Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 28

Zyra knelt beside the creature, impressed by its massiveness. It was long. Standing on its hind legs it would likely reach her height, if not a few inches shorter. It was lean, but she knew from experience that the purple beast was pure muscle. Its eyes were closed as it wheezed. The sound reminded her of Nima, the pained exhale of one who was touched by magic and was the worse off for it. She pitied it.

Zyra reached out and rested it upon the beast. Its eyes snapped open. She froze.

The purple eyes pierced her with hatred, then realization, and to her surprise, amusement. It grinned, and the smell of blood assaulted her sense. Wincing she pulled her hand back.

The gazed at one another, waiting for the other to break the silence. It became evident that the beast was not going to do so. She cleared her throat.

"I heard that your name is CoCree—"

The Nightlock interrupted her with a low growl.

"CoCree is my slave name," it rasped. The voice was genderless, a low medium pitched rumbled that came deep within it. "I am no one's CoCree."

Zyra leaned back on her heels. "I meant you no disrespect. It appears I owe you a great debt. My niece Nima, you mentioned her. Why?"

The Nightlock scoffed, turning from her. "You are thinner than I thought you'd be. Have the witches been wasting you away?"

"I eat fine. Now my niece—"

"Is fine. Thanks to me. I saved her life. Do you intend to save mine?"

Zyra stood, her pity diminishing. "You have already been healed. You are weak but your life is not in danger."

"Not in danger?" They watched the Nightlock struggle to its forearms, blood spilling from its fur revealing the healing raw skin from beneath it. Zyra's heart ached.

"I cannot go back" it rasped. "He will kill me. You know this."

"But you no ordinary animal," Scallen more or less stated. "You have been touched by evil magic. You are dangerousss...".

The Nightlock pulled itself to its feet, its body trembling from effort. "Then why have you saved me when you intend to kill me?"

"We're not going to kill you."

"You are not going to stop it either."

"Tell me about my niece."

"Guarantee my safety."

"Then what good are you?"

Succumbing to either pain or despair, it crumbled back into its resting position, back into the pool of blood. Zyra could not allow it.

Without fear she reached to the massive beast and lifted it, the purple blood staining her as it had before back in her homeland. The smell threatened to make her sick. Steadfast, she carried the animal towards the forest. It was too weak to resist.

"Where are you taking me?" it asked tiredly.

"Tell me your name."

"Where are you taking me human?"

"Your name!"

It went silent. Zyra turned to Scallen, her eyes silently asking for a favor. He nodded slightly and began to lead her.

The fear gnawed at the Nightlock's muteness. It turned its head to the side, its eyes shining with helplessness and fear.

"I have no name. To name us is to take away our spirits."

"But you were..." Zyra paused as the beasts pained became known to her. This strange animal had a story, one that didn't quite seem...primitive enough to be from the Nightlock. What was it? Who was it?

Zyra said nothing, feeling her garments absorb the warm sticky blood that had haunted her dreams. The Nightlock closed its eyes.

"Is there nothing to be done for the bleeding?"

"No."

"Then how will it heal?"

Scallen shrugged, his face reflective.

"Ssslowly."

--

"We need to find her."

"Kyzu, you must calm down."

"No!"

The village was in uproar. Rair and Gharla had stumbled out of the forest, Rair dragging Gharla down as she leaned on her, fighting off the remnants of intoxication. No sooner did they arrive did a shout go out from Kyzu's attendant, a horrible wail that woke all of the residents immediately.

"SHE IS GONE! THE CHIEFTESS IS TAKEN!"

Gharla and Rair immediately ran towards the tent. Their eyes darted to a light set of footsteps heading towards the forest. Quickly they followed it, ignoring the sounds of the village mayhem behind them. Seconds later they found Kyzu, a white blur laden with her body's worth of supplies, a basket full of food, a large sack on her back, and a long stick she used to pull herself forward.

"Chieftess!"

Kyzu whipped around, her dark hair whipping in a functional braid. To both their surprise she turned and began, quite clumsily, to run. Without the stick to aid her she took five steps and tripped, skidding into the dirt, her dress ripping beneath the knees.

Rair and Gharla looked at each other.

Rair cleared her throat. "...Chieftess?"

"Go!" she boomed, muffled by her vain struggle upward. Her arms flailed as she attempted to right herself without abandoning her load. "I am off to see Zyra! I will demand an audience with her!"

"Chieftess."

"I am a leader and I am her sister. I will demand and audience or so help me..." Kyzu rolled onto her back and sat up, her hair a nest of dirt and leaves.

