The interior of the cabin was warm and inviting; the space was open and filled with high-reaching furniture as the large orc, Gortak invited us inside. The cabin consisted of a large living space with a fireplace off to the far right and two cozy, cushioned chairs in front of it. Behind them, at a large dining table, was a tall, curvaceous, orc woman dressed in a plain yet cute gray and white dress that came down to her calves. The dress was slightly stained with what looked like food and wine, yet despite this, she smiled at us with pleasure as we came in, her small tusks jutting upwards as she brushed her braided bangs back behind her head.

"Pardon my husband," she said gruffly as she stood up and walked to the open kitchen connected to their living room. "Please make yourselves at home. I'll get you tea. Grotz, Menort!" She barked at the two young orcs around the dining table. "Go to the shed and grab the extra chairs out back!"

The two teenagers nodded, scrambled out of their chairs, and ran to the back door, leaving the only person at the table to be a human man. A very posh-looking individual in a white dress shirt and a black vest and blazer over top. I watched as he stood and dusted off his dress pants and came over to us, hand outstretched towards Isa, while his mother brushed his blonde hair back before fixing his thick circle-rimmed glasses.

"My, my, it is pleasant to see you again, Madam Soza!" He beamed as Isa smiled faintly and took his hand, which the man excitedly shook though slowed as he peered over her shoulder towards Oscar, Anne, and me. "Oh, where are the rest of the Ashflows?"

Isa released his hand and sighed quietly. "We got separated, Doctor."

The doctor gasped and covered his mouth. "Oh, oh… my. Apologies." He cleared his throat as the orc woman returned to the table with a wooden platter of teacups and a kettle.

She poured each of us a cup as Isa said, "You're alright. We tried to escape on the ferries in Kassel when the invaders came. How did you end up here? Last I saw you were with us in New Gessik?"

The doctor nodded as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, dabbed his forehead, and wiped his hands. "Yes. I was. I hitched a ride with the military convoy. I saw your lot on the road while we drove past. I waved, though I don't think any of you saw me. Yet when we reached the base of the Duskland, those horrid machines came crawling out of the river and attacked us. There were three of them. I barely made it out with my bags and the like. I do believe the soldiers fought them off, but I didn't plan to stick around." He sighed as our host began handing each of us some tea. The doctor thanked her as he took him, sipped it, and smiled. "Oh, my. Is this krennish?" He raised the cup, and the woman smiled and nodded. "My, never had I thought orcish tea would taste so vibrant!" He praised, and the woman snorted and waved a hand at him, though the Gortak huffed and glared at him.

I pursed my lips as I mulled over the doctor's story. He might be referring to those walkers I saw in the river. That would've put him about a day ahead of us. Why didn't he take a ferry out?

So, I decided to ask just that: "Doctor. Why didn't you take a ferry out from Kassel?"

The man sipped his tea and looked down at me, his blue eyes analyzing me from head to toe as he smirked. "Good question, Luna? That is your name, right?" I nodded, and he smiled. "Glad to see you're doing much better! But to answer your question, I intended to, but then those ghastly cylinders fell from the sky and squandered my plans. One landed so close to me on my travels that I nearly flew into the sky, and I'm talking about hundreds of gotts from me. I thought I was a dead man; I figured it was an undetonated bomb ready to blow at any moment, yet then the top began to unscrew. That's when I realized it was a capsule, and it contained something I did not want to see. So, I fled further west, and judging by your tales, my gut was correct."

Isa nodded. "It most likely contained more of those machines."

The doctor stuck his nose in the air. "How foul. How could such a thing survive an impact like that?"

"That's what I'm saying!" I blurted out.

Finally, another person of reason! I thought as I sipped the tea that was handed to me, and my eyes widened at the rich, earthy taste. Oh, this isn't half bad.

The doctor glanced at me and nodded as I said, "Those things hit the ground super hard, not to mention they're huge. I can't imagine how big the gun is that shot them or the energy that would have thrown it!"

"Ah, so you're a thinker as well." The man smirked and tapped his forehead. "Yet, of course, whenever magic is involved, our line of thinking always goes out the window." He lamented.

At this point, the two teenagers came back into the house carrying a stack of wooden chairs and set them around the already-crowded table.

"Thank you, children." Gortak said, "Rest of you. Have a seat."

