Twilight shone across the deep violet sky as the last glimpses of the sun faded out of sight, leaving only a small orange glow that melted into the rest of the night, as stars faintly twinkled above. Vern and Zee sat on opposite sides of the small campfire, Zee took a hasty bite of a smoked and skewered fish while Vern kneeled in front of the cutting board, scaling and gutting another fish for consumption.
“I could prepare that for you if you’d like.” He offered, looking up to the goblin focused on chewing through a bite-full of scales.
Zee cocked her head to the side, spitting out several scales onto the sand beside her before swallowing the rest of her mouth’s contents. “I’m fine.” She gruffed, before taking another, smaller bite.
Vern’s shoulders sagged in guilt, he could tell something was on her mind. If nothing else, goblinkind were very blunt folk. He figured it’d be better to not beat around the bush about the topic. “So, I may have let it slip my mind but…I’m supposed to be looking for a monster sighted somewhere up north. I’ve been meaning to tell you, I just got distracted along the way.” He explained in a low, gentle tone.
Zee didn’t respond as she spat out a few more scales, keeping her eyes trained on the fish in her hands, not looking up to acknowledge his words.
Vern leaned back, rubbing his hands together in his lap. “I’m sorry for not warning you earlier. I-If you don’t want to come with that’s fine. I don’t want you to face anything you’re not prepared for.”
Her ears drooped as he spoke, eyes widening in alarm at his words, before squeezing them tight, gritting her teeth.
“ISH NOT LIKE THAT!” She shouted, jumping to her feet and tossing her half-eaten fish to the side.
Vern recoiled in shock at her sudden outburst. He could see her shoulders were tense, chest heaving in deep quick breaths, Her eyes seemingly piercing right through his own. After a moment that felt like an hour, her breathing slowed as the rest of her body relaxed, before spinning around and plopping back onto the sand, facing away from the ranger.
He let the quiet moment linger between them, listening to the river’s flow and the occasional croaking frog. “What is it like then, Zee?” He calmly prodded.
She turned her head to speak over her shoulder. “Do…you rember when we firsh met?” She asked in an uncharacteristically meek tone.
Vern looked up at the darkened sky, eyes tracing over the constellations as his mind recalled the memories. It was a little over 2 years ago, a short time after he was promoted to his position as ranger. It was a misty spring morning as he was patrolling the border, the first time he’d done so by himself, traveling up north through the woods when he heard a child’s cry. Rushing through the trees he discovered a pack of wolves circling their prey, cries and shouts coming from the center. He then quickly rushed into action, drawing his silverlined sword, slashing and striking at the pack, driving them away.
When the fighting was over, he turned to assess the victims, surprised to see a gobliness, face twisted into an angry snarl, a deeply bleeding gash on her right shoulder, fur clothes torn, revealing bloodied scratch marks across her torso, defensively pointing a half broken spear at him. Behind her sat a small goblin child, eyes puffy and filled with tears. The gobliness aggressively shouted at him in words he didn’t understand, causing him to raise his sword up, ready to defend himself.
They squared off against each other for several moments, neither one of them taking a step. The spear in the gobliness’ hands shook as she heavily breathed, before her eyes rolled back into her head as she collapsed to the ground. Vern was weighing his options, he considered just killing the two right then and there. No one knew where the goblins came from, sightings of them only started a couple of years before, while there have been a few reports of them attacking and stealing from some of the local outdoorsmen who ventured too close to the border, no one has been killed by them yet. But they were goblins, fiercely dangerous Orckin who were known all across the country for their pillages. They were dangerous, he couldn’t take any chances.
As he took slow steps towards the pair, sword clutched tightly in hand. He locked eyes with the little goblin child, trembling in fear. He didn’t see a threat, or a monster, but a child. In the end he couldn’t bring himself to end the lives of the child and its guardian. He sheathed his sword, and knelt down over the bigger goblin. She was still alive but barely breathing, as the goblin child shook her leg, desperately trying to wake her up. Vern quickly dressed her wounds, using his own supply of bandages and healing salves, the child curiously watched him as he worked. It wasn’t enough to completely heal her, but it would ensure she would survive long enough to get the help she needed.
Looking around he observed the fresh tracks in the damp earth, several pawprints dotted the ground from the pack encounter, yet in between them he could pick out a set of footprints, prints that matched those made by the gobliness before him. It was a stretch but if he followed the trail back maybe he can find their home, other goblins that can help. With a heave he slung the unconscious goblin woman over his shoulders, she was surprisingly heavy for her size, testing her weight as she groaned in pain. He turned and stretched out a hand to the goblin child, who gingerly took it with both of its own clasping tiny fingers around it. Then leading them off, the wet ground squelching underfoot, as they followed the trail through the mists.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Vern blinked as his mind snapped back to the present. Looking back towards his companion as she rubbed the scar on her shoulder. “Yeah. The chief’s son went missing, ran away from home. Much of the tribe went out searching, and you found him first. Why do you ask?”