Without a word Gharla and Rair took Kyzu by both her arms, and dragged her back to the village. As their leader cursed them and did her best to struggle, both hardened huntresses were stunned at how light and weak Kyzu was. There were children that could have put up more fight refusing baths than Kyzu did on her holy journey.

So now they stared at her, looking for signs of madness as she yelled at them, while Enui and the others brought the village back to rest.

Rair sighed deeply, rubbing her face in disbelief. "Surely you knew you would never make it."

"I have a very firm constitution," Kyzu snapped.

Her hands were wet from cleansing herself in her cleansing bowl. She ran them through her hair, combing it with her fingers. "She has been gone for so long and sent no word."

"If she could send word she would have."

Kyzu pointed a long jutting finger towards Gharla, her face furious. "That is what I am worried about."

Rair, gently helped Kyzu lower her finger out of Gharla's face.

"What do you suggest Chieftess?"

The huntresses looked at her, seeing a violent resemblance to Zyra that caused a feeling of nostalgia. Before Kyzu could launch into another tirade, Ginger burst into the tent.

"I have an idea!"

Gharla tilted her head. "Did you...were you listening the whole time?"

"I was awoken by a shout that our Chieftess was missing. Of course I was listening."

Kyzu straightened, looking at the infamous village girl warily. "Well Ginger, I am aware you are close with Zyra and as a result she has allowed you certain allowances with Rovian business, but you must understand that as a villager you do not have the authorization—"

"I have an idea on how to get to Zyra undetected."

Kyzu frowned. She didn't like how the girl inserted herself, but she was desperate. Sure she had helped her on occasion, but Kyzu wasn't sure whether the girl could be useful.

"Fine. Proceed."

Ginger beamed, giving a nod of acknowledgement to the huntresses who stared curiously.

"It was revealed to me that I am of unusual parentage. My father was not a human."

"What?"

Enui walked in, her brown eyes wide. "The village has been quelled. What do you mean your father was not human?" Ginger smirked. "He wasn't. It accounts for my magically alluring good looks."

"And you chose to tell us now?" Kyzu snapped.

"It wasn't important until now," Ginger said pouting.

She turned to see Rair's eyes boring into her.

"What?"

"What are you?"

Ginger winked provocatively. "Guess, and if anyone knows no spoiling!"

"Nymph."

"Enui!"

"So I was right."

"I'm offended by that. I could have been something else."

"Spare me this charade," Kyzu screamed. She gripped her head, her body and soul tired from the morning's stresses. "Either say something of value or return to your tent. It is early, and if I must be confined, I wish to retire."

Ginger nodded, aware her production was now over.

"Zyra told me that the valley can detect human presences, when you crossed over into the valley there was a commotion that rippled through it. Yet when Zyra crossed there was no such ripple."

"Of course not," Gharla said. "Zyra is no mere human, not anymore."

"Well neither am I," Ginger said coyly. "If I crossed over, maybe the valley might recognize me, the nymph part of me, and I could find safe passage. Tell me where to go. Tell me whom to see and I shall secret myself to Zyra and back. Should this endeavor succeed, I can act as a messenger. Would that not be wonderful?"

The women in the tent dissolved in hushed discussion, Ginger waiting patiently for them to adjourn.

Kyzu was the first to speak. "Absolutely not."

"Chieftess!"

"You are a village girl. You have no training in combat nor the ways of the forest."

"I am sturdy for my position. If I wasn't lazy I could have been a huntress. I my own way I am a huntress."

"So what do you intend to do," Rair said flatly.

"Sleep with anything that tries to hurt you?"

"If I must," Ginger said nonchalantly. "Or I could use one of my many poisons."

"Poisons!"

"It is a well-known fact that I am second to no one save the shaman when it comes to mixing elixirs. An overdose of moonroot could be a poison of sorts." She turned to the women, her face for once serious. "I just want to be given a chance. I just want to be useful."

"You are useful. We are all useful in our own way—"

"My huntress, Paj is dead."

The room's liveliness died.

Ginger continued on, her voice grave. "Paj is dead and the death was not natural. We know this. Nima came from the forest confused and mind-addled. This is the work of foul magic. The same that nearly took Nima from us a year ago."

The brown haired nympho turned to her superiors, unafraid and in charge.

"I fear as you do the return of our misfortunes. I fear that unless we do something we will be forced to suffer, or worse Zyra will suffer for us as she has always done. You all care for her don't you? Then let us try to help her." Ginger's speak silenced them.

The tent was quiet until Enui stepped forward, the least moved of the group.

"That is all fine and well, but it doesn't change the fact that you cannot fight."

"Teach me."

"It takes years."

