[coronatiger]

Lunari insisted that I should ride a little, so we found a horse for me, too. My dress wasn’t split for riding, so I was baring more skin than was decent, but even though Lunari admired my legs, I thought he did so in a respectful manner. Xipil came while we were riding around. Lunari commented that horses don’t like him. For that matter, I thought to myself, my horse didn’t seem to like me either; I was having trouble controlling it until Lunari’s enchantment took hold of it, and then it only followed his horse, wherever that went. Xipil told us that Kraa had returned with a small glass bottle. Grogg had opened it in Xipil’s and my room, and had spread its rank fragrance there. Even though the bottle only had been open for a second, Xipil suggested that I didn’t return for a while.

Xipil had brought his two pet frogs, Slikk and Slakk, and asked if I could persuade a villager to look after them while we went into the desert looking for goblins. The frogs wouldn’t like the climate out there. Xipil explained that the frogs needed water and insects, and I relayed the information to a more than willing villager.

When I returned to the house where we had rooms, Xipil handed me a small bottle. The others had found it on an earlier expedition, but hadn’t managed to identify the contents. I didn’t recognize the liquid either, and suspected that it wasn’t natural. I suggested they take it to a magician for analysis. Suddenly Grogg rushed at Lunari, who used his spear to trip him. The troll complemented Lunari’s skill and stood up again. I scratched my head. Xipil asked if he could touch Lunari’s spear, but Lunari clutched it possessively and said he had to admire it from afar. I gave Lunari the bottle of wine I had purchased, and apologized for punching him so hard.

I left my disguise kit and my makeup in my room, holding my breath while I was in there. My backpack was still heavy, and I was glad I had a horse. With it, I wouldn’t be the slowest party member anymore. When we left the village, Lunari was bedecked with wreaths of flowers; his spear was still affecting the villagers. Lunari muttered to himself about invading Loyalist land, and I glanced worryingly at him. The spear’s enchantment seemed to be going to his head. He put the spear down occasionally, and I thought he looked pensive. The overconfidence returned as soon as he gripped the weapon again.

Xipil was scouting ahead, and in the evening, he reported that he had found a depression where all the stolen animals were kept. Further scouting discovered a cave nearby, with four or five fire ants outside. By the tracks he found, it could be as many as ten goblins and twenty ants there.

Lunari’s first plan was to have Xipil throw the foul-smelling bottle that Kraa had found into the cave to see what happened. He asked me to check if the rank liquid was an acid. I took the bottle and asked for his arm. He took the bottle back, and poured some on a leaf. He broke off the twig and rode back towards the village. He returned after about ten minutes, declaring that the liquid wasn’t an acid. He gave the bottle to Xipil, and instructed him to pour a few drops onto an arrow, and shoot the arrow into the cave. Xipil did as he said, and walked towards the cave. Five angry ants came at him, so he ran away. They followed him until he dropped the arrow, then they buzzed around near the arrow while Xipil made his escape. I thought it might be a good idea to go kill those ants while they were away from the cave, divide and conquer. Lunari didn’t comment on my suggestion, but mounted his horse and rode away, towards the cave. Grogg followed him. Xipil asked me what we should do, and I sighed and said we just had to follow.

Outside the cave, Lunari was shouting that he was Lunari Grandiflora, and that he had come to conquer the goblins. “Come outside! You are bound by the rules of single combat! Don’t let Lunari Grandiflora, the great conqueror, wait!” Seven green-skinned goblins with blood paint on their faces came out of the cave, followed by ten fire ants. One goblin stepped forward, mocking Lunari. I sat my horse, watching the proceedings while I applied poison to my knives. The presumed leader of the goblins, who I thought was a fake, hiding the true leader, snapped his fingers, and two ants drew a large circle on the ground. Lunari dismounted and met the goblin, spear against flail.

Lunari started by casting a haste spell on himself. The goblin rushed him, but missed, and Lunari retreated, giving the goblin time to cast a spell of his own. Lunari stepped forward, stabbing with his spear, but he missed. The goblin swung his flail at the elf, who dodged elegantly. The goblin blocked the next stab with his shield, and again he failed to connect with the flail. Lunari’s next attack pierced the goblin’s shoulder, enraging the goblin into making an all-out attack, but Lunari dodged again and stabbed the goblin through the thigh. The goblin fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. The other goblins bowed in the dust for Lunari. Lunari commanded that someone should patch up his wounded subordinate. I stayed in the saddle, watching the goblins carefully for signs of betrayal, but they only spat on their former leader while he bled out.

We followed the goblins inside the cave. Most of them didn’t speak Common, but one of them revealed their plan to curse the animals and release them back to the stinky humans. Now that Rama’s month was approaching, the humans couldn’t slaughter the cursed animals. However, it wasn’t midnight yet, so Lunari ordered the goblins to kill a pig and roast it for his victory feast. Lunari shared out his wine, and he and Grogg feasted with the goblins.

Xipil and I brought a lantern, and checked out the rest of the cave. We found traces of animals already slaughtered for food, and saw that the goblins had travel gear, including harnesses for some of the ants, which they apparently used as pack horses while they traveled. Some animals were tethered in the deepest part of the cave.

The goblins fawned all over Lunari, but glared at the rest of us, although they seemed to accept us as part of Lunari’s clan. Xipil received a bottle from Lunari, who had got it from the goblins, with instructions to cover ourselves with it. The liquid inside smelled like goblin, or perhaps it was the goblins who smelled of the liquid. We determined that the liquid would make the ants regard us as friends.

I prayed for Your permission to butcher the goblins. Lord Lunas had made it clear that we couldn’t trust them. I took Your lack of reply as an endorsement of my plan. The goblins settled down to sleep eventually, only one awake and patrolling. I watched the patrol routine, and told Xipil to take out the guard the next time he went outside the cave.