The Goblin Nation

"Um, excuse me. Sun"s mom. Can I be next?" Rock asked as he walk forward. The goblins watched Rock get closer to Mari until he was finally an arm"s length away from her. They launched themselves off their feet, sprinting to the front door knocking down Stick and Rock along the way. Smoke reacted by blocking the door, holding a spear in hand. "Stand back!" He yelled. If not for the fact these caretakers saw him defeating an adult one on one, they would have the confidence to push him to the side.

"And what you do, halfling?" One them said. "You just one. We many! So get out way!" She yelled. "Get out way! Get out way!" The caretakers yelled in unison as they slowly move closer to the door.

"All of you, stop!" A loud screeching voice echoed from the center of the room. It was Flute holding a stone club in her hand. "You all sit now!" The caretakers sat down on the floor with their heads bowed down. "Smoke, Flute say sit down!"

"Yes, ma"am." Smoke sat down facing all the caretakers.

"Now, why you all run to door. You have jobs, no?" The room was silent. Mari was sitting next to Rock and Sun. She started to rub her hands until it glowed and placed it on Rock"s injury. "Well no answer Flute. No eat!"

The caretakers gave each other worried glances. Finally, one of them spoke up. "Tell chief Cala of slave healer. Get reward." The goblins voice was visibly shaken.

"Reward? You here following me, because you useless. You no give baby goblin to tribe. You think chief reward you." She walked around the group while hiting her club on her open hand. "You like rats. Chief not believe you. Chief go "oh you only want meat," then chief kick you out room. You tell no one of Sun"s mother. If you do, Flute, come and kill you." She pointed the club at the goblin that spoke. "We clear!"

"Yes, Flute!" They yelled in unison.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Flute opens it. It was meek goblin with curly hair. "What, child? Flute busy."

"Chief ask me to get all re... re... um?" He put his finger on his lower lip, trying to remember what the word was.

"Flute gets it. Go. Flute meet chief now." The little goblin skipped away to his next destination. "Tie! Go get Flute"s helm!" The goblin Flute pointed at, stood up. She went to the backroom and came back with a flat top helmet with red feathers protruding out the right side. "Go back and sit, chief calling all retainers. You sit here. No move. Smoke, kill anyone the gets up." Smoke nodded at Flute and turned his attention to the caretakers. The caretakers were visibly frightened.

Flute put on her think white coat and exited the building. Along the way, she pa.s.sed a well where children and their mothers were gathering water. The children would wave at her, and she would wave back. She glanced at the sky and noticed the thick clouds overhead — an ominous sign.

After a few minutes of walking, she reached the building with red roof tiles. The guards outside bowed to her and opened the door. Wooden planks blocked the curtains leading to Cala"s room. It was a sign not to disturb him. She walked in and met Olhos sitting down by the window. He was cleaning his helmet with a wet rag. His face was covered in blood and his once beautiful cherry, blonde hair now dyed red. Flute asked what had happened that would have him covered in blood.

"Wolves seen at hunt. Many parties die. Olhos count twelve dead. Olhos and followers carry bodies back." Olhos said. Flute saw the awful bite mark on Sun. To think that same wolf killed so many goblins. "Scary part is wolves have collar. That means wolf masters are trolls." Flute was shocked to hear this. But that does make sense. Trolls turn into stone when under the sunlight. Sending out their wolves to scout during the day will be much safer than covering their skin and scout themselves.

"Now what we do? How we make sure wolves not find tribe?" Flute asked.

"Salacity want Sum back."

"What! Salacity knows Sum protect tribe from Razin tribe."

"True, but Sum and followers hunt wolves before. Only Sum knows ways to kill wolves."

Flute wants to object again, but Olhos has a point. No one but Sum and his followers knows about wolves. The front door opens, revealing Dolce covered in three layers of coat, followed by Salacity, Cloud, and Cancer. They sat next to Olhos and Flute. Cancer removes his spikey helmet, letting out his long black hair. He whips it back and forth, hitting Salacity in the face. "Why you!" Salacity jumps on top of Cancer. They fell on the floor and wrestled with one another. "Stop it, you two!" Dolce yelled. Salacity and Cancer are twins. They get in each other"s throat like cats and dogs. Dolce, Sum, and the chief are the only ones that can stop the two from fighting.

Just when the two brothers calmed down, a female goblin walked out of the curtains and removed the planks. It was Dawn, Cala"s favorite toy. She told the group that Cala is free now, and they can enter.

The retainers entered the room. Cala was sitting on his throne, his right hand resting on the pommel of his sword. They kneeled before the chief. Afterward, they stood up, and Olhos gave his report. "The trolls" wolves terrorizing our goblins that are out hunting. Then stop sending goblins out to hunt. We"ll wait until the wolves move somewhere else."

"But your greatness, wolves might find tribe. Need kill them before they find us." Cancer said.

