Athena, Stubs and Grient all successfully made it to the large tree they spotted inside the village. It had a clear view of where they would be dragging any of the bodies they had left out there in the forest, into the village proper. Then they would know which building Crane and Wayne were in.

“We got a quite a few out… …But…” Grient observed.

“But there is still a lot.” Athena remarked.

The other two nodded along with what she said.

Athena thought quietly about the events leading to this.

After they had left the goblin hanging while crying out for help. They waited near the bushes close to him, waiting for more goblins to show. And show they did.

There was about fifteen goblins that came carrying tools and weapons towards the goblin who was crying out. Once he saw them he stopped cry and instead my sounds of joyful anticipation for their arrival.

Athena was about to give the signal to attack the group, when she noticed one of the people reach up with a knife and slice the hanging goblins throat. Which stunned the three into silence.

They would just kill their own like that?! They are nothing but blood thirty savages!

Athena looked at the other two at that point, then nodded her head. They had jumped out of their hiding place, take the make shift spears they had made and thrown them at the fifteen goblins. Each spear sailed through the air. Impaling one each.

The savages, realizing that this was now an ambush, not realizing where the attack was coming from, scattered and ran back towards their camp.

Sevaral minutes had by before a another group of even more goblins came running in the direction of the corpses and Athena’s group.

They then through several more make shift spears, impaling a few more goblins, but now the goblins had a force large enough that they didn’t fear if a few of their fellow clans men died.

Once the goblins came to a certain point. They abandoned throwing spears and ran away together. Purposefully jumping out of their hiding spot to be seen and running, leading the goblins deeper into the forest.

Once they had them chasing them deep enough. The three scattered. Confusing the goblins on which direction to go, ultimately making the large group of about a hundred or so, start to run and chase after them in every direction.

“Doesn’t seem that there are anymore of them leaving to help search for us.” Grient commented.

“You’re right. But unfortunately, if we move too quickly, we will only be exposing ourselves to them, without even learning where Crane and Wayne are.” Athena pointed out.

Again, the other two nodded their heads in agreement.

“Anyways, cut the chatter. Just get ready to move on my mark. I think they are bring back some of the bodies now.”

After a while, a group was hauling back all the dead, along with several injured back on sleds.

They took the injured to a medium sized hut. While the other goblins took the corpses over to one of the larger of the fifteen huts.

“That is most likely where they’ll be.” Athena pointed towards the hut. She then gave a wave of her hand. Which the other two nodded their heads in acknowledgment. Athena then ran up the tree branch they were hiding in, jumping to another tree branch across from them, taking them closer towards their location. The other two on her heels. They made it to the closest tree they could without being seen.

They then started to climb down it, making sure to go behind the tree, out of sight of the main village center. Luckily there were few to no goblins over on this side. They waited at the base of the tree near some bushes. Once they were reasonably sure that the goblins were done bringing in corpses, they made their move. The walked up to the hardened leather tanned hide that made up the construction of the hut.

Athena took out her dagger swiftly cut two deep incisions into the leather, at which they burst into the hut close to the same time. The four goblins milling about in their sort of cooking facility, were started by their sudden appearance. But they almost didn’t have time to make any sounds of alarm. Athena threw her dagger at the farthest one, closer towards the entrance then jumped on the young girl carrying some sort of dish full of cut up goblin parts.

She didn’t bother to wait and check to see if her dagger had actually hit, for she heard the results of it from the gurgling of the goblin who was dying having their throat stabbed by her blade.

Athena had the girl pinned by her arms with her legs, as Athena held her nose and mouth closed.

The young girl whimpered underneath her, thrashing for her life, fearful of the scary goblin holding her down. The young girl couldn’t breath, which made her even more fearful, making her try to scream more. The vision around the outside of her eyes started to go dark. She was so scared.

Is this? How this one dies? She wondered before passing out.

Once she stopped moving, Athena checked her vitals. She breathed easy know she was still alive and well. That she had preformed that maneuver correctly.

“Why didn’t you just kill her?” Grient asked in a whisper.

