“What do you eat, Snickers?” Max asked.

“All kinds of things,” Snickers lifted his head up to the sky to think. The sun was slowly disappearing from the horizon. They had been walking all day and were very close to The Whispering Woods if they had followed the map correctly. On the side of the road were only a handful of trees when Max started his journey, but now, that wasn’t the case.

The King’s Road, once wide and covered in sun, had narrowed as ancient oaks and towering pines closed in on either side, their branches forming a natural archway overhead that didn’t let almost any sunlight pass through.

The ground was uneven, with patches of moss and undergrowth creeping over the cobblestones. Fallen leaves, pine needles, and tree roots made the path difficult to walk on. To the right, there was a small, shallow ravine, where a narrow stream babbled, its waters clear and cold. To the left, the forest thickened, the trees growing closer together, their trunks wrapped in vines, and it looked as if the road would slowly lead them right there in the middle of the trees.

“We eat meat, and we aren’t picky about it. Rodents, rabbits, birds, even insects.” Snickers continued after a while of thinking. “Fruits and Vegetables as well, berries, etc. I survived 3 years in Farsille just by eating rodents and stealing vegetables from a nearby farmer. At first, he would always attack me when he caught me stealing, but when he realized the rodent problem was slowly going away, he let me in peace.”

Max didn’t like the sound of that. His companion, which he owns now by pure luck, is eating rodents. “I guess it could’ve been worse,” Max thought to himself.

“Then… Mushrooms and roots, fish, there are no leftovers and scraps when I’m close, nothing is going to waste.” Snickers said, proud of himself.

Max walked in silence for a moment, taking in his words. “You know, Snickers, that’s quite resourceful of you, when I think about it. Surviving on rodents and stolen vegetables… sounds tough.”

Snickers shrugged, his small frame bouncing slightly with each step. “It’s just the way we kobolds are. We make do with what we have. Besides, it is not like I had a choice. The world’s a tough place, especially for a kobold in this area. They are not very fond of me and my kind, or any kind that aren’t humans in this part of the Kingdom.”

Max glanced at Snickers, intrigued to know more. “So, tell me more about kobolds. What are they like? I mean, besides being resourceful and, uh, rodent-eating?”

Snickers chuckled, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light filtering through the trees. “Well, we are small, as you can see. But don’t let that fool you. We’re quick and clever. We live in tight-knit communities, usually in caves or underground tunnels. Safety in numbers, you know?”

Max nodded, listening carefully. “And what about your… abilities? Do you have any, special skills or talents?”

“Yeah,” Snickers said, puffing out his chest slightly. “We’re great at digging and building. We can create tunnel systems and traps. We are also good at sneaking around, which comes in handy when you’re as small as us.”

Max smiled. “Sounds like you could be a pretty good ally to have.”

Snickers grinned back. "You bet. And it's not just about survival. We kobolds are also fiercely loyal. Once we consider someone a friend or part of our tribe, we'll do anything to protect them."

Max felt a warmth in his chest at Snickers' words. "That's good to know. I could use a loyal friend in this world."

Snickers nodded, his eyes twinkling, like he held a tear hostage. "Don't worry, Max. As long as I'm with you, I'll make sure you're safe. Even if it means facing giant wild boars."

Max laughed. "Speaking of which, that was some impressive combat back there. I didn't know kobolds could fight like that."

"Well, we're not known for our fighting skills," Snickers admitted. "But we can be pretty fierce when we need to be. We use our speed and agility to our advantage.”

Max's curiosity grew. "So, do kobolds have any... magic? Or is it just physical skills?"

Snickers hesitated, his eyes darting to the side. "Some of us have a bit of magic, yes. It's not like the big, flashy spells you humans use. It's more like little tricks. But those can be pretty useful too."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Well," Snickers said, scratching his head. "We can create minor illusions, for one. Useful for confusing enemies or creating distractions. Some of us can also manipulate earth and stone a bit, though nothing like a full-fledged earth mage."

Max nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like there's a lot more to kobolds than meets the eye."

