The path moving backwards to the path that lead to the witch’s hut had turned out more foreboding than he remembered it. He and is ‘friend’ of circumstance, haul the heavy carcass across the forest, sweating their arms wet and struggling to maintain a proper girp. Dropping it a few times.
Zig-zag he noticed, became increasingly jumpy, peaking over his shoulder, blanking out, and staring at the darkness of the forest. Even with mana vision, Garrick could not determine what the hell he was looking at.
He stopped completely for a moment and started mumbling.
“You see anything weird, grub–, uh, Garrick,” his head kept turning in different directions. “Do you see any weird shadows lurking?”
“No, can’t say I do. Must be the hunger getting to your head. Quit the whining, you’re so supposed to be cunning, a well-crafted fellow. Let’s just get it over with and I’ll pay you and give you your share.” he said.
He had to nudge him repeatedly, staring at the goblin who’s face was turning paler and less green by the moment. His eyes were all over the place, their was the chance that he was actually entranced by something, that or he had touched or ate something with hallugenic properties.
He eventually tightened his grip, his eyes darting back and forth.
“Say, ya ever find something down that well, any treasure or something.”
“No, I found a monster down there, that nearly ate me whole. Why are you going spelunking?” he asked curious, as to why he was so interested.”
“Maybe, sum of da clans, are planning on expediting expeditions, down dere, hobs would never let us go snooping, down in old humie ruins. What does this monster of yours look like eh.”
“Like an overgrown chicken, only a little scalier, less feathers.” Garrick stopped for a bit. Their small goblins' bodies were never meant to carry loads bigger or around their size. At Least he has never carried something that big. “All these clans popped up overnight.”
“No. It’s always been there, you’ve just never noticed. You were dumb last week and now you're suddenly paying attention. Makes me wonder if I should go knock myself out from some height” The goblin took a heavy breath, stretching his back out. “Only good thing is there’s no fucking red bastard telling me what da fuck to do”
The destruction of some civilization sometimes meant the freedom of others, the only thing that worried Garrick was the chaos that would follow it.
Stopping in front of the witch’s cabin, stepping up the wooden stairs creaking every bit, they sat the game down on the floor. Zigzag was awfully quiet, sweating dripping down his face. The energy around the area felt heavier than he felt earlier.
Garrick knocks on the door but there is no response. The door opened on his own but there was no one to greet him. Seeing it as an invitation he waltzes right inside, his companion preferring to stay outside of the ‘wicked witches’ cabin. In the corner, he noticed the wood was creaking on its own. The sight of the phenomenon made him hesitate reality for a split second. What he swore were shadows shifting along the wall, twisting in shape, as if they had a life of their own.
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“garrick…garrick …!!!” zig-zag whispered as loud as he could. “Get the fuck out of here now.”
Concerned at the sly goblins' panic, he rushed out of the cabin. There at the edge of the clearing, Cidonia had appeared. A basket in her hand, the annoying raven circling her. A eerie smile on her face. Her gaze rested on them, he couldn’t make out why she was smiling. Amusement perhaps.
“Oh garrick, you probably shouldn’t go in there on your own, did the cabin let in on it’s own?” the statement made him raise a brow, he thought it was just unlocked. She quickly skimmed over her own question. “I see you brought one of the green children here, were you born from the same mother.”
Garrick’s mind went blank, even though he saw most of Grubhub's memories, he saw nothing with the inclination of a birth mother, as a matter of fact. Why would they be, they weren’t brothers. It dawned on him, that he had never seen a green goblin with a mother, only hobgoblin females. That was alarming. Things he wanted to ask. But was left for later.
Her eyes fixated on Zig-zag as if judging his worth.
“Ms. Cidonia, I wanted to ask, if you could help me cook this meat, it’s for our mutual acquaintance.”
She was taken aback by the question as if someone had never asked her a favour in her life.
“Cook for you, little Garrick?” she giggled softly, brushing her eyes closed.
“But I barely know you, I’m not your mother or your wife.”
That made him all the more confused.
“Is that a yes or a no, it’s for–the 'grumpy cave man', we made a deal. And I really don't know how to cook, my friend here just helped me carry the spoils of war, so im kind of indebted to him.”
“Careful who you make friends with Garrick, this one is a little naughty.” she pointed to zig-zag, he backed away. He looked like he was on the verge of combusting into an explosion.
What the hell is going on with him?
“You’re not gonna turn me into a frog are you lady of the woods?” he asked her in fright.
“Only if you swear to behave, Mr. Pickpocket.” she put on a devious expression, but he knew it was nothing more than an act to scare Zig-zag.
“And relax will you.”
Garrick let out a sigh of relief. Zig-zag swallowed
“Well, then shall we get started? Would not want to keep your friend busy.” her smile faded.
----------------------------------------
She had led Garrick to her hearth, tossing strange pinches of herbs into the waking fire. Smoke lit up the chimney, filling the room with primordial aroma, earthy and warm. She had guided him on how to handle butchering, something he had never done before. “I rarely participating in such things,” she had told him. “I expect you to handle this don’t worry I will guide you.” Garrick obeyed her every word, removing the hide with his steady hands, his cuts were imprecise but were steadily improving.
She observed him in complete silence, stepping in whenever he was close to messing up.
They had cut the meat into different sections and were even preparing two different meals. She had taken the headway and said it was for alchemical observation. In the end, they had made a thick broth in a pot, a well-cut and thick piece of venison steak. Their more unused meats, than they would get around to.
As the cackling fire settled, casting warm light in the room, he peered outside, the shadows seemed darker, and he wondered if it was the work of azul or was something else at play. AS the rest of the meat roasted over the flame, the aroma had kicked in savour and sickly sweet.
WHen the meal was done, he gave his share to zig-zag for participating in the ritual of life and death.
“You planning on going back to the stronghold,” Garrick asked him.
“Uhh…yes..yes. Might join a clan myself, seems dangerous out here in the wilds, best I leave now. See you…Garrick.”
The goblin practically fled. Zig-zag made off without much of a conversation, was that fair? Some part of him felt compelled to punish the man for taking advantage of Grubhub, the other part felt compelled to find a sliver of camaraderie among the sly man. Thankful for helping even.
The witch’s gaze has softened, she had approach him form the back, putting her hands on his shoulders, she had a firm touch, it felt oddly comforting.
“You’ve changed a bit, Garrick,” she said, her voice was soft but she held a grave expression. “You bear part of his mark, I can see it, whatever you are learning from him. It’s changing you. Be a bit more careful.”
She ran her fingers on his arm, touching his veins. “Yes, very different. Don’t play the pawn. Follow your own path."
She released him, letting her words hang in the air. Her eyes had darkened, pupils dropped. Something unreadable flashed though her face before she stepped back, going inside without another word, he nodded.
‘That was fucking creepy, sensual even.’
Her words didn’t fall on deaf ears, Azul had an agenda. Better to be careful about this.
“Do come by sometimes I rarely get company.” she echoed from the cabin.
“I will,” he shouted.
Strange woman, not afraid of goblins. But he supposed her kind were originally placed hear to aid the court in magical manners, he’d need to do inquiries.
Garrick walks away from the hut, her words echoing in his mind. Whatever had altered him in the cave had not yet finished its work on him. The prepared meat bundled in his hands, he made his way to Cave.
Azul better not be up to no bullshit.