“Look at her. She is barely four summers old. While I think the elders and parents are responsible for this gross way of life they are living and deserve anything they get.” She looks back down at the young girl. “But do children deserve to be punished for their parents mistakes?” Athena asked a rhetorical question.

“Now? Where is-“ Athena started to ask as she scanned the room.

“Hey guys,” came a weak voice over in the dark corner. “Good to see some friendly faces…”

They all turned towards the voice. Athena let out an involuntary gasp at the state he was in.

All four of his limbs were chopped off at their major bends; his elbows and knees. His face was swollen from what look like countless beatings. He was missing an eye. His bottom lip was torn, looking like it a small portion had been bitten off. What was left of his arms were tied to leather straps, hanging from a wooden post of some sort. He was also bleeding from several places along his head. And also several places along his body from small cuts from what looked like claw marks.

“Oh by the Demon Lord! Wayne!” Athena almost lost control of the volume of her voice then. “Oh my Dark God!” Athena looked over him, trying to see if there were any other serious injuries.

Wayne gave a small chuckle before going into a coughing fit, spilling blood from his mouth.

“Internal injuries, coughing up blood, severed limbs, loss of an eye, head injury.”

“Thanks doctor Athena, tell me something Wayne doesn’t know…” He said bitingly, before coughing again.

“Stop talking idiot!” Athena reprimanded. She then looked at his limbs and breathed a small sigh of relief. “At the very least they cauterized the wounds to stop the bleeding there.”

“Small miracles…” Wayne lamented.

“We will get you fixed up once we get you home. So for the love of the Dark God, stop talking!” Athena ordered.

Grient was watching Athena attend to her friend. But he was also holding back an incredible rage to want to go out there into the village and start slaughtering all the goblins he could see.

But then a question was asked.

“……Where is Crane?……” Stubs asked.

At his question, they looked around, but did not see any signs of him.

“Yeah! Where is Crane?-“ Grient started to ask.

“Captain…” Called Wayne.

“I thought I told you to-“

“There…” Wayne said with a nod of his head.

“There?” The three rescuers looked around but saw no signs of their other squad mate. “I don’t see.”

“The table… what is left of him…” Wayne told her.

That is when she noticed it for the first time. A mostly picked apart corpse. Barely any flesh left on its rib cages. Along with organs hanging to dry next to the fire. A scalp of hair left discarded on the floor.

“Damnations!” Athena cursed. She felt the urge to be sick at what she saw.

Grient on the other hand actually did just that. He walked over to the corner, propping his hand on a post, drying heaving his breakfast.

Stubs tsked at the gruesome scene in disgust before looking away.

Athena was quiet for a moment for the loss of their friend.

“…… There is nothing we can do for him anymore……” She said with a coldness in her heart she did not feel. She was just trying to ignore the pain, if but for the moment. “We need to get Wayne out of here.”

“Please!” Wayne suddenly said. “Get me out of here! It was so horrible Athena!” He said with ever increasing volume. “The knocked us out! Chopped off our limbs! Then they butchered Crane while he was still conscious and alive! Wayne can still hear his screams as they-“ A hand came up to cover and close his mouth.

“Sshhhh! It is alright now!” Athena whispered to him. “No one is going to hurt you anymore.” Athena promised.

With that, Wayne sighed in relief before lowing his head, closing his eye.

“Thank… you…” After that, he stopped moving.

Worried about his life. Athena quickly checked his pulse. Which was still beating, so she gave a sigh in relief. She turned back towards the other two.

“He needs medical treatment fast!” Athena stated the obvious. “We need to get him out of here now!”

“I’ll carry him.” Grient told her as he cleaned himself off after throwing up.

Athena was surprised by his sudden volunteering, along with his firm tone of voice. But she also wasn’t going to argue.

“Got it. You carry Wayne; in fact! We will strap him to you, this way all you need to worry about to running, not holding onto him.”

Grient nodded at her suggestion.

They cut Wayne free, then brought him down, laying him across Grient’s back, to tightly secure him there.

