by Roharp17
The hill turned out to be overlooking a very large and dry creek bed. In it was a goblin camp with at least five dozen goblins walking around. No telling how many were in the crude tents that dotted the area. Jade pointed out a cave in the far side of the ridge. A goblin came out and went on his way. There was a half dozen wooden cages next to the cave. In them were animals, but one cage held a human form, laying on the ground. Ivy finally motioned for them to move back, and they did. Grabbing their packs, they moved further down the ridge as silently as possible.
After a few minutes’ walk, Ivy grabbed Danny's arm and pointed up at a tree. She had gotten good at picking out what trees he could use. Danny nodded, took off his pack, and got to work. Making the handholds on the far side of the tree form the goblin camp, just in case, he climbed the tree. After finding a suitable spot, Danny made sure it also wasn't visible from the goblin camp. He added extra foliage to the cage around the new tree house, to muffle sound and light. An hour later he was done. Then he went higher with the handholds but unfortunately couldn't see the goblin camp from higher up. When he came down to the tree house level, Ivy was there and looked confused at what he was doing. So Danny explained quietly and she nodded her in understanding.
They all gathered inside the living room and Danny cast a light. During the day this won't be noticeable, but at night some light might leak out so he went back outside to wrap the doorway around a bit more, making the living room look more like a snail shell.
Setting their things down, Ivy got right to business, "I want us to take turns scouting the camp for a day or two. We need to know patrol routes, numbers, and try to discover any weaknesses. I want to know why those animals are being caged and if that person they captured is still alive. We might have to try and extract them before an attack. Danny, good work on the tree house. Can you get us closer through the trees while maintaining cover?"
"Like a system of tree bridges?"
"Exactly, but with plenty of cover."
"Sure, it might take some time depending on distance."
"Can you get it done today?"
"... I don't see why not."
Nodding Ivy turned to Jade, "Until then you are in charge of surveillance. If Danny takes longer than planned, Brooke or I will switch with you. At sunset return here."
Jade nodded and left them.
Ivy turned to the remaining girl, "Brooke, you guard the way up here. I don't want any uninvited guests."
Brooke departed to her assigned task.
Ivy turned to him last, "Danny, I will watch your back and keep an eye out for any goblins below us while you are distracted. I would rather they not notice you working. Alright let's go."
As Brooke went and leaned against the trunk of the tree, Ivy followed him towards the direction of the nearest tree. Danny sat down cross-legged and planned what he was going to do. A stiff branch connecting to two trees might break in a strong wind that affected one tree more than another. If he did this it would need to be flexible. Happy to try something new, he grabbed a grape seed from his pouch. Holding it to the tree they were on, he used nature affinity to grow the seed. He made sure to graft the roots all the way into the tree. Plants have a system of veins and arteries kind of like animals, connect the right ones and they work together. Normally you would only graft plants within the same species. Fortunately, knowing what processes in the plants he want to streamline, the magic worked to make it happen.
The grape vine grows out along the smaller branches and jumps to the next tree. Then he has it pull itself tighter, but still lets the vine hang slightly loose. Danny repeats the process a meter down the branch he is on and then starts weaving the two together. Soon he has a rope bridge between the two trees, that shouldn't snap in high winds. Now all he needs is to hide it from below.
Danny decided to create another vine across but this time it hung in the middle and two meters above the first two. Then he started weaving a triangular tunnel. Once that was done he has the two trees grow more leaves near the bridge. Grapevine leaves in amongst the two trees might be an eyesore and stand out. Happy with the low visibility, Danny crossed the bridge to the next tree. As Ivy is crossed to him he started creating a platform there. He discussed with Ivy about which tree to move to and repeats the process.
By mid-afternoon Danny has reached a tree close enough to the goblin camp to observe. He increases the tree's foliage slowly and then creates a hunting blind type structure on that trees platform. This will allow anyone observing not have to worry about excess movement and will block most sound they make.
Jade returns at sunset and reports that she counted at least fifty goblins but is unsure how many are in the cave and still out hunting. She watched as a large group of about ten goblins set off towards where they attacked the hunters, around midday. They had returned later empty handed and the camp appeared more on alert after that. She also said that the human didn't move all day and is either unconscious or dead. If he is too hurt or sick that he can't move, then getting him out of their before attacking will be next to impossible. Ivy has Jade go with her to the new lookout while I take the first watch guarding the way up. Brooke is told to eat and sleep so she can take the last watch near morning.
A note from Roharp17
Edited: thanks again denkkar, flakes, specificmice, and anyone else I missed. While it doesn't excuse everything, I never realized how much I rely on MS Word till now... I had it all during school and I, of course, use it at work, but I haven't had a reason to purchase it for my home computer. Wow, now I'm worriedly looking at this comment for obvious errors.
