Bolyr led them through the jungle, as he effortlessly tracked the Goblin trail. According to his estimate, they should catch up to their prey within two or three hours.

"They are dragging something with them! Do you see these traces here? Somebody tried to resist and run, but was caught and hauled back." Pointing out some smudges and tracks in the mud, Bolyr kept walking, ducking below branches, and jumping over bushes.

"If you say so..." Mason shrugged as he kept sneaking glances at Jake.

Jake had noticed, and after a few minutes, he sighed. "What is it, Mason?"

Hesitantly the other finally asked what was on his mind. "The change... Did it hurt?"

For a while, the only sounds were the animal screams and the rustling of the leaves.

Jake hadn't thought about the change that much. He tried to remember, but soon realized it was a vague memory at best, as were a lot of the other things that had happened since coming to this world. "Yes and no. When it began, it hurt, but as the merge continued, it became better. But it is all a hazy blur..."

They continued silently for a while longer, when Mason sighed. "Willson is getting close to changing. From what I've been able to figure out, to change, you need a lot of compatible energy. Those specs we keep seeing, floating around? He sees them too and has since we came to the Antraci tribe’s island."

"And you?" Jake asked after a second.

Mason sniffed loudly, striking one of the leaves. "I can't find a lot of those red and golden energy specs. Most of them come from things we kill."

After another moment of silence, he hesitantly continued, "I don't know if I should be happy or sad about it. No offense, but I don't want to turn in an overgrown lizard. Back on that island, Gria told me that it wouldn't take long, because I have awoken and all that? But I haven't noticed much of a change after we came back to the jungle."

Jake didn't reply, effortlessly moving forward through the jungle as he thought on Mason's words. Finally, he replied. "It might be best if one of us stays humanoid as long as possible. For easy communication with new people we find and all?"

"I guess... and who knows where I might wake up?"

A hushed whisper came from Bolyr, who stopped and raised a hand. "There is fighting in front of us!"

Jake and Mason moved beside him, and they both heard distant screams and shouting. It was hard to say if it were Goblins or Kobolds from this far away.

"Follow behind. I will go ahead!" Jake said after a moment, climbing in the nearest tree and rushing towards the sound. He heard Mason curse behind him, but he knew he was faster on his own.

His claws helped him effortlessly scale the tree, and he rushed up ten meters before running along a long branch that headed towards where he needed to go. The trees around him were packed so tightly together that their branches all intertwined, creating a pathway high above the jungle floor.

Jumping and gliding from tree to tree, he could make out words in the shouting now, and figures were running through the jungle in the distance. Seeing one that was bigger than the others, and green, he rushed towards it.

A single Kobold, bruised and bleeding, was running through the bushes in panic. Her hands were bound together, and she kept bumping into trees and obstacles.

Behind her, Jake saw a bush move, and a Goblin dragged himself out of it, digging his nails deep in the ground. Blood was oozing from his mouth, and Jake realized he could smell it from where he was standing. Sweet but with a rotten scent to it. Before he could decide what to do, the Goblin's eyes bulged. He let a strangled yelp, and then he was pulled back into the bushes.

Jake heard screaming, followed by biting and chewing sounds, and he swallowed. Even in his Dragon shape, he could still get terrified, he realized. Seeing the female Kobold about to disappear into the jungle, he jumped down after her.

She didn't see him coming until he was almost on top of her, but from the sounds coming behind him, he knew he had no time for niceties. He was about to grab her and drag her to where Mason and Bolyr would be when he heard something rustle behind him. Shit! In a rush he grabbed the Kobold, who yelped in surprise, and rolled to the side.

A loud thud came from the tree they had been passing. Scrambling back up, Jake stepped above the Kobold to protect her, staring at a hideous insect like thing. It very distantly resembled a human, but the black bulbous eyes that stared at him unblinking caused him to forgo any idea of speaking to it. Instead, he felt his instinct kick in, and he growled low and dangerous.

He heard scared sniffing and muffled crying from below, but he had no time to pay it any mind. He kept his eyes on the Insectoid as it stared at him, holding his ears open for anything else that might jump him. A soft shuffle from behind the Insectoid was followed, two identical ones stepping out of the forest. One was holding an unmoving Goblin, while the second was chewing on what looked like a green hand.

The other two dropped the hand and the body and stepped next to the first one. They opened their mandible flanked mouths in unison, a horrible trio of inhuman voices speaking as one. "You have our prey. I have no desire to lose bodies over this! Leave it behind, and there is no need for violence."

Hearing the familiar, human language from the monsters caused Jake's heartbeat to speed up even more. Ready for anything, he growled softly. "No. You can eat all the Goblins you want, but this is a Kobold. She will come with me."

A fourth insect stepped out of the bushes, and all four stared at him, slowly creating some distance between themselves. "I care not what you want. Leave the prey behind. This is your final warning. "

"You must be the freakiest motherfucker I have ever seen!" A deep voice boomed, and then Mason moved out of the jungle quickly, followed by Bolyr.

The three Insectoids scrambled sideways, and Mason and Bolyr moved to stand beside Jake.

"Sam, are you injured?" Mason kneeled beside her, keeping his eyes on the Insectoids. With one hand, he felt behind her back and began unwinding the badly tied cords.

"Mason! I am so glad; you guys came for me! I thought they-"

"Not now, Sam. If you aren't injured, get up and get ready. We might be in for some more fighting." With a final jerk, Mason removed the cords and dragged the other from below Jake and to her feet.

Jake let out a low growl, no longer needing to stay in one place; he prowled a few steps forward. "Leave. Take the Goblins."

The four Insectoids stared at him before slowly going back to a less threatening pose. "Fine. You can take her, but don't let us catch you alone next time." Three of the insectoids turned around while the fourth backed up, keeping his eyes on Jake.

"If I find you are eating Kobolds, I will start hunting you..."

Jake's growl caused the Insectoids to freeze, turning around slowly to stare at him. "We hunt what we want."

Their response caused Jake’s growl to deepen, and he took a step forward while the air around him started shimmering. Fog began forming around him and the four insectoids raised their hands as one, seemingly ready to act.

"Jake, this might not be the best time for this!" Mason's whisper slowly penetrated Jake's battle frenzied state. Shaking his head, he realized he was about to attack the four Insectoids with some sort of skill he had never used before. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his muscles, and the shimmering vanished.

Bolyr stepped forward, staring at the Insectoids. "Manyminded one, I would advise you to hunt the Goblins. Left unchecked, they will swarm this island within the year, exterminating everything that they find." He spoke in a weird, clicking, guttural language, and Jake was startled to find he understood the words. He was about to translate when he stopped with his maw half-open.

"A native one? Interesting. We have not yet found any of our kind, but we will." The Insectoids began walking away, and only a single one stayed behind. "Very well. I will hunt Goblins, but if we come across anything else, I will still eat it!" Without any sign of emotion, the Insectoid turned and disappeared into the jungle.

"That went well...." Mason whispered, shaking his head.