlendings had offered little fight - the Uruks' first taste of manflesh had left them with the impression that this species called 'Man' offered some rather light entertainment combined with the reward of delicious, tender meat. Their stomachs were well-filled, and they carried supplies of that tasty meat to sustain them comfortably for a couple of days. Very well then; they would hunt animals later. There was an abundance of them in this forest called Fangorn.

At dawn they set up one of their make-shift camps in the dense woods. Guards were assigned, and they immediately proceeded to check the camp's perimeter, making sure there was nothing suspicious in its vicinity, no hiding places for enemies. Lurtz handed out the food rations to his warriors, and he saw that they were content with what they got. No one cursed or grumbled complaints under his breath.

He should have been pleased, very pleased with his Uruk-hai fighters, who had learned to be as disciplined as they were fierce when unleashed. But he was not, nor did he relish his power over them at this moment. The tension between his shoulders was still there, and even the monotonous and mind-clearing task of running for a whole night had not taken away the uneasiness that haunted him.

***********

CONTENT REMOVED DUE TO FF.NET's NC-17 RULE.

***********

Avoiding the enemy became harder and harder as the Isengard Uruk-hai entered more populated areas. At least the weather favored the Great Orcs' progress: the frost was gone, the sky overcast most of the time, and the constant drizzle made sure that Elves and Men alike sought the comfort of their homes rather than roaming the wilderness.

Still, all these near brushes with their yet faceless enemy excited the Uruks, and the tension grew with every encounter. No one could say if their leader's bad mood added to it or whether it kept them from actually ambushing the few unsuspecting travellers that crossed their path.

Food supplies began to run low, which did not improve the Uruk-hai's mood, so Lurtz sent out hunting parties to bring back deer and other game that would provide them with enough meat to live on for a while.

The barely concealed, almost childlike excitement and happiness of those warriors assigned to hunting parties eventually convinced Lurtz that maybe here was an opportunity to find some distraction and relief from the burden that he felt. He briefly considered going alone, as he was wont to keeping to himself, when it suddenly occurred to him that this was the perfect chance to settle something else that was still on his mind.

Ever since the incident at Dunland he had kept an eye on a certain, particularly impudent Uruk-hai whose name he had finally recollected. Lurtz knew that this character named Uglúk had continued to observe him just as closely after the incident at their Dunland camp, albeit without any hostility. His demeanor had remained somewhat lofty, but Lurtz also sensed a friendly curiosity that irritated him more than he would ever have admitted to himself.

When Lurtz ordered the inferior Uruk-hai to accompany him, the other betrayed no surprise or any other emotion for that matter. Uglúk just briefly nodded his consent and looked down at his weapons.

"What will we hunt for?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Lurtz replied testily.

Their eyes met, and there it was again, that flicker of badly concealed curiosity and utter fearlessness. The question had been innocent enough, as he had to decide what weapons to bring. The Uruk-hai leader narrowed his eyes, but fought back the familiar, yet inexplicable anger. Not here and now! Lurtz was sure that the other would give him some excuse to at least rough him up a bit once they were alone. And he was looking forward to it.

Seeing that his leader carried only a couple of short knives and his longbow, Uglúk shrugged and fastened some knives of the same kind to his belt.

No further word was spoken as the two Great Orcs set off.

Lurtz took the lead, fully aware of this being a possible disadvantage. But it was a given that he should lead. Besides, he trusted his instincts. If he was on his guard, he should be able to deal with the other one easily. His companion was of lighter build and about half a head shorter than Lurtz. He also lacked the heavy musculature and burliness of the firstborn Uruk-hai. Uglúk's movements were fluid and precise though, the sinewy body strong and in excellent shape. He was alert and had an air of intelligence, and he seemed unusually easy-going for a warrior.

The sky darkened and a fine, misty rain set in. One more hour, and dusk would be replaced by a starless night. Silently the two big creatures roamed the woods. Nothing stirred, and no large animal had crossed their path so far.

Lurtz realized that his anger was beginning to wear off. He had expected Uglúk to make some sort of stupid move, maybe do something to ingratiate himself.

Nothing.

The other member of the hunting party moved without a word, following his superior in due distance, yet he was entirely unafraid. The sound of his breathing was even and calm.

The onset of gnawing hunger ensured they stayed focussed on their task. The last rations had been small. They had to find some decent game soon...

***********

The game found them first.

