ONE POINT FIVE (1.5 in the Amnesia Archives)

Chapter 20

Aknon's POV

I learned a very valuable and useful lesson. When orcs say that they live nearby, they mean that it's about half a day's walk. It had practically killed me trying to keep up with their pace. Most of them were full-blooded orcs, meaning that Mesh had to jog to catch up with them sometimes. It had been a big headache. At least I didn't have to worry about anything attacking us, since the orcs could handle the wilderness pretty easily.

I'm calling it the wilderness because they had immediately marched into the forest which surrounded Kourjit to the west. I wasn't a huge fan of the fact we were moving away from the city, but I knew where I was going if I had to go back, which I probably would end up doing.

I didn't think that I would get any answers from the orcs in all honesty. I figured that they stayed within their clans most of the time, and that they had their own little societies. I understood that they didn't care much for outsiders, as most cities didn't care much for them. I was an outsider, and yet they were still letting me into their stronghold. At least I figured they were, since they were tugging me along and waiting for me once I got too far behind. Some of them found it funny, and I noticed a few sympathetic glances in my direction.

I slowed even more as a wooden fort came into view. I understood where we were immediately, and I was growing apprehensive. There were spikes in front of the fort with the carcasses of many animals, and maybe one or two human skulls. I didn't know how friendly these guys actually were. They had probably just saved me because I was with Mesh.

Most of the orcs filed in with a cheer, bringing Mesh inside, who looked back at me for a few minutes before being pulled away. I paused by the gate with Grolen, who had talked to me occasionally and asked me how I was. She told me about her son and husband, who surprisingly didn't live in the stronghold. Her husband was a human, and their son was a half-orc just like Mesh. From what I'd heard, he's absolutely adorable.

"The chief hasn't been here in a while," Grolen informed me as she stopped me by the entrance, pulling me to the side. "It means that this place has been a little rowdier than it usually is. My best advice would be to stay with Mesh or I and keep your head down. And by that, I mean try to fit in."

I hesitated. "That would be akin to telling a fish to walk on land," I pointed out with a sigh and a shake of my head. "Maybe the fish has a better chance."

She laughed and hit my shoulder, I assumed it was meant to be a friendly pat, but it almost caused my knees to buckle. "You will get a hang of our lifestyle, it shouldn't be too bothersome for you, little fish." Her teasing smile didn't help my mood. "I believe that if you stick with Mesh, your schedules and preferences will line up somewhat. It'll be easier for you as opposed to the rest of us. You will require more sleep and less food." She gave her stomach a pat. "It is food time now actually; they will all be in the hall."

I nodded slowly, looking inside the stronghold to see if there was anything which mildly represented a hall, but I couldn't find anything. "And what do you prefer to eat?" I was only slightly sceptical. I'd seen Mesh eat bugs and wood, but also enjoy a good meal at the inn.

Grolen laughed like I had made a joke. "We eat anything." She wrapped an arm around my shoulders once more and led me inside.

There were straw dummies nearly everywhere I looked, all in various degrees of use. Some had been completely covered in cuts with straw falling out of them, laying in a heap on the ground. Whilst others looked brand new and hardly touched. There were targets in a far corner, with various weapons spread out on various tables beside them. There was even an axe in one of the targets, right on the bullseye. I didn't want to think about what they used for the red colour for the markings on the targets.