Chapter 41 Lyn had me right where she wanted me—pinned beneath her.

And then the morning came.

A sliver of dawn crept through the hut's window as Lyn's claws tapped an impatient rhythm against my chest. My skull throbbed in time with each click, click, click - the bubbly happiness juice had solidified into a misery paste behind my eyeballs.

"Look at you," Lyn purred, "All curled up like a scared mushroom."

 Her tail flicked across my nose as she straddled my waist, pinning me to the furs with effortless grace.

 "Pathetic."

I opened my mouth to protest, but her paw clamped over my lips. The morning light caught the gold flecks in her narrowed eyes as she leaned down, her breath warm against my ear.

"You had your fun last night," she whispered with sweet voice. The tip of her tail traced slow circles on my bare stomach, making my breath hitch.

 "Now it's my turn to play."

When I squirmed, her claws pricked warningly on my skin. Not enough to draw blood - just enough to remind me who held the leash. My pulse hammered against her palm as she nipped at my jugular.

"Don't worry, little goblin," she chuckled darkly, her free paw already reaching for my egg laying straw.

 "I'll be very gentle."

The last coherent thought I had before she claimed her due was that river water might've been preferable after all.

Lyn had me right where she wanted me—pinned beneath her, her claws lightly scraping my chest, her golden eyes gleaming with mischief and something far more dangerous. Her tail flicked lazily against my thigh, and for once, my dumb goblin brain was finally catching on to what was happening.

"Oh. Ohhh."

This was it. The moment I’d somehow both feared and dreamed of. My pulse hammered in my ears, my face burning hotter than a forge. Lyn smirked, leaning down until her breath tickled my ear.

"Took you long enough to figure it out," she murmured, her voice a low, velvety threat.

She leaned in—close enough I could smell the sweet spice of her breath. Her hand slid up to my egg laying straw, and for one perfect second, I closed my eyes.

And then—

“HURRRRGH—”

A horrifying gurgle erupted from my belly.

Lyn pulled back, confused.

 “What was—”

“BLRRGHHHHKKK—!!”

I doubled over and projectile-vomited a stream of foul yellow sludge straight on the ground beside us. The smell hit like a war crime. My entire body convulsed.

“Oh gross, Hermit!” Lyn jumped back, waving her hand in front of her face as the stench engulfed the moment like a toxic cloud.

“I-I’m sorry! I—It’s the fermented bread I found on the ground last night—!” I croaked between dry heaves, clutching my stomach.

Lyn stood up, arms crossed, tail twitching in offense. 

“You seriously tried to woo me on rotten bread?”

“I didn’t want to waste food, even if it was rotten…”

She sighed, flicked her tail, and shook her head.

“Well, romance officially drowned in puke.” 

She turned around and stalked off, grumbling, “Clean yourself up before you start stinking like a gutter, slime-boy.”

After what felt like an entire lifetime of shame and scrubbing, I was finally clean again. Lyn leaned casually against a wooden post, arms crossed, tail flicking behind her. She watched me with that familiar smirk, though now it carried a note of genuine curiosity instead of mischief.

“So… We’ve got a bit of time to get ready. Have you thought about when we’re heading to this Rakrak’s breeding farm?”

I looked down, ears twitching, my fingers curling into tiny fists. The firelight nearby crackled softly, reflecting in my sunken eyes.

“I’ve thought of nothing but it. My kin suffer every moment we delay. Their cries… the beatings… the hatchlings starving… tortured. The sooner we go, the better. Every moment we wait, more pain. I can’t… I can't wait longer.”

Lyn's expression softened. She stepped closer and nudged me lightly with her shoulder.

“Alright, alright. Calm those twitchy ears, Greenie,” she said with a small smile. 

“I get it. You’re serious now. No more puking, no more excuses. You really care about them, huh?”

“They're all I have. They're the only ones who were ever... kind to me. Even when we were starving, they shared. When we were punished, they held each other. They’re… good.”

There was a beat of silence between us, and then Lyn’s tail slowly curled around to flick against my side.

“Then let’s not waste another night. We leave today.”

“You mean it?”

“Yup. But you’re carrying the bags.” She teased.

 Lyn stood in the middle of a supply tent, hands on her hips, scanning the rations.

“We’ll need dried meats, two flasks of water, sleeping mats... Ooh! Crunchy roasted beet chips!” she grinned, swiping a handful into a pouch.

