A Tale of Two Kobolds, Chapter 6

A Tale of Two Kobolds, Chapter 6

                                             By William W. Kelso

            Kix woke with a sleepy hiss, and rolling over on her back she kicked her legs out straight and stretched luxuriously, raising her arms over her head at the same time.  Ohhh, that feels good!  She thought, giving her tail a shake.  Then she turned and gave Griss a nudge, and with a yawn he opened his brilliant yellow eyes, and smiled when he saw her upside down head looking at him. His hard scaly feature might seem frozen and immobile to most, but she could tell.

            "What a beautiful sight to wake up too.'' He hissed softly, and when Kix pressed her snout to his he rubbed and nuzzled it affectionately, both hissing softly.

            "Time to get up, sleepy one."  Kix said, and then squealed when he grabbed her and pulled her onto his chest.

            "I'd rather stay here with you, forever."  He said as he nibbled at her neck, licking and nipping.

            Kix shrieked in glee and kicked her legs, then froze as she realized they had an audience.  Pips was hanging upside down at the top of the niche's entrance, watching them intently.

            "Are you mating?"  The hatchling asked, perfectly innocently.

            "NO!  Kix hissed, let me go Griss!"   And gave one of his arms a gentle bite.

            "OW! Ssssss!"  Griss hissed in surprise, and let her go.  She scrambled upright, and unable to stop herself started hissing in amusement at his affronted expression.

            "What'd I do?"  Griss hissed, rubbing his arm.

            "It was Pips, Kix said, the little sneak was spying on us!"  And reaching up she grabbed the youngster and pulled her into the niche, and soon she and Griss were both tickling Pips tummy while she squealed in delight.

            "Everything all right up there?"  Came a voice from below; and soon three heads poked over the edge of the sleeping niche, two large and one small, to see who it was.

            "Daddy!"  Pips squeaked.

            "Hello Kirk, Kix said, we were just giving Pips the dire punishment for spying on her elders, and we were torturing her horribly."

            Kirk gave a hiss of amusement, and said, "Yes, I heard, it sounded quite terrible.  Pips, you run along now, the adults have things to do.  And NO snacks before breakfast, you're getting fat!"

            "Yes, father."   Pips hissed, and gave Kix and Griss a quick snout rub before scrambling down the side of the tree house wall and scampering off through a small opening.

            Kix watched her go, and said to Kirk, "She's darling, you should be proud."

            "I am, Kirk responded, she is among the smartest of all my hatchlings, and I have already had interested inquires from those who would like her as an apprentice.  But I will let her choose how she wishes to live her life.  She IS quite a handful at times, though."

            The whole 'house' was swarming with kobolds of every age as they walked to the common and eating area.  Kirk was the senior; or 'alpha male' of his extended family, and the others showed him deference and respect, but he did not lord it over them.  They were, after all, his family.  He showed his two guests to an eating table, and they all squatted on their tails and ate the simple, but bountiful, meal.  Though largely carnivores the meal did include a few fruits and nuts, but Griss avoided the lumpy green ones as he knew from experience they were horribly sour.  Kix on the other hand ravenously, and sloppily, devoured them, getting juices all over her muzzle, much to Griss's disgust.  When she saw the look on his snout she almost choked on one when she started hissing in amusement.

            "I don't see how you can eat those horrible things!"  Griss huffed.

            "They're delicious, you don't know what you're missing!"  She countered.  She didn't tell them that she'd had a craving for them ever since she'd realized she was gravid with eggs.

            The meal went on for quite some time as it was more then just a regular breakfast; it was also a goodbye as they were leaving to continue their journey to Kix's own clan, and also the human village where the great Cuthbert had once lived.  Griss hoped to find some way to transform himself back to his human form, and also to acquire any books that the great mage and naturalist might have hidden away in a secret vault that Kix knew about.  They would have liked to have stayed longer, but knew they had to hurry now if they were to beat their enemy and arrive before he did.  The human mage named Melchet was responsible casting the curse on Griss that had transformed him from a human to a kobold, and also made it impossible for him to talk to any sentient beings other then kobolds and other reptiles.  Melchet had then 'donated' Griss to a noble's menagerie to be kept in a cage and displayed as a 'feral animal', but with Kix's help he'd escaped.  Plus; even more important, they had to keep a rare copy of 'The Grand Compendium' from falling into his hands, the spells contained in that legendary grimoire were much too powerful to allow any one person to command, and Griss suspected that Melchet was much more then just a second class mage and shop owner.