Chapter 30
The next morning, Ivy had Jade go down below and try and spot them moving through the trees to the new lookout. Jade points out a few weak spots and suggests increasing the foliage further out as it looks unnatural with the sudden dense amount of leaves. After patching up his work, Danny can't help but wonder how long this will last. They never went back to any of his other tree houses. The leaves especially will be considered inefficient by the tree when they don't receive enough sunlight. The leaves should move towards the sunlight or the tree will kill them off when they don't supply enough nutrients. He decided to walk the skyway each morning and fix any large movements or leaf die off.
He also planted a few fruits, in the tree next to their living room, grafting them there. The girls were really happy with having fresh fruit. Eating rations could get old fast, and up in the tree they couldn't cook their food. They would have to range pretty far to start a fire. He could add growing more fruit to the list of morning duties.
While Jade scouted around the camp by foot, Ivy and Danny went to the lookout to observe from there. Brooke was given guard duty till lunch, when she and Danny would switch duties.
Danny sat down next to Ivy whispering, "So, what plans have you come up with for tackling this?"
Ivy didn't take her eyes off the distant enemy, saying, "I think a direct assault is out. Being outnumbered by more than ten to one saves us the time of even considering that route. At a minimum, we were asked to drive them out, so we can use scare tactics. Right now, they could be thinking the party we killed already was attacked and dragged off by either predators or enemies. Jade and another from our team could stalk a few smaller groups that leave the camp. Then we could do our best to leave behind some mangled bodies. Make it look like an animal attack."
Danny nodded, "I like the stealth approach. If I got close enough, and with enough time, I could set off some serious magic. I'm afraid I might inadvertently hurt that man in the cage at the same time. They would get rid of his body if he was dead, right?"
"I guess, I haven't had a chance to observe goblins before. Neither has Jade or Brooke. So this will be a major learning experience for us."
Not much seemed to happen most of that morning. Another large group of goblins left the way we came from. They returned with a large lizard Danny had never seen before. They began cutting it apart there in the camp and cooking it at i
ndividual fires set near each group of tents. A few goblins came out of the cave and grabbed some of the meat only to return back into the cave.
"Hey Ivy, are there any females down there?"
Smiling, Ivy turned to him and asked, "Looking to join with another Trio?"
Scowling at her, he replied, "No, I'm just curious how to tell them apart."
"Danny, most of the goblins we have seen have been female."
Danny looked dumbly at her then turned to scrutinize the members of the camp again. There was nothing outwardly that would distinguish one from the other. Some were smaller or bigger. He did notice a few with longer ears than the others. The longer eared ones seemed to stay near the tents or large cave.
"The ones with longer ears male?"
Ivy smiled approvingly, "Correct! I was told that the males stay in the camp tending the young and handling any construction efforts required. The females hunt and protect the tribe."
Danny was in a bit of a culture shock here realizing that he would be more prone to not hurting the males than the females with this arrangement. The males looked so weak. He had another thought, he asked, "Do they have access to their mental sanctuaries?"
"Like most minor races the majority of goblins do not. Usually the ones that figure it out take on the role of chieftain or shaman. I have been told those that unlock that ability, do not like to share power and are quick to kill each other."
"What makes them a minor race?"
"Major races are called so because of their ability to form towns or cities and work peacefully with other races."
"Then what about the beastmen tribes? How are they any different from these goblins?"
"They were once a great civilization and we hope they will be again one day."
Danny nodded thinking about what he had been told. He looked to Ivy asking, "If they have males here then where are all the children?"
"I was taught that newborn goblin will grow to their full height in a few months. They tend to live in extremely hostile environments and have to grow up fast. The tradeoff appears to be that they are slower and weaker than the other races." Ivy shrugged unsure, "If there are children around they must be kept in the tents."
Danny relieved Brooke at lunchtime, and spent an uneventful day by the trunk. He focused on his guarding duties while his dual concentration worked on air scanning the area. For a second he thought he sensed someone at the edge of his senses but when he searched the area with his eyes he didn't see anyone. He didn't sense the presence again when he air scanned again and decided his bored mind had imagined it. Around sundown the others came back to the tree house. Danny cast a light spell in the living room and they huddled to discuss what they saw that day. Ivy started off, "I don't think they suspect we are here. My guess is they think that whatever got the hunters yesterday is no longer in the area or is satiated for now. Jade?"
Jade nodded, "I agree, they are acting nervous but seem to be going about what appears as normal routines. I did find another problem. They have a chieftain or shaman, I couldn't tell which. A large goblin walked to the entrance of the cave when the lizard was brought in, but they retreated before I could move in to get a better look. I couldn't make out much, besides it being at least twice as big as the other goblins."
Ivy nodded as if she had expected this. She outlined her idea for sowing fear by attacking smaller groups and leaving some behind with animal attack wounds.
Danny had a sudden thought and brought it up. "What if I went with Jade and buried the remains and any evidence. If they think its animal attacks they will just increase the number that can leave the camp at one time. Not knowing at all what is happening to their missing is scarier than vicious animal attacks."
Ivy thought about this for a moment before asking, "Jade, Brooke, what do you think?"
