Ogres and Ogresses

Chapter 6: Foreshadowing or Innuendo

Warm...cold...no warm, but dark. Where...where?

So you really are coming aren't you?

Zyra whipped around. She was in the darkness. Where was she? It wasn't the forest, she wasn't even sure if she was outside.

"Where am I?" she shouted. "Show yourself!"

"

You

should know. You brought us here."

That voice...why was that voice so familiar. Wait... it was him. That creature from the forest!

She whipped around, searching in her fury.

"How are you doing this? Where are you coward?"

She heard a dark chuckle before a pair of yellow eyes blinked, emerging out of the darkness in front of her. They seemed to crinkle in laughter, their inhuman gaze hammering steadily at her courage.

"Why huntress, can't you see me?"

She jumped as she felt hands on her waist. Turning to rip them away Zyra found she couldn't move. She was frozen in place, forced to stare at those horrifying yellow eyes. The hands moved sensually up and down her waist until it suddenly dawned on her that they were touching her bare skin. She was naked! She wanted to cover herself, squeeze her legs together. Her lips twitched in the effort she was trying to make to scream, but it was to no avail. She was trapped. The warm calloused hands wrapped around her upper body and cupped her breasts softly. She could feel his hot breath on her ear as he mumbled low.

"Can't you feel me little huntress?"

A shiver ran down her spine as he rubbed the nipples with his thumbs, squeezing and molding her breasts to his liking. She felt him press his hard body against her naked back. Somehow, the eyes were still in front of her, drinking in her vulnerability.

"Can you feel this?"

he breathed huskily.

He squeezed her breasts more firmly then kissed a trail to the base of her neck. Slowly his rough, long tongue licked a line down to her collarbone and he trailed his lips back upward to nibble lazily at her ear. She tried to ignore the sudden throbbing between her legs, the insistent wetness that gathered at her groin. No, not by this creature. She wasn't aroused...she couldn't be.

As though hearing her inner musings he released a breast and put his hand between her legs. Simultaneously she felt something hard and insistent poking near the soft flesh of her backside. With little difficultly his fingertips slipped between her thighs. He ran his fingers about in search of her opening before sticking a thick finger inside of her. She cried out at the intrusion, her voice suddenly free. His chuckle rumbled through her body.

"Do you understand it? Do you feel it now?"

"Stop it! STOP IT!"

He ignored her and began to thrust it inside if her, his thumb randomly swiping her clit. With one hand firmly crested between her thighs he took her by her hair and leaned her backwards towards him. The eyes, the yellow eyes were there too. Craning her neck to look forward, she saw the other pair has not dissipated. As though by some horrible chain reaction, the darkness began to sprout yellow eyes. They opened over and over, above her and beneath her until not an inch of her lay unexposed. She couldn't close her own eyes, could only look into the depths of each sinful pair.

In each set of eyes, she saw herself.

She was bent waist over a rock, spread legged out in a field, bound to a tree. In each image a black mass with yellow eyes was defiling her, fucking her with its manhood. She saw it vividly, her bouncing butt, jiggling breasts, gaping mouth. She heard the sounds that escaped her. Those wanton shrieks of a beast borne for nothing but the next moment of pleasure. How, why were those sounds coming from her own lips? She hadn't realized it but she was shaking, whimpering. And her mouth was watering. She had all but soaked the creature's hand with her juices. He was grinning his white fangs an addition to his formless face.

"If you don't feel it now..."

he tutted, pushing two extra fingers deep inside of her.

He clamped his thumb firmly on her clit and she was done. She shouted as she began to orgasm around his fingers. She looked into his feral, lusty eyes and felt fear.

"...you will."

__________________________________________________

Zyra jerked awake and looked about herself in a daze. Gharla popped up as well, taking in Zyra's crazed eyes with apprehension. A dream, it had just been a dream. Zyra's heart was racing and she was shocked to find herself in another personal predicament. Abruptly she climbed out of the tree netting and started to climb down.

"I need to compose myself," Zyra whispered carefully.

Gharla frowned but nodded. "Don't be long."

She agreed and scurried off to the river. It would be dawn in a few hours. She could feel the air changing, see the sky lightening as it prepared for dawn. At the river, she waded until she was knee deep and shivering. The water was cold.

Good.

