R57

So, humans in the valley were building a road. That's why they are so many rising so big cloud of dust, concluded Glum. All was clear now, except - what a road was. Glumb thought it's some sort of trek, but he couldn't fathom why would anyone bother making one. Treks appear on their own, don't they? When animals, orcs and goblins move, ground turns brown and there you get a trek, no? But to build one...? Maybe road was not the same as trek, after all. So he decided to ask.

"Mister chief ladle dipper, sir. What is a road?"

Furrowed orc simply continued to observe and play with his facial hair.

"The road is evil", replied Lerah.

She lowered herself to Glumb so he could feel her breath on his shoulder. It was warm and sweet smelling like primrose. Glumb tried hard not to turn around. He didn't know what to think about Lerah. On one hand, she was a girl, and therefore should be banned from joining the boys in the company, on the other hand she was a witch and therefore very dangerous. She could turn you into a pig or pile of dust with flick of her finger. At least that was the rumor. Glumb sensed that chief ladle dipper held Lerah in high esteem, so he tried to pay her respect in his own goblin way. Which most of the time meant to keep out of her way and never look her in the eyes.

To distract himself from thought about her proximity, Glumb mulled over the meaning of her answer. Road is evil. Humans build evil. Evil builds humans.