Zee was quiet for a moment before speaking. “When I woke up, Boh told me everythin’ that happened’. How’ya walked up to’ta village, how’ya didn’t flinch or look scared when shome of the tribe walked up to’ya with shpears. Ya sha- you sh-sh-saved us.” Her voice cracked as she struggled to enunciate the words.
He mulled over her words, recognizing the sincerity in her voice. “Well let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy! I wasn’t even sure what to do while I was surrounded by goblins shouting at me! If it wasn’t for Boh knowing how to speak my language I’m sure they would’ve skewered me on the spot!” Spoken with a cheerful voice in an attempt to lighten the mood.
She gave a light chuckle. “That ol goblin ish shtill good for a few thingsh.”
Silence fell back between the two.
“Itsh my job’ta help’ya, after’ya helped me. Thatsh why I worked sho hard to become a lead hunter, to protect you an your people from monstersh.” Zee’s voice trailed off as she started tracing lines in the sand next to her. “If there'sh a monster here, that meansh…I failed.”
Vern was taken aback by her confession, he had no idea she took on so much responsibility for his own sake. He stood up, walked around the campfire from the left side, and sat down next to his friend, legs crossed, hands in his lap as he hunched forward. Zee had her legs tucked up to her chest, arms wrapped around them as she stared straight ahead towards the river, moonlight rippling off the surface.
“Zee, nobody expects perfection out of you. I don’t, and you shouldn’t either. You and your people have already done so much to help me and mine. I’d say you’ve already paid back your debt. Not that I was keeping track.” He spoke gently, choosing the words he’d use to reassure her carefully.
She nervously swallows. “You no understand. I have’ta protect you!” She turns her head facing him, eyes pleading for understanding.
He meets her gaze. “Why, Zee?”
Several seconds pass as they stare at each other, before Zee quickly turns her head away from him. “Caush I have’ta…” She quietly answers.
“I heard ya talkin’ to’ta fishy man.” She mentions, seemingly trying to change the topic.
“Let me guess, you have good ears too?”
“Mmhmph.” Zee lightly nods as her lips form into a slight grin, quickly dropping it again as she continues. “I’ll never get’ta go inshide your village, will I?”
Vern began scratching the back of his neck as he responded. “Why do you want to?”
“Caush, ya folk alwaysh have…shtuff.”
“Stuff?” His brow furrows in curiosity, resting his chin on his knuckles as he inquisitively searches her expression.
“Yeh, like’ta big ol wall, big fanshy homesh, good shmelling food, booksh, shtuff we goblinsh don’t have.” She stretches her hands above her head, as if to emphasize her relative smallness compared to the large things the village had built. “I wish ta goblinsh would be like’ta humansh.”
Vern straightens his back, clearing his throat. “Well I think you goblins are pretty amazing. You’re brave, resourceful, and you have such strong bonds with each other.” He lightly bumps her shoulder with a closed fist, she responds by rolling her eyes while letting out an amused snort.
“You shouldn’t want to be a human when you’re as great as you are.” He concludes the thought with a warm smile.
Zee springs up to her feet and begins playfully hammering her fists on Vern’s head. “I shaid I wanted’ta be LIKE you humansh! Not BE one!”
Vern covers his head with one hand, attempting to block her assault with the other. “AHH! OKAY okay I get your point! I’m sorry!” He pleads, stifling his laughter.
She takes a few steps away from him, placing her hands on her hips as a wide toothy smile peels onto her face, eyelids drooping in amusement. “Ya better!”
They shared a warm smile with their tender moment. Vern could feel a warmness spread across his chest as he looked upon the goblin woman, moonlight shone down illuminating her right side as the light from the fire danced across her left. He was astounded that in just a short time they went from casual acquaintances, to feeling a connection to her. A connection to someone he could trust, someone he could understand. A true friend.
Yet as he looked into her deep green eyes, shimmering and glistening in the contrasting lighting, he couldn’t help but wonder what else he was feeling. Something like-
The thought was interrupted as Zee suddenly whipped her head to the left, eyes widening in surprise as her ear twitched. She shut her eyes and tilted her head, straining to listen. “I hear…yelling.”
Vern slowly rose to his feet, eyes scanning the fields to the north, realizing it was too dark for him to see very far before turning back to Zee. “Who is it?”
She continued listening for a moment, before snapping her eyes back open, turning to the ranger. Her shoulders tensed, eyes filled with worry. “The fisher lady!”