Chapter X

Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

After the Human had gone back in and dressed himself for travel he came back out and with the Trap Master and a handful of his skirmishers, who had bundled up from the chill, began trekking into the Hills in search of a better place for the Kobolds.

The Trap Master did not trust the Human, but as they traveled deeper into the Hills the more he began to earn his respect.

Calling them hills would be an enormous understatement.

They slopped sharply and would qualify more as mountains then "hills" and in some cases they would have fallen into a ravine or sudden drop off if not for the Human warning them before hand.

He called them some bizarre word the Trap Master failed to even attempt to pronounce was.

Apple Mountains, he thought.

Either way, it was a far cry from their former home.

It was more tropical with lush and vibrant plants and colorful wildlife.

Here it was cold and dull, everything would feel like the life was sucked out if not for the turn of the season and the changing of the leaves.

He was distracted by a strange bird call that he almost missed the sound of a noise like a click to his right.

Almost.

BANG!

"HOOOWEEE!"

The Trap Master barely avoided what ever was thrown at him and all he felt was splinters of wood fall from where his head was seconds ago.

He had fallen prone and signaled his skirmishers to do the same, they were best when ambushing prey and not the other way around.

A Human came over to where he had been and almost stepped on one of the trainees they had with them.

"Where'd ya go critter?" He said and the Trap Master was surprised he failed to smell him with how strong he reeked of spirits.

"COLE WHAT THE HELL YOU DOIN'!!!" Their Human shouted as he ran towards the other.

"Well hey dere cuz!" The other Human slurred.

"Don't "hey dere cuz" me! What are you doin' out here!"

"Well las'in I checked dis here was OUR land and dat ment I's could do what if'in I WANTS to!" He spat and almost fell over and onto the trainee that seemed ready to attack or bolt, but a stern look from the Trap Master kept him steady.

The season change was in their favor as the colors of the falling leaves helped hide them from the intoxicated Human.

"That's not what I meant Cole, what I meant is why are you out here shootin' at trees?" Their Human asked.

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The other Human pointed back at the hole in the tree where his head had been.

"It weren't no tree I's shootin'! It were a giant red lizard!"

Their Human made brief eye contact with the Trap Master.

"A giant red lizard?"

"Dats right! 'e stood right dere!" He said pointing at the hole.

"Cole, how much you been drinkin'?"

The Human Cole hesitated before trying, and failing, to stand a little straighter.

"Jus' a lil bit is all. But dat don't mean nufin'! I saws what I saws!"

"Cole, what did you say you saws?"

"A giant red lizard."

"Repeat."

"A giant red... lizard." He said though with less conviction.

"A."

"Giant."

"Red."

"Lizard."

As Their Human said each word the Human Cole's face fell more and more.

"O.k. fine! Maybe I didn't saws no giant red lizard."

Their Human patted the other on the back.

"Its alright Cole, we've all saws stuff when we drink too much."

The Human Cole looked embarrassed before perking up.

"You's still comin' to de Gaferin'?"

Their Human smiled.

"Course I'm comin' Cole, gotta keep ya'll away from my title."

The Human Cole got a smile that made apparent how many teeth he lost.

"You's sure 'bout dat? Lookin' lil soft dere cuz." He said poking at their Human.

"Cole, I work on trains and diggin' tunnels I ain't soft." He said before smacking away the other Human's hand.

"I don' know cuz, you's might wanna stay home else I'll be takin' dis years Ring Champ from you!"

"Yeah, how?" Their Human said walking further into the smaller Human's space and glowered down at him.

The Human Cole backed up a couple steps almost right on the trainee.

"You's can't scare me cuz, I's been learnin' dem Kang Foo moves from dat feller on the TV!" He said as he started imitating a fighting style... poorly.

"From who?"

"Wouldn't yous like to know cuz! Just sayin' dat dis years gonna be my year." He said.

As he stepped on the trainees tail eliciting a sharp cry from the poor Kobold.

The Human Cole turned in shock.

"HOOOLLLLYYY SSSHHHIII-"

SMACK!!!!

The Human Cole went down as Their Human socked him in the jaw.

The Trap Master and the other skirmishers and the embarrassed trainee got up from the leaves and stood with their Human around the Human Cole.

"What should we do with him?"

"Well first YOU are goin' to head back to my place and tell the Chief about any places ya'll liked, then I am goin' to wake up my dipshit cousin here and feed him some bullshit story to keep him from tellin' the others about ya'll."

The Trap Master, not wanting to trust the Human, couldn't argue. After admonishing the trainee for breaking cover even though his tail was stepped on they made their way back to their home.

-----

Damn Cole, Jeb thought

As the Kobolds left his sight he crouched down and gave his cousin a good slap across the face to wake him up.

"DHA!!! Wha happen'?" Cole asked shocked as he looked around himself.

"As you were showin' me your "Kang Foo" moves you fell and hit a rock."

Cole got up while rubbing his jaw.

"Den why's my jaw hurt?"

"Well I guess your brains had to go elsewhere since they ain't in your head." Jeb said as he rubbed his cousin's head, teasing him.

"Har har Jeb." Cole said before looking at the spot the Kobold he stepped on used to be.

"What you lookin' at Cole?" Jeb asked.

Cole paused before shaking his head.

"Nufin', guess I's did drank to much."

"Happens to all of us Cole, you good to head home?"

"Yeah, yeah. I's drunk but I's ain't DAT drunk." Cole slurred as he picked up his discarded rifle and headed back home.

Jeb after watching Cole leave over the ridge made to catch up to the Kobolds.

He caught up to them as they got to the stream near his house and made their way back together.

The Trap Master looked at Jeb several times before letting out a breath and spoke.

"We don't know this land as well as we thought we did when we first scouted the area." He admitted.

"I think." He paused.

"I think it would be better if we stayed near your home, for how used to it everyone is and for protection from other Humans."

Jeb looked at him and could see how much dealing with Cole and the unfamiliarity of the land rattled him.

"That's fine, I'll talk to Morty tomorrow and see about borrowin' some minin' equipment so we can dig out a home for ya'll in the hill outback my place."

The Trap Master smiled.

"You have mine and the Tribe's thanks."

"No problem, what are neighbors for."

-----

"Come on Cole tell us again about the Yella' Lizard!" Someone teased Cole as he got done telling his story.

"Naw naw it was a PURPLE Lizard!" Another jerreed.

"It was a RED Lizard and it walked on two legs 'n everyfin'!" Cole shouted at his kin even as they were falling over themselves laughing.

"Sure it weren't no Pink Elephants Cole?!" Someone else teased.

"Or a Green Dragon!?" Another laughed.

Cole was red from shame, he wasn't going to hear the end of this. Maybe Jeb was right, Cole thought.

"Cole, come here boy!" The Clan Matriarch called Cole over.

Cole, worried that the Matriarch was going to tease him, made his way to the woman who sat in a rocking chair on her porch.

Fiery red hair with streaks of grey in it and crows feet were the only thing that gave any hint as to what her age was, it seemed like no matter how old everyone got the Matriarch was always there for the Clan.

"Yeah Matriarch?"

She had a kind smile on her face as she leaned forward.

Maybe Cole really did have too much too drink, because her voice sounded as if there were more then just her talking to him.

"Now what's this about Our son and giant red lizards?"