Page 13 of My Fated Orc Hero

Zoe laughs, a sound that sends an unexpected tingle down my spine. "You know, for someone who claims to want me gone, you're being quite the tour guide."

I feel my face heat up. "Oh, well, I ...” I manage to stammer.

“I like it,” she replies.

With a start I realize I have become so distracted by– the word enthralled echoes in the back of my mind – with this human that I have all but forgotten about my original mission. "Othrix!" I exclaim.

"Who?" Zoe asks.

"My ca– that is, my fearsome beast companion," I explain. "He's missing. There have been doom dog sightings lately, and I need to find him. That is what I was doing when I found you...looking for him."

Zoe's eyes light up. “Oh my gosh! Why didn’t you say so! A rescue mission! We need to find him. What does he look like?"

“He is like a small tiger, but of dark browns and tans. His teeth are sharp as knives and his claws twice so. He is indeed fierce to behold,” I say.

“So, he’s a tabby cat?” Zoe replies.

To reduce him to such hardly does him justice and certainly does not warrant a reply beyond a grunt of assent.

This does not stop her from proceeding to pepper me with a thousand questions about his habits and favorite hiding spots as we continue on our way.

"You seem to know a lot about this. Perhaps tomorrow we shall be able to put it to better use. We must head home now.”

“As you wish, she replies simply. And yeah, I volunteer at an animal shelter. We deal with a lot of lost pets. Have you tried leaving out some of your clothing ... with your scent?"

“You have true animal wisdom. You must have a lot of experience with companion beasts.” I compliment her.

"Yes, we just call them ‘pets’, but mostly we deal with strays. We trap them, get them fixed, and then either return them to their colonies or find them homes."

I frown. "Fixed? What do you mean, ‘fixed?’"

"Oh, you know. Spayed or neutered. So, they can't have more kittens."

I stop dead in my tracks. "You... remove their ability to mate?"

Zoe nods, oblivious to my horror. "Yeah, it helps control the population. Why? What's wrong?"

"That's barbaric!" I sputter. "You just... take away their manhood like that?"

Zoe bursts out laughing. "It's not like that! It's to control the population. Besides, it's not just the males. Females get fixed too."

I shake my head, deeply disturbed. "Humans are truly monstrous."

"Says the orc who put me in a collar," she shoots back.

I can’t help but crack a small smile. She has a point. This small human is not as defenseless as she appears.

"Is there any more you can tell me about Othrix?" she asks.

"I don’t know what else there is to add. He's a cat," I reply gruffly. "He hunts mice and sleeps a lot."

Zoe rolls her eyes. "Come on, the smallest detail may help locate him. It’s obvious you care about him."

I sigh, relenting slightly. "He is the fiercest hunter in all the village.

“I would expect no less”.

“Most assuredly,” I say, warming to the topic, as I steal a glance to be sure she is not toying with me. She appears sincere, so I continue, “His full name is actually Othrix, Slayer of Tiny Beasts. Sometimes I just call him S.T.B.... And he is exceptionally soft...especially his belly fur...”

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