Page 41 of Mountain Orc Daddy

What’s worse is that we all sit in the car in silence. No one is saying a word. They aren’t even playing their human music. I have nothing to distract myself with. All I have is my thoughts.

I can’t shake this bad feeling. This feeling that we’ll be too late. Like when I was sensing Gideon following me, alarms are going off in my head. Every one of my instincts and senses are telling me the tribe is in danger right now. This all may be too little too late.

Why did I leave? I should’ve known something like this would happen. If my father was still Chieftain, he’d never have made such a stupid mistake. He tried to warn us all, protect us all from the outside world. But I didn’t listen.

He never would’ve left our people behind for so long. He never would’ve let himself get so distracted. My father was the Chieftain that the Broken Maws Tribe deserves.

I, however, have never been half the Chieftain he was. Now, my mistakes and short-sightedness will destroy everything my father and other ancestors worked so hard to build. Maybe I should’ve never been made Chieftain.

If only there was a way to contact my tribe and warn them. While I’m stuck in this car, useless, my whole tribe could be getting slaughtered. If that’s the case, I will not rest until I hunt down this rogue coven and avenge my tribe.

A small hand reaches out and grabs mine. I look down and see Blair looking up at me. The sight of her kind face silences the alarms for a moment. I hold her hand back.

“Don’t do that,” she says.

“Do what?”

“I can see it on your face, I’ve gotten pretty good at reading you. You’re beating yourself up, aren’t you?”

“I never should’ve-”

“Stop, Uzul. Don’t do that to yourself. You never could’ve known that any of this would happen.”

“Still, my father warned me about the world outside our tribe. I didn’t listen and now the whole tribe is in danger.”

“Uzul,” she squeezes my hand tighter. “Whatever we find when we get up the mountain, whatever we end up facing, we can face it together. You won’t have to do it alone.”

I nod. She’s right after all. I have her, and her family by my side. We will be able to handle whatever we find on the mountain.

I’m glad Blair is here. Without her, my mind would’ve spiraled for the entire drive up. Even in my relatively short time knowing her, she has proven herself to be very smart. She always knows just what to say at just the right moment. She is able to calm me down, and help me focus, like no one else I’ve ever known.

However, at the same time, I don’t know why I argued that she should come with us. She has no powers. We’re bringing her right into a fight she has no business being in. Blair could easily wind up getting hurt or worse.

Blair is smart and resilient. But that won’t stop some rogue witch from going for the kill in the heat of battle. I know this is what she wanted, she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. It’s just that now I’m just as worried about her as I am about my tribe.

But I also know that even if we left her behind, that wouldn’t stop her. She’d just hop in her car and follow us up the mountain. This is far and away the best option. I’d much rather have her by my side, where I can protect her myself, than somewhere I can’t see her.

I will do whatever it takes to protect her. Blair means far too much to me to let anything happen to her. She’s shown me so much, taught me things I’d never learn otherwise. Blair is the exact opposite of the humans my father warned about, she’s special. I’d do anything for her.

With the reassurance from Blair, the rest of the drive goes by fast. Phineas parks at the campsite the Morgan family originally came to not so long ago. I quickly squeeze out of the car as the humans follow - it’s time to continue on foot.

I take a moment to breathe in the mountain air. I didn’t realize until now how much I’ve missed it. Even in the park or in the woods by Gideons shack, the air was never this good. It’s hard to believe I’m still thinking of giving this up to move my tribe down to the city.

As Blair’s and her family start unpacking the supplies from the car, the alarms in my head start going off again. Something is wrong, but I can’t figure out what. Until it dawns on me, it’s quiet.

I can’t even hear birds chirping. Or wind blowing through the trees. Everything is far too calm for what I know is going on.

“We need to go now,” I declare. “I need to get to my tribe now!”

“Go,” Blair says. "We’ll be right behind you.”

“The path is-” Mara starts to speak but I already start running. I know how to get back to my people, and there is no time to lose.

I speed through the woods as fast as I can. I know this place like the back of my hand. It takes almost no time at all before I’m out of the woods and into a clearing.

Relief washes over me as I spot my tribe. They are not only still alive, but everything is seemingly business as usual. Still, the rogue coven may be on their way, we need to get everyone to safety.

My tribe spots me come out of the woods and rush over to me. In an instant, I’m surrounded by orcs, asking me all kinds of questions about the city and humans. However, I don’t hear any of it, the alarms in my head are still too loud.

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