I stood nearby with a giant pack almost my size, trying not to fall over.

“I-I think this is... a bit much…”

“Oh hush, twig-arms. You’re not just a goblin anymore. You’re an honorary Cat Squad Companion. Temporary! But still.”

I managed a small smile, my ears twitching awkwardly as she tossed a small pouch of sweets into my pack.

“Do those help in battle?” 

“No. But they help when you’re crying.”

Done with supplies we left the cat people village, Lyn left a message to her father to the guard at the gates, and we departed.

The forest swallowed us quickly. Towering trees leaned in over the dirt path, filtering sunlight into streaks of warmth. Birds chirped. Somewhere in the distance, a beast howled, and I nearly leapt into a bush.

“Oh, come on,” Lyn snorted, walking ahead, tail swaying. 

“You survived worse than jungle howlers.”

“Barely…” I muttered, clinging to my walking stick.

We made camp the first night near a quiet glade. Lyn set up a small fire and roasted something suspiciously crunchy over it.

“This is... lizard tail, I think. Or it might be fungus loaf. Either way, I call it ‘Dinner.’”

I chewed carefully, wide eyes blinking as I tasted actual seasoning. 

“This... this tastes like joy...”

“See?” Lyn grinned, leaning back on her bedroll, hands behind her head. 

“Stick with me, Greenie. I’ll show you the good life.”

I stared at her for a long moment. The flames flickered across her fur, and for the first time, I realized her smile made my chest hurt—in the good way. I looked away quickly, cheeks burning under my green skin.

We talked deep into the night, Lyn teasing me gently, I stammered through stories of my hatchling days. She looked sad and genially concerned about my past pain and suffering.

Next day, by the time the sun began to set again, the trees thinned.

We crept up to the ridge overlooking a clearing—and there it was.

Rakrak’s breeding farm.

The wooden spike barricades loomed like dark fangs, a miserable sprawl of cages, smoke, and distant, muffled cries. My chest tightened.

Lyn stood beside me, her smile gone, face serious now.

 “This is it, huh?”

I nodded slowly, eyes wet.

 “Home... once. Horrible place.”

She rested her hand on my small shoulder.

 “Not for long.”

The breeding farm loomed in full stinking glory as we made our final approach. From up close, the structure reeked of rot, smoke, and suffering. The towering wooden gates were crusted with old blood and dark moss, guarded by two haggard goblins in mismatched armor. Their spears were crooked, their teeth worse.

My feet dragged as we neared the gate. Every instinct in my frail, green body screamed at me to turn around and run. But Lyn was beside me—silent, calm, a sharp contrast to my jittering limbs.

I dropped to my knees the moment the guards took notice, throwing my hands up in panicked desperation.

“P-please, masters! D-don’t hit me, I-I swear I’ve done good! I-I’m not lyin’!” I wailed, pressing my filthy forehead into the mud, my voice cracking from fear.

 “I brought a messenger! A real one! From the cat folk tribe!”

One of the guards spat to the side, the other squinted at Lyn. Her arms were crossed, her tail flicking lazily. She didn’t say a word.

I kept going, throwing myself deeper into the performance, crawling forward on my belly.

“I was sent by Master Rakrak himself! H-he told me to find the cats, a-and I did! I swear on my hatchlings! They agreed to talk! I—I beg of you, please grant us audience! L-let me live! Let her speak! I’m just a worm, a worm doing his master’s will!”

I pressed my face so hard into the dirt that it squelched, trembling all over, my back arching like I expected to be kicked at any second.

The guards exchanged a look. One of them scratched his ear.

“Well… Rakrak did mention somethin’ about ‘spreading influence’ or... whatever that meant,” the taller goblin mumbled.

“Yeah, he’s been wantin’ some deals lately,” said the other.

 “Maybe the scrawny freak ain’t lyin’.”

They looked at Lyn again. She raised one brow, casually inspecting her claws.

“Hmmph,” one guard grunted.

 “Alright, bring 'em in. But if this is a trick—”

I cut in fast, raising both hands in panic, “I’ll take the beatings! All of them! Just don’t tell the master I messed it up, please!”

The gates groaned open slowly, the stench washing over us stronger now.

As we entered, I stayed hunched, low, submissive, leading the way into the miserable compound like a pitiful offering. Lyn walked beside me, head high, her eyes scanning the buildings, the guards, the layout—quiet, focused.