Slowly she peeled off her brown underpants that went under her skirt. They were soaked through with her arousal and had begun to drip down her legs. She tried her not drown in shame. Zyra washed herself and began scrubbing the panties with a rock before the cold forced her out of the water. Wringing out the pants the best she could she lay them on a lukewarm rock to dry. Sighing she forced herself to sit on a patch of moss. It was just a dream, just a dream. No doubt it was brought on by Hanto's advances.

Even so, she couldn't get that last image out of her head. She had seen herself in her dream. What she had looked like in his eyes with three fingers in her pussy and a dribbling mouth spasming in completion. It was so base, so instinctual. An instinct she had long assumed she did not have.

Could this creature really be appealing to her?

This beast?

Perhaps she had been hunting too long.

The underpants were still damp as she made her way back to camp. She slipped them on and knew she would not sleep again. Gharla slept for two more hours until it was time for them to get ready.

They woke Enui and took apart their camp. Gharla and Zyra went ahead to scout the border to see if any disturbances occurred. If possible, the other side looked even more beautiful than before. The light flecks of dew pearled on light green perfectly formed leaves. A mist of flowers seemed to suspend in the moist warm air. The fruit looked fat, juicy and inviting, and each tree was laden with it. Zyra frowned. Something was not right with this place.

"Gharla?"

"Yes Zyra?" She could see in Gharla's face that Gharla was also suspicious.

"New plan. We don't leave right away. Let's gather some rations. Enough for 3 days. Then we set out."

Gharla nodded and went toward the river. Zyra sighed, hoping that she wasn't making a bad decision. She had so little time, but she knew that safe food was an important factor in their survival. Going back to their camp she took Enui without Gharla's knowledge and headed toward the men's camp. Her spear readily available, she led them to the clearing.cRell was kicking dirt into the fire pit. The tent was already down and packed inside of Rell's bag. When he looked up it was clearly by accident because he seemed taken back. Naturally they were soundless as hunters. He stood up and immediately looked at Zyra with eyes full of regret.

"Zyra..." he started remorsefully.

"Save it," she interrupted. "Where is he?"

Rell hunched like a child that had just received a harsh scolding. It made Zyra melt inside and she added a gentler, "Please?" to the end.

He nodded, seeming to straighten ever so slightly and said, "My apologies. He went down to the river."

Zyra nodded then as the knowledge really

sunk

in she ran towards the river. Enui and Rell were right on her heels, noticing the urgency in her stride.

Just as she predicted Gharla was being aggressive towards Hanto. She had him in a headlock and was holding his head under the water. They watched as his muscled arms came up behind him to grab her shoulders. He tossed her into the swells herself and she was forced to release. She rose like a watery demon. Spitting foam her eyes were deadly, her hunting knife glinting dangerously in her hand.

"Enough!"

The two of them looked at Zyra in surprise.

"But he..." Gharla protested by Zyra cut her off.

"Did what Gharla? Attacked you with a water skin?"

Sure enough Hanto had gone to the river weaponless. Truly he must not be a seasoned hunter to leave his weapon behind in the forest. Knowing Gharla's ability to hold a grudge made the whole incident clear to her. Hanto shook his dark wet strands and looked at her defiantly.

"I didn't do anything."

"I know. Silence," Zyra said dismissively. Then she pinned her gaze on Gharla. Gharla looked at her indignantly, pointing her knife at Hanto viciously.

"You would choose his tale? Him, over

mine

?"

"Did he attack you Gharla?"

Gharla glared at her but Zyra looked at her calmly. Unable to tell the lie Gharla waded out of the water and growled in irritation.

"Ack sis na trussa et!"

I still do not trust him! Zyra ignored her.

"Your behavior is inexcusable," Zyra said firmly. "The next person to step out of line Rovian or Ursie will head back to the Rovian camp alone. We

will

part ways for the completion of this mission. Know this."

They looked at her harsh even gaze and all agreed, though some more reluctantly than others. Then she began to tell them her plan.

They would gather food and drink until afternoon, and then they would cross the border. She deemed that they work together to do so. Rell would collect good roots, nuts and fruits within the forest as well as fill all 8 water skins. They would leave everything not food, weapon or medicine related in the clearing for now. Enui would fish, Gharla would hunt birds, and Zyra and Hanto would hunt floor beasts. Meats would be cooked and rolled in leaves to be preserved best as possible.

