I finally made my way back to the road, the horizon blazed with pale streaks of the setting sun. Twilight came in aggressive hues of bruised plum and lavender. Loogie raced ahead of me, apparently not needing the eight-hour naps it used to take.

  Its long body humped like a ferret’s, but with more legs the motion was rapid, almost like rippling waves. Its little back nubs flapped excitedly when it spotted a bug it wanted to eat, but otherwise, it was a little like walking a giant slinky.

  When Bauring Tok Kraup Patarshan was in sight, my serene pace was over.

  “No!” I shouted as it darted towards the animal pens. Loogie glanced back at me, slowing, but it crept forward, about to disobey me. I was forced to lunge and scoop it up. I lifted it to face me and asked, “Should I get you a leash, kiddo?”

  “Wat leash?”

  I squinted at the way its voice rattled in my head. “You don’t have to yell. I’m right here. A leash keeps impulsive critters like yourself from running into danger.”

  Heavy eyelids blinked slowly. The big sapphire-bright eyes stared at me, and then it squirmed in my hands. “Down.”

  “Calm your thoughts, and I’ll let you down,” I said, holding it firmly.

  “Wat calm?” It stopped struggling to look at me with big questioning eyes.

  I hushed my voice and whispered, “Calm, soft, like this.”

  “Loogie calm,” Loogie said. Its little nostrils quivered, and it twisted in my hands again.

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “VOJ! VOJ here!” Loogie screamed, tiny legs scrambling. The baobab trees loomed in the distance, and one lone figure sat, watching the little girl who lost her kite in the tree.

  I put Loogie down, and it took off running for him. I trotted behind at a slower pace. I didn’t want to ruin the reunion with my presence, but I wanted to be close to see it.

  Voj’Kasak sat with his usual pensive stare until the scrabbling sound of dirt and grass caught his attention. He glanced over at the bounding mass of fur and scale. His drooping white brows raised, his slump straightened. Gnarled old hands reached out for the bounding creature. A gruff, rattling laugh escaped him.

  “Look who’s back, the sleepyhead. Come here, little rat,” Old Fang chuckled. Loogie bounced up into his hands, its stubby little tongue licking Old Fang’s craggy green face.

  It was pretty cute. Catching the simple joy in an old warrior’s eyes was also kind of moving. I slowed to a lazy stroll, thumb hooked in my belt. I stopped beyond the reach of his cane and watched them for a moment, then my gaze turned to the yurts beyond the pens.

  “Should I tell them?”

  “Tell them that the Vash’Ora is growing? Pfft,” Old Fang replied. “They have eyes.”

  True. I crouched and held my hands out. “C’mon, Loogie. Let’s go see Alga.”

  “Alga? Alga!” Loogie wiggled free from Old Fang and flung itself at me. I caught it, grinning like an idiot. The one that all animals cause. Shamelessly big and stupid. It tried to burrow into my hair like it used to, but it only kind of worked. The wiggle monster tangled there, not even remotely hidden.

  “Old!” It yelled, calling to Voj’Kasak. I cast a glance his way, but he didn’t seem to hear the Vash’Ora’s call.

  “Loogie wants you to come, old orc,” I said, leaning to offer him a hand up.

  He slapped my palm away and grabbed his cane, bracing both his hands on it. With a mighty grunt, he hauled himself to his feet. I imagined he’d been sitting there all day, and his arthritis had stiffened up. He shot me a dirty look once he was on his feet.

  “The day I can’t get up on my own, kill me,” he grumbled, hobbling towards Bauring Dath.

  I smirked and closed the distance. Again, just out of the range of his cane. I’d taken enough of a beating today. My armor was still crusted with streaks of blood. Glancing down at it, I sighed.

  I wasn’t looking forward to the nightmares.

  The sun set, splashing deep purple on the horizon. The air was sweet with the scent of grass that mingled with the stench of the buffalo lizards and sheep. It smelled like safety, felt like warmth. The deaths I’d caused still hovered in the wind, at the corner of my eye, but put aside until I slept.

  Loogie scampered in the door first, racing around the bar to Alga. It screamed at her like a small child begging for attention. Her expression was worth every second. Shock faded ‘to smash it like a bug’ face, then slipped into recognition. Who could forget those big eyes? That vaguely turtle-shaped face?