            Suddenly Kirk stood up and gave a soft flute like sound through the reverberation chambers in his snout, and the hissing and clacking of kobold chatter faded away to respectful silence, adults hushing excited hatchlings and youngsters.

Griss had been impressed at the variety and range of the sounds in the kobold 'language'.  In addition to hisses, clacks, chirps, barks, squeals and other vocal sounds they could also make a wide range of musical sounds through chambers in their snouts.  Those sounds varied from flute like to horn like, or even honks.  That they could also speak common; or at least non-cursed ones could, was also a big plus as there was no way a human could speak their native tongue.

Kirk said, "It with regret that we say goodbye to our new friends, those who made themselves our welcome guests by saving my daughters life.  They will always be welcome, and have a home here whenever they want."  The other kobolds nodded their heads, hissing softly in agreement.

Kirk turned his head and motioned, and a female came and handed Kix a folded sleeping quilt, the colors and workmanship superb.  Kix gave a delighted hiss as she accepted the gift, and the females nuzzled, the gift giver saying, "This is for my daughters life, a token of my gratitude."  Kirk motioned again, and Gris stood up, slightly stunned, as a male handed him a popstick.  The air powered blowgun was exquisite, the workmanship superb.  The hollow tube was lightweight but extremely strong, the entire length carved with scenes of hunting kobolds.  It came with a waterproof storage sleeve, matching quiver filled with darts, small bag of the plant bladders that provided the air pressure, as well as a small container of the poison that made the deadly darts so feared.  Just a drop could bring down a full grown man almost instantly.  Griss knew from personal experience just how deadly a male kobolds poisonous bite was.

 "No male should be without a popstick, Kirk said, it is a necessity.  I hope it will serve you well."

 "I...I...thank you."  Griss managed to say as he examined the generous and unexpected gift.

The last gift caught Griss a little by surprise, but Kix was quite pleased.  Pips came up to them leading a small reptile on the end of a leash made from a vine.  It was a lizard about a quarter their size though it was almost as big as Pips.  Griss had noticed them running around or sunning themselves all over the kobolds home tree, but hadn't paid much attention to the smaller reptiles.  On occasion he remembered some of the hatchlings playing with them though. Pips handed Kix the leash, and said,

"This is my pet, her name is Ick.  She'll help keep you safe.  She's a good guard lizard."

"Why thank you little one, Kix said, this is the best gift of all!"  Which made Pips give a squeak of delight.

"What is it?"  Griss asked Kix.

"It's a Nimble, a guard lizard, Kix said, they serve the same purpose as those horrible hairy loud stinky things humans call dogs.  They hiss if anything dangerous comes near, and also keep the nest clean of vermin such as insects.  It's about time we got one."

"Our nests never have vermin!"  Griss hissed in horrified reproach.

Kix gave him a quick nuzzle, and said, "In our own smaller ones, no, but in a home tree with so many kobolds living together they're an important part of the community.  They help keep everything nice, clean, and sanitary.  And they'll attack intruders too, they have nasty fangs.  Once they latch onto something it's almost impossible to get them to let go."

"Are they poisonous?"  Griss asked.

"No, Kix said, but around a home tree they run in packs, and can tear apart even a larger predator."

Griss eyed the lizard doubtfully, who eyed him back, and then it chose that moment to open its mouth and lick its snout, and he saw that it did indeed have nasty fangs, lots of needle sharp ones.

An idea suddenly occurring to him, Griss leaned over and whispered in Kix's ear, and she nodded her head in agreement.  Taking one of their packs he rummaged around in it until he found a small heavy chest.  As he sorted through it curious kobolds strained to see the contents.  He consulted with Kix again, handed her something, then standing up he held out his hand to Kirk and dropped a large gold ring into it.  Then Kix did the same with Kirk's mate, dropping a smaller gold band into her hand.

