Mating Dilemma

"The continent of Kraven is driven by magic. With the continent divided into five kingdoms and multiple species, our lineage, the Spartans, control Ignum. The central Kingdom out of the five," Mozart spoke, his wrinkly pink skin showing a healthy sheen despite his age. "You seven," Mozart looked at the current group of four, "Have shown your worth to join the army. Previously, you didn't know your purpose but it should be clear now."

"Serve the kingdom and destroy its enemies." Ogres had growth periods. Right now, most of the ogre kids were almost 1.6 meters tall, each of them already sporting a set of short and thick horns while the leader of the group actually boasted a height almost reaching 2 meters and his horns different from usual ogre one which would curve back rather tastefully. His body, especially his stomach, contracted with abdominal muscles that showed not a single hint of a tummy that the other ogre kids including the girls showed. After all, they still hadn't grown completely so most of them had their 'baby fat' intact. "Dhruna," Mozart looked at the blue-grey skinned ogre variant and nodded slightly. Occasionally, a variant amongst the same species would be blessed with strange enhancement, sometimes positive, sometimes negative. Dhruna, here, was blessed with strength. Out of the four, Mozart looked at a female ogre. Her tusk ferocious after biting and eating hyenas raw day after day, her green skin still dirtied and her slightly developed body covered by two-piece clothing, revealing her slightly round tummy and her hair entangled and simply too dirty after months of ignorance.

"Citrus, your life will be more difficult. I hear that Citrus of three generations before you still lives and is an absolute genius." Lowering her head as if a tame kitty, Citrus nodded dutifully, "I will not pull your name through—"

"Master's name is never pulled through dirt every time a 'Citrus' is killed," A slightly thinner and immature voice cut Citrus' pledge short as three ogres revealed themselves. The three of them thin and the reason for being pushed away in the first place before they earned their rights. Gazing at Dhruna with envious, dark-grey gaze, green-grayish Greth sporting a skirt-like makeshift clothing and a wooden, spiked club on his hand walked through the clearing. He, just like others, easily reached 1.7 meters. His tusks reaching out of his lower lips and his horns thinner than usual, combing his dark hair into natural bangs. Beside him walked a slimmer ogre girl with forest green skin, dressed in two-piece hyena hide just like Citrus. Lastly, an ogre youth with no horns walked behind Greth meekly. He turned out to be thinnest out of the seven ogres.

"Greth..." Gazing at their leader's scarred body, Citrus' body shook for the tiniest bit as Greth grinned while winking at Mozart, almost making the Spartan grunt in frustration, "You don't understand, Citrus. Every generation of Citrus you meet was once under Master. Every time one of you die, it isn't the Master's name that is dragged through the mud, but yours through the blood. Tsk... tsk... what did I teach you about conflicts? Avoid unnecessary ones!" Dhruna snorted at Greth's words as the slim ogre looked at Dhruna silently. Purely envious of that titanic physique.

"Greth, Brihan, and Muchi, get in line," Mozart addressed the wild female ogre with the highest kill rate under Greth's leadership and... the weakest of the group who still survived under Greth's commands. His body similarly scarred like Greth's.

As Greth nodded dutifully and stood in front of the group, acquiring equally envious stares from his siblings while not feeling a shred of nervousness, Greth smiled and placed his club in front of Mozart, "Master, I brought a farewell present." He presented the club, making Mozart snort a chuckle as he gazed at the second variant ogre of the group with unnerving cunning despite his lack of physique. "Where did you learn that phrase, boy?" Mozart held the wooden club up, noticing the slightest bit of virgin honey laced under the spikes which acted as the natural adhesive and flipped it as if not affected by the weight at all.

"Master Khuran," Greth replied, "He came seven months ago and said that he will be departing from his station. With that information, he brought you a box of ice ash and termed it as— Farewell Present."

"You still remember that?" Mozart showed the look that Greth categorized as impressed as the ogre pointed at his own body, particularly, the scars of varying depths, lengths, and even shapes. "I even remember all the faults behind each scar." He stated, his words making every single of his sibling look down as the gazed at his back, which only showed half of the suffering he went through in a span of eleven months.

"You can count that far now?" Mozart mocked with a sigh as Greth shrugged. He could count. He understood the concept of time, day, month, and year. He knew the kingdom and its policies which caused their birth. All the books were present within the hut and each book marked one scar. Those scars were his price of the knowledge that Mozart expressly stated to not read. But the fact that Greth even understood all thee knowledge was a surprise to everyone including Khuran. 'A variant till the end...' Mozart thought internally as he whispered, "Your training comes to an end from this moment forward. You all now belong to the kingdom and you shall serve it until your dying breath."

At Mozart's declaration, every ogre kid lowered its head and nodded deeply.

