Skix's Story Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Up they went, those nursing wounds and the effects of spider venom propped up and helped along by others. Yip struggled to haul Skix gripping her under her arms, her head rolled side to side with every step another had her feet. She nothing more then a dead weight holding them back.

Bina's bright red eyes shot up, her snout twitching and sniffing rapidly. She leaned forward, the smell of fresher air and water filled her nose. She made sure to be just behind those on point as they reached the end of the mining tunnel.

Her tail raised and swished as the main group entered a huge cavern, there was a natural stream emptying into a shallow pool. Giant mushrooms towered over the troupe of little lizards the caps spread overhead some over thirty feet high.

Salik and Zin split the healthy in the group to fan out and explore the welcome space, signs of gnomish mining operations were evident, large pipes attached to a rough stone ore smelter. A single mine cart on ancient tracks led to it. A rusty shovel still stood up in a pile of coal that looked like it had not been shifted in perhaps a hundred years. Already one of the healthy unarmed kobolds had pulled it free and grind ear to ear at his rusty iron treasure, he had never seen one with a wooden handle before.

The place was brightly lit by green and blue bio-luminescent fungus clinging to stone surfaces as well as many glowing bugs. Tiny glowing blue minnows and transparent crablike creatures swam in the pool and stream. All good signs.

Salik quickly found a good campsite near the center of the cave. Right away Yip and others set to hacking down one of the smaller dead, dried mushrooms with flint axes. Further from the main camp where the stream emptied out of the chamber a spot was set up to wash wounds and spider gunk stained bodies.

While the others made camp Bina slunk around the crumbling structure of the smelter, sniffing. She found a pile of castoff mine tailings right off. A huge casting press rusted firm into place would be a valuable find to the city, however it would do her no good. It would take a thousand kobolds to shift the huge bulk of scrap iron.

Sniffing still more she came to a loose bit of dirt, using her toe claws to paw around she found a hard leather boot, and further up a leg bone still inside. She grinned wickedly and dropping to her knees pawing carefully through the dirt. She had no use for the boots but in short order she came up with her prize, a few tarnished copper coins.

Her tail wagged happily as she spat onto the coin and rubbed it, her greedy little 4 fingered hands shook as she deposited the coins in her bag, digging for still more. Others had spotted her find and bounded over. She jumped quickly drawing Skix's spear from the floor, giving a hiss of warning to the others. “This is my spot! Find somewhere else!” She followed it up with an in-drawn growl.

One of the other females skidded to a halt and gave a “Wark!” of dismay as someone crashed into her sending the lizard sprawling nearly nose to nose with Bina, who snapped her teeth shut an inch short of her snout.

Her and others were sent packing with that threat display! With a satisfied gloating bark. Bina went back to her looting. The others fanned out, sure to give her plenty of space. Others found some iron pickaxes and scattered tools. Even a few personal trinkets, all of gnomish make.

Bina on the other hand dug still further, clearing off a body wearing leather armor, mummified. The armor was made from some strange skin, not kobold hide...different then any she had seen before. It had tarnished brass buckles and the chest piece was hardened and tooled. Its skull was smashed in. She tilted her head to look at the wound, odd...it looked like it might have been done with a pickaxe.

She didn't think about it long as a little more digging found her the dead gnomes belt! Her hands shivered as she found a series of leather snap pouches...she undid one and gasped. She dug into it, dozens of copper and silver coins, some even still shiny...and a sword still in its scabbard. She drew it, fine steel, with a dark wood grip, bronze cross-guard and pommel fashioned to look like a pick head and shovel respectively.

She looked from her handful of glittering coins to the sword in the other, she had never in all her life held onto such riches all at once! Such things were for the elite guard, the mages, and the leaders. These things were not meant for her.

She gave a low whine and clutched her treasures to her chest. At least the leaders must know who found these things, that would bring her status! She gave a barking call and pointed to the one that had nearly fallen on her.

“You! Fetch Salik! Zin! Right now. Tell him I found something important!”

The others didn't stop digging for their own riches even when Zin and Salik arrived to inspect what she had found. She had already unbuckled the belt and its pouches and put them on herself, holding out the sword to Zin who ran his scarred hands over the smooth flat of the blade, passing it of to Salik. They both noted Bina's  new wardrobe. She shifted from side to side uncomfortably finally showing off her two fist fulls  of coin as well. Eyes cast down and to the side.