The two kobolds were stunned, and there were appreciative hisses from around the table and the crowd of watching kobolds.  Metal was very rare, their culture just didn't have much use for it.  But even though they went largely 'naked' all the time, they did like body jewelry.  Many sported gold tail bands, arm bands, or even rings pierced through their hard lips.  Some even wore rings on their toes, but seldom their fingers as they got in the way.  So the gift of gold was a rare occurrence, and that much more appreciated as a result.

"This is most generous!" Kirk hissed as he admired the gold ring.  He would have it beaten out to a larger size for wear as a tail band.  His mate had already slipped hers onto a toe and was holding her foot up for admirers to see it.

"We're not through, Kix said, come here Pips."

As Pips watched, her eyes huge, Kix slipped a narrow gold band over her hand and up her arm.  Meant to be a bracelet for a small human girl it went well up on Pips slender arm, fitting snuggly about halfway up to her shoulder.  The little kobold gave a hiss of wonder and delight as she looked at the shiny gold band, then looked hopefully at her father for permission to accept the wonderful gift.  When he nodded gravely she gave a shriek of joy, and ran off to show it to her numerous friends.

"That was most thoughtful", Kirk said.

"She gave us her pet, Kix replied, it was the least we could do.  I remembered how much I loved my own Nimble; it must have been hard for her to do."

Finally, after almost a half an hour of snout rubbing and goodbyes, it was time for them to leave.  Griss was surprised as just how much he hated to go, he could have easily accepted Kirk's offer to 'adopt' him into the clan and stayed forever.  He'd been lonely most of his life; at least as a human, and the thought of having such a large 'family' was immensely appealing.  Besides, he liked the kobolds, their energetic and lively lifestyle was refreshing, as well as their overall optimistic outlook on life.  How he could ever have considered them little more than animals genuinely puzzled him now.

He slung his nice new popstick over his shoulder, and followed Kix as she headed out over one of the many branches that led from the home tree into the jungle, Kix leading Ick by the improvised leash.  None of the kobolds followed them, except for a sentry to escort them past the home trees defenses, but there must have been over a hundred hissing and waving goodbye, and they turned several times to return the waves.  Then Kix gave a hiss of amusement, and when Griss looked where she was pointing he saw Pips hanging by one hand from the tip of a much too slender branch that was bobbing up and down, waving at them.  They both waved back, and then as they entered the jungle canopy the sight and sounds quickly faded away.  The sentry stayed with them for awhile, and then with a friendly goodbye hiss he turned and faded into the greenery, gone from their sight in seconds.

Griss and Kix traveled for awhile, nimbly and gracefully moving through the upper reaches of the canopy, but always with their eyes open for any dangers.  Ick had been reluctant to come with them at first, but she became more cooperative once the home tree was out of sight.  Kix had explained that it would take a couple of days for her to get used to her new owners, so they'd best keep her on the leash until then.  As they traveled Kix pointed out a few things to Griss; including a small bulbous trunked tree, telling him to avoid it as it excreted a sap that would make a kobold; or other animals, ill as a defense mechanism.  However, if boiled and rendered it could also be a powerful antiseptic.  Griss eagerly wrote that down in one of his journals.  He was very knowledgeable of medicinal plants as botany had always been an interest of his, and always liked to add new ones to that knowledge.  So any time Kix pointed out a plant of interest they would pause while he jotted down notes and made a quick drawing.   She also pointed out the thick thorn bush that the spines for the popstick darts came from.

Ick turned out to come in useful almost right away.  They were about to cross a large branch spanning two trees when the lizard suddenly ran in front of Kix, and puffing up her throat sac gave a loud warning hiss.  At first they didn't see anything, but soon a very large cat like animal came into view at the other end of the branch.  If Ick hadn't warned them they would have been caught halfway across the branch with nowhere to go.  Griss quickly got his popstick ready, but the cat decided they weren't worth the effort and moved on after awhile.  Griss's initial estimate of Ick went up several notches after that, and when he gave its scaly head a rub the lizard hissed in pleasure.

Finally they came to a rare clearing where a forest giant had finally given in to age and root rot, and when it fell it had dragged down other trees to form a fairly large clearing.  But already new growth was covering the fallen giant, and its own roots were sprouting again.  The whole clearing was covered in a rainbow of blooming flowers and a cloud of equally colorful butterflies and other insects; including small birds, hovered over the flowers, attracted by the sweet nectar they offered.  They paused to eat lunch; throwing tidbits to Ick every now and then which she snapped out of the air with pleased hisses, and watched the beautiful sight for awhile.