Brooke pondered this for a while, "I say we have Danny burry them. I know I would be freaked out, think its ghosts... or the fae snatching them!"
Jade nodded at Brooke's assessment, "I agree, Danny can come with me and hide the bodies and any other evidence."
Ivy nodded and in a tone that brokered no argument, "If Danny is going with you, I would rather we all go together."
Danny was a little confused by this statement. More of them would be safer, but they would make more noise and be easier to spot. Shrugging his shoulders, he waited with Brooke while Jade and Ivy went to the lookout, to watch for a small enough group to leave the camp.
Turning to Brooke, Danny asked, "Do we consider goblins to be evil creatures?"
Brooke looked over at him confused, "What? Why would they be considered evil?"
Danny hadn't expected that response, "I don't know, because they steal, enslave, and... kill."
"If that makes them evil, then wouldn't that make humans evil as well?"
"Well, yes it would... then how do we view goblins?"
"They are pests! I don't like killing them, but it's either that or letting them spread like ticks on a mangy dog."
Danny didn't have much to say after that. This world was completely different than what he expected.
Eventually Ivy and Jade returned and they quickly made their way towards where they had seen a couple of goblins exit the camp. Jade ranged ahead as usual and returned saying she had killed the two silently. Surprised, Danny hadn't heard anything so she wasn't lying about the silent part. They came upon the pair laying in the woods. They both had their necks slit. It looked like she had been able to kill the first before the second could realize its own neck was being opened. Jade confirmed they didn't have anything of value or interest on them. Danny buried the bodies and any signs of struggle. Then as they left he sent a gust of wind to stir the leaves and hide any remaining traces of what had happened.
They quietly made their way back to the tree house before speaking again. Happy with the results of the short trip, Danny said, "That was pretty easy. Next time I could just go with Jade. We could avoid being seen with a smaller group."
Ivy looked at him quietly, before saying, "It will be fine with us all going, and that way we can watch each other’s backs."
Confused, Danny said, "Well if it's just a small group, two maybe three, the two of us should be able to handle it."
Ivy started to get impatient, "No. If you leave with Jade then at least Brooke, I, or preferably both of us will go as well."
Danny suddenly grew suspicious, "What, why?"
"Danny, don't make an issue out of this..." Ivy turned as if the conversation was over.
Whispering fiercely, Danny said, "I can handle myself, if it wasn't for that human over there in that cage, I could probably create a firestorm that would erase the camp from existence!" Danny wasn't really sure if he could do that, but they didn't need to know that.
Turning back Ivy whispered even louder, "Danny, you forget! I am in charge here, not you! If I say you will have more than one of us with you that is how it is going to be!"
Danny couldn't take it any longer and yelled at her, "But why? Do you think I am weak!"
Ivy yelled right back at him, "No! That's not..."
Jade suddenly grabbed Danny around his chest, covering both his arms, with one arm and covered his mouth with her other hand, while Brooke did the same to Ivy. They dragged the two of them into the living room. In the dark room, Brooke's voice calmly filled the room, "If you two are going to continue yelling, I will have to knock you... both... out. I am not going to stand there while we have a whole goblin tribe show up for supper, because you two want to have a screaming match. Now talk quietly or I will go get my mace and help you two sleep it off."
Jade and Brooke slowly released the two. Danny looked around in the dark and created a magic light attaching it to its customary spot in the ceiling.
Ivy looked around not really focusing on anything before she hesitantly spoke first, "Danny, you have to understand something. Unless something unfortunate happens to you, you are all but in name our husband. We can't afford to lose you. The
y are not going to trust us with another wizard if we lose you. That was made perfectly clear to us before you were assigned to our team. You also don't seem to notice how valuable you are. Your gifts alone probably make you the most valuable asset our country has. Strange as it sounds, if you were born the son of a noble family, we probably would not be having this conversation. They would have figured out your magic abilities one way or another, and never let you go to the wizard’s academy. You would be preparing for a cushy life with the Trio of a first born daughter of a council member."
Ivy paused before continuing. She reached out and took one of his hands. "I would like to let you go out and fight all the goblins, but I can't afford to do that. While we are on missions, we will only leave you alone if you are somewhere secure. Like up here, and that will only be if it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise there will be two of us between you and any threat, at all times. We were told that they assigned you to us because they felt we were the strongest available Trio. You insisted on growing stronger and they want for nothing more than to let that happen. They entrusted us to your safety and believe we are capable.
Danny, as far as raw power, you are probably one of the weakest wizards they have recruited in a while. I don't know if you have seen any of the other boys in the other shadows fighting. The rest of a shadow is there to watch a wizard's back while the wizard deals with most threats by themselves.
After the snake incident on our first trip into the woods, they almost took you away from us. If instructor Meadows hadn't stepped in and took the blame herself for missing that one snake variant, we wouldn't be here having this conversation with you. You would be with some other girls and we would be trained as a team without a wizard... or future husband. They had someone follow our next few trips into the woods after that. I don't know, they might have someone watching us right now."