Snickers grinned. "You'd be surprised. We may be small, but we're full of surprises."

The entrance to The Whispering Woods was easily noticed. The dense, dark trees, created an almost impenetrable wall, the mist behind it looked suffocating. The King’s Road narrowed further, the cobblestones covered in creeping vines and moss, disappearing into the forest ahead. The air felt thick, the quietness made Max scared, it was only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant call of an unseen bird. The map had depicted this place with dark, dense trees, a black path that seemed to vanish into the trees, and an icon of a tall, scary-looking tree with faint ghostly lines to suggest whispers or the wind.

Max hesitated at the edge of the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t make the first step. “This place gives me the creeps,” he muttered.

Snickers, standing beside him, nodded. “It’s definitely not the most inviting place. But if you stick to the road nothing is going to happen. We’ll be fine.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Why don’t they just, destroy it or something?” Max asked.

“Because it is a magical forest, with magical beasts inside,” Snickers explained. “This forest was always here, even before you and my kind stepped foot on this land. They tried to remove it a couple of times, many Kings in the past had the same great idea to destroy it, but it only brought death and blood and all that nasty stuff. So they just made this road here, protected by magic, and they let the forest be. If you don’t hurt the forest, you’re good. If you don’t get off the King’s Road, you’re gonna be even better. I passed through it many times, no worries Max.”

“If you say so, we just stick to the road, and we’re out. Easy!” Max stepped into the forest.

It wasn’t so easy at all.

Max took a deep breath. They had been walking in the forest for a while now. The deeper they went the path became less distinct. The black cobblestones gradually blended into the forest floor. The moment they entered the forest, the temperature seemed to drop, and the chilling wind whispered through the trees. Max felt like the forest was talking to him. Shadows danced across the path, creating the illusion of something moving just out of sight.

Max’s anxiety grew with each step. “Are we still on the King’s Road?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

“Uhm… I think so,” Snickers replied, his eyes going all over the place, scanning the surroundings.

“Do you think, or do you know?” Max asked, afraid now.

“I don’t know anymore.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?! Didn’t you tell me you passed through this forest many times?!”

“I did.”

“Did you lie?!”

“No, never!” Snicker lowered his eyes. “It’s just, I never went through it alone. Twice I was in a cage on the back of a caravan. Three times in a bag on someone’s shoulder, once in a mage’s purse, that was cool.” Snickers could’ve kept going if Max didn’t stop him.

“And you didn’t think to tell me that before we went in?!”

“Well, now that you’re mentioning it…”

Max groaned, clutching his hand.

“You alright?” Snickers asked.

“No, my hand is, is, it feels like it is on fire.”

Snickers looked around, his ears twitching. “I think something is coming.”

A low growl echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down Max’s spine. From the shadows emerged a monstrous creature, its body covered in thick fur, with glowing red eyes and sharp claws. It stood on four legs, resembling a mix of a wolf and a bear.

Max’s instincts kicked in. “RUN!” he shouted, turning on his heels and sprinting back the way they came. Snickers followed, his small legs moving surprisingly fast.

The unknown creature roared and started chasing them, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Max’s heart raced as he dodged trees and leaped over roots, the monster gaining on them.

“We can’t outrun it!” Snickers panted, glancing over his shoulder.

“I know!” Max yelled back. “But what else can we do?!”

The forest seemed to close in around them, the whispers growing louder, more insistent. Max could feel the monster’s hot breath on his neck, its claws swiping dangerously close. In his panic, Max stumbled over a root and fell.

Snickers turned and stood his ground, his eyes narrowing. “We fight,” he declared, pulling out a small, sharp dagger.

Max got to his feet somehow, his heart pounding. “Right. Fight.” He pulled out his wand, his hands shaking. “F- fireball!” he shouted, aiming at the monster.

The fireball shot forward but went wide, missing the monster and hitting a tree instead. The tree erupted in flames, the fire spreading quickly through the dry underbrush. The monster looked at him like he was laughing.

“Great job, Max,” Snickers muttered under breath sarcastically.