Enui gestured for Gharla to give her piece. She in turn, gestured to their huntress leader, Rair.

"My liege."

Rair's heart skipped with guilty joy.

"I say we give Ginger one weapon and one week. If you can master it enough that I feel I won't send you off to your death even though your goal is to be undetected, you may go."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Ginger cried. She jumped up wrapping her arms around the stiff women who patted her back awkwardly. Rair jumped when she felt a pinch on her butt.

"Ginger!"

"What? You heard Enui."

She gave the girls a lascivious wink and sauntered out.

Kyzu laid herself down onto her pillows.

"What have we just done?"

Rair's lips tugged to the side in an almost smile.

"Initiated a family reunion."

--

"Zyra!"

Zyra's green eyes looked up from her sleeping Nightlock to see Medean rushing over.

He waved a hand at the Nightlock and it rose from Zyra's arms, floating to the side of her.

"You should be resting! Is that blood?" He lifted her arms and turned her about. "You weren't injured in anyway were you? Was the basilisk offensive in any way?"

"Me?"

"Medean stop!" Zyra snapped pulling away. She rushed to the Nightlock and pulled it from the air, holding it to her body. Both men noticed how fetching she looked, covered in purple blood and holding a wounded animal like a baby. The witch's heart raced and he bowed.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to seem cold. Please, allow me to examine him. Perhaps there are salves to assist his healing. In the meantime I must insist you bath and retire. Your use of magic yesterday is unheard of in such a short time of training. I am surprised you can walk, let alone carry a beast that is your size."

"It's a boy," Zyra said softly. "I saw it."

"Saw what?"

Zyra blushed and walked towards the Tree. As it dawned on him, Scallen dissolved into giggles.

"Ssomething you do not have witch?...sss"

Medean's moon pale face glared at Scallen.

"I am sure you are aware that I do in fact have one." He looked at the young lovely huntress before them. "Perhaps you might ask Zyra.

Scallen chuckled. "Perhapsss I will...she doesss sseem to be in charge of your manhood..."

Medean gritted his teeth. "Listen here, basilisk—"

"Zyra!"

Zyra nearly dropped the Nightlock. The Marble Tree split open to reveal Etaceh rushing forward in the most absurd of gowns Zyra had ever seen her wear. It was black as all her gowns were, with a plunging neckline that accented the globes of her almost translucent chest, but more importantly it flowed behind her in a wave of fabric that seemed to have no end. A bolt so long it could have stretched around the valley and back. Cutting but the first few feet could provide the village with new garments for each tent.

"My darling! Oh I've been worried sick! I even made new clothes to pass the time. What do you think of this? The fabric is called a 'train.' It was all the rage for brides. Oh poo, you people don't marry anyone do you? Or who could afford a diamond in a bartering trading economy anyway?"

"You are speaking in tongues again Etaceh."

"Oh Zyra how I've missed you, have you come home?"

"Actually—"

"sShe iss sstaying with me..."

Zyra turned to Scallen, his face emotionless. He bowed to her ever so slightly "ssShould the keromedio choossee..."

She waited for the cry of outrage but there was none. The witches and Scallen merely looked at her expectantly. Zyra was dumbstruck.

"You would let me stay with him?" she asked Etaceh.

The witch nodded. "If that is what you choose."

Her eyes glanced over to Medean. He had his mask on, the face of cold formality. He too gave her a small bow. "I will care for you no matter where you go, but I feel you would be safer in the Tree."

"Caligula will return," Scallen hissed. "I would rather not sssee you in this placcss...e."

Zyra looked between the two of them, her arms shaking.

"I...I mean."

Scallen walked over and extended his hands.

She looked at them, then gently placed the battered animal in his hands.

"Didn't you have ssoome medicine?" he said to Medean.

Medean's stiff body grew stiffer. He jerked to Zyra a bowed low.

"Excuse me Mistress."

He turned, his cloak flowing behind him and disappeared in a curtain of black.

"Zyra?" Etaceh waited, her red fingers twiddling.

"What do you want to do?"

Zyra rubbed her temples. "I...I..."

"I have an idea."

Zyra jerked her head behind her, stunned at the voice she was hearing. How could they...even fathom coming to see her.

The figure smiled at her.

"Hello Zyra."

--

*Notes*

I want so many comments that my eyes explode from reading them all. I'll announce the finer details about how I'll be distributing chapters from now on (and for you "involved" fans, a bit of the low down on my personal biz) on my site most likely early next week.

"Hsssss! ssShe cannot guarantee her own ssafety..."

Happy Valentine's Day ^_^

Love,

SD_