When they met back together they were disappointed at the meat haul. For some reason few beasts dared come close to the border. Ennui had caught 5 fish, Gharla had shot 3 birds, and combined Zyra and Hanto had killed 2 hog beasts and 5 bushtails. One of the bushtails had led them to his nest of nuts. Zyra decided they take only half out of respect to the bushtails' family. He had kept a considerable distance and did not bother her with stupid talk.

Perhaps Gharla's bath had done him well.

Once they were packed, each of them carrying a sack of the divided roots, nuts, and berries and one water skin, they were ready. Zyra led them to the division. She felt apprehension at the lack of animals in the magic clearing. Gingerly she lifted a foot and let it dangle over the greener grass. Swallowing, she lowered it until her toe touched. So far nothing had harmed her. The others watched in anxious anticipation. Gritting her teeth she placed her whole foot on the ground.

Behind them they heard a mass fluttering of wings. Looking behind them hundreds of birds that were unseen in their hunt flew up and out of the trees. They were jet black from head to toe, stark against the pale blue sky. The large locust like mass swirled up in the sky like a writhing snake before zipping to the far end of the magical land.

"This is a foul omen," Rell whispered whispering a prayer.

"It's too late to turn back now," Zyra said stepping both feet into the valley.

"They

know

we are here." __________________________________________________

White cool marble blocked out the light.

It was cold in that structure with no windows and doors, unless of course one needed to make one to see in or out. Three of the Gray fate witches stood huddled over what appeared to be a white marble bird feeder. They mumbled and cackled in hushed voices while silent footsteps walked overhead. One witch was in the library, another stood divining on a map in the corridor, others spoke of what to do with the ever growing population of humans in the area. It wouldn't be long before superstition wore off and one of them would be foolish enough to venture into their land.

Suddenly there was a hum in the air, a note on a disharmonious frequency, a spatial disturbance. The fate witches pulled away from the spilling bird feeder as it grew in size.

Etaceh an elder witch walked over, opening a door in the ceiling. They had a visitor. No sooner did she open it did a black raven fly in. She extended a pale paper thin finger to receive him. Her black flowing robe made arm seem like the branch of a tree. He landed like a butterfly before tilting his head and giving out a loud "caw!" She smiled at him with blood red lips, her floor length ebony colored hair curtaining around her.

"What is it my dear?" she cooed in her languid slowly flowing voice. "What

news

do you bring?"

She extended her hand to the bird bath and he hopped in dipping inside the water and ruffling his feathers. Black tendrils of inky reside spread to the edges of the bath. He did this until the whole bath was black. When he was done his feathers were completely white. He jumped back on Etaceh's finger and she gave him a stalk of red berries before kissing his beak.

"Thank you my dear."

He cawed in response. With a wave of her hand, black seeped back into his feathers. Then the ceiling opened again and he flew away. Etaceh directed her attention back to the bath.

"Let us see what he has left behind," she said more to herself than the gathering witches.

Four other cloaked figures sidled forward, all staring at the black swirls that began to form colorful images.

Humans, humans had crossed the border.

"We should kill them," one of the youngest witches said bitterly. "They bring nothing but destruction."

"No. I've had enough of bloodshed," a deep voice intoned. It was Caligula. Like Etaceh he had been there for the purging. It had been a nasty wretched business.

"Then what shall we do with them?" another asked.

Etaceh examined each of the humans as they made their way forward. So far they had disturbed nothing but the ground. The blonde haired man looked weak and the black haired man one looked arrogant. The blonde woman seemed strong but angry and distrusting of the men, the brown haired one looked naïve. Then there was the one in front. Etaceh smiled as she put her hand over her. She writhed her fingers over her image with a vested interest. The girl stopped suddenly and to Etaceh's surprise looked straight at her with piercing green eyes. She withdrew her hand and the girl looked around a little more, her companions asking her questions. She shook her head and told them to keep moving.

"What do you make of this?" Caligula asked frowning deeply at the girl with his deep purple eyes.

Etaceh gave him an amused smirk.

"Perhaps she has power. Have you seeded among the humans Caligula?"

"She is

not

of my line," he snapped back.