---

'Master understand the risks of sending us in a group without a guard. Go north, he said. But who could assure that he or someone else is not able to keep an eye out on our movements,' walking through the forest alongside his two siblings with the 'large' ones taking the lead, Greth considered his options. He still remembered his masters' ability to create strange hounds, which Greth had no confidence in dealing with, and Mozart's method of making them unconscious with a snap of his fingers. 'Wait, Master Khuran did that, too.' Greth suddenly recalled.

'And if they are observing us, what is the objective? Do they want to learn something from us or just make sure that we obediently reach the military camp?'

"Greth?" Brihan piked Greth's cheek, pulling him out of his thoughts that no other sibling of his had the ability to ponder on, at least, not yet. He was a variant and he understood that fact deeply. For a moment, Greth's gaze lingered on Brihan's curves before shaking his head violently. "The parchment states that only after two years of aging is am ogre body capable of mating... must wait..." he mumbled as Brihan shrugged, "You know, Citrus already did that. With the third dying, she happily takes Dhruna and others by the stream.

"You think I can't hear them?" Greth inquired in genuine confusion, "Of course, I know this. But that is why Citrus can't even defeat you. She doesn't train, she doesn't try to learn the numbers I have been trying to teach her. If I see you mating before reaching 2 years, I will beat you." He stated as a matter of fact basis before looking back at Muchi, "You, too. Now, both of you, count to a hundred."

Eliciting like-minded groans from both, Brihan and Muchi, Greth waited for the two to complete their counting. In fact, the two had a harder time reciting the numbers instead of writing them. "You guys, too! Recite the counting!" Greth snarled at the remaining four, while waving the small stick in his hands as they shivered. Citrus failed after 30th but the others did reach 100, making Greth smile and chuckle foolishly.

---

Out of the 32 hours, their group spent 4 hours walking without a hint of beasts or edible fruits, nuts, and alike. Finally, Citrus suddenly stopped as Greth stood firm and held the thin stick tightly in his hands. Instantly, the thicket in front of them rustled before a giant figure stretched out. His figure instantly attracted Greth as the man stood at a full height of 2.6 meters and muscles that even put Dhruna to shame. 'That's what's called a body...' Greth gazed in amazement as the giant ogre gazed at the group of seven with a dull gaze.

"Did... Mozart send you? Who is the leader?" The adult inquired a bunch of kids as all of them looked back at Greth, making the giant frown. Shaking his head, he looked at Dhruna and pointed, "From today, you are the leader. Now follow."

Displeased by the reversal, Greth stepped forward but kept his silence. The trend of cruelty after each transition only increased in here so if he didn't remain disciplined, then he might get beaten up way too seriously and he wasn't the jolly ogre who didn't fear his life. This would be an army camp and army fights war. As they began walking, Greth looked at Muchi and Brihan. They both turned out to be dissatisfied but seeing the newcomer's frame as he led the group to the camp, the both of them trembled, all of their thoughts to rebel disappearing.

Finally, the group reached the camp after another nineteen minutes of walking and it was everything Greth saw in the parchment. A large area surrounded by wooden fences filled with cloth tents and so many ogres! Everybody's expression brightened as they looked at all the ogres. Green, black, and even red! Their horns high and mighty and their tusks far thicker than their own.

"Leader, new arrival!" The ogre leading them roared loudly, instantly making the ears of the kids buzz as Muchi almost fell down. A few of the ogres stopped to look at the newcomers before shaking their heads and continuing their work. As the ogre near the fences pushed open the entrance, the ogre led the group to the tent first from the left and left after nodding at the ogre sitting cross-legged with beast fur covering his body alongside a female ogre whose curves instantly attracted Greth and other siblings who enjoyed their time 'fishing' with Citrus.

Aside from Muchi, everyone had a boner instantly. After all, Brihan was simply too thin to even bring such a crazy surge of desire from the guys while Citrus actually presented herself. On the other hand, the woman sitting alongside the red-skinned ogre with towering horns, her stomach slightly pudgy but her breasts full, and from her cross-legged position, her exposed crotch was all too visible from beneath her skirt.

"You kids are probably taught to follow and not ask questions at this point of time," the red-skinned ogre commented as Greth shifted uncomfortably, "Alright, first things first. Out of you two girls, who've had experience in mating?"

"I do!" Citrus raised her hand with a smug expression as she stepped forward. She gazed at Brihan for a moment with a competitive smirk, making the thin and unremarkable ogre grit her teeth.

"What's your name?" The leader inquired.

"Citrus!" She proclaimed only for the lady sitting beside him grin wildly, revealing her tiny tusks as she leaned forward with astonishing momentum while swinging the large blade in her hands, instantly beheading Citrus. The kids instantly stood silently with Citrus' blood rolling silently and softly impacting against the attacker's knee as she scratched the top of her head before licking her lips.

"Too bad, I am Citrus, too."

The woman spoke, her green skin now marred with their sibling's bluish blood.