“Take my horse with you as well. I doubt it will fare well in the mountains.” Atlat says as Mato turns to go. Mato nods, and he and the other hunter climb back onto their horses, looping a leather rope around the third, riderless equine, and urge their horses to a canter, heading back through the trees in the direction of the village. Atlat and Kaga watch as they go, and then turn to face each other.
“So your name is Atlat. And mine is Kaga. Have you met with monsters before in your hunts?”
“I have only heard tales of them, and now have seen the destruction they make. Have you seen the thing in the mountains?”
“I have not, though this is not my first encounter with these wretched creatures. Each one seems to be more foul than the last. And yet again, you all had not heard of their propagation throughout the lands. One man is not fast enough to warn everyone.” He sighs, closing his eyes. Opening them, he continues. “No matter. Do you know what lives in the mountains, Atlat?”
“I didn’t think anything lived in them, though birds may roost on the peaks.”
“I thought you said you’d heard stories of monsters before? Well let me tell you myself, mountains are the dwelling place of two kinds: ogres and giants. The giants aren’t so bad, I’m friends with a few in other areas – you look like you have some of their blood in you, has anyone told you that before?” Atlat scowls at this remark. “Eh, looks like they have, haha! In any case, the ogres are what you need to look out for. They like to lie in waiting and when you get near the edge of a cliff, BAM!” Kaga kicks one leg, “They kick you right off, and the last thing you hear is their scratchy cackling as you smash into the rocks below.”
“Do they also control the wind?” Kaga ceases his gesticulations and looks at Atlat.
“Well, no. That’s a bit beyond them, or at least I’ve never heard of it being something they can do. So basically, we’re going into this blind, with a high likelihood of having to deal with two other formidable foes.”
Atlat gulps, and breathes in deep.
“Let’s go.” And with that, Atlat runs through the woods towards the brown and orange peaks in the distance, Kaga sprinting to catch up.
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