On a favorable evening, the very next day, as the sun hung low in the sky, casting dappled light through the dense jungle canopy, two goblin children appeared to be playing around in the nearby areas of the surrounding forest. At least, that was what it looked like, as they were actually hunting for small rodents. Despite the availability of food recently, the children would still hunt like this as a form of play. The adults didn't discourage it either, as it kept them busy and at the same time, prepared them for the future in many ways, even though they were female.
With the wall around the camp since completed, the number of rodents within the camp had drastically reduced, so the children had to go outside the wall to hunt. They were still very safe, as this area of the forest happened to have almost zero predators.
"How come you couldn't catch it?! It was right in your hands!" One of the goblins complained, her face dirtied from rolling on the forest floor and wiping her face with dirty hands, all from trying to catch her prey.
"I'm t-trying! I had it just then, but it slipped away!" The other goblin said. She looked even worse in comparison, but if one was to monitor their hunt from the beginning, they would realise that she got like that from being clumsy rather than skilled. As strange as it might have been, not all goblins were savage beings, something Lance had come to understand and accept.
"Heh, you're so clumsy. Come on, we can't go any further, that's what sister Rikka said… There might be dangerous beasts with mouths full of teeth and saliva waiting in the shadows…" The first goblin teased with a smug tone and a childish expression put on to scare her companion.
"Don't say that! It's getting dark already, what if something actually come?" the dirtier girl shivered a bit as she picked herself up and ran to the other goblin.
"You're not going to cry, right? At least, we got this!" The two girls continued talking as they turned to leave.
Despite the relative safety of the environment, the peace was broken suddenly by the high-pitched scream of the young goblins… out of nowhere.
Two figures darted forward, their movements almost swift and deliberate. In only a few seconds, they had their hands clamped over the mouths of the frightened goblins, stifling their cries. The young ones struggled, their wide eyes filled with terror, but the strangers' grips were firm.
Nearby, Rikka froze. She had been returning from a scouting mission with three others when the faint scream reached her ears. Her sharp instincts flared. Without a word, she signaled to her companions and moved toward the sound, her steps as silent as possible.
The screams could have been the children playing, but she had enough experience to know when a scream was cut short. Regardless, she had to make sure with her own eyes, most especially, as it came from outside the walls.
They emerged into a small clearing with some bushes and exposed dirt floor, and there they were, six unfamiliar goblins, covered in tattered pieces of cloths for clothes, their eyes wary and cunning. Two of them held the young goblins captive, their larger adult arms covering their mouths and holding them in place, while the others stood around, their makeshift wooden weapons at the ready.
The most interesting and surprising aspect of this all, however, was that, these six were also goblins, though males.
Rikka didn't hesitate. Without the slightest hesitation, she lunged at the largest of the strangers, a goblin with a scar running across his cheek who seemed to be the leader of the bunch, at least, by looks alone. The attack was so sudden and swift, that he barely had time to react before Rikka knocked him into the dirt, hard, using her knee to strike his skull. As if that was not enough, her fleeting movement had him pinned to the ground, her knife pressing against his throat, threatening to draw blood.
"Let them go!" she growled, her voice low and dangerous.
The other goblins froze, their eyes darting between Rikka and their leader. Without a word from anyone, slowly, they released the young ones, who scrambled back toward Rikka's group.
"Good," Rikka said, tightening her grip on the knife. "Now, tell me who you bunch are, and why you captured the children?"
The goblin she had pinned down raised his hands in surrender, his voice trembling and hoarse as his head was pulled back, but steady. "Wait! Please, listen! We mean no harm!"
Rikka's eyes narrowed, but she didn't ease the pressure on his neck, instead, her dagger pushed even harder. "Start talking."
"We're… wanderers," he began, glancing at his companions. "Our tribe was destroyed. We've been wandering the jungle ever since, looking for a safe place… When we saw the walls… we thought it might be shelter."
