<~> CHAPTER 12

I licked my chops as we traveled back through the lake cavern and approached the mouth of the cave that all the disgusting goblins had run into. One advantage of being able to shift between forms was that it was easy to get rid of the blood... but not the looks that the others gave me. I tried not to let it bother me but it was obvious that my... eating habits were disturbing to the others. I couldn't help it though, the monsters tasted too good. It was hard to avoid my mind wandering back to how much of a freak I had become but I squashed that feeling back down again. I didn't have time for those thoughts.

The familiar stink of the goblins touched my nose and I signaled for the group to stop. I closed my eyes and exhaled sharply before leaning towards the ground and sniffing. This felt a bit demeaning, to sniff the ground like an actual dog, but it actually helped me pick up scents so much better. I wasn't smelling what was in that spot, I was pulling scents to me from farther away. It was an odd experience.

("Three near the opening,") I relayed to Luna. ("I smell two others nearby, they smell like feathers, probably archers, the scent seems too strong to be decorative. At least one of the three by the opening is asleep... his breath stinks.")

I stood back up and snorted to clear the scents from my nose. Since my senses have expanded even 'bad' scents are less offensive to me now. But there was just something about the unique mix of sweat and feces that made goblins especially disgusting. Luna wrote into the dirt and Maxwell confirmed the words out loud drawing a nod from her. He turned to Piper and had a short conversation before the two of them nodded he said something back to Luna.

Luna pointed ahead. ("Since the passage is so tight Maxwell will go first so he can protect us with his shield. You'll go in second so that you can support him from behind or swap if it becomes necessary. I'll go third, if we alert them I'll try to take out the archers as soon as one of us can see them. Piper will protect our rear and heal when required. Any objections?) she asked me.

I shook my head. ("No. You're more familiar with this kind of thing than I am. Just tell me if something changes, I don't mind splitting off if I need to. Goblins don't feel like much of a threat to me.")

She nodded and stepped behind me. She gently put her hand on my back, making me realize how tense I actually was. I took a breath and forced myself to relax. Threat or not, the tension was anxiety-inducing. ("Thank you. I feel better now.") I whispered to her through the rings. She didn't reply but I felt her hand pull away and heard her take a deep breath behind me too. Even if the goblins weren't a threat individually, they were numerous and we were about to walk right into their territory. But why shouldn't I? They're weak, this should be my territory. I shook the thought away, it was starting to become easier to tell apart the instincts and my own thoughts but the more I could understand them the more disturbing they became.

Maxwell pushed forward into the mouth of the cave. I was surprised just how quiet the man could move in armor like that. If I had been wearing something like that I would sound like a windchime, though perhaps not in my werewolf form. My instincts now told me how to skulk around unnoticed and I silently followed Maxwell through the cave. I suppose while the glowing white eyes would be advantageous a lot of the time, it was a hindrance while stalking prey so my instincts told me how to compensate for them. I got the impression that Maxwell was relying on them right now too though in place of a more conspicuous torch.

We proceeded through the narrow cave when I noticed something and immediately pulled Maxwell back by his shoulder.

("Trap!") I told Luna.

Maxwell looked back at me with a confused look before his eyes widened in understanding.

("There's a thin tripwire. I don't know what it'll trigger though,") I further explained.

The hair-thin wire gleamed and reflected the light of my eyes. I wasn't sure if they could see it but I could see it bright as day.

A whispered conversation between Piper and Maxwell ensued, further frustrating me that I could not follow their thought process.

("They decided to trigger it remotely from a distance so we're going backwards a bit.")

I nodded and followed their lead.

("How did the goblins set up something so sophisticated?") I asked Luna.

("I don't think it was the goblins, I think it was the dungeon,") she replied.

("The dungeon? Does this mean it's dissuading us from going forward?")

She shrugged. ("It's hard to say. It could mean that we're so much stronger than the goblins, the dungeon is trying to thin us out. Or it could be a reminder to be careful by dropping a mostly harmless trap in our way to keep us on alert. The dungeon's intentions can be hard to interpret.")

We had reached a decent distance away so we decided to form up here. Maxwell started saying something to the group which Luna began to translate for me. ("Alright, I'm going to stay in front and stay completely behind my shield, Luna, you'll try to trigger it remotely then fall back behind my shield. Helena, you listen for any secondary effects of the trap triggering. If we need to move one way or the other quickly you and Luna probably have the best ears to tell us about it. Piper, prepare to heal anyone who might get hurt. Is everyone ready?") Maxwell shot a questioning look at me.