“I heard that!”

Max tried again, his aim even worse in his panic. Another fireball flew past the monster, igniting more trees. The forest was quickly turning into an inferno.

“You’re gonna burn the entire forest down!” Snickers yelled.

“So what?!”

“WE’RE STILL IN IT!!”

“Oh, right. Shit.”

The monster lunged at Max, its claws outstretched. Max closed his eyes and braced for impact, but before the creature could reach him, a burning tree cracked and fell, crashing down on top of it. The monster let out a final, agonized roar before falling silent, pinned beneath the flaming tree.

Max opened his eyes and stared in disbelief. “Did… did that just happen?” Max laughed. “Just as I planned!”

Snickers grinned. “Maybe your fireballs aren’t so useless after all.”

Max saw XP being added (+550xp you leveled up! Level: 4).

“Let’s get out of here before the whole forest burns down,” Snickers suggested.

“Agreed,” Max said.

But things were not over, they were still in danger. The whispers of the forest grew louder, almost as if they were angered by the intrusion and destruction. Max’s right hand still throbbed.

A new, high-pitched growl echoed through the trees. Max glanced back and saw two smaller versions of the monster they had just defeated, their eyes glowing with anger.

“Great! It had kids!” Max groaned.

“Run faster!” Snickers yelled, his little legs pumping furiously.

“I’m trying!” Max panted. “Why do they always have to have kids?!”

The young monsters were smaller but no less terrifying, Max and Snickers dodged trees and leaped over roots, the forest seeming to twist and turn around them.

“This is your fault, you know!” Snickers shouted.

“My fault? You’re the one who said we should be fine!” Max responded, narrowly avoiding a swipe from one of the creatures.

“I said stick to the road!” Snickers corrected. “You’re the one who got us off it!”

“I did not—okay, maybe I did,” Max admitted, dodging another claw. “But you’re the one who couldn’t tell left from right!”

The young monsters were closing in, their growls growing louder. Max’s heart pounded as he tried to think of a plan. “Fireball!” he shouted again, aiming at the ground behind them.

The fireball exploded, creating a wall of flames that momentarily slowed the monsters. “Keep going!” Max urged, pulling Snickers along.

“We can’t keep doing that!” Snickers said. “You’ll burn the whole forest down!”

“Better the forest than us!” Max replied, glancing back to see the creatures leaping through the flames.

They sprinted through the forest, the whispers now a deafening chorus. The path seemed to twist and turn in impossible ways, but somehow, they kept moving forward. Max’s breath came in ragged gasps, and he could hear Snickers panting beside him.

“We’re not going to make it!” Max said, his legs burning with fatigue.

“Yes, we will!” Snickers insisted. “Just keep running!”

Max could see a faint light ahead, a small space in the trees. “There! I see something!”

They pushed forward, the young monsters snapping at their heels. Max could feel the heat of their breath and the breeze for the swipe of their claws. They burst through the last line of trees, stumbling onto a wide path.

The King’s Road.

They collapsed onto the cobblestones, gasping for air. The young monsters skidded to a stop at the edge of the forest, snarling but unable to cross the invisible barrier that protected the road.

Max laughed, he was out of breath. “We made it. We actually made it.”

Snickers looked up, his face streaked with dirt and sweat. “Told you we would.”

“Guess they don’t like the King’s Road.” Max saw the young monsters going back and forth, all they could do was growl at them, and then they retreated into the shadows.

“Lucky for us,” Snickers said, sitting up. “Now, let’s get as far away from this forest as possible.”

They stood up and continued walking down the road.

“Hey, Snickers,” Max said after a while. “Thanks, and you know you are free, you can always go, right?”

Snickers grinned. “You’re stuck with me, it is kind of fun seeing what kind of trouble you’ll get us into next.”

Max laughed. “Let’s hope that was it for at least a week.”

The whispers from The Whispering Woods faded, replaced by the sound of birds and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

“This will be a long journey.” Max sighed and looked at the moon in the sky. “I feel like eating cheese now.”