Orthi and the Oni
I see it move, quick, darting through bushes. There, over a limb. Now, turning around the tree. It tries to evade me but it can’t. I turn early, anticipating its next move and force it to dodge. I’m the smarter of us through it and ends up gets caught in a thick patch of young trees, each jostling the others in an attempt to reach up through the thick canopy. The trees in the Hizarkian Valley grow thick after all. Reaching the light is a great struggle. My prey cannot pass and as it turns to look for another passage I leap into the air, drawing my staff and the shiny sword, a gift from my friend Dolarn, and strike, a slash to the heel to stop it from fleeing. The beast collapses, the cut leg unable to bear the weight. I land, pivot, and slam the quarterstaff into the side of its head, striking true into the soft spot behind the ear. My prey wobbles for a moment and then, with a loud thunk, falls over. I jump out of the way as it almost rolls onto me. Looking at the giant boar I laugh heartily. “Yes yes! Orthi Vepesk has found a great dinner!” I spend a little time tying the boar up and, finding suitable bark to place under it, I begin to drag the beast back to the city of Khern. It’ll be a long way I think to myself but I smile knowing how delicious the stew will be after all the work. The dwarves of Khern are such good cooks after all! Though I’d happily eat this as it is all the spices and cutting and ‘braising’, I think they call it, does make it very very tasty.
The one watching Orthi ponders the sight they see. The light streaming through the canopy leaves cause the green scales to glisten like emeralds but the blue streaks that run between the scales is even stranger, not the usual patterning of a lizard folk. The sight of one having hunted a giant boar alone not to mention dragging it alone uphill through the forest too. Really quite the sight to see. The figure shifts from their hiding spot and approaches Orthi. As they move their hulking form and blue skin begin to change so that, when Orthi does see them at last, she only see’s an old human woman in simple cloths walking towards her.
“Hello! Who are you” Orthi announces quizzically dropping the ropes and walking over to the old lady.
“Oh, me? I’m Neva. I’ve been on a pilgrimage you see and I think I’m a bit lost. You seem very busy but I’m very tired and could use help finding the way back to the main path.”
Orthi looks them over and nods. “Yes, you do look old and tired. Being lost is very bad too” she looks around for a moment and nods again before continuing “the path is that way.” Orthi raises a pointed white claw but pauses and tilts her head to the side and announces “it is a bit far, and dangerous, and a bit steep of a climb. I will take you!” The old woman’s eyes widen as she takes in the strange lizardfolk, or at least strange for a lizardfolk.
“Oh my but what about your boar? Will you leave it behind?”
Orthi laughs heartily. Leave food, she thinks to herself, what a silly old lady. “No no no. I just need a moment.” Orthi picks a good looking tree and climbs up, farther and farther, until her head pokes through the leaves. She raises herself over the canopy and breaths the cool air. She feels it fill her lungs and she holds it for a second before letting it go and whispering under her breath “come”. The near cloudless sky cracks with thunder. “Come.” Another crack, closer this time.” Orthi feels it now. The static in the air growing. The slight shift in the breeze. If the old woman could see her she’d see the normally brown eyes of Orthi, just another lizardfolk to a lay person, turn blue and sparkle. “Come!” Another crack and, along with it, lightning strikes the tree top and Orthi.
“Oh my” the old woman shrieks as the treetops burst with light and the feeling of the lightnings impact slams into her, the pressure of the sound enough to knock this form over. “What” she begins to say as the lizardfolk scurries down the trunk as if nothing happened. Before the old woman can say another word she feels the lizardfolk lift her into their arms and watches them grab the rope in their teach and lowering themselves to the ground begin running on all fours, three really given the one arm being used to carry the woman. As she hangs there in the air the old woman takes in the lizardfolk again seeing now those slight patterning in their scales has become a vibrant blue, glowing, almost as if charged and their eyes, now a beautiful sapphire like a fresh water lake.
Only the sound of the boar dragging behind them fills the air until they finally reach the main road. Orthi places the old woman down and stands stretching for a moment before pointing and saying “this way to Khern and that way to the road to Hizark Kingdom or Reyland. Be safe now, no more getting lost.” Orthi grins a toothy grin, her pointed teeth quite a sight. “Hehehehe” the old woman laughs stepping backward and raising a hand to cover her face as her limbs begin to elongate and voice deepen. “You are one of the more interesting fellows I’ve found in these woods over the years.” The skin of the creature darkens to its unnatural blue tone, its eyes yellowing, and horns rising from its forehead. “What is your name lizard of lightning? What may I grant you for your kindness.” Orthi looks the creature over and announces “Oh you’re that Oni thing! I think a friend met you once! You’re very blue just like the blue in my scales” the joy in her voice leaving the Oni staring back in confusion. “Oh, uh, I didn’t answer your questions. I’m Orthi and, um, I’m good but here” she turns and slices a chunk out of the giant boar “take this! Food tastes best when shared after all.” Before the Oni can overcome their bafflement Orthi has already grabbed the rope and begun to run up the path, filled with excitement for how much better the food will be knowing she shared it with another ‘person’. The Oni watches as Orthi bolts up and out of sight the blue light trailing after her just a bit. With a snicker the Oni raises their hood overhead and turns to begin walking the path in the opposite direction. With a wave of their hand they begin to vanish whispering as they go “till we meet again Orthi, Lizard of Lightning.”