"Yes," the wife said with a smile as she retook her seat. "There is plenty of Kaborsh to go around."

"Kaborsh?" I muttered, and the doctor turned to me and nodded.

"An orcish delicacy, it may look crude. But trust me, it is amazing. Kannore here is a wonderful cook," he explained as I glanced at the woman, her grayish green skin darkening around her cheek as she blushed, though Gortak looked like he didn't know if he should be insulted or not, thankfully who chose the latter.

We gathered around the table. I sat between Isa and Oscar, who sat Anne beside him on the right side, while the Tenorahn family sat across from us along with Dr. Kegan. The meal presented before us looked something akin to a beef stew. A large pot filled with rice, pasta, and some sort of black and red sauce with chunks of meat I did not know.

Yet, judging by Kegan happily tying his handkerchief around his neck before digging into his already-prepared plate, it seemed good. Kannore leaned forward, took the ladle, and provided each of us with a serving along with a side of mashed potatoes. My stomach growled heavily as the smell struck me. My mouth watered as I hesitantly reached for my spoon, though Isa stopped me.

"Thank them first," she whispered, and I blushed deeply with embarrassment.

"Uh… Th-thank you," I said softly. "Mr. and Mrs. Tenorahn."

"Yes. Thank you!" Anne squeaked out as well.

Gortak's face finally softened a little, and he nodded his large head and said, "No need to thank us. You all look like you've been through a lot."

Isa nodded. "We have; things are getting very bad out there."

Gortak held a large hand up, and seeing him so close now, I gulped. His hand is nearly as big as my torso. He could probably crush my head without even thinking about it!

"Please enjoy your meal first. Then we can talk about the news."

Isa nodded, looked at Oscar, Anne, and me, and gestured towards the food.

----------------------------------------

I don't think I've ever eaten so much so fast. Dr. Kegan was right; the food looked a bit off visually, but holy shit, it tasted so good. It was so rich and savory, it was a party in your mouth. Compared to the roasted jabber and plants we've been eating during our trek in the woods, this was fantastic. I almost wanted to cry with joy.

I laid back, wishing I could undo my corset and dress and let my tummy hang. I felt so bloated as I patted it. The Tenorahns smiled at me, and Kannore chuckled lightly as she got up and looked at her children. "Grotz, Menor, help me clear the table." The two teenagers nodded obediently and stood as they began to take our dishes away.

It was at this moment that Gortak placed his massive arms on the table and laced his fingers as he leaned forward. "So, the invaders are almost here?" He grumbled.

Isa took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Just recently," she gestured to Oscar. "They've reached Dredsten."

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Gortak's brow furrowed. "Less than a few days from here."

Isa nodded. "Yes. They've destroyed the military's evacuation route and slaughtered everyone."

"Slaughtered?" Gortak glanced at the doctor. "Isn't that what you said happened at the mountain's base?"

The doctor nodded and fixed his glasses on his nose. "Yes," he said in a serious tone. "From what I observed, these machines. Automatons. They don't differentiate between non-combatants and combatants. They kill anything in their way. Hence, I have been telling you all that it would be best if we left here in the morning."

"We should leave now," I said abruptly. "As soon as we can, we need to leave."

Gortak's eyebrow cocked as he glanced at me and shook his head. "I will happily let your kind people use my boat, but I don't think I or my family will be going."

Isa nearly spit her tea as she drank and set it down. "Excuse me? I don't mean to be rude, Mr. Tenorahn, but we're not exaggerating. These monsters aren't fighting like soldiers. There is no frontline; they're prowling through the forests, fields, and towns hunting."

"They're exterminating us!" I added as I sat up. "The Rusivites aren't trying to occupy us; they're trying to wipe us off the face of Enora!" I bit my lower lip.

Don't you dare put your family in the position mine were in!

Gortak glanced at me. His eyebrows raised in surprise at seeing my reaction. "You sound like a very smart girl." He leaned forward. "But you can see that this little cabin I built with my wife is all we have. We have no money and no place to go if we leave. I spend my days fishing and hunting to support my family. No metropolis is going to want to take in my family. We're better off here in the forest, away from anyone."

"That's bullshit!" I snapped, and my heart dropped instantly as I immediately regretted it.

Isa glared at me, and even Oscar shot a look at me.