  She bent down to scoop Loogie up and looked at me, her brow raising. “Got bigger. Good. As it should be.”

  “It eats meat now. Fish. Bugs. Whatever,” I said as I crossed the straw-strewn floor.

  One of the orcish shepherds nodded at me as I passed. I dipped my chin in greeting. With my status as accepted in the district and possessing the Vash’Ora, no one dared scoff at me. I’d gone from being tolerated to something more. Maybe respected? That would be inevitable when Loogie grew up.

  I didn’t like my rep being tied to my alien ward, but in the end it helped my goals. The solemn vow I made to myself was to prove my worth before I left the district remained. After making that promise to Old Fang and the dream quest, it just had to be done. If nothing else, but to let the old man keep his head up after talking to me when no one else would.

  I settled on my usual stool. Alga hiked Loogie on her hip like a baby and spilled her potato stew into bowls with a ladle. She served them up one at a time, not setting Loogie down. It was happy to nuzzle her jaw, clinging to her like a spoiled child. Which it was.

  The cups were set last, and I drank it down fast to help the sense of comfort settle in. I ate, and they smiled at me, their ugly half-breed. Pleased with me.

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  Once, not long ago, I would have gagged at the idea of digging a spoon into food while someone else’s blood stained my clothes. Not anymore. This world changed me. Being Orc had shifted some values, somewhere.

  Old Fang whacked my leg, striking my grieve. I glanced his way, and he nodded. “Good food, good strength. You fought and survived today.”

  My tusks bared in a feral grin, I replied, “I fought and won today.”

  And lost companions. Who then respawned. Watched others die who might not have. That inner turmoil was shoved back. We all knew when we signed up that we’d be in danger. The Arena was bloodsport, after all. I’d signed up with the idiot unsupported notion that our deaths would be suspended and the limit would pause, but it didn’t.

  Loogie bounced from Alga’s shoulder to the bar and came towards my bowl, sniffing cautiously. I moved my arm, and it stuck its nose in, lapping the greasy broth. It must have been voracious after all that time in the cocoon, growing so big.

  Alga poured herself a drink and held the cup toward me. “To victory.”

  I held mine up and returned with, “To glory.”

  Voj’Kasak lifted his drink, drained it dry, and smacked it down on the wood. “To hells with that. To bed.”

  We all laughed boisterously. Too loud. The laughter of survivors.

  When I went to bed, I took Loogie with me. It slept on my chest, its little purr soothed the sharper edges of my mind. The nightmares were vague, watery and distant, and I was glad of that when I woke to the glimmer of sunlight in the window.

  “Open!” Loogie’s inner voice hurt my brain. I flinched away from its face, thrust into mine.

  “Calm, Loo, shhh,” I rumbled, giving its back a soothing stroke. The skin and bone bumps of its unformed wings covered much of the fur on its back.

  “Calm,” Loogie repeated, then licked the tip of my nose. “Hungie.”

  As I stared into its gleaming eyes, I was struck silent by a thought.

  Loogie wasn’t like any NPC or System-generated entity I’d crossed before. It had personality. It got excited when it saw people it knew. It was hungry. It liked cuddling. Tan’Fukshan, what was this Vash’Ora?

  I patted its head gently and nodded. “Let me get my pants on, and we’ll go see Alga.”

  “Alga food,” Loogie said, skittering off me with its many legs and tumbling to the floor. It didn’t wait for me to get my clothes on, instead bumbling down the stairs. I dashed over to watch it roll down the last few treads to the floor and get up, racing out the flap, unfazed by the fall.

  “Lil’ tank,” I chuckled, going back to fetch my shirt.

  I came down the stairs to find Loogie flopped on the bar, face in a bowl. The usual basket of potatoes and pot sat by my stool. I dropped to sit and picked up my trusty peeling knife, hooking a heel onto the rung. I’d gotten good at it. Didn’t even nick myself every time anymore.

  Funny how much can change in a couple months.

  I had no idea what would happen to Loogie when I was called to the Arena, so while I peeled, I spoke to it in Ork, so Alga could catch my meaning. I flicked a glance to her but spoke to Loogie as it ate.

  “Loogie? I need you to listen, and repeat back, yeah?”