Salik knelt. “Odd, wounds to his face and head...yet he never drew his weapon. A pick is not an easily concealed weapon. Strange. This must have happened even before you were born Zin.” He gave Bina a glance, she eyed the sword but seemed much more concerned with the small glittering coins.

Past her there was a small stone building with a heavy wooden door, from the large crucible over it he assumed this was where coin and bar were cast from copper, tin, and the like. He gave the sword a few practice swings, it was nicely weighted. He gave the door a try, then a kick...it was firmly barricaded.

“There could be more valuables inside Zin, I'll get a crew to open this.” He placed the sword and scabbard in Zin's hands. Bina frowned slightly before she could manage to bite it back.

Zin gave a few practice swings, he had not held such a good blade since he had been an actual captain, not simply an old blind lizard sent to die rather then fight. Its heft made him smile, he felt a stirring of the old fire just having that weight at his side again. He leaned forward so he could see the little one better, Ah yes...the feisty, stabby one.

He began to buckle the scabbard to his side and drew his dagger along with its tattered kobold leather sheath. Stirring the coins in her palms briefly caused a worried whine from her.

“You have done very good finding these things for the good of the community. Those who work hard and have a sharp eye should share in the rewards.” He closed her palms over the coins and giving his dagger a little flip catching it by the blade passing it to her.

“See that this blade remains as sharp as your eye and you may be with us long enough to enjoy them.”

Bina grinned wickedly stuffing the coins back into her newly found pouches and licked the edge of the dagger to check how keen the edge was before remembering her place so dizzy she was with greed. “Yes sir! Of course! I uh...should I keep looking for more?”

Zin shook his head. “No, take a rest at the camp. Get something good to eat, cant have our best savager hungry now can we?”

Bina fully intended on going back to the midden heaps and dirt as soon as she had eaten, but in the mean time she was basking in the glow of riches and praise. “No sir! I'll go right now...thank you for your wisdom and generosity!”

After the little red miser trotted off back to the camp under the mushrooms Salik spoke up. “I'll have one of the others clean up this armor...blah, I can still smell the stink of gnome on it.”

“Small price to pay for a suit of fine armor and a blade like this. Between these and all the leftover workings here we might rate enough status to duck out of these death runs. That casting press alone would get us back in good graces, even damaged. Still. It dose not make sense. This is a prime spot, its not even mined out, I can see veins of copper even in the main tunnels here. Why would they have left it?” Zin scratched his chin with his ragged claws thinking.

“You are right it does not. And the gnome, clearly killed. No cave in did that. These caves are new to us, the histories never said anything about the gnomes having delved so close to our city. If we had been the ones to kill them you had better believe we would have songs of the glory beaten into us from birth.” Salik roughly shook the dead gnome free of his armor turning his head in disgust.

“I thought you enjoyed music Salik, mmm? Still none of this sits right, I want scouts up the main tunnel with that track, a decent sized party soon. Get the rest of them on that door. Anyone injured may eat and rest for now. Make sure we have some salvagers and foragers going, I would like some mushroom with our meat and a fire going within the hour.”

….......................................

Everything ached, little starbursts of light to accompany the pain...but also warmth...blessed comforting warmth. She sighed, it felt good despite the pain. It was snatched away as she felt cold water pour over her.

Skix woke with a gasp and sputter, she tried to sit up but dizziness made her lay down flat both hands going to her head. She could hear muffled chatter, and she could see the glow of huge chunks of dried mushroom stem burning. The stuff had an earthy smell when it burned and put out little flame, instead turning into long burning hot coals, much like ash wood.

She felt her head, something damp plastered to the back and top of it...she pealed away a bit of it, dried mushroom gills soaked in cool water...over...a third horn behind her normal one...oh damn that was one big lump. She winced when she touched it.

Yip's annoying face popped into her view, she heard ringing and the muffled yaps and hisses of his voice for some time before she could actually focus on the actual words.

“So then I totally picked you up and carried you all the way here! And uh...then I cleaned spider guts off you! And now that you are awake and I'm pretty sure that thing on yer head isn't yer brains trying to pop out of yer head so everything will be fine!”

Skix tried to make her mouth work long enough to tell at Yip to fuck right off and let her go back to sleep when he thrust a chunk of dry mushroom with a cooked fish, two crisp spiders, and a few soft fresh looking chunks of mushroom cap along with her flask of water at her.

