Over the next few days, Kevin's life changed significantly. For one, he had to move a lot slower with a group of shell-shocked and malnourished goblins in tow. The fact that he was feeding additional mouths slowed down progress, too.

At least he had Branch to help him find game to hunt, which was sort of cheating, but Kevin decided it was for a good cause. Still, now it took him longer to hunt more and to process the game and to cook it. But unless he wanted to leave the goblins behind to die a slow and lonely death in the wilderness, he didn't have much of a choice.

Finding edible plants was luckily extremely easy since Branch could help with that, too. He didn’t know what kind of plants to look for, but once Kevin found one to show him, the rest was a snap. Branch wasn’t happy about his chatting time being limited to the time they spent finding food, but he liked the idea of appearing to the group of strange goblins long-term even less.

After a few days of this, Kevin suspected the other goblins thought he talked to himself when he was alone. But he was fine with it if they thought he was a little crazy–even a lot crazy.

He'd gotten to know the goblins fairly well, now. The oldest was Rock, who was a bit older than Kevin had first assumed. The second male goblin, a man of very few words, was called Gendry. A middle aged female goblin was Gesel. The group’s young female goblin was known as Bilak. And the youngest goblin, barely more than a boy, was Frekel. Kevin noted that all of the goblins had more modern names, not the traditional goblin names he'd read in books before.

The story of where they’d come from had been fascinating.

Their old village had been surprisingly far east. The goblins couldn’t be sure, but they believed it’d been somewhat west from the mine they’d been imprisoned at, but a couple day’s travel north. The village had been built at the base of ancient machinery that mostly kept monsters away.

Kevin was impressed by the story. Mixed-species villages were not common. Towns and cities, yes, but not villages. Usually the larger a settlement was, the easier it was for different species to live together. Or perhaps it was just more likely they would.

Unfortunately, the village had been raided by a group of ork and human cultists. After the town had been subjugated, different groups of cultists had taken prisoners off to various places. Luckily, this group had overheard that their purpose, the one they were serving at the mine, was unique and extremely high-profile for the cult. Of course, it hadn’t been lucky for this group of prisoners. Kevin felt bad for the other prisoners as well and hoped that they had been given a merciful death, but he was definitely thankful that there wasn't another mine with an ominous, ancient, potentially dangerous evil temple being dug up.

The group of cultists was a problem, but Kevin figured if there weren’t any more evil ruins being dug up, it was a problem that could wait for another day to address, or a problem that someone else could solve. An unfortunate fact of life is that smaller villages needed robust defenses. Whether monsters, cultists, or bandits, there was always some sort of danger out there.

About a third of the cultists that attacked Rock’s village had been working in the mine that Kevin just destroyed. Since he’d killed all of them himself, he definitely felt like he’d made a difference. The other goblins seemed to think so, too.

And going after the rest of the cultists, even if Kevin was inclined to do so, would be almost impossible since the others didn’t know where they were. He was grateful that the decision was taken out of his hands.

At the moment, Kevin had a woven basket in one hand, and he was foraging for edible plants and mushrooms with Branch. He was thinking about the plight of the freed prisoners. Kevin wished that he had the forethought to bring the swords from the mine's kitchen with him to give to the goblins, but he hadn’t thought of it before they were already a half day away from the mine. At least they still had some metal weapons.

The goblins had looted everything they could in the dungeon before Kevin freed them. One of their spears had been fashioned from a knife blade that the dead ork jailer had been wearing. They also had the jailer’s short sword. The group had given it to Gendry to wear. The lack of steel didn’t stop all the goblins from being armed, though. Rock, in particular, had proven knowledgeable on how to make primitive, expedient weapons.

The group didn't like when Kevin went off on his own, but they understood the necessity. By now they also hopefully really believed that Kevin would know if any monsters were close, too. Of course, it wasn't him who really knew; it was Branch. And convincing the fairy to pull lookout and watch duty to protect the battered goblins was proving more difficult every day.

Branch didn’t really care about the escaped prisoners much and was allergic to anything approaching real work. The only reason he didn’t mind foraging with Kevin was because for him, it seemed to be more of a social thing, like taking a walk.

"Mushroom behind that one,” said Branch. He pointed at a tree, and Kevin grabbed the mushroom off the other side before putting it in his basket. So far, the basket was about half full. There was already some fresh game back at the camp, a couple grouse and a wild pig. Right now, Kevin was just trying to forage for plants to cook with the meat.