"And need meat too. Winter is here. Soon snow fall." Dolce added.

"Salacity thinks Sum should come back and kill," A knife flew by Salacity"s head before he could finish his sentence.

Cala stood up and thrust his sword to the floor, piercing through it. "No one should dare mention that name. Sum is to remain in the south. If you want to kill the wolves, do it yourself. If you want meat, hunt it yourself. But don"t you ever mention Sum in front of me. If I find out any of you send a message to him, I will not only kill you but f.u.c.k you in front of the tribe to make an example of you." The retainers shiver in fear, and Salacity fell to the floor. He went in all four, begging for forgiveness. He immediately got up when he heard footsteps coming behind the curtain.

A guard reveals his head through the curtains, informing the chief and his retainers that snow started to fall. Winter has begun. Cala laughed while his retainers gave one another worried looks. "Snow is here. Which means hunting is near impossible with the wolves and snow combined. And snow will only impede Sum"s way back here. It"s best for him to stay where he is now. Don"t you agree with me Salacity?"

"Yes, chief. Better Sum stays at Bona." Salacity said on a low voice.

"Good, now leave. Gaurd, call Dawn back here for me." The guard nodded. He guided the retainers out of the building and then left to look for Dawn. The retainers walked down the square, looking at the snow falling.

"Dammit!" Salacity yelled. "If no snow, Salacity could get follower to tell Sum come back."

"Why does chief not want Sum here to kill wolves?" Olhos asked.

"Why you mean why? We all know why. Flute know why, Cloud know why, everyone know! Chief scared of Sum."

"Salacity, that"s blasphemy." Cloud said.

"Shut up. Brother right." Cancer said to support Salacity. "Chief not want Sum here because Dawn loves Sum. Dawn and Sum even have baby together. If Sum here, Dawn no f.u.c.ks chief. But chief only wants Dawn for chief only." The snowfall started to get heavier.

"If only Sum weak like you Cloud, chief kill Dawn"s baby already," Flute added. "But Sum strong. Almost strong as Tama, and smart as Cloud too. Now snow here. Make it hard to go to Bona."

"And hard to hunt too," Dolce said sadly.

The retainers eventually disperse from their clique to return to respective duties. Flute walked back to the building. Goblin children were running around with their tounges out, trying to catch the snow. Once she entered, she delegated new jobs to the caretakers, who remained still all this time under Smoke"s watchful eye. Mari went back to her little secluded room while Stick sat next to Sun. Flute noticed that Rock was missing. Flute asked where Rock could have been. "Rock went out to get warm water." Smoke answered.

Rock was outside, walking to one of the wells with his wooden bucket on hand. There was a place next to the well where some goblin mothers were chatting. One of them just got to the well with her bucket. She sat next to the other mothers; one of them gave her a baby. Rock recognized that woman and that baby. It was the mother and son duo he met at the cottage when they were being treated. She went to the well while carrying her baby so Rock ran to meet up with her.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Rock asked.

"I ok, but you look no ok." She pointed at Rock"s bandaged arm. It was sandwiched between two sticks, straightening the arm in place.

"Oh, this. I got it after fighting a goat and a wolf." He said with enthusiasm.

"A wolf!" She said in amazement. "Wow. No many goblins fight wolves. I no fight wolves. But you know, my baby will fight wolves. You know why I know?"

"Let me guess. Because this strong, handsome goblin, his mother is talking to fought wolves."

She laughed. "No. Not right. My baby"s dad killed wolf before. That why I know."

Rock got fl.u.s.tered and was looking for the right words to impress her. "Well, I killed a goat and a wolf at the same time. And I bet I could beat him too."

"Oh, really now," She was not impressed. "Well, good luck because he strong." She left after filling her water. Rock followed shortly after. They continued to chat as they wait for their water to heat up from the fire. Despite the snow acc.u.mulating around them, the two goblins felt warm sitting close to the fire and each other. After what seemed to be hours, Rock finally realizes, he doesn"t know her name. "I sorry but I forgot to ask. What"s your name?" She looked at him with a gentle smile. "Secret" She said as she put her finger over her mouth.

Right behind, they heard the sound of snow being pressed down. The two turned around to see the guard Cala sent to fetch Dawn. "Excuse me, Dawn, chief wants you back to room." The two looked the guard with annoyed.

Rock turns to face Dawn. "Well, looks like its not a secret to me anymore."

Dawn giggled. "No secret no more." She got up and handed her baby to one of the other mothers. "I can help watch him for you," Rock said. She looked at him with surprise. "No it ok." She tells the other mother to take care of him in her absence. Dawn looked at Rock before leaving. "No come close to my baby." This surprised Rock.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Just no come close." She said as walked away with the guard. Rock looked at Dawn"s baby in the embrace of another woman. The mother turned the baby away from Rock as she looked at him with suspicion. It got colder when Dawn left. The snow was one inch deep now.