Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

"So tha giant is alive still 'nd is back where we saw 'im last?" Hamish asked as Clive finished explaining everything.

Clive decided to be proactive and just rip the band-aid off. He gathered the halflings, and the human workers, together and laid everything out. Morty and his army of hobgoblins to the east. Sloth to the west.

There wasn't going to be any "misunderstandings" if Clive could help it. One of the railyard boys raised his hand.

"What's a hobgoblin?"

"Its like a bigger, taller, not quite so ugly, goblin." Clive explained, it really made him self conscious when normal people asked stuff and he had to try really hard not to default to being a nerd like he would with his friends.

"You mean those fellas in the Revolutionary War get ups?"

"Yeah, them."

"Are we talkin' like, someone that's really tall, or do you mean an ACTUAL giant?" Someone else asked.

"Jack and the beanstalk giant." Clive answered.

"That mean he's gonna eat us?!"

"NO! NO! No it's not! As long as you don't bother him, he won't bother you! He's pretty much content eating wild boar." Clive quickly said.

"Tha' don't mean he wont still be a problem Clive!" Hamish said heatedly.

"As long as no one goes LOOKING for a problem, there wont BE one Hamish!" Clive retorted.

Hamish guffawed and threw his hands in the air in frustration. Sam spoke, the first time since Clive called them all together.

"So as long as we don't mess with him he'll leave us alone?"

"Yeah."

Sam thought for a moment longer before nodding and clapped his hands together to get the rest of the railyard workers attention.

"Well, you heard the man! Avoid the woods, and the giant! Now back to work!"

A few of the men groaned and grumbled in protests, but it was more for laughs than actual protest. They went back to work with few words, though some were talking about how glad the other farmers should be with the hog population lowered.

The halflings in comparison, looked uneasy. Hamish walked over to Clive and whispered in a hushed voice.

"Clive wha' tha hells are you thinkin'?!"

"I'm thinking that keeping stuff like this secret would cause more problems than it would solve."

"Not tha'! Tha giant! We should be drivin' it away from us 'nd our families!"

"Don't go waking sleeping dogs Hamish!"

"Wha' exactly does tha' even mean?!"

"If a dog is sleeping don't go waking it up! It means there won't be a problem unless SOMEONE goes poking around for one!"

"Wha' tha' supposed ta mean?!"

"It means that you halflings have a bad habit of poking your noses in places that you shouldn't be, and that it'd be better if you just left it alone!" Clive said this at Hamish, but his eyes found Kilpa as he spoke.

She's been giving him the cold shoulder since their fight about the kobolds. But for once Clive didn't care. He wasn't going to put Jeb's life and their friendship in danger because of a halflings wounded ego, or whatever it was. Hamish was sputtering out an answer as his face turned red.

"Th-th-there'll be consequences ta this Clive! Tha giant ca-"

"That giant didn't do anything Hamish! It was YOU that came to me to DRIVE AWAY the giant. He was scared, starving, and lost! It was the halflings that attacked him first! Also! He has been there for over a week now and nothing has happened! Leave Sloth alone Hamish! If something does happen then by all means, I'll deal with it and the consequences will be on my head! But if you or the others try and attack him again like last time? I'll leave, and don't think these folk will stick around either! You go looking for trouble with him and you and the rest will be on your own!" Clive stated.

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Morty was right, he needed to put his foot down and the situation called for it. He left Hamish as he continued to sputter. Clive should feel bad given that it was Hamish that offered him a new place to stay. But he was tired of being led by the ear! He was done feeling like he had no control!

He didn't even look at Kilpa as he brushed past her. She didn't say anything either. Fine by him. As he walked back to his tent he actually felt pretty good! Wonder if this is how Morty feels giving orders to the greenskins, Clive thought as he shut himself away in his tent and pulled out a book.

Hamish stormed away towards his own tent. He threw open the linen tarp and sat down in his chair with a huff as he pulled his pipe out.

"Can you believe 'im!?"

Addie sat on their cot nursing Stella. She simply rolled her eyes as Hamish recounted Clive's words. Hamish, like most halflings, had big egos and it took great effort to get them to see past it. It was something they shared with their cousins the gnomes. Though the idea that the halflings and gnomes were related is a hotly contentious issue among both races.

The more scholarly types believe that humans, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes might stem from a common ancestor. Of course none of said races believed that. For the same reason Hamish fumed and vented. Pride. Simple as.

Addie sighed as Hamish finally finished venting his frustration. Feryl peeked his tiny head around the divider.

"Is Clive in trouble?"

"No son, just a misunderstandin' is all!" Addie told their son. The boy nodded and returned to playing with his toys while Hamish looked at his wife with a look of betrayal and confusion.

"Misunderstandin' nothin'! Tha lad is-"

"Tha future son in-law o' our daughter Hamish! Honestly!? It's like you don't think sometimes! Now get back there 'nd make amends with him 'nd quit actin' like an old goat!" Addie snapped.

"No." Hamish said simply as he continued to puff on his pipe.

"Wha'?" Addie stared at Hamish, unsure of the word that was just said.

"I said no! I did nothin' wrong 'nd I won't say otherwise!" Hamish proclaimed as he crossed his arms with a huff.

Addie just smiled, fixed her blouse, got up, and walked over to Hamish.

"Wha' were tha' Hamish?"

His plan sounded better in his head, thought Hamish as his wife gave him a not-at-all kind smile and a cold glare. Too late to back down now though.