With a crash of breaking branches and underwood, a huge, black shape rolled toward them. The two Orcs heard a strangely agitated huffing and puffing mixed with a grinding sound. They spun around toward the noise as one, instinctively baring fangs and snarling.

Lurtz's first conscious reaction was to ready the longbow, but the powerful lump of animal rage was already charging, so he threw a knife at what he believed was their attacker's thick neck. The knife found its aim and stuck, resulting in a squeal followed by more and louder puffing, as the creature stopped in its track for a split second. Then it bolted sideways. Unthinking, Lurtz whirled around to throw another knife, and this one flew true as well, hitting bone with a grating sound.

It was a wild boar - the biggest one the two Uruk-hai had ever seen. Its shoulder was level with their hips, and seven inch tusks gleamed in the twilight as it charged again, this time turning against Uglúk. Lurtz's knives still stuck firmly in the beast's side and neck. It was bleeding profusely, and the sharp iron-like smell of blood filled the air. But its fighting spirit was unbroken.

Uglúk was prepared for the attack; his own knives ready to strike. The huge animal stormed forward in a straight line, its frontal charge offering no useful target for his blades. With a curse Uglúk dodged, managing to plunge another knife into the thick hide. This time the animal loudly cried out in pain. Further infuriated by the proximity of this unfamiliar but deadly enemy, the boar swung its mighty skull sideways.

Black blood gushed up in a fountain as the boar's tusk unlocked from Uglúk's thigh. The second spurt was weaker already. Knowing that every other course of action would be his undoing, the Uruk-hai let himself fall backward, relaxing his thigh and pressing down on the wound with both hands as hard as he could. The animal, irritated by his enemy's unexpected fall for merely a split second, came around for another onslaught.

Seemingly heedless of his companion's distress, Lurtz calmly raised his longbow. He began to pelt the hapless boar with huge black arrows, each of the tips as fatal as any knife. The strong boar stumbled, grunting and squealing in agony. The animal was just regaining its footing one more time when something huge and heavy hit it from the side. It balked and bucked at the horrifying smell of it, but the strange and terrible creature did not let go. A strong arm locked firmly around the boar's neck, and a sharp pain was cutting deeper and deeper into its throat, until it broke down with a gurgle. Twitching, it pushed out its last breath and finally lay still.

"You look great!"

Uglúk grimaced and looked up at the leader of the Uruk-hai, whose arms and leather-clad chest were drenched in blood. He looked into the cold, unrelenting predator eyes of his superior, determined not to admit to his weakness.

So he had failed. So he was lying on his back, knowing that as soon as he took his hands off the wound, more arterial blood would spurt out and let him die a drowsy, idiotic, not particularly honorable death. There was not much he could do, and right now, he didn't give a damn. Lurtz was still glaring at him.

What are you waiting for, you bastard!
Finish me off or help me, but do s o m e t h i n g!

Lurtz did something.

He raised the hand that was still holding the knife with which he had just cut the boar's throat. Suddenly alert again, Uglúk's eyes widened and his body tensed.

With agonizing slowness, a flexible tongue snaked up the length of the sharp weapon, caressing it, sampling the bright red blood on it. The cold cat eyes still bored into the other Uruk's gaze.

Uglúk was trembling now, and his mouth twisted in a hateful, but effectless snarl.

Humiliation.

Lurtz understood.
He saw it. He smelled it.

With a swift movement, he knelt down beside the wounded Uruk-hai warrior. Driven by pure instinct, Uglúk shot up in a flickknife move, intent on razing Lurtz's face with his teeth, but he was pushed back by a heavy punch in the chest.

"Lie still!"

Hardly able to breathe, the injured Uruk pressed both hands on the wound again. He felt a tug on his leather tunic, but at this moment he did not care about what Lurtz was doing with him.

Clawed, but skillful hands removed two strips of leather from the garment. Saruman's knowledge worked in him - this time to the benefit of one of his kind. He bound the wound to both sides, satisfied to see that the already lazy flow of thick black blood was dying off. In disbelief, Uglúk withdrew his hands.

Lurtz got to his feet without a word and walked over to the dead boar. After he had collected his arrows and their knives, he cut a big triangular piece of still warm meat from the animal's shoulder. Then he sat down against a tree and started to devour it, stilling both hunger and thirst.

