Chapter 21 Can't Rely on Nobody

I slowly shuffled towards the entrance of Grub's tiny cave, my movements cautious. With trembling hands, I reached out and lifted the lid that covered our shelter, just a fraction, just enough to peek outside.

With a heavy sigh, I pulled back the lid a little further, squinting against the harsh glow of the lightning in the distance. Raindrops pelted against the ground, turning the earth into a muddy soup, while the wind howled like a banshee through the trees.

"Looks like a real nasty one out there... but maybe that's a good thing. The rain washes away Kaka's scent, making it harder for any nasty critters to find us." I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible over the storm's roar.

As I closed the makeshift lid of our hiding spot, the cold air outside seemed to seep through the cracks, chilling me to the bone. The cold air nipped at my exposed skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. I huddled closer to Kaka, seeking refuge in the warmth of his feverish body. Pressing myself against him, I hoped to share whatever little heat my frail frame could generate.

With a soft whimper, I closed my eyes, allowing the soothing sound of rain to lull me back to sleep. Despite the storm raging outside, I felt a sense of safety and comfort enveloping us, like a protective barrier against the harsh realities of the world beyond our shelter. As sleep claimed me once more, I whispered a silent prayer for Kaka's recovery, hoping that he would find the strength to endure his injuries. And with that whispered plea on my lips, I surrendered to the embrace of sleep, the darkness of the cave enveloping me in its comforting embrace.

Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a loud rustling sound coming from outside the cave. My heart leaped into my throat as I scrambled to my feet, my eyes wide with fear as I strained to see through the darkness.

"G-Grub," I whispered urgently, shaking him awake. 

"Wake... wake... Grub wake up, something's out there."

With a groan, Grub stirred from his slumber, his eyes fluttering open as he glanced around in confusion.

 "Wha... wha-what is it, little gob?" he murmured groggily, his voice thick with sleep.

"I don't know. But I heard something moving outside. Maybe it is the pig wolf... or... the bear. We need to be ready."

With a sense of foreboding hanging heavy in the air, we waited in tense silence, straining our ears for any sign of movement. Outside, the rustling grew louder, accompanied by the faint sound of heavy footsteps crunching through the underbrush.

Suddenly, a low growl rumbled right next to our shelter, sending shivers down my spine. Whatever was out there, it was close, its presence looming right outside our door.

Without hesitation, Grub reached for a nearby makeshift weapon - a sturdy branch that had been fashioned into a crude tiny club witch looked like a toddler's toy rather than a weapon. Gripping it tightly in his hand, he gestured for me to stay close as he edged toward the cave entrance, his movements cautious and frightened.

As we waited in the darkness, our hearts pounded in our chests, each breath ragged with anxiety. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the rustling ceased, leaving nothing but an eerie silence in its wake.

For a few minutes we remained on high alert, our senses heightened and our nerves stretched taut with tension. But as the minutes ticked by with no further sign of danger, we began to relax, the adrenaline slowly fading from our veins.

With a weary sigh, Grub lowered his makeshift weapon, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion.

 "It seems the danger has passed, little gob," he murmured, his voice tinged with relief.

"But since we awake, we should talk a bit."

 Grub settled in beside me, his expression growing somber as he began to speak.

 "Listen, I never properly introduced myself earlier. I be Grub. Me slave, like you, little gob. I come from a big goblin breeding farm nearby. Ain't no place for us, good goblins, but that's where I have been born and raised. You?" Grub said, his voice low and submissive.

"I'm Hermit," I replied, my voice small and timid. 

"Just hatched, not even a month ago. Kaka's been lookin' after me since."

I tilted my head, my curiosity piqued.

 "You say a breeding farm nearby? How life is in your breeding far? Where I and Kaka came from, it was horrible. We were beaten every day, and brutally tortured. No food or quencher. Me and Kaka barely managed to escape that horrible place before adventurers raided and killed everyone."

"Oh dear! Adventurers?! That must be horrible, I have witnessed farms fall to their cruel hands. They leave no one, spear no one."

Grub sighed, his shoulders slumping as he recalled the horrors of his past. 