When they were done, Athena looked towards Grient’s face.

“Don’t worry about us. You run as hard and as fast as you can. We will be providing cover for you; your only objective is to get him and yourself back to base safely.” She ordered him.

He nodded.

“Good. Let’s get-“

“Wat is taken so long with the foods!” Shouted an oddly familiar voice.

The three turned to see a few goblins come in through the entrance of the huts flaps. They froze as they came into the hut, seeing all the carnage that was strewn about.

Athena took one look at the goblin in the center and recognized him instantly.

“Gobran…” Athena spat out as she saw him.

“Who are?!-“ It was then that Gobran looked and noticed who was speaking.

“You! You this one that killed Grog!” He shouted.

“My name!” She shouted at him. “Is Athena! And Grog is very much alive and happy back in our clan with his new family!” She said as a provocation towards him.

This stunned the former Chieftain of her clan. But he quickly shook himself out of his stupor.

“You lies! Grog is dead! Grog not let Gobran just let alone! You lies! This one has no name! Gobran never gave this one name!”

“I don’t need your name! I wouldn’t want your disgusting name even if it meant saving my own life!”

“Ha! This one knew he needed to bed this one to stop this one’s rebel attitude!”

Athena shuddered in disgust at his words.

“You were too much of a coward to do so! You knew my grandma would have killed you both. That is why you never bothered to try and touch me.” She countered with a smirk on her lips.

“Agh! Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!!” He yelled while stomping his feet. “This one dies now! All of these ones die now! Kill them!” He ordered his four goons.

“Everyone! Close your eyes!” She told her squad. She than preformed a series of hand gestures while channeling her aura. A white circle appeared in-front of her where her hand was pointing. She then closed her eyes.

The white glowing eliminated circle that appeared in-front of the goblins running at them, had them fearing for their lives making them frozen in place.

“What?! What is-!”

Than a flash of bright light burst out blinding all who looked directly at it.

“Ah! Gobran’s eyes! This one can’t see!”

The other four goblins that were with him were in a very similar state. They all had they eyes covered with their hands. Trying desperately to rub out the stinging of the brightness that just assailed them.

After several minutes, of basically rolling around on the floor with watering eyes. Gobran gets back up and looks around the hut. Trying to see where the three had gone. It took him a minute more before it became clear that they were no longer here.

“What?! Where have they gone! You fools! After them! Tell all in village that they must be caught! All most go! Kill those invaders!” Gobran shouted these orders around all who could hear him.

=============================

Stubs Grient and Athena who was slightly behind them, were running away from a small group of goblins that had seen them running through the village and out of their territory.

But it soon became apparent that the whole of that clan was ordered to chase them, as the small group behind them turned numerous.

“So?! How did you know him?” Grient asked as they were running.

“Is!… Now?!… really?!… the?!… ah… time?!” Athena questioned through pants of breath.

“Better now than never!… Ha… just in case!…” Grient said.

“He was!… my old!… chieftain!… ha!…”

“Areyouokay?!” Stubs asked quickly with a worried tone.

“Yeah!… Sorry!… ha!… never!… ha!… used!… magic!… ha!… before!…” She labored through pants of breathed.

“Yeah! Speaking of! Since when could you use magic?! Grient!… Ha!… thought!… you needed to have!… ha!… some sort of training!… for that?!…” he asked her through pants of his own.

“Athena!… never!… ha!… tried!… ha!… before!… today!…” She told them.

“But… how… did you know… how to do it?…” Stubs asked this time.

“Athena!… watched!… ha!… the Demon!… Lord!… ha!.. do!… it!…” She explained.

“Wait! A!… ha!… minute!… you are tell!… ing!… us!… ha!… that you saw!… the Demon Lord!… do it once!… and were able!… to copy her?!… ha!…”

“Yes!…” She shouted in confirmation. “Not!… ha!… the!… ha!… first!… ha!… time!… ha!… I Copied!… her!… first!… try!… HA!…” She panted out heavily while running.

