Forest Hermit

 Clair collapsed from exhaustion, falling onto her back on the leaf covered ground, cradling Mumps in her arms.

“He... he's breathing. J-just unconscious,” she said, voice shaky as she held him. It was always apparent that she was the fittest of the three ever since she was a child, but to see him like this was too much for her to keep her composure.

Measles paced, fretting, wringing her hands, claws digging into her skin as she kept looking to her brother and back away. “He'll- he'll be okay. You saved him, he's saved, he'll be okay,” she muttered, quieter and quieter, becoming increasingly clear she was talking to herself. She reached over, pulling him halfway off of Clair, cradling his head in her arms as she watched his chest rise and fall. She grimaced as she pulled him the rest of the way off of Clair, laying him on the ground. Clair looked over, unsure of what she was doing but not saying anything. Measles unbuttoned his cloak, slowly pulling it out from under him. She winced as she saw his leg up close, the skin pierced all over, torn by the teeth, and the bones below failing to keep their proper shape. She quickly tore off the sleeve of her shirt, biting into it with her own pointed teeth to shred it into strips, then tied them together. She then tied the length just above his thigh, slowing the blood flow, not that there was much pressure left.

“We need to get him help,” she simply said as Clair struggled to her feet. “Please, Clair... help him. Can't you... magic or something?” she begged, her voice pleading and desperate.

“I... I can't. I never read anything about that,” Clair started to tear up. “I can't, I don't know how. This is all my fault. I never should have planned this and now he's gonna-”

“Don't!” Measles yelled, surprising Clair into silence. “Don't... please don't say that...” she repeated, softer. “I- Where are we? Which way was the tower?” she started turning around, struggling to find her bearings.

“What does it matter? It would be useless to go back there now; it wouldn't help any-”

“Clair!” Measles yelled again as she put her hands on Clair's cheeks and turned Clair's face to her own. “Just answer me; which way is the tower!?” she repeated, eyes wide as Clair barely saw the faintest glimmer of endurance.

Clair's eyes cleared a bit as she refocused, forced to stare into Measles' massive eyes. “It was, uh... that way?” she said, pointing behind them. “The sun was there, and we were there, so... Yes, I'm sure it was that way,” she indicated, pointing up and around her until returning to the same direction, a finger indicating to where they had come from.

“Ok... sometimes when I was out here, I would see smoke, but it was almost never. But the few times I did, it always seemed to be from the same place... it was so many years ago, I had forgotten it.” She helped Clair up to her feet as she thought things through. “We can't go in our original planned direction eastward, as the dragon might see us overhead. We came out the door to the south and ran pretty much ran straight that direction, judging from the sun... If we continue southwest, we should get close. I always thought it was likely people in the forest as the trees seemed to extend forever from our best view, but what if it's a building? Someone can help us,” she explained, taking charge of the situation from Clair. She sniffled as she spoke, desperately clinging to the smallest sliver of hope.

“Ok... that makes sense,” Clair lied, too worried and disoriented and shocked from how the plan had gone so wrong. “Here, help him onto my back,” Clair instructed as she crouched down, hands waiting behind.

Measles wrapped the cloak around Mumps' leg, tightening it. She started to lift her brother up then paused. “No, can't let his leg hang like that. Here, hold him under his knees and shoulders, that will slow the bleeding,” she instructed back, tilting him upwards for Clair who quickly turned around and lifted him up as Measles indicated. She swayed uneasily and Measles quickly stepped in and steadied her before picking up the bag. “This way,” she indicated, prodding Clair in the right direction as she held onto the taller girl's elbow.

§

The two of them wandered as the sun lowered just off to their right, slowly casting the trees as shadowy figures looming over them menacingly. Their movement was short and halting, barely able to push one foot in front of the other, exhausted physically and emotionally. Her stomach squeezed, groaning yet again after being empty for over twenty four hours. They had thought they would be able to feast on their journey, preparing enough food for over a month. Now they had nothing to eat and Measles was too exhausted to catch a rabbit or squirrel, not that they had the time.

“...Clair...up ahead...do you see that?” the tired voice asked as they shuffled forward, leaning on each other.

“Is that... a light?” Clair answered, eyes widening is she felt a bit of energy push her forward.

The old log cabin stood blended into the forest. It may have been something they would have missed without a second glance during the day, the same moss clothing the trees finding a home on its exterior walls. It was only the light inside, disrupting the partial darkness of the nearly full moon night, that make it so easy to see.

Measles shuffled forwards in a limping skip, her legs struggling to respond obediently to her will. Clair was quickly behind, arms numb from carrying Mumps' limp form. Measles reached the door first, tripping on the steps, immediately reaching up and tugging at the door handle that appeared to be locked before pounding weakly on the door. Clair followed up as the door swing open, a large figure looming in the way, backlit by dozens of candles such that Clair couldn't make the person out.

