Crossing towering mountains and swirling clouds, then wading through swamps and plains, Orion kept sensing that formidable presence and continued traveling east.
Gazing down over the Desolate Plains, he saw endless stretches of tall, swaying grass.
The centaurs who lived there had some odd habits, at least in Orion's eyes. From what he could tell, these centaurs survived by hunting. They favored large prey—giant bears and tusked boars were particular favorites.
In one respect, they were much like giants: they too enjoyed roasted meat but weren't opposed to eating it raw either. It was a rough, almost savage way of life.
Even odder, male centaurs didn't have fixed abodes; they wandered from place to place. By contrast, female centaurs lived in tents. If a female centaur found a male she liked, she'd let him stay in her tent overnight and mate with him. Once that was done, though, almost every male ended up kicked right back out.