“You seem more tired… than you should…” Stubs observed with concerned.

“That!… one!… ha!… spell!… ha!… took!… ha!… all!… Athena!… had!… HA!…”

Grient and Stubs shared a look.

“Captain!…” Stubs called out to her. “Get on!… my back!…” He suggested.

She shook her head.

“Don’t be stubborn Captain!…” Grient yelled. “Look!… You are already slowing down! Ha!.. “ He pointed out.

She too realized that they were pulling ahead.

“Then!… I will!… ha!… split!… off!… make them!…”

“Don’t even think about it!” Grient shouted at her. “We’re not sacrificing one, just to save another!”

“You!… Will!… Ha!… follow!… your!… ha!… Captain’s!… orders!…” She told them.

“You’re!… technically!… not our!… ha!… Captain!… ha!… anymore! HA!…”

She scowled at him.

“Don’t!…-“

“Stubs! Do it!” Grient ordered.

Without saying a word. Stubs slowed down to where Athena was, then bent down to lift her up, cradling her in his arms.

“Stubs!… you!… can’t!…”

“Was!… part!… of!… plan!… any!… ways!…” He argued.

“But!… now!… you!… will!… get tired!… faster!…” Athena said in concern.

“Just!… need!… to!… make!… it!… to!… reinforcements!…” He informed her. “Not!… all!… the!… way!… back!… to!… camp!…”

“I am going!… to be to heavy to carry that long!” Athena argued. Her breath coming back to an even keel.

“Non!… ha!… sense!…” He told her. “Athena!… is lighter!… than Willow!…”

She gapped at him.

“I am so telling her you said that!” She threatened him.

“Please don’t!… She will!… Hurt me!…” He said jokingly.

Athena gave a short laugh at his words. But despite Athena’s protests. She really wasn’t in the best shape to argue or to tell them to put her down. She couldn’t even fight Stubs when he picked her up. She just prayed that they would make it to the orc forces in time.

After about another thirty minutes of running, both sides were slowing down. Stubs and Grient because they were carrying an extra person. And the goblin clan, because they were not as trained to pursue enemies long distances like this.

So it was a small blessing that they were able to maintain an even distance from them. And luckily at this slower jogging speed, they were basically able to keep better pace. But they also knew that they wouldn’t last much longer.

“How?!……… is……… she?!………” Grient asked Stubs.

“………” He looked down at Athena’s slumbering figure in his arms.

“Sleeping…… passed out……”

“Lucky her!… ha!… ha!…” Grient joked.

“GYAAHH!” Came a furious cry.

“Dragon crap!…Ferals!…” Grient cried out as the ferals came sprinting out of the woods.

“Double time it Stubs!” He ordered.

They started a mad dash to sprint away. But the ferals were full of energy, to which Stubs and Grient were running on fumes. The ferals were gaining ground fast from running on all fours.

They ran about another ten minutes before it happened.

A feral lunged, tackling Stubs from behind, knocking him and an unconscious Athena to the ground. Stubs rolled with the fall as best as her could, shielding Athena from the fall as much as possible.

“STUBS!” Grient shouted back towards him.

“GO!” Stubs shouted at him!

Grient hesitated for a second to late, the feral was already back on Stubs again, clawing at his back, biting his shoulder.

“AGGHH!”

“STUBS!” Just as Grient decided to go back for him. A large dark figure came sprinting from the other side of the woods, swinging a large object.

*THUNK*

Came the sound of a blunt metal warhammer’s head, smashing into the feral goblins face. Sending it flying backwards, spinning end-over-end, landing almost forty yalms from where Lirania had hit it. Right at the feet of the goblin pursuers.

Once it landed there, the scavenger clan came to a dead halt at the sight of this imposing figure. They all trembled in fear from not only the sight if her physique, but at what she had done to the wild goblin.

Its face was concaved inside of its own head, making it look like someone had pressed something into clay, making an impression of something. Its body lay twitching on the ground, it’s nerves still twitching from the blood and heart beat still working, despite the fact that it was dead.