“Please... help him...” she muttered, slowly dropping Mumps at the stranger's feet before the night engulfed her.

§

“Hnnng...” Clair groaned as she slowly woke to the feeling of something hard and wet being pressed on her lips. She opened her eyes to a plump wrinkled face staring her down, eyes glaring in annoyance as the old woman attempted to pour a cup of something while propping her head up.

“Gah!” she yelled, spitting out the little bit of liquid and weakly shuffling back from the stranger. “W-who are you!? WHAT are you!?” she frantically yelled.

The woman jumped, clearly shocked by the outburst and barely keeping from dropping the cup and spilling it all over. “Calm down, child!” she shot back, eyebrows furled in frustration. “You asked for help and you nearly spilt it. Now be still and drink this up.”

Clair looked at the lady suspiciously, nervously continuing to back up more and more on her hands and rear, her cloak sliding smoothly along the table.

“Hey, no, stop that,” the lady responded, stepping closer. Clair only shuffled back faster. “No, don't or you'll-”

Clair felt her hand fail to grab onto anything. Her other hand was lifted and her body tipping back, and she felt a sudden sense of weightlessness as her momentum tossed her over the end of the table. “Erk!” she grunted as she was suddenly stopped, the woman's free hand grabbing her shirt by the collar, halting her movement suddenly.

“...or you'll fall off the edge,” the woman grimaced, annoyed by the teenager she now was saddled with. She helped Clair quietly move back onto the table top she was previously laying on, then sit up, dangling her feet on the side. “Here, drink this now,” she ordered sternly, handing her the cup which Clair eyed suspiciously. “It's just some berry juice, water, and a touch of salt. You're dehydrated. The goblin with you, Mistletoe or something, said you haven't eaten for over twenty-four hours... she was starving, y'know? The both of them! You oughtta take better care of your servants... friends... whatever they are to you,” the woman went on, chastising Clair. While she certainly seemed wholly ignorant of the details, each word felt like a thorn to Clair. “Their metabolism, it's too fast, I'll tell you; two days of no food and half the time they're drop right where they're standing. And...” she trailed off as Clair stared into the half empty cup. She expression softened slightly as she Clair started to tear up. “Look, I don't know what you kids were doing out there but you gotta be smarter. You can't just wander around in the forest or do whatever it was that messed up the bull-goblin's leg... but he should be okay,” she said, watching as Clair finally lifted her head up.

Her eyes were full of tears just starting to spill out. “I-I thought that... that he was-was gonna...” she cried, letting it out.

“Hey, hey,” the woman cooed softly, taking a gentler disposition than a moment earlier. “...he was messed up pretty bad, exhausted and in just as bad shape as the two of you, besides the leg. But I have something that should help him, though it won't be ready until morning,” the woman tutted with undirected disdain. “I already treated him first, then the she-goblin, and then you. He's resting; was in extreme shock from the pain but is now sleeping lightly. I was able to at least give him something for the pain as well. And Mistletoe-”

“My name is Measles,” the goblin corrected her with a sigh that implied it was not the first time she said her name, popping out from behind the woman who jumped slightly at the surprise. “Clair! You're okay!” Measles shouted happily as she saw Clair sitting up. She rushed forward, hugging her legs. “Mumps is going to be alright,” she said with a nod, sounding more relieved than ever before.

“Ahem,” the woman cleared her throat. “...I believe you had a couple questions though? Might as well sort out these introductions; I am Charlotte, and I am a... hermit,” she said, eyeing Clair a bit as if deciding on the spot how to answer. “And you are?” she prompted after an awkward moment of silence.

“I mean, are you a... human?” Clair asked, clarifying her earlier question and ignoring the one in return.

Charlotte just stared at her incredulously while Measles face palmed and started chuckling quietly.

“...Now look here, girly; you wander in out of the cold and stupid and decided to insult me!? I know I ain't the fairest in the land but what gives you the right to-”

“No no no!” Measles spoke up, repeatedly tapping the woman quickly on the hip as Clair shrank back, feeling like a scolded child for the first time in forever. “It's not an insult! Clair here is... unsocialized,” she half explained.

“Hey, you make it sound like a stupid question,” Clair snapped at Measles.

“Well, it was one,” she shot back, holding her amused grin.

Charlotte looked back and forth between the two girls, one now upset and the other stifling giggles. She eventually just sighed as the two stared each other down, rolling her eyes. “...I'm going back to getting the potion for your friend ready,” she told them as she left to one of the rooms.

“So... that's what a human looks like...” Clair muttered wistfully after Charlotte had left.

“Clair, you had a mirror,” Measles teased with a giggle.

