For nearly a week none of the pups approached Chungotlus. Life continued under elvish rule and when the elf god of drink demanded revelry the kobolds were nearly as enthusiastic as the blood-suckers themselves. Only Chungotlus and a small band of kobolds kept separate from the celebration. The old kobold sat forlorn as he leaned on his staff. “They have nearly lost themselves, I fear,” he mumbled into his mustache. “Will they rise before their ears begin to stand upright like the elves horns?”
Slosudlus gave a sad smile as she placed a paw on the elder's shoulder. “They will rise, Chungotlus. Give them time.”
“Time?” asked Chungotlus with a sneer. “The more time we give them the more they become the enemy. We lead them to slaughter by our own hands. We lead them to-”
He cut off suddenly at the sight of scampering pups making their way up a hill. His brow furrowed downward and he asked loudly, “I had thought you pups done with my stories. Was that not what Historian Teedlongis wished? For such stories to remain of the past?”
“We snuck out,” admitted one of the older pups with a sheepish look on his face. The others rubbed their snouts shamefully and kicked their feet. “She told us we had to stay for the dancing, but Godruprus' day is not come yet.”
A wide smile split Chungotlus' face and he nodded slowly. “Perhaps there is hope after all...” “Perhaps there is hope after all,” murmered Valk to Lobster as the sun rose on Tadlotlindrirajer one brisk winter morning. “When they arrived, the four were distraught beyond work and understandably. But now they train for next wars to come as one of our own. Clearly a consolation from Josislus. We are blessed.”
“Good tick man heart,” Lobster remarked as she held up one of Sen's famous tick man heart biscuits.
“Indeed,” responded Valk as he put an arm around his wife's shoulder. “But think of the greatness we can achieve. Why, we are less than a paw away from having four paws of kobolds.”
Lobster frowned slightly at this and turned her head to the side, “Valk talk kobold?”
Valk nodded and furrowed his brow to find the best way to express his words. “Camp lots kobolds. Camp do big thing. Camp best.”
This brought an encouraging and cheerful smile to Lobster's face and she gave her husband a warm hug. “Camp best.”
There came a knock at the door and Suds' snout pushed through one of the cracks. “Valk? Valk talk Suds.”
Valk excused himself and stepped outside to talk with the chief. Suds held up his hands, “Valk no need talk. Valk talk talk talk talk. Suds want Valk make temple. Srojlachlis. Valk make temple, we make revenge.”
The kobolds had only left their food cave two weeks earlier but already there was talk of vengeance in the air. True, everybody understood that even one or two mosquito were probably too much for the fledgling military, but it was heartening to call out curses from the gods upon their foes. The skies had been clear for a time and the kobolds had returned to their work.
When a clattering shape came from the south all feared that it was another attack so soon. But it was something with which they could take some hope. It was the merchant's wagon barely holding together under the weight of all of the wonderful things kept inside.
There were cheers and dancing and singing through the whole camp. Drinks flowed and revels were started. But down to the south things were more dour.
Hugo stood down at the carving wall with a sharpened stone in his paw. He cut away at the stone with a deep frown on his face, scratching out an image. Soon Niyazov came behind him and placed paws on his shoulders. She surveyed his work and asked simply, “Why?”
“We fight. We kill. We die,” responded Hugo glumly as he finished off the engraving. “Big chiefs send us. Big chiefs no help.” He gestured to his carving a near identical image of his praise for their mother nation from the previous season. The only difference was that this carving showed the tree vaguely twisted. “Big chiefs no care.”
At the camp the merchants were finally done setting up their wares. A massive effort was undertaken to move meat, wooden bolts, and furniture to the trading spot. The kobolds from the Big Camp sniffed the meat and nodded enthusiastically.
“You get good meat,” commented one with a smile.
Suds nodded and gestured to Corai, “Corai big hunter. Catch meat.”
Corai let out a laugh and shook his head, “Niyazov big hunter. Kill meat.” He paused for a moment to look around and then asked, “Where Niyazov?”
Soon the trading was underway. Prayers to Tliyifrus (for her guidance in crafting) and Dleenuslis (for his generosity in giving) were offered and deals were made. For piles of meat and wooden arrows the kobolds of the camp received a copper buckler, a copper dagger, and a bar of silver. The kobolds all gathered to see these fine things.
“Fight better!”
“Better buckler!”
“Craft silver!”
Of course, the last was more symbolic than functional. The camp didn't strictly have an anvil or the know how of turning a bar of silver into something useful, but it brought great joy none-the-less.
The merchants looked over what they had gained and smiled. "Tadlotlindrirajer make good arrows. Make good food. Sen good cook. Next time, we get more."
With the trading done and the merchants going on their way, the kobolds turned back to daily life. Despite the ever-buzzing and threatening sound of the mosquitos overhead the kobolds toiled on. One day the rattling of a bow against a shield called the military to action.
“Look,” pointed Blue, the newest marksbold as she pointed with an arrow. “Giant snail.” The others nodded, grabbed their weaponry, and ran down the hill screaming with bloody rage. There had been plenty of time for training, but this would be the first slaughter since they had faced pain themselves. As they ran, Blue and Niyazov let off arrows that split the air with whistles and hit wetly into the body of the snail prompting a great keen of pain.
Blue and Niyazov fell back slightly as FeralTalon, Cadbee, Nix, and Nerev circled the beast and began to fight it close up.
“Die snail,” growled out FeralTalon with a smirk on his face as he jabbed with his spear and nearly bounced back from the thick shell.
“Helmet,” explained Niyazov as she fired again, bouncing her arrow off the shell. Try not hit.”
Corai stood watching this with a look of pride on his face. Then momentary horror came to his eyes. "Too close camp! Kill! Kill!"
The snail swung it's tail and sweeped Cadbee's legs out from under her. She fell to the ground with a grunt, but with a rapid spin was back on her feet with a snarl on her face.
Taking this moment of distraction, Nix jumped forward onto the creature's back. He gripped the shell and sunk his teeth into the snail's eyestalk. The keening began again and Nix held on tightly with claw and tooth. This distraction afford FeralTalon the chance to move in, his spear stabbing into flesh over and over again. Soon slime dripped from dozens of holes.
Cadbee and Nerev fell upon the beast as well, kicking punching, and stabbing repeatedly, but the beast simply would not die. Nerev took a hit in the lower body from the beast's slimy head and stumbled back before rejoining the melee.
“Nix!” called out Blue as she raised her bow. “Move!”
Nix let out a growl and shook his head, the eyestalk ripping off in his mouth before kicking off of the monster. Blue exhaled, released her shot, and splattered the monster's head.
The kobolds stood, panting slightly before a whoop of victory went up and they dragged the corpse back.
The snail was delicious if slightly chewier than anticipated and for several days the camp was nearly silent simply because everybody was biting off more snail than they could chew easily. Still, happy purrs and growls could be heard all over and cheer had returned.
As winter came to an end, Hugo returned to the history stone. He held up his sharpened stone and shook his head, “Camp need real Historian.” All the same, he heaved a deep sigh and began to carve. Speaking softly to himself he muttered out, “Big camp no save us. Our camp become big camp. Our camp live. We have dignity.”
Unfortunately, not a whole lot happened in Winter. If you have any questions at all, please ask! In my double-posted area I'm going to post a quick description of what the various buildings are in camp.
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