You're a farmer and you just have made a new friend.

There's something going on, some kind of struggle you think, so that explains why the elf you found in your barn doesn't look so well.

They're clearly frightened and injured because why else would they growl and bare their teeth at you?

You're intent to help even if they might need a bit of time to trust you.

Spoiler: the elf isn't an elf. The hapless farmer met their first orc, saw the ears, and made assumptions.

Just the wrong ones.

The rest of the game can consist of gaining the friendship of the injured orc and patching them up.

Maybe they return the favor when the farm is in peril from orcs or someone/something else?