“Oh shut up, you know I mean an adult human,” she groaned, refusing to let Measles' amusement at the situation give her the final word. “...Will I look just like her, too, someday?”

“Well, I remember a lot of them all looked different, like us goblins,” she said with a grin, knowing full well that the her and her brother were virtually identical, with the exception of their hair length. “Though, when I saw many of them before, a lot of the were, uh... taller,” she quickly course corrected, having the wherewithal to not verbally point out Charlotte's more rotund figure; at least not in her own home.

“I see... well, I'm already taller than you,” she smirked as she finished the last of the drink and laid back onto the table, relaxing after everything that happened. “You know... for a time there, I really wasn't sure if we would make it... and what's with the two of you forgetting to eat!?” she asked Measles, shooting back up to face her properly.

“I, uh, well, we were kind of excited? Figured we would eat afterwards?” the goblin tried to explain away, wringing her hands nervously. “I mean, I only woke up a couple moments before you did; didn't want to hold us all up?”

“...That's still no excuse,” Clair sighed, laying back down. “You need to take care of yourself. We need to take care of ourselves now. That means no skipping meals, eat everything you can.” She chuckled a bit as she realized the irony of her little lecture. “...I vaguely recall you giving me a hefty reprimand just like this when I was a young child.”

“Heh, well, it was right after you found your books; you spent the whole day bugging Mumps to teach you to read more. And like a fool he felt obligated. Didn't eat all day,” she chuckled and Clair shifted nervously. “...Of course, you didn't know any better at the time and simply caught the end of my anger at him. Really it was on him.”

“Ah, I suppose,” Clair chuckled halfheartedly, a small pang of childhood guilt slowly fading into the background of her memories. “That was also the night he taught me a new word in Goblin.”

“Oh? Which was that?” Measles asked, curious.

“...Froukle,” Clair whispered with a childish giggle.

“Clair! ...Not at a guest's house!” Measles reprimanded her in a hushed tone but couldn't keep from laughing at the answer she should have seen coming. “...He always has been cruder in Goblin,” she sighed with an audible smirk. “...not that I remember any of it like he does.”

“Hmm... maybe he is the older one,” Clair couldn't help but poke more, the comment met by a playfully annoyed groan from Measles. “...He used another word, though, when, uh... the thing happened,” Clair started, unable to bring herself to describe it. “He said helkait; do you know that one? I don't recall hearing it before.”

“H...Helkait?” Measles repeatedly slowly, wrapping her lips around the unfamiliar pronunciation. “Hmm... no, I can't say that I have. Probably just another Goblin swear,” she laughed, a bit forced in light of the circumstances.

“I, uh, yeah, probably,” Clair sighed, letting out a yawn as she turned to face the ceiling.

“Close your eyes, Clair. Charlotte mentioned that you were out of magic or something while you were out; said you needed lots of rest.”

“Yeah... sounds about right... I never did anything as big as in the field... I never thanked you for the rune you made, did I? ...It was perfect...” she said, speaking slower as she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

§

Her dreams were anxious and fitful, visions of the dragon and the tower. The stone bricks that made up the walls seemed to grow, looming over her as she turned, searching for a door that wasn't where it was supposed to be. The dragon gnashed row after row after row of shark-like teeth at her, snapping at her everywhere she turned. Outside, the field stretched on and on, the forest looming in the distance further and further away.

Then she felt something push her. Behind her, two hooded figures stood about waist height. Big, green, floppy, pointed ears, each as large as their head, poked out from the hoods that otherwise obscured them. They stood there, just waiting, as Clair tried to speak.

CRASH!

Two claws came down as the tower, now with wings and arms and legs, landed and crushed them. Clair screamed, her voice silent and empty as no sound came out. She fell to her knees as the tower's massive door opened and closed stone-sharp teeth at her, about to take a bite.

She was suddenly yanked back, the two hooded figures behind her again, pulling her out of harm's way. The tower's maw crunched down on them, pulling in their mangled bodies.

Four little clawed hands again reached out to her, pulling her forward as the cloaked figures where silently standing there again. They pushed Clair to the forest as she saw the flap its wings and rise up. She turned away as it fell to her helpers, refusing to look at their ending.

The trees seemed to stop growing, staying the same size, as trees tend to do, while she ran for them. The wheat split for her, parting to the side before she even touched it, letting her pass further. Then she saw the two figures running beside and ahead of her, pushing back the wheat, as the tower roared and chased behind them.

They reached the forest and there was silence. The figures stopped, not passing the first tree.

“Come on!” Clair begged without a spoken word, emotion resounding like a cry as she stood, seeing them still getting further and further. She ran back to them, to the forest line, but they stayed, now moving without moving as the tower ran for them in the background.

Their little clawed hands lifted as they reached for their hoods, starting to pull them back before the tower again crushed them.