image [https://imgur.com/7IjFagR.png]

Finfilfi slowly rotated the thin branch over the fire. On the tip she had skewered a large fat, still wiggling, grub. It glistened and the skin had just begun to brown, fluids dripping out and sizzling. Finfilfi knew she could eat it raw, but if you were just going to eat all your grubs raw what was even the point of living? Her pupils were contracted to slits and she felt very very exposed out here in the open, but she had come up out of the cave all the same. Why? Because she had. A few of her friends and family clustered nearby. The sun was overhead and they tried to avoid looking up, as they blinked in its harsh light. Well, at least the grubs on the surface had a spicy flavor you just didn’t get in the tunnels. She would like to go back into the tunnels. But… she didn’t. Later she was sure she would though.

The grub began to smoke and she pulled it back from the flames. The last part was always tricky, as she really enjoyed crisping the skin right to the edge of burning. Her brother Ilfinil burnt his to a crisp and said the crunch was the best part, but what did he know? He would crunch rocks if it didn’t give him a bellyache. She saw the skin just begin to turn golden and she brought it to her lips, blowing on it gently. She waited another moment, enjoying the smell and the delicate wisps of steam that rose up from the sizable grub. Very delicately she nibbled the back with her small sharp teeth, and then blew into the hole. The insides could burn your mouth unpleasantly if you didn’t take care. Finfilfi enjoyed the moment right before eating the most. When you had all of your food and the smell filled your mind and heart. She savored it a moment longer, and then slowly bit down into the grub. Perfect. She closed her eyes, letting the darkness further comfort her as she chewed. Patience was hard, but fruitful.

“Ahh! Ah! BACK! BACK!” Her sister Infilin cried out and she heard others cry out and shuffle about. Her eyes opened and she glanced around, swallowing a slightly too hot piece of grub, feeling the heat slide down her throat unpleasantly. Two humans had emerged from the forest and stood there, looking at her and the others. One was a small human, wearing a very pretty dress the color of polished citrine. Finfilfi wanted it immediately, but she was distracted by the other one. He was a large human in thick scary looking armor. His expression was stone, and his aura was one of death. She shakily rose to her feet, grabbing at her razor sharp stone dagger. She removed it from the thong at her side. She felt so bare, out from the cover of the cave. She and her family hunted through traps and surprise. To go against an opponent directly like this was… wrong. Also her ghost lizard skin pants and shirt were thin and offered little protection. They were comfortable but she should be wearing her stone scale armor. She had hand sewn in each piece, it had taken her over two years. Why wasn’t she? Still the cave mouth was right there, she could just retreat into it. But she wouldn’t. Why not?? She wouldn’t. She growled, low in her chest. She took a step towards the humans. Still, there were dozens of goblins out here, and only two humans. They would win this fight if the humans came forward. And maybe they would retreat! Yes! She screamed at them, and the others joined her. It was high pitched and piercing, a warning to LEAVE. The two humans advanced. The large one in armor had a thin sword in his hand, and it was suddenly wreathed in a shimmering blue flame. Filnfilfi’s guts churned as if they were filled with ice. She needed to run. To RUN! Magic blades, armor, this was not… She needed to attack! She screamed again and ran at the two humans, her knife held high. The human in the armor raised his weapon, and swept it forward. “[Multi-Blade].” She heard his voice, and she was spinning backwards. She landed, scrambled to her feet, and then teetered. Glancing down she saw that a very thin hole was pierced through her ghost lizard skin shirt. A steady trickle of dark blue blood began to pulse out. She shivered again. The cave, the cave. She looked up at the two humans, and then she charged the smaller one. But she was moving so slowly, all the energy gone from her body. Her friends and family stumbled or fell around her, so slow. The smaller human had a metal glinting thing in hand. A dagger. Oh. Oh. The human had a look of sadness on her face, but her eyes. Finfilfi felt another wave of cold pass through her. That human was eager, quietly eager. The other one was death, but it was a death like a cave in, or a flash flood. Not the human in the citrine dress. Her eyes were cold and intelligent. As if she was a giant Shadow Spider. Yes. As if Finfilfi was a delicious treat to be eaten, already webbed up. Helpless. She was webbed up. She stumbled to her knees, still looking into the citrine human’s eyes. The smaller human stepped forward, and the bright flash of the sun off the dagger hurt Finfilfi’s eyes even before it struck. Pain. Pain like the sun driving into her mind… but then darkness, comforting enveloping darkness. Her cave.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

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