Chapter Eight: Quest Part Four

I ran my cloth down the length of my blade wiping off the goblin’s blood before it stains the sword. I’d never been big on taking care of my stuff, since I usually broke it as soon as I got it, or it just never lasted very long like any sword or armour I had gotten in the past would break days into my use of it, not matter if I took care of it or not they never lasted for me… But this sword I got from Mark had endured a match with Mars and me killing those goblins, just that alone put it leagues above what I’ve used before, the armor too not hindering me a bit.

But anyway despite not cleaning anything really, I found it strangely relaxing to not focus on anything but just maintaining my gear. It also took my mind off troublesome thoughts, like what I had done to those weak goblins in sub cave below me.

I didn’t enjoy killing those that couldn’t fight back, not just because it’s not fun but also I… I just thought it’s wrong. I mean would it have been so wrong for me to just let them go peace and live?

...Yes it would. I would have condemned the old to die of starvation, disease, and being prey on my predators as the young left them to go seek out a new clan, and then there’s the young goblins. Most of them wouldn’t even make it to a new clan and there’s always a chance that they would be turned away, dooming them to a fate no better than what the elder’s they would abandon, what I had done is a mercy in comparison.

Plus there's the fact goblins multiply rapidly, they can put rabbits to shame. That’s the reason quests like this are around, to keep the population in control, and with how strong they get as they grow older, unless they get sick and stop growing, quest like these are all but unnecessary, especially this close to Newbie Town, It would only be about a month before the other novices would start taking quests, and having a goblin population this big is dangerous. Almost as bad as having Gryphon population around, no wait that would be way worse.

I told myself that as I clean my gear, to keep the thoughts out so I don’t see those beady little eyes full of horror in my dreams or hear their terrified cries. I have enough of those dream as it stands. I almost envied magic user’s at the moment, with how the powerful ones can kill with but a glance hell I bet Julian could have killed those goblins by just putting them to sleep so at least they wouldn’t have had to suffer.

I put my cloth down and held up my blade under the strong moonlight letting it shine brilliantly before I put it into its sheath. I took off my leather armour, but left my underclothes on I could always wash those later, and meticulously cleaning off the blood on it and inspecting for any tears or damage I hadn’t noticed early, but found none notable. I then put my armour into my bag, and carefully took out some wild plants and fruits to eat. The wild plants and fruits taste alright, but just made me miss my jerky. Wait jerky? I can make jerky! Quickly finishing off my meal, I went and set some traps for game and went to sleep.

“Huaah.” I yawn and tiredly rub my eyes, before getting up and doing some stretches to warm up my body, ate some more forage and walk out of the goblin’s cave, well my cave now it’s actually pretty nice aside from the blood, I slept pretty well on the furs in here and say what you will about goblins but they can skin with the best of them.

Walking out of my cave into the crispy, cool pre morning air I took a long deep breath, and felt the soft soil and grass with my feet. Letting out the breath, “Ah” I let my body relax, how I’ve missed being out in the wild. The freshness of the air and natural scents that I grew up with, well not these scents really but they’re close enough. Enough of that I’m getting sidetracked.

I once again took a deep breath, but through the nose letting all the smells of nature fill me, and my nose picks up a the smell I’m looking for immediately, I’m looking for blood and death. The scents found I follow them with my short sword, I don’t have anything better to use.

I made sure I didn’t put the traps too far out, and made it to the first one fairly quickly, if the game is still alive I didn’t want it to suffer. My first trap is a small pit of spikes, with a large dead rabbit with some forage I’d left above the trap as bait in its mouth. I reach into the pit and grab the rabbit, twist the neck to be sure and get to skinning it.

A few minutes later I have a pelt and rabbit meat, but before I left I made sure to fill the trap. I went to my next trap, I had set up seven in all, and found a rabbit dangling from a snare I made of vines, I quickly slit its neck and let it bleed out. Then skinned my second rabbit for the day.

Making my way to my third trap, I found a wild boar still alive, though barely, struggling in my pit full of spikes. Feeling sorry for it, I reer back and throw my sword through it’s skull ending it’s life instantly. Repeating the process as with the rabbits I skin the boar and take it’s tusks.

Making my way to my fourth trap, I found nothing and just destroy it, and the fifth too. The sixth trap though snared a bird.

I finally went to my last trap, another pit trap. This one smelt the strongest of blood. I peer into the trap, looking for my last prey and found nothing besides a trail of blood leading out of it and several broken spears at the bottom. The trail of blood led out of the pit into the deeper brush, and I follow to find out how bad It’s injured.

Going deeper into the brush, I start to hear light noise’s the more I follow the blood trail, almost like cries or mewlings, I hope I didn’t hurt a mother. Despite my feelings towards my own mother, I didn’t want to one away from something else, beast or man.

I finally found the end of the blood trail, and sadness washes over me. I stare in the glassy, lifeless eyes of a Mother Wolf, with it’s children feebly trying to feed off it.