I look down at the crumpled body of the goblin at my feet, I still felt revulsion at the fact that I had again killed what appeared to be a creature with at least a degree of sentience. But I didn’t feel the nausea and turmoil I had after I killed the scout.

‘Must be true what they say Del. You can get used to anything, given time’

With a grimace, I bend down and, with its tattered shirt, wipe the gore from my blade before sheathing it.

As the rush of adrenalin leaves my body I become aware of a growing pain and throb in my arm, I look down at the slash wound I had received. In the chaos of the moment I had almost forgotten about that. It was a little surprising that it had already stopped bleeding, even though the wound looked nasty.I had some silverbloom from earlier so I crushed some up and applied the lumpy paste to my arm and let it do its thing.

‘Stings’ I grunted with a hiss.

“Misty, are you ok girl?” I call to her as I start to search the small green bodies. She looks up from her task of meticulously cleaning her fur of any sign of combat, mewls softly and goes back to her task.

My search didn’t reveal much in the way of useful pickings. A couple of their small knives and a worn out sword in far worse shape than the one I already used. Alongside that, I gathered up 23 copper pieces and one that looked like either tin or silver and a small battered pot of what smelt like feldspar paste, though it looked little like the rough and ready poultice I had prepared back by the river.

Once I had gathered what I could I made my way back to their small camp. Time to see what they had caught in their bag.

The camp was untidy, with rough litter bedding and a couple of logs for sitting on, small well gnawed on bones were scattered about and an empty waterskin lay to one side. The only item of real interest was the sack, which still wriggled about, almost frantically. From within I could hear muffled noises but was unable to pick out anything resembling words, just noises possible from an animal of some kind.

Carefully I cut the sack from the tree and hauled it over to the fire. Setting it down on its side, it had gone very still.

‘Be ready for anything Misty’ I think at the cat as she crouches down on the other side of the sack.

With a quick snick I cut the tie closing the sack and despite being braced ready for come what may, I am almost bowled over by a small filthy dirty, naked wriggling form that leaps at me with fingers outstretched like claws.

I grapple with it and with my bigger bulk quickly pin it under me, subduing, a girl?

As I take in the face below me I see big dark eyes, looking back in terror, long filthy tangled hair a small nose, a mouth panting and gasping.

‘What the actual fuck’ I feel almost as much shock as she must a this turn of events.

“Ok, calm down” I say, somewhat hoping that she will understand me. Who knows what language people around here speak.I try to make my voice as gentle as possible.

“I’m not going to hurt you. The goblins are dead.” I look to the side where the first one we killed still lies with an arrow in its head.

She follows my look and seems to relax a little as she sees the body.

I’m going to let you go now, don’t run” ‘Please don’t run.’ I think. “Its dangerous out there”

Slowly, gently. I release her arms and lift myself off her. The moment I do she springs up and backs away from me. Holding my arms out at my side, palms open and facing her, I step back, glance behind to see where I am in relation to one of the logs I then slowly sit down on.

Watching me cautiously, she sits herself down on the log on the opposite side of the fire.

“There, that’s better.” I say, still being careful to keep my voice soft and gentle. She looks at me curiously and then seems to become aware of her nakedness and huddles up in an attempt to cover herself with her arms.

‘Del you are one daft fucker’ I think to myself. I shrug off my jerkin, quickly remove my shirt and toss it over to her. She looks at it, then at me, before quickly putting it on as I redress myself.Standing she smooths it down and it settles in place a bit like a little smock dress on her short frame. I pull a bit of the rope from my pack and cut of a couple of feet and toss that over.“For a belt if you want one” I say, wondering if she has the slightest clue what I am saying.

Its not perfect but at least she has something to cover her modesty.

She looks at me with her big dark eyes.

“Thank you” she says in a quiet voice. I almost jump, startled that she has understood me and I her. As I look on, tears are gently tracking lines through the dirt on her face.“I thought I was dead.” She says. “They catch and eat young elves all too regularly”

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‘Elf?’ I think with a start. And quickly

‘Identify’

Elven youth

Level: 1

Naturally arcane

Strengths: Wisdom, Dexterity

Weaknesses: Unknown

Attacks: Unknown

Skills: Growth

Lore: Shy and retiring, elves are often found in deep woods where they live in harmony with nature. Naturally skilled in arcane magics. They are seldom aggressive unless threatened.

“I’m Del” I say to her, “And I’m glad I got here before they ate you.” With a smile.

“Elara” she replies in her quiet voice. “As am I”

“Well Elara, I’m a bit messy from the fight.” I look at my bloody arm and hands. “So I’m going to wash up and then I think we might use the fire to cook up something more suitable for lunch.” She smiles in agreement and we head towards the stream. “Do you know if this was all of them?” I ask her.

She thinks for a minute. “There was one other, he was the one who used the trap that caught me.” She indicates a direction upstream. “A days walk North I think it was.”

“In that case, I think he was the one who tried to kill me up that way. We don’t need to worry about him then.” At the stream I shrugged off my jerkin and began to sluice off the blood and dirt, I carefully inspected my injured arm, pleased to see it was pretty much fully healed.