"And the young ones?" Rikka hissed. "Why did you attack them?"
"We didn't!" he said quickly. "They screamed, and we were afraid it would attract wild beasts. We only meant to silence them, not hurt them."
Rikka stared at him for a long moment, her knife still poised. She didn't trust him on bit, but there was a sincerity in his voice that gave made her rethink taking his life and that of his companions. Finally, she spoke, easily understood by her companions. "Go back and inform the chief. Bring the elders too."
The goblin nodded and darted off toward the tribe's settlement. The walls were built very high, so she could only go through the main entrance, but with her speed, it was no problem.
…
Rynne who was on her way elsewhere happened to intercepted the messenger. Upon hearing what had happened, her eyes flared with subtle rage and concern. Without waiting for the others, she sprinted toward the communicated location, her spear which she almost always carried everywhere, drawn out and ready for battle.
When she arrived, she found Rikka still holding the scarred goblin at knifepoint. The other strangers were bound with thin but durable vines, their expressions a mix of fear and resignation.
"Rikka," Rynne said, her voice sharp. "What's going on here?"
Rikka explained quickly, never taking her eyes off the goblin beneath her, or relaxing even the slightest. Rynne frowned, her grip tightening on her spear. "If they're lying, we'll deal with them swiftly." Her words seemed to wash down whatever hope the strangers had in them, as they could see in her eyes, it held no remorse or mercy in them.
Minutes later, Lance arrived with Lia, Mia, and a small group of warriors. His calm demeanor belied the tension in the air as he surveyed the scene.
"They claim they're wanderers," Rikka reported. "Looking for shelter. But I don't trust them."
Lance studied the scarred goblin, who met his gaze with a mixture of defiance and desperation. "Is this true?"
"Yes," the goblin said. "Our tribe was wiped out by raiders. We've been wandering ever since. Please, we only want safety for our people. Any confrontation is the last thing we seek. Please, believe me."
Though, Lance himself was a skeptic type, he could almost see himself in the goblin, and a part of him could sympathize.
"You speak of your tribe, but where are they? I only count six." Lance said, his expression darkening a bit as he moved closer to Rikka and the goblin.
"We had three groups spread out to find food and a place suitable for shelter, I can take you to our tribe if you wish. I swear by the spirits; we mean no harm at all." He said, his spit thickening a bit. Lance glanced at Rikka briefly to loosen her grip. Understanding the language his eyes spoke, she did so.
Lance exchanged a glance with Lia and Mia, then nodded. "We'll see for ourselves. Lead us to your tribe. But if at all this turns out to be some kind of trap, death, will be the one thing you will never meet." Lance said, his voice and expression dark, a sharp contrast to his normal self. Even Rikka was shocked for a moment before regaining herself quickly. Certainly, that was not the Lance she was accustomed to.
Lance on the other hand, didn't mean much of what he said, it was only scare tactics, and he wanted to see the goblin's reaction to his words. So far, it was good.
The six goblins remained tied, their hands behind their backs, under close watch. They led the group deeper into the jungle, towards the location where their tribe dwelled.
Before they left, Lance had Mira and the rest of the goblins except for the few warriors that came with him, to return to the camp. Rikka, Ryne, and Lia followed him and the warriors.
When they finally emerged into a small clearing, in fact, it could barely be referred to as a clearing, Lance saw the rest of the tribe, about three dozen goblins, most of them gaunt and weary. The moment they spotted their six scouts, bound and escorted by strangers, they reacted with hostility.
Weapons couldn't be drawn, as there were barely any. Rikka released the goblin, as he stepped forward. "Wait! It's only a misunderstanding! One caused by us! They mean no harm!" he called out.
His words silenced the others, though their expressions remained wary.
Lance stepped forward, his voice loud enough as it carried over the quiet forest, "We are not here to harm you, as long as you don't attempt to harm us. Where are your leaders? Let's talk."