Page 22 of Mountain Orc Daddy

“What is that?” He whispered to me, as if he was maybe embarrassed and didn’t want the rest of my family to hear the question.

“That is Boston. That’s the city where we all live. Those are all buildings. They call them sky-scrapers.”

“… And people live in them?”

“Some, yeah.”

“What’s it like being so close to the heavens?” I had never thought of it like that. It’s a rather poetic way to view being high up in a building. Something most haven’t given a second thought about since they were kids.

There was also when he insisted we come to this park for the first time. I’ve lived near here for a while and have come a few times. But with Uzul, I was finally able to appreciate it.

He didn’t want to throw around a frisbee or fly a kite. He had no interest in checking out the nearby food trucks or the street performers on the many paths. Uzul just wanted to sit in the grass and enjoy the peace. I haven’t slowed down like that in a long time.

Just one week. One simple week. And my life has changed for the better, and I never want to go back.

14

UZUL

“Another one,” I point up at the sky as a dragon flies by, above the clouds. We’ve been laying in the grass of this park for an hour or so, watching the sky. I can’t believe how much we’ve seen fly over us.

“Yeah,” Blair says, pointing up at the sky too. “And, look, they aren’t alone.” I follow the point of her finger and see two smaller dragons flying just behind.

As she points up at the sky above, Blair’s body leans into mine. Her soft skin presses against me, and I never want it to stop. I truly never thought I’d ever feel this way about anyone, let alone a human.

“Are you ready to get moving?” Blair crawls over my body to poke her head into my view of the sky. “I know a great place for lunch around here.”

Her hair playfully falls in my face while her smile shines brighter than the sun. This is another view that I wouldn’t mind watching all morning. I’ve been in the city with Blair for a few days now. We’ve explored just about all that this place has to offer. But the best part has been getting to spend time with her.

“Just a few more minutes.” Ever since I arrived in the city with Blair, we’ve been constantly exploring. Everyday she has something new to show me and I’m shocked by what I learn. But today we decided to take it slow in the park

Back at the Broken Maws Tribe, my day would be spent taking care of everyone and making sure everything ran smoothly. But, with Blair, we can simply lay in the grass and watch the clouds and creatures move across the sky. Life here is so different.

I still can’t get over how many other creatures like me are wandering around the city. I haven’t even seen anyone bat an eye at me the whole time we’ve been exploring. This is never what I expected.

I can’t help but think about my tribe right now. Living in relative squalor up in the mountains compared to what could be waiting for them down here. They would all enjoy living in the city just as much as I have, I just know it.

The technology, the food that we don’t have to hunt, the beautiful people. All of it makes living in the city leagues better than up in the mountains. This is a completely different world, a completely different life, but we can all have it so easily.

“I think I should move my tribe down here.”

“Really?” Blair looks surprised. “All of them?”

“Eventually, yeah. But I think a few at first. Show them what it’s like and then they could help me convince the rest to join us.”

“Do you think the others would enjoy it down here? In the city? Unlike you, they won’t all have me to show them around.” She gives me a lovely smile.

“No, no they will not.” I return her smile and lean in for a kiss.

A low grumble breaks the serine silence of the park. I pause before our kiss connects and I look at Blair, whose face is turning a deep shade of red. I’ve never seen this from her.

“Are you okay? What the hell was-?”

“I’m sorry.” She lets out a huge laugh. "That was my stomach. I was just trying to be polite earlier. I’m so hungry.”

I laugh along with her. “Oh wow, let’s get you some lunch.”

About twenty minutes later, Blair and I are setting up a picnic blanket in the park and sitting down with our lunches. She scarfs down her lunch at a speed that would put some orcs I know to shame. I watch her with amassment, everyday she finds a new way to surprise me.

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