Having finished lunch they sat side by side on a branch for awhile, the tips of their tails curling around one another's, and watched the splendid sight in quiet mutual contentment.  Ick took the opportunity to settle down for a nap, not being interested in pretty bugs, except as food.  As they watched some fast diving birds arrived and began to prey on the insects, snapping up one with each dive, a small rain of butterfly wings and carapaces fluttering to the ground.  Finally Griss said softly, almost as if he was afraid he'd scare away the birds and butterflies.

"It's amazing, isn't it, how beautiful, and yet how terrible, the jungle and forest can be."

Kix gave a soft hiss of agreement, and replied, "It's a part of life, in life there is death, and in death there is life.  I agree, there is a terrible beauty to it all."

Griss took Kix's snout in his hand, and gently turned her head to face him, then gave her snout a long slow lick.  "I never really knew what true beauty was, or happiness, until I met you, my love."  He hissed softly.

Kix hissed happily, and rubbed her snout against his, no words necessary.  They stood up and faced one another, rubbing their snouts up and down one another's necks and along their jaws, hissing quietly, passionately, gently scratching over one another's scaly hide with their claws as their tails began to whip faster and faster.  Finally Griss pulled back, and he begin strutting for his mate, his head and neck bobbing and darting, tail whipping as he courted her, prancing high, wheeling and crouching, her eyes glistening as she watched the; to her, erotic display.  He hardly even realized what he was doing; it just came naturally, a male's way of letting a female know just how attractive he found her.

Kix, aroused by the foreplay and mating dance, finally gave a guttural hiss, and turning she crouched and lifted her tail, slowly and enticingly whipping it back and forth, her vent swollen and soft, ready for him.

As Griss paraded for his mate he could smell her arousal increasing, and when she indicated she was ready for him he didn't waste any time.  As he mounted her he threw his head back and gave a loud hiss of ecstasy, then dipped his head down and gently bit the back of her neck as his hardness slid into her slick wet embrace, and once he had hilted he began coupling with her with slow, easy thrusts; despite his intense lust and desire.

Kix gave a soft squeal of anticipation as Griss's weight settled on her back, then grunted in as he penetrated her eager sex.  She closed her eyes in bliss as he delicately bit her neck, and then began thrusting into her, the pleasure incredible.  No matter how often they mated she never tired of it, and he never left her wanting.  This mating was a little more feral than usual, but all that much more enjoyable because of it.  In this primitive setting it brought out the primal part of their reptilian minds more than it would have in a more 'civilized' setting, but that didn't bother them at all.  All they knew was they were mates, loved one another, and where showing that love in a most wonderful way.  What else was there?

When they finally climaxed and reached intensely pleasurable mutual orgasms; several long wonderful minutes later, the jungle echoed to their cries of ecstasy and release.

Griss rested for a moment; his head lying on his mate's neck as he gently licked her smooth hide, both of them hissing softly in contentment.  Then as he went flaccid he pulled out of her and they squatted next to one another and just did nothing for awhile.  It had been a very intense mating, and for once they were both satisfied with just the one coupling.  Finally Kix stirred, and said,

"It's almost dark; we need to find a place to nest for the night.  We've been wasting too much time!"

Griss blinked sleepily, and said, "I wouldn't call it that.  I thought it was a very nice way to waste time."

"I didn't mean that, silly, Kix hissed, I meant watching the butterflies."

"I don't think that was a waste of time either."  Griss replied, then got up and put his pack on.

"No, I guess it wasn't, Kix said after a moment's consideration, but we still need to find a place to nest.  We don't want to be out and about when the night falls, that's when most hunters come out.  Things we do NOT want to meet in the dark."

Griss, remembering some of the howls and other noises the jungle echoed with at night, couldn't have agreed more.  They quickly found a good nest in a hollow formed by thick vines draped over the fork in a large branch, and settled in.  Kix fretted for awhile with the sleeping quilt as she didn't want to get it dirty, but finally laid it out after Griss pointed out that's what it had been made for, then they dragged some vines across the entrance to the nest, which made it nice and snug.  Once during the night something came sniffing around the vines, but evidently it didn't realize they were there, or kobold wasn't on its menu that night, and it soon left, much to their relief.  They knew it was really gone for good when Ick finally relaxed and went back to sleep.  The 'guard' lizard evidently knew when to be loud, and even more importantly, when to keep quiet.

