Under the weight of the two of them, the animal should have moved sluggishly, not at such a speed. But this was no ordinary horse.

  Marpala's spirited stallion, a tangle of beautiful, long muscles beneath short black fur, was accelerating. They galloped towards the setting sun across the plateau, which stretched above the mesa mountains Dorky had seen earlier. The unfamiliar territory deepened his feeling of freedom bordering on panic. He had nothing of his own here. In the saddlebags were the Counselor's belongings and whatever she deemed fit to pack—and she had packed in a hurry. The boy, dressed in pants and a shirt, clung to her back on the saddle, embracing her tightly at the waist. His inseparable wild fox bone necklace fluttered behind him, swaying with the rhythm of the gallop and the gusts of wind.

  "Ija, ja!" the Orc-woman holding the reins cried, and the stallion leaped over a large rut. She and the animal united in a fluid motion, leaning up and forward, and upon landing, they softly absorbed the shock, ready to fly on. Unaccustomed to riding and expecting nothing, Dorky bruised his backside on the hard saddle and was beginning to get thoroughly fed up with the ride. He listlessly enjoyed Marpala's company and the opportunity to rub against her, but his pleasure was overshadowed by the unease he had fleetingly seen in Chechi's eyes when she waved to them from the gate a few hours earlier. The Strong hadn't bothered to give him lengthy explanations—he was to go with the Counselor to deliver an important report. Whatever that report might be, for he hadn't encountered such a word either. He realized he was getting farther and farther from home and familiar areas, and escaping alone was becoming a dangerous, flawed plan.

  When the sun had fully set, Marpala stopped the stallion, looked around, and then chose a small grove to their right. She told him to dismount; she did so herself and led the horse among the low, sweetly fragrant trees. The ground here was darker, more moist, and the horse began to nibble at leaves and grass. A strap creaked and a saddlebag buckle jingled, and a grooming brush landed in Dorky's hand. He obediently set about scraping the animal's mane and sides, then led him to a small, faintly shimmering puddle where he could drink. Meanwhile, the Orc-woman gathered some dry branches, nudged a stump with her boot, and patiently set about striking a fire. Dorky was surprised that she wasn't afraid to reveal their location, but noticing his consternation, she said: "They have no idea we're here. They're busy fighting. And fire can scare away... other things that sometimes wander the plateau at night. Beware of being here alone on starless nights. Why would you be here alone anyway?" She laughed at her own words.

  Dorky tied the animal to a long horizontal branch and approached the fire. "I could be here if, for example, you spared my life and set me free. I used to only herd animals, but now I'm starting to feel good with a weapon. I could become a warrior, like Farme!" he said, lifting and lowering his gaze.

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  Marpala sat, resting her elbows on her knees, looking at him from behind her precious glasses. Initially, he couldn't meet her gaze, but eventually, he dared. "That's better." She said, slowly tapping her soles. "Well, for now you're my servant, not a warrior, so rummage in the saddlebags and put a pot of water with meat and herbs on. Just don't take the kind I put in the brass box. You'll pack my pipe with that, after dinner. Now, go!" she urged him.

  The young man obediently set to work, sensing that the Orc-woman was willing to talk. He had many questions, and besides, this way of spending time made him a little less nervous about the fate of the Uurb clan members.

  Soon after, meat cooked in the cauldron, turning in the water bubbles from the pond. They ate this simple meal from one dish, not caring to split. They wiped their hands with a wisp of grass. The night was quite warm and starry, although large clusters of clouds rolled across the sky here and there. His guide showed him how to crush the aromatic herb and pack it into a cleverly carved bone pipe. Then she lit it with a splinter from the bonfire and sat down even more comfortably, her head resting on the saddlebags. "So..." he began. "How did you become a Counselor, Marpala?" She answered him with a puff of smoke, and then another. "Here, light one yourself, young man," she handed him the pipe with its glowing contents, "and listen. Most of our people only have three things on their minds: fighting, honor, and, how shall I put it, body pleasures. Orcs seek opponents, opportunities for glory in battle, and ever new women. Orc-women, if you think about it, seek the exact same things," she took the pipe from his hands and took a big drag of smoke, "but every now and then, someone with a slightly different approach to life is born. Have you noticed that humans are also different? Take Farme, whom you admire," she answered herself and continued, "well, imagine an Orc child is born who is characterized more by curiosity about the world and learning than by combativeness. And that is me, at your service. I know it sounds like I'm a terribly pompous and boastful woman, but that's how it sometimes comes across when you speak the truth bluntly. I wanted to learn, I wanted to travel, an opportunity arose to serve in the capital, and I took it.And Babeno… She is my cousin. What do you say to that?"

  Dorky pleasantly slumped into an increasingly lower position, feeling how the gusts of warmth nicely warmed his feet. The world narrowed to two very absorbing pleasures: listening to the story and being by the fire. "It's great that you managed to do things you like. Tell me something more." Saying this, he had practically settled perfectly, his head resting on the other saddlebag, close to the Orc-woman. "And what else would you like to know?" she asked, yawning grumpily. "Everything." He answered without hesitation. Marpala moved her head slightly back to get a better look at him from under her heavy eyelids. She nodded slightly and snorted, then began to laugh heartily. Dorky inadvertently joined her. They smoked, cackled, and exchanged remarks until they had fuel left, and then, after throwing the last sticks onto the fire, they fell asleep. In the morning, the boy woke up with slightly dried saliva and the memory of a colorful dreamscape he had never experienced before. He was also wiser in many Orc matters. They hastily packed up, Marpala cleaned her glasses with a piece of clean cloth and signaled him to saddle the horse. In the gentle gusts of the morning wind, surrounded by small wisps of fog, they trotted further on their journey.