  Wings twitched, and it raised its head, face gripping brown gravy. I couldn’t help grinning when I said, “If I ever disappear, it won’t be for long. If you can’t find me, come back to Alga. Understand?”

  Loogie’s little pink tongue flicked at its face and cheeks while it looked at me. I almost spoke again, trying to find different words to explain, but it said, “Dis’peer?”

  “If I’m gone and you can’t find me,” I clarified. I set the knife down and scrubbed my palms on my pants, giving Loogie my full attention.

  “No Dath, go Alga?”

  “Yes, go Alga. Here,” I pointed at the bar. She was almost always around there and didn’t socialize much, not even with her customers.

  Loogie’s big sapphire eyes fixed on Alga, who leaned a hip against the counter, arms folded over her chest. Loogie wiggled and bounded over to her, balancing on the back four of its stubby legs, waving six more at her.

  “UP!”

  Alga snorted, then shot me a dirty look and reached out for the overgrown caterpillar mutant, cradling it as it hugged her. Tiny claws gripped her shirt. It was so freakin’ adorable. She scowled at me.

  “You dare make me your rujat’dajal?” She growled, and yet, she patted the little one’s back like she had the skills.

  I offered her the most charming grin I had, full of tusks. I had no idea if my grin had the same effect as it did when I was human. She snorted in disgust but didn’t argue further.

  After chores and my own bowl of sustenance, we set out for the Labyrinth. I’d try again to find some clue to the Unbound status, and this time, I’d go deeper into the seedy section of Convergent City. I carried Loogie on my shoulder. It drew a few long stares.

  There was a tavern that was close to the Arena administrative building that I figured might offer something, so I headed that way.

  On the way, I passed a pleasure house where people in kimonos—and less—waved from balconies. I ignored them until one of the street-level girls threw herself at me from her fucking window. Just jumped right out, arms wide in a flutter of silks, blue eyes wide, bloodshot, and dilated to saucers.

  I side-stepped and let her hit pavement.

  Normally? I’d catch a falling person. However, I wasn’t about to catch a lunatic expecting me to catch her. Fuck that.

  The human woman pushed herself up off the pavement, undeterred. Her bare feet slapped on the flagstones, chasing after me. She snagged my elbow. Her coiffed black hair was only a little askew from the fall. I noted the wild array of hairpins and wondered how she hadn’t stabbed herself in the head with that fall. Reckless as fuck.

  She wrapped both her arms around mine and nuzzled my shoulder. Ew.

  My body, on the other hand, said, Hm?

  “Nope,” I growled and tried to pry her hands off me without breaking fingers.

  Loogie clung to my shoulder and looked down, a tiny growl rattling from it. It snapped, little teeth showing beyond the turtle beak. She barely noticed the Vash’Ora.

  “I love orcs,” the girl purred. “And you’re really hot. What would you do to me, hmm?”

  She was out of her mind high. I could smell it on her; a sharp, plasticky, sweet blend of chemicals wafted from her skin and breath. Her perfume couldn’t cover it.

  This kind of attention was not exactly what I intended when crafting this body. I wanted something I liked. Apparently, someone else liked it, too. Any momentary physical twinge of interest came and went in a breath, the blend of her hormones with the poisons she ingested turned all that right off.

  “My little friend will bite your nose off if you don’t let go, lady,” I snarled. Loogie copied my snarl, a high-pitched version, anyway. “Fuck off before I make you leave.”

  It finally sank in. Her expression changed, and she pouted, pupils pulsing. She let go. “Fine. Bet you’re gay anyway.”

  She flounced off toward the door set in the limestone wall, where the other girls standing there all jeered at me. I smirked. As if calling someone gay was an insult. Was she born in the middle of last century? Maybe.

  “Bet you’re old,” I shot back and walked on before I got mobbed by a gaggle of angry whores.

  Still annoyed, I strode down the street, not thinking about why I was there, just thinking about people.

  “You’d think in a place like this, people wouldn’t choose that kind of life,” I said to Loogie, who looked at me with undying love and no judgement.

  What did I know about other people’s choices, anyway? Nothing. I barely understood my own.

  I’d just made it to the tavern when my token flashed.

  “Ah, shit, why now?”

  I reached for Loogie—and the Arena took me.