I now knew there was at least one bad guy in the area. I moved in a circular pattern away from the tree where the piece of metal hung. I wanted anothe... angle on that tree to see where they were positioned. I found a good spot and waited. I remained motionless and found it was easy for me to stay still without muscles cramping or going asleep. The hunter was not quite as patient. They moved and I caught a profile of their head and saw the prominent fangs. It was an orc. I couldn't tell their sex. I just hoped that she will still be part of my life.So Tori is a cheerleader, I think I've said that before. One day after our football game, we all headed back to Josh's place, the quarterback of our team. And before you start getting ideas, it wasn't a party with a crapload of beer (although, I will be honest, there was some), it didn't turn out to be an orgy, no drugs, no shitloads of sex, just a party with some pizza and a couple movies.Now, Josh's parents were cool. They let us have some. Absolute silence greeted them. They climbed out of the air car and looked around.There was a whirring noise from a walled structure nearby and a wheeled vehicle approached them. They spread out and took a defensive position but not one that was obvious. As the wheeled vehicle approached, it resolved into a type of cart designed to carry luggage. They were amazed when it began to speak. Although the language it spoke in was at first incomprehensible, soon thanks to the translators they wore in. Bec didn’t challenge my response but I don’t think she believed it. Sometimes Bec can see straight through me and that can be unnerving – she’s six years old, for heaven’s sake. Seconds later she was sitting in my lap and hugging me. Immediately I felt the panic start to surge through me. I lifted her off me and set her down on the floor beside me, giving her the old lie about how she’s too heavy to be climbing all over me. Isn’t that enough of a reason to need therapy? I can’t even get a hug.