It was a millennia old joke that Etaceh never grew tired of. Not

every brown

skinned child with usual eyes was his seed.

Etaceh snickered. She smiled at the girl caressing her image with her spidery fingers.

"Let us find out what they want...perhaps she was sent to us."

Caligula raised an eyebrow. "By whom? The

monokeros

? They have not appeared to us in centuries."

Etaceh nodded, thinking the last time she had seen those mystical single horned creatures.

"Let us test them."

Etaceh dew back to a shelf of potions. She selected a green one that seemed to be coiling about itself inside the vial.

"They are headed towards us, surely they seek us out." She uncorked the vial and a low hiss rose in the air.

"Let us test

her,

" Etaceh declared.

She tilted the bottle and a drop fell inside the bath, hissing more as it touched the faces on the water. Venomous bubbles congealed into a single form, then that form dove down into the unsuspecting depths of the bath. __________________________________________________

Zyra couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She tried to say it was due to nerves but she couldn't help but feel it wasn't. Her instincts were on fire. While hers seemed to intensify she noticed the others seemed to dull. Despite her warnings she had had to smack the strange magical fruit out of Hanto's hand and keep Enui from drinking of a beautiful spring that leaked between two blue rocks. Rell and Gharla were now guarding them.

"Can we stop for a break?" Rell asked, his heavy pack finally taking its toll.

Zyra looked about. There were still no animals and nothing but wide open nature. She didn't trust it.

"A bit farther Rell, just until we find real shade for possible camp."

The dusk was approaching. Sleeping here in the open seemed too dangerous for her liking. She heard more than one soft sigh as they ventured on. Looking back she could not see the border of the forest that meant home. She wondered if perhaps there was no way back to that solace.

Suddenly she heard a peculiar sound.

Gharla stopped dead in her tracks as did Enui.

"What?" Hanto asked but Zyra put a finger to her lips.

Kneeling to the ground Zyra put her ear to the grass.

There it was again, like...something was moving beneath them. Gharla grabbed an arrow and went to stab the earth when the ground in front of them exploded. Chunks of dirt flew into Zyra's face and mouth as she fell backwards. A loud mix between a hiss and a growl burned her ears. She scrambled to get up, hauling Gharla by the hand. They stood in horror to face the giant beast before them.

It was a snake, a sickly green in color with cruel clear eyes. Its fangs dripped venom and as it unfurled from the hole in the ground it only increased in length like a never ending rope. It hissed; a terrible sound that made her skin crawl. She held her breath as his rancid stale breath assaulted her senses. Gritting her teeth she faced her spear forward. With this motion the snake looked at her. An arrow caught into the folds of its skin and it hissed again, turning to the rapidly firing Gharla. It recoiled back and Zyra rushed forward, flattening Gharla just in time for the snake to bite where her body had been. It sprayed the surrounding area with purple goo that broke down the beautiful fruit trees into ash.

She jumped off of Gharla trying to remember why this nightmare seemed so familiar.

A giant snake monster that leaked venom... a giant snake monster that leaked venom...

It turned to snap at Hanto but he stood his ground with a spear until the beast snapped down to crunch it with his fangs. The broken pieces dissolved in the goo.

A giant snake monster that leaked venom...Basilisk....the

Basilisk!

Her mother had told her and Kyzu the story. She had heard about the types of creatures that lived beyond their world and had fought them in the distant war.

"That is why you need to be strong Zyra"

she had said.

"So you can face anything. Even a basilisk."

She had asked how, and her mom had told her.

Zyra surged forward with a growl as Hanto was thrown back by its massive tail. Her mother had not told her how to kill a basilisk, but she had told her how to put it to sleep.

"We need the venom!" she shouted running around the beast.

It was about to devour Hanto. She stuck it with her spear in its tail before it turned angrily, knocking her weapon from her hands.

"Why!" Ennui shouted, using all the spear techniques to turn back its attention.

Rell was throwing rocks with great accuracy at its head. Every time he did the Basilisk flinched and then attacked again.

"We have to feed it its venom!" Zyra shouted counting the swaying time of its tail in her head.

Oh Lord she was crazy.

"The beast's mouth soaks with venom! Do you not see?" Gharla yelled shooting at its eyes. It closed its eyes at every arrow, the armor of its eyelids impenetrable.