As they got ready to head out early the next morning, Kix said, "There's something I'd like to show you, it will mean a short detour, but not that much.  I think you'll like it."

Griss tried to get her to elaborate, but she just hissed in amusement and ignored his questions, so he finally gave up and just followed as she led the way.  She could be so obstinate sometimes!  But he had to admit she'd piqued his curiosity.  And they were able to move faster too; with Ick ranging ahead and scouting the way.

After awhile he noticed they were entering a much swampier area, the tall trees rising from shallow stagnant looking water, and he spied the occasional alligator or croc sunning themselves on the banks of sluggishly flowing streams.  Glad they're down there, and we're up here, he thought.  The types of trees changed as well, and it soon became much hotter and more humid, even in the upper reaches of the canopy.  Though they couldn't sweat; something Griss didn't miss much, they soon had their mouths open as they panted to help cool off.

They kept on for awhile, then around midday Kix stopped, and said, "What I'm about to show you only kobolds and other reptile folk know about, but I guess it's OK to show you since you are one now.  But it is a secret, no one else must know!  I hope you like it."

"Like what?"  Griss asked, looking around at the swamp.  All he saw was a lot of slimy water and moss covered trees, which in his opinion wasn't all that impressive.

"It's just a little further!" Kix hissed, and turned and ran across a broad branch that twined and linked with a branch from an even larger tree, Ick scampering ahead of her.  Griss gave an exasperated hiss; then followed, and Kix gave squeals of pleasure when he nipped at the tip of her tail.  Finally they reached a fork high in the top of the tree, and she stood up, pointed, and said,

"Well, what do you think?"

"Gods of the World!"  Griss hissed, looking in awe at the great ruined city spread out before them.

He'd never seen anything like it before, in real life or in illustrated books.  He realized the swamp had encroached into to what looked like overgrown and choked canals and other artificial waterways, the water spilling over onto paved courtyards and plazas lined with imposing stone structures, many long ago fallen into ruin, but enough remaining standing to show this had once been a great city.  At one end of a plaza was a huge temple; that was all it could be, made of several stories or levels connected by broad stone stairways lined with  statues, the facing of the building carved with intricate decorations.  The architecture and decorations were totally unknown to him; he'd never seen anything like them.  With a loud eager hiss Griss started to descend the tree, but stopped with a squeak when Kix grabbed his tail.

"No, Kix said, this is a close as we can come."

"Why!?  Griss hissed, I want to take a closer look!  This is amazing!"

"It's not allowed, this is a holy place, Kix said.  Plus it's haunted, and the lair of great serpents, and there are other guardians."

Griss hissed in irritation, and said, "That's just nonsense, there's no such thing as real ghosts, they're just echoes of past events, harmless.  And we can avoid the snakes, so long as we keep our eyes open."

"NO, Kix insisted, it would be a...a sacrilege, the only ones who can go there are the elders, and they only go at certain times when the guardians allow them entry.  Please, we have to leave now!"

Griss looked at the mysterious city and gave a hiss of frustration, but when Kix gripped his arm and he saw the genuine fear and concern in her eyes he relented, and finally nodded his head.  Even Ick was pacing back and forth along a branch; hissing menacingly, obviously uneasy about the place.  Having seen how sensitive the lizard was to any dangers that helped him make up his mind too.  But someday he swore he'd return and have a look around.

For once it was Griss who detected their next encounter with a possible danger, and they both flattened on top of the branch they were crossing, Ick copying them and remaining as motionless as a bump on a log.  They watched as a good sized party of larger reptiles moved down a barely perceptible trail on the forest floor below.  He recognized them immediately; he'd even seen the occasional one visiting Konigsholm on business.  They were raptors, or riptors, depending on where you were from.  They were about as tall as humans, but larger and bulkier as they were much longer due to their bent over stance and tails.  Some of the ones below were obviously soldiers and/or guards as they were well armed, but others appeared to be 'civilians', both male and female.  Some were carrying chests suspended from poles slung between two of them, while others were festooned with valuable body jewelry.  As they passed they hardly made a sound, and he had no doubt there were scouts as well, and it was lucky they hadn't been seen.  Finally the party passed, but they remained motionless awhile longer until a final rear scout passed as well.  After another ten minutes they raised the heads cautiously, but there was no sign of anymore raptors.

