Day 9:

Once more it’s a torrential downpour outside.

I can just imagine the small dry river bed stream swelling under this deluge. Several of goblins are pacing around nervously. Are they that restless to go out and hunt or is there a real danger from flooding. You would tell us wouldn’t you Gobujii?

Gobukichi is one of those moving restlessly, he’s got that hungry look in his eye and is drooling slightly.

That reminds me its about time I ate.

I grab a quick grub from the back of the cave before heading back to the area I sleep most nights. I guess compared to me those that have tasted actual meat get the craving for more.

The older goblins are busying themselves with tidying the cave, the elders have disappeared again and only Goburou and Gobumi seem to not care about hunting. They’re both sitting cross legged sewing.

“We not going hunting today?”

“Look how hard its rainy. Just go eat some bugs or something.”

Sorry gobukichi you can’t have any of mine. Nope not even if you look at me like that.

Ok fine, they're over there.

I point to where I found my meal and he lumbers off, Gobumi gives a little chuckle at the whole scene causing Goburou to look up but it was over already so he goes back to his needle point.

Some of the older goblins told us about some of the basic plants and things around here that can be useful, especially the medicinal ones. The thing he’s currently holding is one of them; [Steel Grass]. We were warned to be careful not to step on it as although it looks like grass it is very hard and sharp.

Perfect to use like a needle.

The other thing he’s got is some more of the vines from last time; [Slender Ivy].

Not the best thing probably to use as thread but its sturdy enough to hold and if you use the inner core of it then it becomes thin enough to do delecate needle work.

Currently he’s sewing some of the spoils of yesterday’s hunt onto his original horn mail shirt.

With the shell pelt and the horn the improvements are quickly finished, it did seem to take some trial and error to get the pieces to sit right though. He has created an interesting example of lamellar armour, given how the shell is layered. After an hour or two the remaining loose shells have been tacked to a rough square-ish hewn board of wood with a simple strap on the back.

The shield, which is apparently what it is, is given to Gobukichi who after returning from digging up some grub ecstatically accepts. He spent the rest of the day having other goblins take turns hitting it until Goburou told him to stop.

I heard that he’s now able to swing that club from before with one hand. What sort of muscle brain is he!

Not to be left out Gobumi was gifted with a fine dress of snake skin. It also shimmers with a prismatic shine when she moves. Gobrou also gave her a necklace of small fangs. So theres even types like that in other worlds eh?

She was delighted and spent the rest of the day giggling to herself while doing small piroets.

So they’ve all upgraded their equipment successfully. Just makes me realise how incredible that Goburou guy is. Guess I’m a little jealous.

As he and the others munch on some bugs I slip off to another room to practice with my stick a little.

Day 10:

The weather cleared up so everyone was able to rush out to hunt again.

When it rains even the prey is drive away so if they had gone out yesterday they would have found nothing and would've just ended coming back wet and cold.

The super armour trio headed off immediately.

The rest watched them go with sparkling eyes. I guess their armour is kind of cool in a barbarian kind of way.

One of the other goblins wondered how to become as strong as they were and the always on hand, fountain of wisdom, Gobujii told us.

“Goburou has probably the highest level out of all of you and by that I mean he’s the strongest. Maybe one day he will even have the potential to [Rank Up] but there are many strong creatures in the forest that can easily kill a goblin.”

He went on to explain that point to those that missed his earlier lecture before adding in some new facts.

“Once you reach lvl.100 most goblins who can [Rank Up] become hobgoblins and then maybe even ogres but both of those can become other things. If you become accomplished you can evolve into a stronger race.”

Leaving us to ponder that he headed back into the cave.

Most of the others nodded quietly to themselves and then headed off to hunt however I’m a bit worried though.

For two reasons. First Gobujii said that rank up ony happens if you have the potential to continue growing and can show acomplishemtnes. I haven’t really done anything of note since I was reborn thought. The second is that when I think about my level the same [Lvl. 1] floats in my mind.

I definetly have a long way to go before I reach 100.

I headed home after another failed day of hunting.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, I think I may be getting more proficient with my stick or at least I’m not dropping it as much when I swing it.

The rest of the den seems to have done ok though.

Each day the top three keep bringing back more and more food and even some of the other team’s end the day with an extra rabbit carcass to eat.

I’ll try my hardest again tomorrow.

Day 11:

I spent the day trying, unsuccessfully, to sneak up on a horned rabbit.

I can see why doing something like this is better done as a pair as every time I think I’m getting near enough to strike it. It senses me and darts off.

I would love to go hunting with some of the others but they’ve all pretty much settled into effective partnerships. I tried in the afternoon tagging along with one of the other pairs but I kept throwing off their timing.

I left before it became too awkward.