"But adventurers aside, life at the farm... it was worse than any nightmare. We were treated like dirt, less than dirt. The masters beat us every second day, for no reason, just to see us suffer. It's a big place, full of goblins. We are bred like animals, used for all sorts of things. They keep us there, make us work, breed more goblins. It's terrible, little one. Terrible. But it is much better than trying to survive another day in this forest, I can tell you that."

I pointed at Grub's scared ears and asked, "Grub, what happened to your ears?"

  Grub's face twisted in pain as he continued. 

"I and a few fellow slaves made a mistake and we got punished. Our ears, they used to be so big and proud, but now... just scraps of skin hangin' there. We were tortured, starved, whipped till our backs bled. They'd scorched us with torches, watchin' our skin burn and blister."

He lifted a trembling hand to touch his mutilated ears, the memories causing him pain.

 "But that ain't the worst of it. The breedin' farm, it was a place of constant fear. Every day, we never knew if we'd live to see another night."

I shivered, remembering the cruelty of such a place. 

"Why you here, Grub? Why not at the farm?"

Grub's face contorted with pain and bitterness.

"They kick us out. Me and some other goblins. They say we gotta scout forest, find things useful for them. But they no give us clothes, no tools. We naked, cold, scared. They push us into the forest, say we gotta come back with information, or not come back at all."

"That's awful, Grub! How do you survive?"

Grub glanced around our cramped hiding hole, his expression bitter. 

"Barely. We got separated and scuttled in all directions as the monster appeared. Since that day, haven't seen any other fellow. As days went by I dug this tiny hole to hide in when the danger got too close. Just like now. Found some food here and there and stayed hidden most of the time. It's a rough life, but it beats gettin' eaten by some monster. I went back to the farm a few times to plea for entry but I was empty handed and they just beat me and threw me back into the forest."

Grub's eyes softened as he looked at me.

 "Life in the forest, it's a different kind of hell. The predators, they always chasin', always hungry. But the farm... even with all the beatings and tortures, at least we had a place to sleep. Walls to protect us. And if you worked very hard you got to eat."

 "Kaka and me, we have been tryin' to find a safe place too. But it's so hard, with the monsters and all. Thank you for helpin' me and Kaka, we were in bad trouble, and you saved us," I said earnestly, my small hand reaching out to touch his.

Grub’s expression softened, a rare smile crossing his scarred face. 

"Ain't nothin', little one. Us, gobbies, gotta stick together. Can't rely on nobody else."

I hugged him tightly, my small frame pressing against his.

 "We gotta find a way outta this forest. Find a place where we can be safe. Do you think we can survive in the breeding farm you came from, Grub? Kaka looks very bad, very, very bad. He needs a place to recover."

He patted my head gently, his rough hand surprisingly comforting.

 "It's a terrible place but it is possible to live there. We gotta try, don't we? Ain't no other choice, little gob, your friend can't move, hurt too bad. Your best option is to try and seek shelter at the farm I'm from."

"Can you show us the way? Can you help us get in?"

"We can try in the morning, I was thinking of going myself. I will show you the way and you can try asking but I can't promise you anything. The evil goblins are cruel and brutal, they will not pity us."

As we lay there in the dim light, the cold air creeping in through the makeshift lid, I felt a flicker of hope amidst the fear and uncertainty. With Grub by our side, maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to survive and escape this perilous forest.

"Thank you, I will try," I said simply, my heart full of gratitude.

Grub smiled faintly, his eyes closing fully as he drifted back to sleep.

 "Ain't nothin', little one. Ain't nothin' at all."

Grub sighed deeply, the sound echoing in the small space. 

"But Hermit, we gotta keep moving tomorrow. The longer we stay in one place, the more danger we’re in."

I nodded, trying to push down the fear that bubbled up inside me.

 "But Kaka... will he be okay to move?"

Grub glanced over at Kaka’s mangled form, worry etched deep into his features. 

"He ain't got much of a choice. We stay here, we die. Simple as that."

Kaka stirred slightly, his breathing shallow but steady. He mumbled something incoherent, a sign of the pain and exhaustion he was enduring. Despite everything, he was clinging to life.

"Rest now," Grub said gently. 

"We need all the strength we can get."

I nestled closer to Kaka, offering what little warmth and comfort I could. The cold air seeped in through the small opening, chilling us to the bone. Sleep was hard to come by, but eventually, the exhaustion took over, and I drifted into a restless slumber.