“STUBBIEZ!” Cried Willow, jumping from Lirania’s back to go attend her partner.

Just a moment later, several more tall figures came bursting from the forest tree-line, all of which were wielding large scary weapons.

“Just to confirm.” Lirania looked back towards Grient. The only one left standing. “But these guys are the enemy right?” Lirania said with a cold look on her face.

Grient could only nod his head.

Lirania nodded back to him.

“Okay then,” She looked from him, to the one eyed goblin on his back, to the unconscious Athena lying slightly under Stubs who was being looked after by Willow. She looked at her troops, then back to the goblin hoard in front of them.

“Kill them all!” She shouted.

“AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!” Her forty-one orc warriors cried out a battle-cry as the charged forward to their enemies.

“AaaaaaHhhhhh!” The scavenger clan screamed at the sight of the orcs charging towards them. Most started to scatter. But all of them had been too tired to run away fast enough, do to them chasing after the goblin the intruders for so long.

The orcs single handedly dove in and started a one-sided massacre. The orcs used both the blade and the blunt portions of their axes with deadly efficiency. Limbs and heads were either crushed or severed. Blood raining down from bodies and parts of bodies that were launched into the air.

Yamin came dropping off the female goblin he had been carrying, giving her a smile and pat on the head before leaving her with the rest of her group. He then gave a war-cry of his own before charging into battle along with his brothers-in-arms.

Cindy stared after him while she watched him carve his way into the fray.

Lirania gave a nod of her head, satisfied with the work her troops were doing. They didn’t need her to join in with them.

She then turned to attend to her goblin friends; most importantly Athena.

“So!” She looked towards Grient, who was panting heavily, but otherwise still up right. “Care to give me a briefing?” She asked him.

He took a breath to speak,

“I… Will… speak…” Stubs said to her.

Lirania looked down at the boy on the ground with part of his ear missing, along with chunks of his shoulder that were torn and bitten into.

“Stubs is really not in a condition to-“

“Wayneonhisbackneedstobebroughtbacktocamp! NOW!” Stubs shouted.

“……” Lirania was surprised by his forcefulness. She was also not a hundred percent sure what it was that he said, but she understood the gist. She took a moment to look at both the goblin, and the goblin strapped to him. She realized what he was saying and was right. “Very well. You!” She said with a point.

“Ma’am!” He said with a salute.

“You heard this man. Take this one back to camp!”

“Y-Yes ma’am!” He replied.

“Hold on a second.” She told him before be could leave.

“Ma’am?”

“You there?” She said with a point.

“Huh?” Cindy looked over towards the finger point at her. “Me?!”

“Yes! This one over there is going to need an escort. Make sure those two make it back to camp safely.” Lirania instructed.

“But I- I mean… yes ma’am…” Cindy thought disappointed that she couldn’t stay. “Come on Grient! Hop to it!” She shouted her irritation at him.

“Why are you mad?-“

“Just shut up and get moving!” Cindy yelled.

At this, Grient started to make a beeline for the direction of the caravans. With Cindy yelling at him close on his heels.

“………” Lirania watched this strange affair and wondered why goblins were so different from one another unlike orc. She turned back to Willow, Stubs and Athena; who of which was still unconscious.

Lirania reached down to check her vitals. She her breathing and heart beat seemed normal. Which let her breath slightly easier.

She looked over towards the couple. Willow was busy trying to get a fire going  so she could heat up her knife to cauterize Stubs’ wounds. She temporarily put some bandages on him, to help quell the bleeding on his ear, along with his torn to pieces back and shoulder.

But before she could say anything, Stubs beat her to it.

“Sorry… for yelling at you… General… hope this doesn’t color your opinion of me for joining your army later…” He said with a smile that turned into a wince.

Lirania just let out a sigh.

“Let us get you patched up first soldier, the. we can talk.” She went over to help with patching up his cut up back. After she started to apply the clotting powder to his skin. She reached over, patting him on the head. “You did good soldier.” She told him proudly at how he had protected Athena with his own body.