He was running awfully low on spices. That's what happened when he had to feed six people a day now. The boar that he had killed earlier was already being slow-roasted over the fire by the goblins back in camp, and with luck, it would be done by the time Kevin got back. Cooking what he foraged wouldn't take long, if they even needed to be cooked. At this point, he had a pretty good grasp of the local flora. The other goblins had known of a few edible plants that Kevin didn’t.

Kevin walked on with Branch hovering next to him for another few minutes before Branch pointed to one side and said, "There's a group of wild onions over there."

"Oh, I can see them now," said Kevin. He knelt down and began pulling up the precious vegetables. Onions were always great because they also doubled as seasoning.

"So what are you going to do when you get to Clearmine?" said Branch.

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean. You have stayed a goblin the last few days, the entire time the other goblins have been following you around, eating all the food, snoring loud at night. Being boring. They think you're a druid. But if they ever see you turn into a human, they're going to know you're not just a druid. Branch understands! Sneaky sneaky. And you have not said so, but it looks like you want to be sneaky-sneaky since you are getting closer to Clearmine, too.."

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"If you think you already have it all figured out, why are you asking me?"

"I am asking you. What are you going to do now, boss?"

Kevin thought about how to answer. The truth was, he had been thinking about which form to use in Clearmine. It would be easier to be human while entering a predominantly human city, but it was true that Rock and his group knew him as a goblin.

Of course, leaving them, going off somewhere hidden and changing appearance was a solution, but would it be right?

Branch was used to these sudden silences while Kevin thought. So instead of interrupting, he hovered ahead and merely pointed when there was another mushroom to be collected. Kevin nodded his thanks, and a minute later he said, "I think I'm going to stop being a coward."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, part of the reason I changed forms at Great Hope was because I wanted to stay incognito, yes. However, all the dragons who are close to me or to my parents know that I have other forms. My cousin Lydia, the one chasing me, definitely knows. Additionally, I didn’t even know Lydia was trying to find me at first, and the other races don’t know that I am the person that the dragons are sending to be a diplomat. Even if they did, why would I need to be so secretive? I think the truth is, one of the reasons I've been changing forms is because I know it's easier."

"Easier?"

"Yes. Goblins can be treated differently by other races. I’ve experienced being different.” He thought about his time on earth. He’d been lucky enough not to run into too much racism, but he’d felt acutely aware at times in his life, at certain work or social groups, that nobody around him looked like he did. Most of the time it wasn’t an issue, but he was sometimes made abruptly, acutely aware. In this world, with different sentient species and history of war, the negative reactions to other sentient species could be…spicy. “It's not a real flattering thing to admit, but since I know I can fit in as a human in human towns or cities, it's easier to just be a human."

Branch nodded slowly and said, "But if you do that now, the goblins–”

"Right, that's true," Kevin sighed. “And I am responsible for these people now. The other goblins."

"You are not their goblin daddy," disagreed Branch. "They owe you their lives–they were going to be eaten alive." The little fairy shuddered. "I'm very happy I didn't go down there, by the way. If you tried to make me, it wouldn't have worked anyway. In the future, it wouldn’t work again. Remember that."

"Noted," said Kevin. He frowned. "I know that I don't actually owe them anything. And honestly, I wonder how much of what I’m feeling goes a bit further than just morality and decency. I wonder how much of it is genetic or instinct.”

“What is genetic?”

“Uh, natural.” He paused. “So, I am a goblin; that is my natural body. Even though I haven't been around many goblins, I have to admit that being around these goblins does make me feel very—" he paused, looking for the word—"relaxed.”

He continued, “Common knowledge is that goblin birth rates are a type of defense for goblinkind. In some of the history books I’ve read, it is a major reason that goblins were never eradicated, despite more than one other species trying. But some historians believe that it is also the strong, combined front and cohesion goblins show if they're threatened.

“Goblins individually and even as tribes are warlike and fight with each other a lot, but if goblinkind is threatened, they band together faster than any other thinking species. It has occurred to me that what we all just went through in the mine was very traumatic and might have triggered that, even in me. I don't know. It’s something I've thought about a lot over the last day. And no matter where it's coming from, I can't kick it."

Branch stared at him out the side of his eyes. "Sometimes you think too much. And reading is boring. But are you going to take these common goblins all the way with you wherever you're going?"

"Oh, hell no," laughed Kevin. "As soon as we get to Clearmine, I'm going to find a good place for them and leave them after knowing that they'll be okay. But that's it."

"That still might take you a while," groused Branch. "And you know that while I'm in the city, I can't exactly talk to you very easily."

"Yeah, that's true. While I'm in the city, I'm also not traveling, and I'm sitting in one place, which is easier for my cousin to find me."