"I wonder what they were doing way out here; Girss hissed quietly, they're more plains or savannah dwellers."

"Probably on their way to the city, Kix replied, they too venture there at certain times to pay homage."

"Pay homage??  Griss hissed, to who, or what?"

"The Great Ones."  Kix replied reverently, but refused to divulge any more information, much to Griss's consternation.  But he finally gave up asking questions when she gave him the 'silent treatment'.  He'd have plenty of time to coax it out of her later, he hoped.

Finally he decided to try a different direction with his questions, and asked, "Do kobolds have any problems with raptors passing through their territory?"

"No, not if they're behaving themselves, Kix replied.  We do some trading with them as well; and sometimes they even stay as guests, they like our textiles, and they have wares we like as well.  We're too small to make good slaves, and it would be too much effort for them to raid us anyway.  They're not good climbers, and the few times they tried it we pretty much tied their tails in knots, at least according to the stories.  So we're both better off just trading peacefully.  I've met a few of them, and they can be quite nice actually."

Yeah, I'll bet, Griss thought, remembering the nasty fangs and foot claws that raptors had.  Kobolds and raptors bore a more then passing resemblance to one another and he wondered if they were related somehow, but there was no real trouble telling one from the other. For one thing raptors were much larger, and their fangs and claws were much larger, and nastier, then a kobolds; and kobolds didn't have that middle disemboweling claw on their feet.  But one advantage that kobolds; at least the males, did have over raptors was their poisonous bite.  Still, in a fight the kobold would be at a big disadvantage.

The only other real threat they encountered was when they ran across a column of large ant like insects 'marching' through the jungle.  They watched the large insects from a respectful distance, and Kix said,

"You have to be careful with those, but as long as you leave them alone they'll pretty much leave you alone.  But when they swarm like that it's to gather food, and they'll harvest anything in their way, no matter what it is.  We keep them away from home trees with a plant that's toxic to them, so they just go around.  They have an acid we use to tan hides sometimes, but it's hard to get unless you find some foraging on their own  Get near a nest and they'll swarm all over you, and pick your bones clean in minutes.  And you can't just step on one, it just makes them mad.  Their carapaces are hard.  You kill them by cutting off their heads, and then you can remove the acid gland.  It's a very profitable business.

"Um, no thanks, Griss hissed, I think I'd prefer to just leave them alone."

"Good thinking."  Kix hissed back in amusement, she pretty much felt the same way herself.

After another uneventful night Griss noticed that Kix was getting very excited, and was beginning to move faster, hissing at him impatiently to keep up.  Even poor little Ick was having a hard time keeping up with her.  Finally Griss picked up Ick and sat down with the lizard in his lap, and said,

"Kix, what's wrong with you!  Ick and I aren't budging another inch unless you tell us!"  The lizard gave a loud hiss, and Griss got the impression it was agreeing with him.

"Oh, come ON!  Kix hissed, we're almost to the human village, and Master Cuthbert's house!  It's just ahead!"  Then she turned and scampered across a branch and disappeared into the greenery.

Griss gave a 'why me' sounding sigh, and taking Ick he put the lizard on his back, and said, "Hold on!"  And then he dropped to all fours and ran after Kix.  He caught up with her just as they reached a cleared area.  She was waiting for him, sitting on a branch, head bobbing in excitement.

Griss sat down next to her, gave her snout a lick, then they both just looked around for awhile.

"Um, Griss finally said, it looks pretty deserted, doesn't it?"

And it was pretty obvious it was.  The village had been arranged in several rather sloppy rows of houses and huts around a center 'plaza' that was now waist high with grass and weeds except for a paved area around a well.  The jungle was rapidly reclaiming the clearing, and most of the buildings were festooned with creepers and vines, a few with small trees poking out of windows and through holes in their roofs.  There were some other open areas that had evidently been cultivated at some point, but they were pretty much overgrown as well.  From the looks it had been abandoned for some time.  Then Griss's eyes narrowed; and he pointed to one small house that had smoke rising from the chimney.

