War of the Races

Chapter 41- The Bos and the Bear

Laughing. Drinking. Eating. Celebration of life and living. The Dining Hall of Jordmodirbaer, the true name of Earthmother's Den, built from mountain rock, large rough hewn timbers, and a sod roof, was bursting with the sounds of merriment. A large fellow. One of the ursidae-alfari, also known simply as a bear, came running into the light of the already overly packed dining hall. He pushed his way up before the massive U-shaped table where I sat beside Orsa, where her mother Kunnigr-volva Eferhilda sat on her left side and Chief Fyrsil sat just on my right. The man stood better than nine feet tall. A full head taller than Fyrsil who was a head taller than Orsa.

The man, like all of his people, was built thick and wide, and was covered in long brown fur. He wore a thick leather belt plated with small metal discs and had a hoop for a large mace on his left hip. On the right hip, dangling from two iron rings hung a large leather bag. From two more rings hung a long loincloth of leather covered with more small iron discs.

"Chief!" He yelled so as to be heard over the merriment.

"Yes Torben, where have you come from, and what is your report?" Chief Fyrsil chuckled but then grew more concerned when he saw the man was serious.

"Chief, they came from the north," Torben said.

"From the north? Who?" Fyrsil asked now his tone more concerned but kept calm. He didn't want to panic his people carelessly.

"A small group." Torben answered, "A bos'taurine family, a hare, a rabbit, and... and a goddess! They seek permission to enter the village. There is a goddess at our gate, Chief, and she's asking permission to enter!"

Having overheard, I nearly choked on something that tasted like pumpkin pie but without the crust. Swallowing, then chuckling, I asked, "Does the goddess glow as brightly as the moon? Hair that floats above her head and gives a glimpse of the heavens themselves? Walks on hooves, has a long tail, and has four arms?"

Fyrsil cut his eyes to me, and seeing that I was not upset, visibly relaxed.

"That is not a goddess," I pronounced, "Rather, she is the Oracle of the moon goddess Seline. She is my wife, and she is my mother."

With a sharp nod Fyrsil stood and raised his hands for attention and silence. Once he had everyone's attention he commanded, "Torben, hasten back to the Oracle of Moon and escort her Holiness here with all speed!"

Torben nodded, and then ran back the way he came. This time he didn't have to push at all, a path opened before him. For the first time since the end of the battle with the army of the dead there was complete silence. Celebrating could be heard all around the village, except in the dining hall. As the time dragged out for Torben to make his way back to the north gate and then lead the party back to the grand dining hall, whispers began to sprout and circulate. Questions on who was coming. Was it really a goddess? No, it was a priestess. No, it was the High Priestess of the Moon. No, it was Seline herself in the flesh. No, it was traveling merchants come from a nearby village. Whispers murmured and rumors spread, but all were curious as to what was going to happen next.

——(!)——

Whispers spread out, moving constantly in front of Glenna and her party like a wave. Pointing fingers were raised in her direction as mumbled comments and speculation were shared between companions. Who is she? What is she? Why is she here? Why wasn't she here before? There were almost as many different answers for each question as there were questions.

She was disturbed by some of the questions. Some were just natural curiosity. Of course she knew who she was, but she was as baffled as they were when it came to other questions, like. What was she now? A nottalfar to be sure, but what else? Seline changed her. Now she had hooves for feet, a long tail, and four arms. All she lacked were horns and she would look like most succubi. If given wings, she would look like one of the Fallen, or the goddess herself. With the exception that Seline had four massive breasts while Glenna still only had two. Thank the goddess she hadn't given her two more!