She heard him sniffling. But whether it was from the pain of his treatments, or what she had said. She couldn’t tell, so she decided to ignore the fact that she heard him.

After about a twenty minute medical first-aide field surgery, Stubs was laying curled up on his knees, sleeping soundly in the afternoon light with his head on his courtship’s lap.

Willow was smiling down, stroking her partner’s hair while he slept.

“He did really well huh?” Willow said aloud absently.

Lirania looked over from Athena’s sleeping figure towards Willow. She wasn’t even sure if Willow was talking to her. Her face had a look that was devoid of any emotions. She was staring at Stubs, but she could have very well been staring at nothing.

“Yeah, he did.” Lirania told her.

Willow did nothing but continue to stroke Stubs’s hair while he slept.

“We were really cutting it close there, huh?”

Lirania looked from her back to Athena.

“Yeah… we were…”

More silence passed between them.

“Willow almost lost him! Didn’t she?!” She asked in a strained voice.

Lirania looked back to her. Not much had changed outwardly, but Willow, despite still trying her best to smile, was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Her eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

“……… Yeah…… we nearly lost them…” She told Willow, referring to both Stubs, and Athena.

Willow’s dams broke in that instance. She leaned forward, resting her head on Stubs’s hair, as she cried her eyes out.

“Willow thought that she was okay! *HIC* Willow thought she only liked him so much! *HIC* But!- But! When Willow saw Stubs laying there, being eaten by that gobl- by that monster! *HIC* Willow couldn’t breath!”

Lirania was choked up at the scene before her, watching these two lovers cuddle. While she had seen many people who cried over their losses before. She didn’t know what that felt like; that is, until now.

“When- *HIC* -When we heard Grient yelling Stubs’s name! *HIC* When we came out of the trees! *HIC* When Willow saw Stubborns sitting there all bloodied! *HIC* Willow thought he was!- Thought she wouldn’t be able to go on if he was dead! *HIC*”

Lirania could only nod. She knew exactly how she was feeling. When she saw that Athena was under Stubs. Her Blood-Rage had kicked in. She ran faster, got to them sooner, made sure to precisely hit the enemy.

It was so dangerous. If she had lost control for even a second.

She shuddered at the thought.

That is why she had to stand there after fending off that crazy goblin. She wasn’t even in the right frame of mind, she needed to calm herself down. But at that moment; she felt like just charging those goblins herself, killing every single one of them.

It has been a long time since I lost control of the Blood-Rage like that. Lirania lamented. But in the end, it all worked out.

“Willow has decided. *HIC* Willow wants to learn how to heal others like Creeping Ivy does!” She vowed. “Willow doesn’t want to leave her loved one injured like this! Willow wishes to know how to heal!”

Lirania smiled at Willow’s drive. She reached over, gently rubbing her hair.

“This one thinks that is very admirable. Lirania can tell that Willow is now filled with determination… But does that mean you won’t be joining my army regiment?” Lirania asking teasingly at the end of her sentence.

Willow couldn’t help be give a laugh at her question.

“Of course not! If you won’t mind waiting for me to learn how to heal, Willow- I will be more than happy to join!” Willow told her.

“And Lirania will accept you whenever you are ready.” She told her honestly.

“Thank you…” Willow took in a shuddering breath. “Stubs is probably still wanting to join right away though, Athena too for that matter…” Willow looked up from Stubs for the first time in ages. “You’ll take care of them while I practice medicine, right?” She pleaded.

“Like they were this one’s own family.” She promised. Not only because of the affections that Lirania had for Athena. But also because of the brave sacrifice that Stubs had almost made for Athena: how he had shielded and protected her with his own body. If he achieved nothing else in this life, he would always have Lirania’s respect for what he did.

Willow smiles at Lirania through her tears.

“Thank you… you are a great friend Lira.”

Lirania breathed in sharply at her words, but also let it out slowly to calm herself.

“To much, to so?” Willow asked.

“…… No… It has just been a while, since anyone has called me either of those things.” Lirania told her, as she sat there thinking about what Willow had just called her in silence.

