--------///----Eclina's POV----\--------

When the ogre spoke, i couldn't help but be shocked. Everything that was going on challenged all the knowledge i had on Ogres. But then i remembered something that papa said which i couldn't figure out until now. Papa told me that sometimes there are smart monsters, and Mr.Garris re-explained it when i asked.

(Garris) " Hmm. How should i explain this? Perfect! Think of monsters like beasts. Except think of our situations in reverse. The vast majority of monsters are mindless creatures and are only following base instincts. Just like mindless beasts. However, they can sometimes awaken the ability to manifest. It's very rare but still possible. These awakened monsters become similar to us as they can slowly learn about the world the longer they live.

As they are, they can't use elements. However if they live long enough and evolve, then maybe something interesting may happen. However, that in itself may be a miracle as intelligent monsters are a rarity in this world. I've heard about a species that is an exception, however the method they used is something that not many monsters would be able to replicate. "

By looking at the ogres, i could easily tell they were all smart, i just didn't know if they were able to do what Mr.Garris told me about. Though i could always answer and find out.

(Ecline) " We came to hunt... But we didn't know that you were smart. "

(Chieftain) " ... We? "

He picked up on that and started to search around. Though after a bit, he seemed to look confused, probably since he couldn't figure out where Espiral was. So, to help him, i looked up. I could tell he followed my gaze and even tried to squint to see better. He probably noticed the black dot circling the village. Though i decided that it was ok for Espiral to meet them considering how the Ogre's hadn't done any hostile and actually seemed to respect me.

So i gathered some darkness and shot it upwards. He knew that darkness meant it was ok while if i used fire, it would mean danger. The chieftain and othe Ogre's obviously noticed that. They also noticed the "dot" starting to come closer at a dangerously fast pace. We looked at each other and i nodded at him to calm him down. Though the other ogre's seemed to be more afraid as Espiral got closer.

The closer he got, the more fearful their gazes were. Though when they looked at the chieftain, they seemed to calm down a bit with the calm look on his face. Eventually, Espiral got to where we were. He was diving with his wings tucked in until he got close enough to unfurl his wings and stop his fall while kicking up a gust. Espiral slowly looked around before his eyes landed on the cheiftan.

They looked at each other for a bit before Espiral flew over and landed behind me. The chieftain looked at the both of us and nodded. We could tell he didn't have any negative intentions, especially with Espiral behind me. Though this made me even more curious about them.

(Eclina) " But why are you all here? And how are you all smart? What is this village? "

(Cheiftain) " Your questions have answers. Follow me to find them. "

I couldn't turn that down at all. This was the first time i've ever met smart monsters so i couldn't give up on the chance to get answers.

(Espiral) " If you try anything... "

When he said that, i looked over to see Espiral narrow his eyes and brandish his wings out. The ogres looked scared but the cheiftain just nodded. Espiral knew he wasn't going to be able to fit in the cheiftains hut so he probably did that just to make sure that they knew. Which they made it obvious that they did.

(Chieftain) " No harm shall come to pass her. It shall be fine. "

Espiral kept looking at the chieftain and eventually nodded. He flapped his wings and took off to start circling the village again. Though this time he stayed lower so they could still see him clearly. The chieftain stood up and made sure he had everything and that everyone went back to their homes before he motioned for me to follow.

The chieftain walked and i follwed behind him. Though i couldn't help but look around and see what this place had. There was something like a smithy, though it didn't look anything like the one at the kingdom. I could see other normal huts and others that i couldn't figure out, but eventually we made it to the biggest hut that belonged to the chieftain.

The door wasn't a normal one, it was a double door thing that when he opened, both doors went to the side and went back to normal after he was in. I was curious about it because i never saw anything like that before. So when i went in and they closed after i was in, i looked back at them and wanted to try to make them open and close again but there wasn't a good time for that.

I turned back to the ogre chieftain, who was sitting on a big chair that almost looked like a throne, and walked up and sat in the middle of the hut. He looked at me and i nodded for him to start.

(Cheiftain) " The answers start four years ago during the winter. "

That first line caught my attention because of a certain event. Four years ago, the time that we started the actual process to bring back Mr.Fenrir started in the winter. When it did, rifts started to be more frequent then they normally were. We thought it was just in the forest but mama and papa would tell us about changes all around the continent ever since that started. Though i didn't say anything and just kept listening to the story.

(Cheiftain) " I was still normal, living in my tribe. Yet one day, everything changed. Something formed in our territory that none of us had ever seen. At first the tribe ignored it. It couldn't be hit or smashed so their attention went elsewhere. But then... It opened. A strange creature emerged and destroyed the entire tribe. We fought... We lost. So many of my kin died. I had almost died aswell. That's when i began to change.

I didn't want to die. I felt something inside me. I felt a change that would save my life if it was completed. So i did whatever i could to make it happen. I fought to stay concious despite the pain my body was in. I fought to live. Then, it finished. I could think. I saw the world differently. I saw herbs that i could use. I saw insects that could be ground into medicine.

Because of this, i was able to survive. But there was little point when the rest of my tribe couldn't. That was when i went out. I went in search for a new tribe. However when i found a new tribe, i would always be rejected. At first, i couldn't understand why. But then i realized something. They were all how i used to be. They couldn't think. They had no reason. When i tried to reason with them, the chieftains would challenge me and exile me when i lost.

So i kept traveling. I kept searching for more like me. For anyone like me. But after a year, i found none at all. That was when i thought of creating my own tribe. If there were no others like me, then all i had to do was sire them. After i settled here, i gathered ogre females and begun to sire children. However the majority of my children would turn out normal... Atleast nine of every ten would be normal. Those nine had to be put down... I could not allow dangers such as normal ogres to get in the way of a new future.