Yet, thankfully, Gortak didn't seem to get angry. He was shocked, yes, but he looked at me a bit more seriously. I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for my language. B-but it's true." I swallowed. "My parents thought the same way at first." I sniffed. "We tried to prepare, but it was too late. My father put money down for a wagon that the owner ended up just stealing from us, and the stable owner sold all the striders, and we got extorted; because of that, we had to just keep waiting and waiting, hoping that maybe things would end peacefully or that we had enough time. But we didn't, Mr. Tenorahn. We didn't. And because of that, they're gone now!" I cried softly as tears began to roll down my cheeks. "Please don't make the mistake many of us made by waiting. Believe us when we say this is bad; this is very bad. We need to go soon; there's no time to fully prepare. Johanneson is where the soldiers were taking people; that's where my momma told me to go, and you can come with us." I proposed.

Before Gortak could open his mouth and respond, Oscar leaned in and said, "Girl is right. Rusivites are demons. They try and kill us all; shot my niece; they did. Girl here," he pointed to me. "Saved my niece." He nodded.

Not entirely helpful. I smiled at him as I wiped my eyes. But I appreciate your support, Oscar. He nodded happily as if he had made a compelling argument.

In the kitchen, I noticed Kannore and her kids watching us with wide eyes as Gortak pressed his forehead into his folded hands and sighed.

"If you want to stay, please at least send your kids away," Isa said as Gortak glared at her. "There is no fighting these things, Mr. Tenorahn. We mean no disrespect, but it's true. Staying here would be suicide."

"I let you into my home," he growled. "I let you eat our food, and now you're telling me to uproot my family's life?"

Before anyone could respond, I sat up. "Yes! Because, like Isa said, staying here is suicide. It's selfish, even. Sure, they might not find you tonight or tomorrow, but eventually those machines will come marching through those woods and will burn this cabin to the ground if you're here." I glared at him.

Once again, the orc seemed surprised. "For such a little one, you have such ferocity." He sighed. "You would do well if you were an orkani yourself." He stood up from the table and towered over all of us.

His wife came over and placed a hand on his arm as he looked at every one of us. "But you make a good point; choosing to stay here would put my own family at risk…" He took a deep breath, and I blinked with surprise.

Oh? Well… that was easy. I gulped. I thought he was going to be more stubborn.

"I'll need to let my family get ready, though, so unfortunately we won't be leaving as soon as you'd like, Little One."

"Y-you can call me Luna," I said quietly, sinking into my chair as the large man looked down at me.

"Luna… like the old sorceress?" He smiled at me, and I shifted nervously but nodded. "Ha, well. Continue to make yourselves comfortable while my family and I prepare."

As the large man turned away with his wife, he gestured for his sons to follow him into one of the few sealed-off rooms and closed the door behind them. We could hear muffled voices coming from the other side, as they appeared to be having a family meeting.

"Luna," Isa hissed. "You must do better with how you speak to people." She frowned at me.

I gulped. "S-Sorry, I got a little angry. But it worked! H-he's willing to come," I said as I rubbed the back of my head.

"Indeed," Dr. Kegan said, "he is coming, but that's only because Mr. Tenorahn is one of the few orcs who are capable of reasoning."

"You watch your tongue, doctor." Isa snarled at him as her pupils turned to slits. "I may see you as an ally, but I do not tolerate bigotry."

Kegan fixed his glasses and raised his hands reassuringly. "My apologies; I meant what I said as a compliment. I'll refrain from making such remarks."

Isa's eyes slowly began to dilate again. She leaned back. "You better," she growled and sighed as she glanced at me. "Though you as well must control your temper, Luna. In the future, other individuals may not align with our thinking."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

About a half hour passed as we sat around the table, idly chatting away as our patrons gathered what they could. Not much interest was discussed, as it was mostly Kegan learning of Oscar's heritage and embarrassing himself when trying to speak Yanky as well. Which in itself was humorous, as Oscar looked perplexed when Kegan opened his mouth, and nothing, but garbled gibberish shot forth.

"Is this what I sound like to you?" Oscar turned to Isa and me.

"Can you understand him?" Isa asked, and Oscar shook his head. "Then no, he's worse."

Kegan gasped. "I do say, I practiced at Regent Academy for years; sure, I never properly tested it till now, but I aced my exam." He huffed.