“Well! For what it is worth, I think of you as a friend.”

“… You know? This one to… I-… I also think of… Willow, as a friend.” She felt her face heating a little at what she said.

“Ah! That is so cute! Orcs can be softies!” Willow teased.

Lirania just closed her eyes while looking away from her, dismissively waving her hand towards her at what Willow said.

This only caused Willow to giggle.

Willow looked back down at the easy breath of her beloved.

“I think I have also decided on something else.” Willow said to Lirania.

“What is that?” Lirania wanted to know.

“I think that, if Stubborns is ready and willing. I will gladly take him as my mate.”

This was a shock to hear from Willow, mostly because she wasn’t sure they were even that close yet to be sharing things of this nature.

“Oh don’t look so surprised!” Willow chided Lirania, but also misunderstanding the look she was being given. “I know what we told you before… but just being in courtship… just dating… but after seeing Stubs hurt like this… after coming so close to losing him. I think it made Willow realized that there is going to be no one else whoever makes me feel this way. I want to relish every moment with him, than to keep the status we’re at, constantly wondering if maybe he will find someone else who he cherishes more.” She looked back up at Lirania.

“I know that sounds pretty selfish. But I don’t think I want to take a chance on giving him to anybody.”

“No… that makes perfect sense to me.” Lirania said with a smile while looking away from Willow, not looking directly at Athena. But out of the corner of her eye.

“……” Willow was quietly watch Lirania being introspective. “So?”

“… So what?” Lirania took the bait.

“Are you going to take to heart what I just said and do the same?”

“……” Lirania was quiet before she answered. “T-This one might! She has decided yet!” She said with false indignation.

This just caused Willow to giggle.

“Well! Don’t keep him waiting to long! He might find another girl before you agree to be his mate.”

“………” Lirania stayed quiet for such a long time, that Willow thought she had upset her.

“Listen friend… I didn’t mean to upset you if I had.”

“You didn’t.” Lirania assured her. “…… And it is not a man……” she confessed.

Willow put a hand up to cover her mouth in surprise.

“Oh my!”

“Yes… This one loves backwards…” Lirania said with a blush over taking her face.

“Well don’t feel bad or weird about it!” Willow assured her. “There are plenty of backwards loving people within our clans! Hell! My sister is currently dating another female!” She saw her words were only making the softy Lirania blush harder. “So let me redo my statement earlier: whoever you like, is one like girl!” She told her.

Lirania scoffed.

“She sure is…” She muttered disgruntled.

“Why say it like that?! Come on! Don’t be so down on yourself! You’re a great catch! I am sure that anyone would have to be stupid not to choose you.”

“……Unless they have a better choice……” Lirania muttered.

“*TSK* You have to remember whose presence you in Lirania,” Willow scolded gently. “Goblins not only have great eye sight like gnomes, dwarves or dark elves, but we also have incredible hearing like an alliance elf! So there is no muttering that a goblin can’t hear!” She told her teasingly. “And how can there be better choice than you?! The only other person they could possibly be interested in that is better match than you, is the Demon… Lord…” Willow realized what she was say, and what Lirania was implying.

Willow’s eyes were wide at what she was piecing together.

She was looking at her new orc friend in a new light. She saw that her whole face was a shade darker from being embarrassed. She also considered the fact that she was staring at her friend, sleeping on the ground while not facing Willow.

Willow brought her hand up to cover her mouth once again.

“OH! MY!” She spoke aloud. Not even sure what else to say. Her face heated up at this thought. She recalled what she had said to Athena earlier, that they were alone together the other day, that Athena had a weird reaction, and also Lirania’s protectiveness of Athena. It also brought to light several things from last night.

“…Oh my…” She whispered my to herself than to anyone there.

Willow decided that the air was awkward enough, so she decided to try and clear it with a different topic.

“A-A-Anyways! On a different note than your hypothetical courtship interest.” She saw her words had an effect that made Lirania look down like she was trying to hide her face into her chest. “I-… I am sorry that my poor Stubbiez here has gone and conked out! He was suppose to give you a report on what happened. So I guess Willow will have to apologize on his behave.”

