Gob slowly walked towards the knight.

Despite the low growling of other goblins he smiled to the commander and while standing a few steps away from the heavy armored humans he silently bowed. He knew already that an act could be stronger than most words.

The knight chuckled amused with a nasty grin and whispered something to his servant who quickly turned away and went back into the forest shade.

Gob was panicked. Did he made a wrong move. He could count up to twenty humans and none of them had bows in their hands. How many were there? Would they shot him on the spot?

He continued to bow waiting for any reaction of the human commander yet the knight was standing still. They both didn't move an inch.

After a short silent pause an arrow was sent towards a lonely goblin. Gob wasn't surprised, but it didn't meant he wasn't scared for his live. He didn't waver. The arrow was stuck just between his legs missing him by a small margin. Gob already could tell that he wasn't lucky, he was being toyed with, but it could be changed. Had they tried to kill him on the spot he wouldn't even have a chance.

"They all dead majesty..."

The commander who surely ordered his death stopped grinning and raised his hand up. Presumably to stop the killing order. There were no other arrows flung in his direction.

"Talking goblin. What a joke."

He was now glaring at Gob with either curiosity or pure hatred. Because of a long scar on his cheek and cold eyes of someone well acquainted with death Gob couldn't quite tell.

"We caught everyone majesty."

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"Even the girl?"

Gob knew he couldn't lie here. He was shocked to hear that. Even he didn't connect the dots fast to know that she was important. Instead of a bad lie he chose a terrible truth.

Grinning in the most terrifying way he could, showing all his bare teeth and slowly licking them with his tongue he replied.

"No. The girl is still alive..."

It was a gamble. He gambled whether this man was here to protect or kill. If he was to protect than Gob would live long enough to show them where the woman was. If not. Well. Where hobgoblins came from was common knowledge.

Was this man despicable enough to not check?

A long silence was set at the forest. Silently leaves where losing their place at the tree tops as the wind kidnapped them from their original home. Beads of sweat were rolling down Gob's spine. He was banking his life on this man's one whiff alone. And then...

The man laughed.

"Make her suffer."

Cold words combined with autumn winds made Gob shiver. The knight seemed pleased with Gob. After a short order humans started to go back towards the road where they first ambushed the girl's convoy. Gob was still bowing, waiting for them to leave, but just when the commander where to hide in the shade of trees he said:

"It would be unwise to leave the ambush like this. Chose five of your.. brothers. They will go with us."

"What is with that look of yours? Can't you count to five."

"Wouldn't three be enough?"

"Do you understand what I am about to order."

"Each goblin Four limbs. Three enough majesty.."

The man just laughed. Gob then rushed towards his tribesman. He chose the least important members. Goblins only. To be honest they were assigned to him only because they needed someone to move the gathered crap back to the village.

Hobgoblins were surprisingly quick to catch up. They hold down the unlucky few and tied them down.

Gob wasn't waiting for humans to take the goblins. Quickly ordering retreat they rushed back with loot as fast as possible. He then noticed two of his fellow gatherers suddenly fell down arrows in their necks.

He sure could count to five.

Human commander's laugh was following him together with autumn leaves.