"How long ago was that?" I asked him. "About ten years ago." He adjusted the collar of his blazer.

"Right." Both Isa and I spoke.

"You make for a good physician, but not a linguist. Your pronunciation and choice of words were all over the place,' Isa said as she then swapped to Yanky and began to speak fluently, at which point I was lost.

Though Kegan's eyes widened, Oscar said, "Speak well; she does. Accent is very pretty too!"

Isa blushed lightly and said, "Thank you." She smiled at Oscar.

"Well, what do I sound like?" Kegan asked as he crossed his arms.

"Howling grok." Oscar replied quickly, and both Isa and I snorted along with Anne, who giggled softly.

Kegan crossed his arms and stuck his nose up. "How dare you compare me to such a crude beast?" He huffed, yet after a few seconds, he glanced back down and smirked.

At this point, the Tenorahns returned to the table with bags and items prepared. "Alright, we're set. Follow us down to the boat house. We should be across the river within the next hour."

"Excellent." Kegan said jovially as he got up along with the rest of us. "How big is your boat exactly, Mr. Tenorahn? There are quite a few of us."

"Big enough!" Gortak grumbled as he and his family began to walk towards the door, motioning us along. "It's a Kensley motor. It'll be cramped, but it'll fit us."

"A Kensley?!" Kegan placed a hand on his chest as he gasped. "How in the heavens did you get one of those?"

"What is it?" I asked, confused, as we stepped outside into the cool night air, hearing the sounds of crickets greeting as well as the bright light from Enora's two moons that hung beautifully above us.

"It's a motorboat!" Kegan said excitedly, "One of the few of their kind. Most cost a fortune to obtain. Such a device will get us across this river in a jiffy!"

Gortak snorted. "It's useful, but it isn't perfect. The thing breaks down half the time, but I got it a few years ago from a man named William Backston. Some rich fellow who was throwing it out after it broke on him." He explained as we came near the boat house. Gortak took out a large silver key and began to unlock the heavy chain that barred the door. "I was originally going to just convert it to a big rowboat or install a sail, but I decided to tinker with the engine. Turns out, the thing just needed a new belt." He chuckled as the large chain came loose, dropped to the ground, and pushed the door open.

We stepped into the boat house, and the smell of river water caused me to shiver as visions of the incident at Kassel caused me to shudder. Isa took my hand gently as we walked out onto the wooden platform and gazed at the decently sized motorboat. The thing was big, about fifteen feet long and maybe five feet wide. With all of us in it, it'd be cramped, but it most definitely could fit us.

As for all the supplies the Tenorahns are bringing, they are probably really cramped.

"Get on in; I'll untie her." Gortak said as he gestured to the boat, and we all started to hop in one at a time.

I nervously climbed in as Isa helped me, and I bit my lower lip as I started to think about the machines in the water.

Don't think about it. Don't think about it. This is a fast boat, or at least I hope it is. We'll be safe.

One by one, the rest of the others went in, and the bags were tossed into the boat. When Gortak stepped in, the boat groaned and shook a little, and for a second, I thought we were exceeding its weight. Yet after a moment of displacement, as water sloshed around, we gasped. It settled, and we all sighed with relief.

"Alright. Hold on tight. The girl likes to kick a bit when I start her up." He grunted as he grabbed the pulley and yanked the cord a few times.

What shocked me next was how the boat sounded when it came to life. I was expecting loud banging and roaring like a diesel or gas engine. Yet no. It sounded electric. A soft purr and whine came from the engine as Gortak grabbed the handle and pulled the gas lever to get us going. It purred a little louder as the boat jerked forward once, then twice, before growling forward like a small but fast cat.

We zoomed out from under the boat house opening and out into the river, moving at a pretty quick pace as we bounced over the small waves. The Kenchala River was wide, and I mean very wide, and as Gortak said, it'll take us maybe just under an hour to get to the other side.

I held onto Isa as the water misted us gently as we zoomed across and slightly down the river as Gortak moved partially with the current. Looking up at her, I saw her smiling widely as she pointed ahead, and as I followed her finger, I saw she was pointing to the distant city lights that illuminated the nighttime horizon, and I felt my heartbeat with excitement.

Finally, we may make it to the other side of this fucking river.