"I said, tha' I wont! 'Nd tha's final woman!"

Her face barely moved a muscle. Then she spoke, sweet as pie.

"Come along Feryl! You 'nd yer sister are goin' ta spend tha afternoon with Clive!"

Hamish sputtered.

"You can- ACK!"

He was interrupted as Addie snatched an ear with his free hand, dragging Hamish to his feet. She then led her family over to Clive's tent. Clive came out when he heard the pained cries of Hamish. But stopped and stared when he saw the why and who was the cause.

Addie walked over to Clive and let go of her husband's ear.

"Afternoon Clive! If it isn't too much trouble, could you look after tha wee ones while me 'nd Hamish 'ere 'ave a bit o' time fer ourselves?"

Clive barely got a word out when the wee babie Stella was foisted into his hands and Feryl sat down next to one of Clive's piles of books. Clive stared dumbfounded as Addie once more dragged Hamish away by the ear.

Clive looked down at the little baby, she was so small still that he could easily hold her with just one hand. He glanced down at the eldest of the Hambinger kids.

"So... what do you wanna do?"

The quarterling shrugged his shoulders and played with some tin soldiers. Or at least Clive thought they were soldiers. He was sure the kid would like Risk. But he didn't have it with him anymore. Not sure what else to do he began to gently rock the wee babie. She made some typical baby gurgles as she looked up at Clive with her green eyes.

"Hey Feryl? Wanna see a dead body?"

It wasn't a HUMAN body. But it was very much dead. Clive sat on a stump nearby coddling Stella while Feryl just stared wide eyed up at Sloth as he roasted yet more boar. The boy was barely taller than Clive's knee. If he stood on his tippy-toes he might be the same size as Sloth's pinky toe. Maybe.

"Sloth." The giant said simply as he put a hand to his chest.

The quarterling just continued to stare at the giant. So Sloth tried again.

"Sloth."

"Feryl." The lad said weakly.

"Sloth. Feryl." Sloth repeated. Much to the delight of the little halfling. Who's face split wide with a toothy grin as he marched over by the fire and watched the pigs roast.

It was nice that they got along. Though Clive didn't really know what to do. After getting everything out in the open he felt a great weight lift off his shoulders. Not only that, but with construction on the halflings houses and the hot house well under way he didn't need to worry about them freezing or starving anymore.

Now he just felt bored. Usually there would be something that needed done, or that he wanted to do. But he didn't really have anything anymore. He caught up with Jeb and Morty. He's fulfilled his promise to the halflings. Is this what Jeb feels like all day when he's not working? This sucks, Clive thought bitterly.

Sure he could try and bring the halflings into the 21st century, but he doubt they would have any inclination to learn. Maybe he could start a school here? He has plenty of reading material for it. Though from what he's gathered the halflings didn't care for "higher learning". But he needed to start somewhere. At least he wouldn't be bored.

Before long Stella started to get fussy. So Clive called Feryl over and made their trek home. Saying goodbye to Sloth as they left. As they neared Clive heard a commotion near the central area where the feasts and other gatherings took place.

When Clive got near to the tent he heard many of the halflings talking.

"Twas spring when we left 'nd we should stick to it!"

"It's fall 'ere 'nd we should celebrate it!"

It sounded like they were arguing over holidays, Clive thought. It seemed like they couldn't decide if they should have a fall festival or a spring one. Not like they needed a reason, Clive thought. They were so ready to feast and drink regularly that it seemed like they were just calling them festivals just to differentiate what they called their meals.

"Lets ask tha Giant Slayer!" Someone called.

"Didnae you 'ear?! He ain't slayed no giant!"

"Don't matter! Someone 'as ta decide!"

With that everyone looked at Clive, who still held a burbleing baby and a wee lad at his side.

"Uhm, well. It would be too cold to celebrate spring?"

He didn't really have a reason, but apparently it was good enough for the halflings as they came to the agreement to host the Harvest Festival. Even if there wasn't a harvest to celebrate.

While the halflings bustled about getting ready for their festival Clive went to the Hambinger tent. But he didn't see Addie nor Hamish. So he returned to his own tent. He sat Stella down to bed on his cot. Though Feryl soon followed as he climbed up and slept beside his sister.

With his bed taken up, Clive returned to his book and sat down while he waited for the Hambingers return.

Meanwhile, Addie was having a very terse talk with Hamish by the river.

"I don't understand! 'E's tha one at fault!"

Addie glared once more at Hamish as he huffed some more, rubbing his red and swollen ear,

"Don't matter Hamish! Do you really wanna 'ave a son-in-law tha' hates you? 'Cause tha's wha'll 'appen if you don't buck up 'bout it!"

"It was YER idea not mine!"

"Aye! It was! Which means you'll go back 'nd do wha' I say! Ifin you don't, I'll drag you back 'ere 'nd toss you inta tha river! Maybe a cold dip will cool yer 'ead!" Addie threatened.

Hamish grumbled.

"Wha' were tha'!?"

"I said fine! I'll be tha bigger man 'nd go make amends!" Hamish declared, albeit reluctantly.

Addie trotted over and gave Hamish a kiss.

"See? Ain't so 'ard is it?"

Hamish grumbled some more and followed after Addie.

"Besides! Sour moods ruin parties!"

"Doubt those 'alfwits 'ave decided on wha' ta do already."