Enna is a Land God: Book 3

Ogres, and Harpies, and Unicorns... Oh My

I knew that traveling in a large procession like we were, the going would be slow. But the fact that it took us nearly a week, on our nice paved road, just to get to the river crossing, was surprising. Normally it would take less than three days, if you rode hard along the path. Even faster if you were one of the foxie, gifted with real speed skills.

At least it was a pleasant trip. We spent the majority of the days making our slow progress, breaking only in the evening when we set up camp for the night and ate. It was a livly, and surprisingly well organized, endevor. I hardly had to do a thing except sit on Kishi's back and chat.

It did give me time to question Margund and the others for more information concerning the other races we were going to meet at this summit. We may have a library at the estate but it was still rather empty, especial for anything covering politics and the like.

"I know that the harpies live in Talon's Pass, but how do they live there?" I had asked at one point. "Is it like the goblin city? Built into the side of the land formation?"

"Hmmm." Thought Margund, his rohgek on one side of me and Lagdon's on the other. "Sort of. Though not exactly. They do have a city of sorts carved into the side of the mountain, but their race is more migratory than ours. They are constantly traveling from one side of the gorge to the other, hunting other monsters there. Normally they do not live this side of the Pass, this time of the year."

"Why not?"

"From what I understand, it is because the hunting is not as abundant this side of the mountains during the winter months. On the other side it is mainly plains lands and rolling hills with many monsters that are less... er, carnivorous. For the most part, the Eastern side of our Forest of Monsters is much less violent than this one."

That was a weird thought. Mostly because of the fact that I had become so desensitized to just how 'carnivorous' it was here. I almost argued with the goblin king that it wasn't all that bad here. But if I looked at it objectively, that wasn't really true.

There were the foxes and the goblins here, that, until just recently, were basically at war. Add to that the fact that the west had many monsters like the Ursa that were highly aggressive. All of these monsters were fighting over dwindling resources just to survive. And that isn't even accounting for the large chunk of the west that was filled with the Dark.

"It is the mountains them selves that are the most dangerous in our nation. Though, I would not call the East 'tame' either Brother." Lagdon added, eyes scanning either side of the road for danger. Draxly and Brillum were doing the same just ahead of us.

"I agree about the mountains." Margund nodded. "Its the home of the Ogre clan, after all. Since the decline of our race, we haven't had too much contact with the ogres. They are very insular and self important."

At that I laughed. "And goblins aren't?"

"She has a point." Brixie called over her shoulder with a teasing smile. She was just ahead of the two foxie with the pretty healer, Luxana, at her side. The two had been spending much of this trip chatting.

"I guess I can not argue that..." Sighed Margund with good humor. He turned back to me. "The Ogres are probably the strongest of the superior races that live in this nation. Though, with our evolution to hobgoblins, the gap is not quite as large between us, I think."

"That sounds intense." I had seen ogres described in many different ways in my old world, but I couldn't think of any description that is kind and welcoming.

"They are about as big as a hobgoblin, but their skin colors are many and varied, seemingly not affected by lineage. But they have horns, that are. Every child inherits the horns of their maternal line. They are also a matriarchal race, each clan led by a female. Usually the strongest, determined by fights to the death."