She made a whine of relief and guzzled the water first. Then tested the fish, she had rarely had them and it was a special treat...her head made her dizzy but there was no way she was gonna waste this good of a meal.

He watched her with his claws clasped under his chin holding his tail that was tucked completely between his legs, in a sign of abject repentance.

“I'm sorry I tried to run away, I didn't want you to get hurt...i just...ya know...coward.” he whined.

Skix fixed him with a frown and a sideways head tilt. She rolled her eyes and lifted her tail slightly giving a few chuffs of breath. Not exactly letting him off the hook, but letting him know she was grateful for being carried and cared for. “Don't think you are off the hook. Is everyone else ok?”

Yip launched into a vivid description of all that had happened since she had been put out of the fight, when it came to the part where the scavengers had found riches she was sorely put out that she didn't get a chance to find her own shinnies.  She consoled herself with the fact that they had some provisions now and a safe place to rest for awhile. However she was surprised when Yip spoke of her role in the battle.

“The others are talking, Zin uh...kinda made us carry you for how good you did. I think they were surprised when I told em before this all we did was grunt work and stabbing a few cave creepers and stuff by the bug farm.”

She had a crispy spider bit half, half out of her mouth, she didn't really think of herself as brave really. She had been afraid after all. Still when that one had gone for Zin she hadn't thought before she had jumped on its back with her spear...HER SPEAR! She got up quickly with a little wobble.

“Wheres my spear Yip! Did it get broke!?” She glowered.

“n...no. uh. They gave it to Bina...err, the lil red one over there with the belt!”

Bina was smiling happily off on her own next to a small fire, a natural basin held water and fine clay sand that she used to polish each and every one of her coins. She was admiring the glint of silver by dim firelight when she was startled by the big blue female storming toward her.

Her eyes went wide for a moment, she had not expected her to live let alone come after her! She gripped her coin tightly in one hand and the hilt of her knife in the other, Skix stopped low to the ground, tail twitching and swaying side to side. She outweighed Bina 2 to 1 at least and was taller. However she was unarmed.

The two of them stared at each other not moving much, blinking transparent secondary eyelids so as not to leave the slightest opening. Skix's eyes moved slightly to her spear laying next to Bina.

“I saw you fighting when I was on the spiders back. You are fast...you did very well.” She said to the smaller female.

“You lifted one, that shows strength its a shame you were thrown so hard. I am happy you are able to walk after a hit like that.”

Skix shifted her stance, moving slightly to the side and taking a knee..eyeing the pretty coins in the pool. “Looks like you are fast and lucky, it would be good to have you around, maybe you could help my luck. We could look after each other yes?”

Bina slowly put the silver coin in a pouch and eyed the bigger blue kobold “Maybe.”

“I'm going to need my spear back if I'm gonna look after you.”

Skix moved a little closer to her spear, and Bina calculated. She had already had to give up that sword, but that was to the leader...sure she had the dagger now but her newfound status was at risk if she backed down. She stood slowly and lifted the spear eyeing the fine work on it. Still the big female had not insulted her...

Bina kept eye contact with Skix bobbing her head until the two were face to face, relatively at least, Bina only came up to mid chest on her. She tapped the butt of the spear on the ground twice and handed it over. “Yeah, I suppose you are gonna need it.” her own little tail held high still.

Skix took the spear slowly, others were watching from their own fires chatter had died down. She tilted her head and leaned forward sniffing Bina's cheek bearing her neck as she did so to show her lack of fear.

“You should join me and my friend at our fire, I do not have any treasures as you do but I would share extra food...we must be strong if we are going to look after each other yes?”

Bina sniffed again, the offer was token. But it was good enough, she may have lost the weapon but it had not been taken from her, and that in the end is what mattered. After all she had her bone shank and the leaders iron dagger.

“Yes. I think I will have a snack, I have already eaten of course but I could never say no to such an interesting new friend. I am Bina.”

“And I am Skix.” The two briefly brushed cheeks, touching shoulders as well. Skix could feel the wiry muscle in the smaller one, she could have used her weight to push her around and assert herself. That would be short sighted she thought. This one was fast, and whats more smart. Better to watch her up close then settle for short empty gain, and the risk of being seen as a bully.

The littler kobold gathered her precious coins and followed Skix, as soon as she left her small fire others rushed in to occupy the space. After all with so many riches to look after she may have misplaced a fine copper piece.

(To be continued)