Uglúk sat up, careful not to flex the injured thigh. Saliva filled his mouth, but he did not turn his head. The Uruk-hai neither had words for 'Thank you' nor for 'Please', and so he was silent, still perplexed, and - just to be on the safe side - not expecting anything.

Lurtz helped himself to another generous slab of bloody meat. Uglúk heard the gentle rustle of footsteps behind him and felt a tap on his shoulder. Blood dripped into his lap, and the delicious scent made his nostrils flare. He looked up, and seeing that his leader's face was serious but calm, he accepted the offer with a grunt. They finished their portions in silence; then, to Uglúk's surprise, Lurtz went for even more food, this time handing the bigger piece to the injured Uruk.

It was also Lurtz who broke the silence.

"This thing is huge. There is more then we can possibly take back. We might as well feast on it now. Tomorrow it will be stiff... not half as good."

He wiped some blood from his chin and licked it off the back of his hand.

"We are not too far from the camp. The others could help get it."

Lurtz shook his head, realizing that he was not ready to go back yet. Sometimes the hunters were gone for days in search of reasonably large game. Nobody wondered or worried about it. They always caught up with the others, even if the troop had moved on. Their race was made for this nomadic life. Always running, always hunting for something.

"We will stay here."

Besides, you are not in the shape to go anywhere, smartarse.

Uglúk nodded. A part of him still refused to accept the fact that the other had helped him. Was this some sort of game Lurtz played? But why bother? Orcs could be mean, but their sadistic games were never refined. Uglúk had observed the lesser Orcs at Isengard closely and disliked what he had seen. The Uruk-hai were different - this troop proved it. Their kind did not bother to waste energy bickering and hatching stupid ideas for torturing and degrading one of their own. The ones who had refused to accept Lurtz's leadership had fought and paid the price for their disobedience.

Satiated with the warmth of their meal, Uglúk's tenseness dispersed, and he watched Lurtz move about in that measured gait of his. Always restraining himself, always holding back something. Something of vast darkness, and intangible, yes, but blatantly visible for one who cared to look close enough. Surfacing at times... something dangerous.

It had not always been there. Uglúk remembered.

Lurtz inspected the dense forest around them, looking for some place that would offer them more protection from the now icy rain than their current location. He eventually found a patch of thorny bushes nearby and intertwined them to form a sort of roof, adding branches and dead leaves to the makeshift tent to waterproof it. They had no blankets with them, just the leather clothes they wore to protect them from the cold weather while allowing them to move about noiselessly.

Uglúk listened to the rustle and wondered what the leader of the Uruk-hai was doing. Then the echo of Lurtz's footsteps became more distant, followed by a faint, but even splashing sound. Uglúk gritted his teeth, knowing that he would eventually have to relieve himself as well. He was not so sure if he could limp anywhere on only one good leg.

When Lurtz returned to carry their weapons over to their sleeping place, he noticed how wretched Uglúk looked all of a sudden. Under his leader's mildly interested gaze, the injured Uruk-hai forced himself onto his feet, stumbling a bit first, but managing to steady himself. Careful not to lean on the wounded leg, he staggered into the bushes to urinate. Glad to be out of the other's sight, Uglúk leant against a tree, relishing both: the ensuing stream of his piss and his curses.

Somehow he made it back to the makeshift tent without falling.

Lurtz was not there, and grateful to have no one around to witness his frustration, Uglúk lied down and almost instantaneously fell into exhausted sleep, only to wake up with a start when he heard Lurtz return. He did not flinch though when the taller Uruk carelessly dropped down beside him, casually ramming one heavy arm into Uglúk's back; this and a deep growl meaning to convince him that he occupied way too much space under this makeshift roof. Obligingly, Uglúk moved aside.

Lurtz stretched beside him without a word, but also with no further sign of hostility. A pungent, yet pleasantly spicy smell of sweat, mixed with the lingering scent of freshly dried blood, washed over Uglúk. And warmth. Lurtz's body radiated an incredible heat. Although their bodies did not touch, it trickled into Uglúk's body. This was most welcome... Feeling at ease again, the wounded Uruk-hai drifted back to sleep.

The Great Orcs were pragmatic creatures. As hardy they were, they did not bother to prove the point when there was no need to. Within minutes, both creatures were sound asleep, their strong, unconscious bodies nestled tightly against each other for animal comfort and preservation of body warmth, while the cold rain was pouring down incessantly.

- End of Excerpt -