‘I like these herby medicines’ I think with a smile. Now clean I look up and see Elara fully immersed in the water, ducking her head and scrubbing her hair with vigour. Smiling I leave her to it and return to stoke up the fire and prepare some pork for cooking.

A quick search of the wood edge finds some suitable branches to set up a basic frame and skewer to hold a slab of meat to roast over the flames. Glancing to the river I see her emerging from the river and avert my eyes from her nakedness. She lies down on the rock bank to dry in the sun and I go back to preparing lunch.

Misty comes over and climbs on my lap for strokes and fuss.“So girl, this is a bit of a pickle we have found. What do you think?” She stretches up and boop my nose with hers. “Yup that’s about what I thought too” I chuckle.‘So Del, what does one do with a kidnapped elf girl.’ I glance over. ‘Doesn’t look like a girl to me though.’ Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not a letch or a perve, but the curves I had been unable not to see were not immature. Then again, I had no idea on elven physiology, or, really, anything at all about them. I also didn’t really know anything about her as a person, apart from the little glimpse my identify had given me. All I could do was hope to find out more as we talked over food.

While the meat seared and its aromas spread around me I pulled out some sage and parsley I had gathered and mushed them together into a basting mix with the dripping pork fat. Gathering some small twigs I bashed the ends to make a crude brush and basted the roasting meat.Just as it was almost ready, light footsteps approached and Elara, now dressed once more took her seat opposite.

“Smells good.” She said with a smile. With her now clean wet hair hanging down her back I could see her ears were gently tapered to delicate points at the top. Her eyes had a slight tilt to the corners a bit like oriental friends I had known.

“I have to admit,” I say to her. “I don’t know that much about elves.” I shrug. “To be honest, you are the first I have ever met.”“Really?” she sounds surprised. “I thought we were quite widespread in Gondowa, most towns and cities have plenty of elven kind within.”

“I’m not actually from here.” I think for a moment. “Its difficult to explain but I am definitely new to this land.”

“Wow, Ok well I am quite young for an elf, I turned 35 last year.” She replies. “So I don’t know much of this land myself. I left the woods of my hometree a year ago to make my way and find my own path. I want to be a nature mage. I know it’s a big ambition but I think I can do it.” She bubbles up enthusiastically.

It was my turn to be taken aback. “35, I thought you were a teenager or something. I’m sorry, forgive my confusion.”She laughed, her voice tinkling like wind on the leaves. “If you don’t know elves then no forgiveness is necessary” With a smile she continues as I carve up the meat and hand some to her.“Elves mature slowly, we reach physical maturity a bit like you humans, around 18 or so, but we are a long lived people, longer even than dwarves.”

‘Dwarves, of course there are dwarves. Do I meet Snow White next?’ I think wistfully.

“So at 35 years I am considered an elder youth approaching adulthood. But I will not be a fully adult member of elven society until I am at least 40.”

“I see.” I say through a mouthful of warm pork. “So what brings you out here? I take it you are a long way from your usual area.”

“Indeed,” she smiles, quickly wiping a small dribble of fatty juice threatening to grease her chin. Once I knew my path was to be with nature, and I had my first casting learnt. I decided to head to the more populated southern region and seek a master of the craft to teach me.”

“Isn't it dangerous to travel alone?” I ask her.“Yes and no.” She gives a thoughtful look. “Normally a goblin would not have been able to catch me so unaware but, I was stupid.” She sighs. “I spotted a plant I didn’t recognise and got too absorbed and failed to pay attention. Next thing I knew, I stepped into a rope trap and was hauled into the air upside-down. That little green arse was leaping up and down in glee, poking me and prodding me as if weighing up a prize steer for market. I hung there for what seemed ages then there were 4 of them, chattering around me in their foul tongue. Well, they cut me down and before I knew it they had stripped me and shoved me in that damn sack. That was 3 or 4 days ago now. It was hard to keep track.” She gives an involuntary shudder. “I can’t tell you how lucky I was that you turned up when you did.”

“My pleasure Elara. You are to pretty to be someone's dinner.” She blushes and dips her head to hide her eyes. “I mean, look, I, Alright, I am not necessarily best with words, but you know what I mean.” I stammer through a nervous half-laugh.She looks at me. “Yes Del, you mean you think I am pretty.” She says then bursts into a musical laugh and pokes out her tongue at me.

Misty, stands up, looks at me haughtily and taking a bit of meat, saunters over to jump into Elara’s lap.

“Traitor.” I say looking at her chewing her snack, as she receives her desired attention.

“So what about you, where are you from? I know as little about you as you do about me.” She looks at me, her eyes questioning and questing in their gaze.

“You said you were not from around here.”

I think long and hard, how much do I tell her, how much CAN I tell her and not sound totally crazy.

‘Well Del, if you tell her a lie, it better be a damned good one, or tell her as much of the truth you need without getting labelled a lunatic’

I take a breath.

And the world freezes.