If it weren't for the quick gestation and growth rate of my kind, this settlement wouldn't have been possible. Eventually, other ogres tried to encroach on this area. However i dealt with them and captured any females i could get for my children. With that, the growth of the settlement was secured and the number of smart ogres grew. Now, we are here. "

(Eclina) " Huh... But what about you? Why do you have another horn when everyone else has two? "

He heard my question and nodded at it.

(Chieftain) " It happened after an encounter with another tribe. At that time, i couldn't risk sending out the children or their mothers so i had to deal with them myself. So i lured them to an area i was confident in fighting in and started the battle. They fought like normal ogres. Savagely and without any plans. They didn't care that the terrain was wet from the rain the night before. They didn't care, but i did.

I used the terrain to make them fall and make mistakes. Those mistakes were put to use as i put them down long enough to finish them. However their cheiftain was the problem. I hat to fight him off nearly at the cost of my life. It was during that fight when i felt something stir within me. I felt a different power begin to form. It was short but that power led to me finishing of that chieftain.

After the battle, i returned and had to rest. It was after i awoke the next day that i noticed the changes to my form. At first i was uncertain as to what this meant. However i slowly began to learn things that i never knew. I learned about the term, evolution. Yet i also learned that was not what i went through, I learned i only partially evolved. I seem to have fulfilled a condition of many yet i still am not sure what the other conditions are. It has been a year since then yet i haven't made progress. "

(Eclina) " A partial evolution? That... "

That sounded similar to me. Even though i changed, i still didn't feel complete. That feeling lessned when i got my poison tail but it was still there, so i already knew my "conditions" but i was curious about him. Did he get another horn if he fulfilled his conditions? It was similar to me but different. Though i was curious about something else.

(Eclina) " What are you going to do when you evolve? "

(Chieftain) " ... I'll lead my children and my people to somewhere we can thrive. "

(Eclina) " Hmm... You can try the forest. Mr.Garris would probably help you. "

(Chieftain) " Garris? "

(Eclina) " Yep. Even if he doesn't let you stay in the forest he'll probably know somewhere you can go. "

(Chieftain) " I see... However, the forest is too dangerous. None of my tribe or even myself would be safe going into the forest. "

(Eclina) " Oh... Umm... I can help. "

During the time we were in the forest, we learned about using our auras. I hadn't tried using it before, but i could definetly do it. So i walked up to the chieftain and fanned my tails out and put a paw on the Chieftains leg. I focused on putting some of my aura onto him and even managed to do it. The cheiftain seemed to notice what i did as he looked at his body differently.

(Eclina) " Now you'll be fine! If you head to the forest then Mr.Garris will help you. Just make sure not to break anything. And you shouldn't be bothered until you get to meet him so you'll be safe. "

(Chieftain) " Thank you... But how do i repay you? "

(Eclina) " Uhh... I don't know. You don't have to if you don't want too. "

(Chieftain) " ... I- no, we'll repay you someday. "

(Eclina) " Ok. Anyway, we'll be leaving now. We're on an adventure! "

(Chieftain) " Safe travels to you. "

(Eclina) " Thanks Mr... What's your name? "

(Chieftain) " Name? I have none. "

(Eclina) " Really? Why not? What do you call each other? What's the name of this tribe? "

(Chieftain) " Ogres, children, mates. My tribe is just my tribe. There's no name for it. What's the purpose of of having a name? "

(Eclina) " To know who you are. Everyone has a name, so you should too. It would be weird to not have one. "

(Chieftain) " I... See. Then for the day we meet again, i shall tell you our names. "

(Chieftain) " Ok! Then see you later Mr.Ogre. "

With that, i left the hut and signaled for Espiral to fly over. When he got close enough, he swooped down and i jumped on his back as we took off to the sky. Though i couldn't help but just let out a sigh.

(Espiral) " Something wrong sis? "

(Eclina) " I'm just thinking that we didn't get to hunt. I mean, that's what we came here to do. "

(Espiral) " Oh. It isn't that important to hunt. We can just keep going while we just sightsee on the way. "

(Eclina) " Are you sure? "

(Espiral) " Yes. Besides, those ogres were weak. Even if we came to hunt them, it wouldn't have been fun at all. "

(Eclina) " Hmm... You're right. But thinking about it... What's going to be stronger then the beasts and the stuff from the rifts in the forest? "

Espiral didn't say anything but i could tell he was thinking about it. The forest was where the toughest beasts and rifts showed up. Compared to the outside, there weren't many things that could challenge us. Even if we came across a normal ogre tribe, they wouldn't be that hard to put down at all.

(Espiral) " Then what should we do from here? "

(Eclina) " Umm... I don't know... Should we just head straight to Reina? "

(Espiral) " I'm fine with that. We can make it in a week if we don't get distracted. "

(Eclina) " Huh? Just a week? But shouldn't it take longer? "

(Espiral) " I can keep going and don't have to sleep for three days at a time sis. "

(Eclina) " Huh? Wh-. Are you telling me or asking me? "

(Espiral) " Wha- Ah- Umm... Telling? "

(Eclina) " ... You better not overdo it. "

(Espiral) " I won't. "

(Eclina) " Good... But we're stopping to sleep as soon as you need too! And you're getting good food too! "

(Espiral) " Ok sis. "

With that, we kept going. I wasn't fully ok with Espiral flying for three days straight, but even though he didn't seem to be sure when i asked, he probably wasn't going to change his mind if i told him too. So i let him do it. I let him fly but when he needed to sleep or eat, i'd make him sleep while i went to go get him food. That was how we were going to do things and i wouldn't let him stop me from finding food to feed him.