I nodded, confident that my gesture would be understood. He took a breath and leaned against the left wall so that Luna could cast her spell past us. A small fireball arced over to the spot where I had noticed the trap and popped just after Maxwell's shield was in position again. The first thing I noticed was the grinding sounds of the metal spikes shoving out of hidden holes in the rock and embedding themselves into the other side. The entire thing made an ear-piercing sound as the metal spikes crumpled and bent against the wall before falling to the floor.

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I strained my ears for any other sounds but after a moment I shook my head, not hearing anything save the snoring of the sleeping goblin ahead of us.

Maxwell said a short phrase which Luna translated for me. ("Moving forward.")

Our group slowly moved forward to the trap and stopped where the tripwire had been. I looked up and down the tunnel intently before talking to Luna through the rings. ("I don't see any other traps, at least none of the kind I would be able to detect.")

Piper spoke for Luna this time, relaying the message to Maxwell. He nodded and we started to progress again. Without being asked I looked intently for any more signs of traps. I kept my ears perked and my eyes sharp but we didn't come across anything more as we reached the exit to the tunnel.

Maxwell whispered something and Luna translated for me. ("I'll go on alone for a bit. If one of them is sleeping I'll try and take the other two out without alerting any of the other goblins.")

I nodded and lowered myself into a crouch, ready to dash forward if I needed to. I stretched my clawed hands as I prepared for the worst. Maxwell swung his shield to one side of him and advanced low to the ground. I couldn't help but once again be impressed by his ability to move so quietly in all of that armor. He reached the end of the tunnel and stabbed into a goblin I couldn't see before quickly spinning and taking out the one on the other side. The only sound he made the entire time was his armor clacking when he finally struck. The snoring that I had heard died out too without any sound. He stepped back into the cave and signaled us to catch up to him.

("Impressive,") I told Luna through the rings.

("He is, both of them have had to work extra hard to cover for me...")

I frowned. I wasn't sure how to reply so I just chose not to. I didn't know enough about the situation yet but it made me sad to hear her put herself down like that.

When we reached him I peeked around the corner. The bodies of the goblins were slumped against the wall. Two had large stab wounds to their heart, the one on the other side of the others had been completely decapitated.

He subvocalized something to us so quietly that I doubt even Piper could hear what he said.

("Maxwell is asking if you can take the archers out silently. They're too high up for him to climb quietly while wearing armor.")

I nodded and he let me slink past. I couldn't afford to let myself be heard at this stage so I took things slowly. The archers on either side of the cliffs weren't really paying attention but they weren't asleep either. They looked like they were just watching the other goblins walk around below them while bored. They were poor lookouts. I climbed the cliff, a bit challenging but not impossible with my sharp claws. I made it up to the first of the two and held his jaw shut as my claws sunk into his heart from behind. The goblin didn't make any noise but he did spit up his disgusting blood on my hand. I wiped the blood off my hands and rolled him over to make it look like he just fell asleep.

The other would be more challenging. I'd have to climb down, sneak through the space between the two cliffs without being seen, and climb back up on the other side.

Wait, no.

I looked over the gap... I can make it if I jump. Could I do so silently though? I felt like I could but I wasn't sure. Do I risk it? What's more risky, climbing back down and up or jumping the gap? I tossed the idea around for a few seconds before deciding the jump would actually be less risky. I shook my shoulders and prepared myself to get a running start.

I took a breath, one, two, three!

I leaped the gap, my arms naturally reaching forward to help me land on all fours on the other side. Unfortunately, I wasn't as completely silent as I had hoped, and the goblin I was preparing to kill turned and looked at me with wide eyes. I dashed toward him and he let out a small cry of alarm right before I stabbed my claws deep into his chest. The goblin blurbled blood onto my other hand as he died. I looked around to see if any of the other goblins had heard that.

No. It looks like I'm safe.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard Luna's voice basically whisper right into my ear. ("Good job. We're heading forward now. You stay up there and keep a lookout.")

I took a breath to steady myself after the nearly failed stealth mission followed by the jumpscare from my own teammate. ("Alright. I'll keep an eye out.")

I had to be careful up here and rely not only on my sight but also on my smell and hearing as well. Umber hounds' eyes can make them easy to spot but if you were far enough away and didn't know what you were looking for, the light probably wouldn't be that noticeable. That's what my instincts told me but for once I didn't know how much I agreed. It was dark in here and I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb. I remember seeing the umber hound's eyes that night on the mountain. I'll never forget that monster's face.

For now, there was nothing else I could do so we proceeded through the goblin's 'fortress' of scrap metal and rocks, silently killing each and every one of them. This seemed more like an extermination than a fight for survival but something deep inside of me was revolted by those things and I couldn't bring myself to care that we were quietly killing them one by one.

I think I need a therapist.