“D-D-Don’t mention it! Lirania will just get it later anyways.”

“Yes. You will.” A voice assure. A voice which brought the atmosphere down to freezing levels.

The sudden noise and appearance set both Willow and Lirania on edge.

Out of the brush, came about twenty or so camouflaged goblin rangers. They were escorting about ten of the medical staff from Creeping Ivy’s unit.

“Leaf!” Willow bellowed, relaxing at the sight if her sister. She then looked from her sister down to Stubs, then back up to her sister, then down to Stubs.

Leaf saw her sister indecision, so she just held up a hand.

“Don’t bother getting up. We have just come to here collect the rest of Athena’s squad.”

“Oh! Then sis! Did you meet up with Grient and Cindy halfway?” Willow asked.

“Yes. The are already heading back to camp and are in custody.”

The air further chilled around them at those words.

“…Custody?…” Willow whispered.

Leaf pulled back her hood and lowered her mask.

“That is right “former” Sargent Willow. I am here to attend to the wounded, while also bringing back all of the remaining teams of squad twelve back with us into our custody.” Leaf then snapped her fingers; the rangers and medical staff surround their little group.

The medical staff moved towards Stubs and Athena.

Lirania then pulled out her weapon, slammed in straight into the ground on the other side of Athena. Blocking medical staff from her, scaring them senseless. The Rangers other than Leaf, placed their hands on their weapons, but otherwise did not draw them.

Lirania stood straight up to her full height.

“This one here thinks that there has been a misunderstanding. Surely you aren’t thinking of taking my charges away from me? Charges that are directly under my protection and care, are you?” Lirania questioned with flames in her eyes, daring for anyone here to challenge her.

The tension was so thick, that if a ranger so much as threw a blade of grass, it would be caught in the air.

Leaf held up her hands in a shrug.

“This is not for us to decide here General. We are only following orders… You know all about listening to and following orders… don’t you? Lirania?” Leaf said as a challenge.

“Yeah…” She said as she tightened her grip, twisting her weapon farther into the dirt. “…This one knows plenty.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Then you also know that we’re just here to do our job. Please don’t cause an incident here General. Think of the alliance we’ve made, your men, our men, who will really suffer if you lash out at us.” Leaf then took a couple cautious steps forward. “… And think about it… this is the General’s granddaughter… nothing is going to happen to her. Or to them.” She added as she saw Lirania look towards Willow and Stubs. “This one here is my sister, whom I love dearly.” She said taking a couple more steps forward. “And you can ask Willow, I am Athena’s best friend. You can trust me.” Leaf assured.

“………………..” Lirania made a quick calculation on getting herself, Athena, Willow and Stubs out of there. They weren’t good. Even for her. She then glanced over at Willow, asking her with her eyes.

Willow eyes were wide with confusion and fright. But when she saw Lirania looking at her. She swallowed her dry mouth, then nodded her head towards her.

So at the end she looked back towards Leaf.

“Not. A. Scratch.” Then let go of her weapon. Letting the handle drop to the ground.

Leaf smiled at her.

“Wise choice.”

Her men and the medical staff started loading up Athena and Stubs onto stretchers. They tied them down, to make sure they didn’t slip off, or if they woke up. Didn’t run away.

After Stubs was loaded and hauled away, to rangers came over to Willow. Grabbing her by the arms.

“H-Hey! Watch it!”

“Is that really necessary?!” Lirania questioned.

“When this is an internal investigation, it is. This is also ranger business. So I would appreciate it if the General. Of the army doesn’t interfere.” Leaf then look back at Lirania’s scowling angry face. “If this one has a complaint: take it up with our Ranger General.” Leaf informed her. “Until next time, General.” Leaf said sarcastically with a wave of her hand as she walked away in the direction of the caravan.

Lirania was left there, gritting her teeth, wanting badly to behead something.

“Oh! Don’t worry Willow’s sister! I will!” Lirania swore.