"I think all of this is very dumb," opined Branch, "but you've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

"I guess I have," confirmed Kevin.

"Well, I hope it doesn't get you killed. You've been the most interesting mortal friend I've ever made."

"Aren't I the only mortal friend you've ever made?"

"Well, yes. But that makes you number one even more easily, right?"

Kevin shook his head and picked up a few tubers that Branch pointed out. He hoped a clear conscience was going to be worth all this trouble.

***

A few hours later, night had completely fallen, and all the goblins had arrayed themselves around the vestiges of the campfire in a loose circle. They’d pulled up leaves, dirt, moss, and other forest detritus as improvised sleeping areas.

The natural beds were another one of Rock's handy goblin bushcraft tips. It wasn't exactly the cleanest way to stay comfortable at night, but it seemed to work.

Kevin felt a little bit guilty about how rough they were living while Kevin had a bedroll. So not for the first time, he reminded himself that for the last two weeks at least, these people had been sleeping on the jagged stone floor of a dungeon while their friends were murdered in front of them. Compared to that, all of this was probably fantastic.

At night, Kevin had the goblins sleep close and told them they didn't need to post a watch. He trusted Branch to wake him if there was true danger. Of course, the goblins didn't know that, and although they smiled and said they would sleep, Branch later told him that they secretly kept a watch. The other goblins being awake make the fairy nervous, but luckily none of them came anywhere close to Kevin's sleeping form.

Kevin didn’t exactly understand when Branch slept or how. He just knew that nobody could sneak up on them while the fairy was around.

He could imagine his loyal little friend glaring at the other goblins in the dark, hand on his nail sword. It made him grin. Branch was a weirdo but had become a true friend in a very short amount of time.

Gazing at the other green forms mostly covered in twigs and dirt, Rock, the older goblin respectfully nodded his head. "We are indebted to you more than words can express, Lord Kevin."

Kevin shook his head. "If you must use a title, you can just call me Ambassador." About a day ago, he had made up his mind that during his travels, he could just introduce himself as an ambassador when a title mattered. It was true he was an ambassador and it was still an important enough position to open doors and be taken seriously without having to deal with matters of state and other bureaucratic pains in the ass.

"Alright, Ambassador," said Rock with a smile. Kevin knew the old goblin didn't believe he wasn't nobility and was humoring him. Whatever he thought, hopefully soon, Rock and his friends would have a new life, or at least be taken care of, and Kevin could continue his journey and not have to worry about them again.

He continued, "It's not just helping us at first. Like a hero from the stories the shamans tell. A goblin warrior, with light in his eyes and darkness, his weapons. And a dream goblin, no less! Nobody would believe me if I told them. But now we've seen you fight, and we've seen you move in your animal form. This journey…all of this, it is not convenient for you. It doesn't take a wise mage to figure out you could travel much faster without us. But you are traveling with us all the way to the city. That is another great kindness past when you freed us."

"What do you mean?"

"Ambassador Kevin, we're goblins. We're going to be unfamiliar, common goblins, walking into a mostly human city on the frontier, from the wilderness, when most goblins in Clearmine are either starving, poor, or indentured servants. Only the luckiest goblins have real jobs and can build a life for their family. Goblins coming in from the wildlands might not get the best welcome."

"Oh. I've never been to Clearmine before."

"Ah, I understand, but it's the same as a lot of other human cities, especially this far east." Kevin nodded like he understood what the older goblin was saying, even though he was clueless.

Then the two of them fell silent, gazing at the fading embers of the fire. Kevin said, "About the job situation and starting a new life for all of you…no promises, but I'll see what I can do."

Rock didn't turn his head, and it was a second before he responded. Kevin heard the emotion in the other goblin's voice as he said, "Thank you."

Kevin nodded, got up, and went to his sleeping roll. He had troubled thoughts as he lay down and closed his eyes. He didn't like dealing with problems like this, so quickly into his journey. Now he had a group of people counting on him.

He also didn't like running into the reality face-first of how some goblins feared they would be treated in a human city. Of course, he was aware that there were still asshole goblins out there, just like some orks were still running around worshipping dark gods and eating people alive. But goblins had actually been putting more effort into civilizing their own people than orks had over the last hundred years. And even most orks were probably just normal people, trying to make a living and feed their families.

"What a mess," Kevin muttered. He fell asleep and dreamed of earth for the first time in many years. In his dream, he was eating an omelet, having breakfast with Lucille Ball. She was giving him advice to an off-screen laugh track about how he should go about finding work for a group of goblins.