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When I wondered back to the den Goburou and the other two were looking a little worse for wear and their armour was a bit scratched but still grinning merrily. Or at least gobukichi and gobumi were. Apparently they had defeated a colonies worth of seven-coloured Bats in a cave not too far from our own

Apart from those three and a couple of others there was a strange atmosphere in the cave this evening. I ate a couple of bugs and watched as some of the goblins from my generation grumbled while eating bugs.

Gobujii was chastising a late comer, explaining to him about the dangers of being out past sundown.

Words like Hind Bear, Triple Horned Horse and Slime were emphasised and echoed in the chamber.

A larger than usual group were huddled in the corner talking to a couple of the better hunter teams while casting furtive glances at the sleeping trio.

I drew myself closer to the wall and wrapped the blanket around loosely.

Day 12:

I had just drifted off when a commotion ripped me from a pleasant sleep.

I gathered with the rest of the goblins to find Gobrou standing over the defeated bodies of six other goblins. Weapons were scattered about the floor and the one Goburou held was slick with a thick liquid. It was thicker than blood so I guessed maybe it was poison.

Because one of the attackers lay there with a nasty hole in his side and foam on his lips.

No one said anything until a green blur jumped on one of the assaulted goblins. Gobrou had just finished some form of treatment when it discended upon its head.

The image of Gobumi clawing at that poor goblin I will never forget.

Even Gobrou seemed slightly apologetic as he tried to pull her off.

He covered her face with his hand and after a few moments her body went limp, a couple of the ones beside me grew a bit nervous until we saw her chest rise and fall.

He put her to bed surprisingly gently, then without a fuss dragged off the dead goblin.

There was a look in his eyes that caused us to make way for him.

After he left the crowd dispersed, from the palpable fear there would be no other action tonight. I made my way back to where I slept only to almost trip over the still sleeping form of Gobukichi. He seriously slept through it all.

Day 13:

No one said much after last night.

Only pretending to wake up after the trio left.

I headed out again on my own, even though we’ve lost two more members I still can’t find a partner. It’s strange but some of the others also look like they're thinner than I remember.

My usual berry bushes have been picked clean as have all the nuts and easy to reach fruit.

After a little searching I managed to find a beetle looking thing under a rotting log. By this stage I can’t be a fussy eater so it became lunch. After which I got as close to a horned rabbit as I’ve come in the last few days.

It still escaped but I’m looking forward to next time o' noble prey.

I had just returned to the den when Goburou, Gobukichi and Gobumi strode in and dumped a large haul of animal carcasses on the ground at everyone’s feet. I didn’t know what to think until Goburou commanded.

“Eat!”

Hesitantly at first the surrounding goblins moved slowly but after the smell of fresh meat got to them they descended like ravanish beasts.

I managed to help myself to several legs of rabbit and a few sour berries.

I don’t know why but Gobukichi smells like pork.

What had happened last night seems to be the culmination of a few days brought to a head by them bringing back another successful hunt yesterday. Because by now all the strong and smart goblins have left the den, guess its just instinct at work, leaving only those to slow and stupid to hunt.

There are a few capable bodies left but they’re little better than the rest.

I listened to the sobbing explainations of several goblins as I tucked into another carcass. Meat is justice. The juices, the flavours. How did I ever think I could live on bugs. Now that I’ve tasted this theres no way I could go back.

It’d be impossible.

Anyway to force Goburou and party to secure food for them they thought to use their superior numbers to threaten him. He’s got a look on his face that seems to say, ‘Only this time’ but he’s surrounded by teary eyed goblins earnestly thanking him so I don’t know what’ll happen.

Even I got swept you in the moment and with streaming tears and a mucus face gave him a hug.

Once all the food had gone he sat us down and started to explain how to effectively hunt horned rabbits.

There were still a few hours of light left as we eagerly dashed out of the cave after his lesson, somehow waving my stick wildly above my head I was in the middle of the pack which split off in all different directions as soon as we hit the bushes.

Goburou also taught us what signs we should be looking for when hunting; tracks, game trails, scat etc. his method also relies on distraction, surprise and ambush tactics. To think this all came from the mind of a being no more than two weeks old

With what I already knew of the forest surroundings and what he taught us tonight the best I can do is this:

- Wait up a tree on a known route and pounce on anything that comes along.

As the sun slipped over the horizon I returned to the cave, broken stick in hand, completely defeated.

Unlike me however most of the others had a fresh rabbit kill clutched tightly next to their chests, one even had a rabbit in each hand but when they presented them to Goburou as tribute.

“Ah, today I don’t need them any so distribute them amongst everybody.”

He said it all with a straight face, I noticed a small smile but nothing more. This is definitely the ‘carrot’ but who am I to complain after having awoken to the joys of meat.