Chapter 393

393 293 – I Only Killed One

Say what you will about goblins, they make use of their local resources. Their first line of defense was up in the trees, complete with wooden walls to hide behind.

“I only need as much of your land as to pass through, and only for so long as it takes for me to do so.” I shouted out in goblin.

“Your request is denied. Go the fuck around!” a goblin shouted back.

You know what? I didn’t need this hassle. I’d come here, and decided that the goblins didn’t need my help.

I went around clockwise, looking for the first signs of the spiritual and fay section of the wood. There was none, not any more. A squadron of goblins shadowed me, willingly crossing even into the blackwood.

This process, slowed by foraging and repeated feedings, and the general excrement that went with that, took up the bulk of a day. Although technically the river marked the edge of the centaur lands, I planned to swing northwest the next day, deeper into what are sometimes called the Wild Plains.

This region was as known for its variety of Aware animals as the lack of other sentient people or folk.

a midget plains cat informed me.

I sent.

.....

I admitted.

he insisted.

I sent pictures of Rakkal, his brothers and sister.

the feline admitted.

a nearby bird chirped at me.

The plains cat blinked, its eyes now narrowed.

I said.

NEVER DO THIS.

Even animals that are Aware have a simplified view of the world. Although most Goblins cannot communicate directly with most Awakened animals, they are capable of asking not to be eaten, and therefore should not. It wasn’t the same degree of protection an Aware animal could expect, but still...

The cat flung itself into and through the brush. Birds exploded outward in all manner of directions, screaming .

Well, crap.

So much for safety. If I proceeded across the wild plains, I’d likely get killed. If I turned eastward, the centaurs would likely find me, and I’d get killed.

If I turned around, the goblins would see me, and I’d be killed.

If I assumed another form, the birds would see me. So I couldn’t proceed here.

A lone human or goblin in centaur lands would raise questions, which my Truthspeaker Oath would make hard to answer. Likewise if I tried to pass through the goblin wood.

But...

If memory served, Birimirihirip and his people lived to the west and slightly south, deep within the Morass.

So I turned that way, and tried to ignore the plains cats that thought themselves following me stealthily.

Swamps are great places to forage; full of life. Unfortunately, it is also a good place to meet all kinds of aquatic and amphibian predators. My Beast Sense allowed me to avoid most of these, and I was able to feed the children a variety of frogs, snakes, and other animals. For Manahuru, there were stagnant pools of water.

he complained.

I told him.

When they found me, I discovered that my memory of their language had faded, or that I was pronouncing words wrong.

“Come, we shall share food.” one of them said.

“My siblings and I eat quite a lot.” I said.

“Your siblings?” another asked.

“They ride in my backpack for now. Until they grow enough to move on their own.”

“Show us?”

I did so.

One of them laughed. “Yeah, good thing you told us about their meaning to you. Otherwise, it would be easy to mistake them for food.”

I forced myself to breathe normally. “I can see this was a mistake. I need only enough of your swamp to pass through to the ocean, and only for the time required to pass.”

“Here, now, don’t be like that. My brother was only joking.”

He reached out a hand, and I snapped my jaws at him. It wasn’t the greatest moment of my Charisma skills, but there is no point in denying it. I’m not certain if I would have bitten him, but I also can’t say that I wouldn’t.

“I will not lose my brothers and sister just because your people think it is funny!”

“Sister?” the young one pressed. “We have a shortage of breeding females. I’ll fight you for her.”

“Gurrupili.” the elder said. “This is not...”

[You have received eight points of Piercing damage; after armor, two points have been received. 54/80 health remain.]

The younger thrust his spear at my throat, only to have it deflect away over my left shoulder.

I drew Heart’s Protector from my inventory, and...

“No!” screamed the elder, knocking his brother into the shallows. He extended one palm toward me. “No. Please, just no. Our siblings matter to us, as well. Please, stranger, just forgive...”

With a roar, his brother exploded from the water, spear aimed at my chest. I swept it away with my left arm, and brought the right around in an open handed slap that would have done Kismet proud.

“Waugh!” he screamed, dropping his spear to clench his head in both hands. At least he didn’t need to ask what THAT was for.

I picked up his spear, tossed it to his elder brother.

“Who LEARNS something like that?” the younger asked me, as I walked away.

“Ask someone who prefers to kill you.” I replied.

I was wrong about Kismet’s reason for learning and using it; I surely didn’t feel any better for having used it. Honestly, I had purchased it during the trip back from the Isles, when I had silently promised myself that the next time she hit me with a Painful Face Slap, I was hitting her right back.

That just isn’t right; I’m the only one I can make promises to and then not be compelled to keep them. Well, I also can’t promise the same way that most people can. I can promise to attempt to keep someone alive, but I can’t promise success.

send Glutton. So then, it was time to actively forage.

In a swamp, this means entering the water. A lot. So the backpack, and contents, went back into inventory. The children rode on my forearm.

We made our way, following the food, to the ocean.

Fearful asked, then He curled into himself, trying to move his new armor around.

Glutton said.

Biter affirmed, clacking her sharp teeth together.

This was when the young hydra showed itself, each head gorging itself.

I wasn’t that foolish, that full of myself. I engaged Titanic Swimming to escape; when it followed me, I sought out land, and applied Fleet of Foot.

Fearful asked.

I said, sending them the full picture of what a hydra was.

I ran north for three full charges of Fleet of Foot, about half an hour. About three miles, some fraction over a nautical mile, or naut.

asked Glutton.

I looked around. We seemed to be in a field of them. A few rabbits were present, but they kept their distance.

I sent, and lowered them to the earth.

I just lay there, admiring the fact that I was alive, and the sun was warm. And hungering after rabbit meat. Nothing was stopping me, but just that instant, I admired peace more than filling my stomach. Besides, there was a half-eaten broccoli right there. I tried offering it to the newborns, but they were busy gorging on sweets.

I told them.

Glutton did so; the other two ignored me, and I was too busy chewing my own meal to press the issue. I still wasn’t a fan of the flat teeth needed to grind such foliage, but plants were rich in nutrients. That, and they tended not to...

The rabbits bolted for their burrows, even before the pack of wolves registered on my Beast Sense. One wolf, like one plains cat, is not a major threat for any champion. In packs, both are dangerous.

I sent.

They looked at me with their yellow eyes.

one of them decided.

It wasn’t actually Tainted, but it was still infested with Chaos.

It probably has a more formal name on your maps.

And, although this is the easiest answer, I’m not certain that she ever actually used this ability on me. She may have just learned by doing.

.....