"I saw, said Kix, that's Mabel's place.  She was in charge of the household servants for Master Cuthbert.  We need to pay her a visit, find out what's happened.

"I don't see any signs of fighting or other damage, Griss hissed, it looks like everyone just got up and left.  Or maybe disease or something else happened."

"Come on!" Kix said, and ran down the tree trunk; Griss close behind with Ick still riding on his back.

As they entered the village Griss looked nervously at the vacant staring windows and open doors, and once started when a large feral lizard took off from a rock it had been basking on, and disappeared into a hole in the wall of a house with a loud irritated sounding hiss.  But since Ick seemed pretty much at ease they kept moving.  He'd learned to count on the lizards keen senses.

"Why are all the doors gone?" He asked.

"Probably for the hinges, Kix replied, metal is hard to get in the jungle, and scavengers probably took them."

Finally they reached the only apparently occupied house, and after looking at one another Kix finally shrugged, and politely scratched on the door.  A second later it opened, and the most hideous looking old woman Griss had ever seen came cackling out the door waving a broom, and going "AH-HEE-HEE-HEEE!  OOOGIEE-BOOGIE-BOOGIEE!  WHEEE-HEE-HEE!!"

With squeals of terror he and Kix turned and ran up the nearest tree, and Ick beat them to the top.  The tree, being fairly young, slowly began to bend over from their combined weight, and Griss found himself hanging by his hands, feet kicking wildly as the apparently crazy old woman capered madly around the base of the tree, cackling and yelling and swatting at them with her broom.

"AHH-HEE-HEE-HEEEE!  YUM-YUM, KOBOLD STEW, EAT'EM UP!!  YUM-YUM!!  HEE-HEE-HEEE!"

"KIIXXXX!"  Griss hissed in terror as he felt his grip slipping as the tree bobbed up and down, then he lost his grip and landed on top of the old woman, and they both went down in a heap of waving arms, legs, and a tail with loud shrieks and hisses.

Griss found his feet claws entangled in the thick mass of the woman's tangled hair, and as they rolled around it suddenly came loose and he found himself engaged in combat with a large wig, which he preceded to tear apart in his panicked frenzy as he rolled across the ground screeching.  He finally stopped when he heard Kix squealing in amusement, and heard the woman laughing.  He froze; managed to kick himself loose from the tattered remains of the wig, and stood up in a daze.

Apparently the 'old' woman hadn't been as old as she'd looked, and she was leaning against a stump laughing her head off, and Kix was having trouble keeping her grip on the tree she was hissing and squealing so much.  Ick just looked at them all like they were crazy, which was pretty much how Griss felt.

Griss, trying to pull his dignity back together, finally hissed, "It's NOT funny!"  Which only resulted in more peals and hisses of laughter.

"Mabel, Kix finally hissed, what were you DOING?  You scared the Hell out of us!"

"Oh, oh, I'm, hee-heee, snicker, sorry Kix honey, the woman gasped, I didn't recognize you at first!  Hee-heee!"

Griss; who had been looking from one of them to the other, hissed, "You KNOW this, um, person?"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, Kix hissed, Griss, this is Mabel, Mabel, this is Griss, he's my mate."

"Oh ho, Mabel said, so my little Kix has grown up, he's a hunk!"

"Yes, he is, isn't he!"  Kix hissed in agreement, which made Griss squirm uncomfortably.  He also found himself a little uncomfortable to be 'naked' in front of a human female for some reason.

"Um, Sssss, pleasssed to meet you."  Griss finally said, running his 'S's' a little more than usual from uncertainty.  He wasn't sure about the 'pleased' part at all; he was still panting from his fright, tail whipping.

"Well, don't just stand there, Mabel said, come on in.  I have some fresh tea I just brewed, it's the real thing."

Kix followed the woman into her house, with Griss following rather reluctantly.  Ick flatly refused to come down from the tree.

Griss stuck his head in the door, and after looking around carefully, he followed Kix to a low table and squatted next to her.  The woman had folded her legs and sat down on the other side of the table, and proceeded to pour some brown looking liquid into some cups.  He was pleased the cups she provided for himself and Kix were 'reptile' cups.  Due to their snouts and fairly rigid lips it wasn't all that easy for them to drink out of regular cups; they tended to spill a lot of the contents. But the narrower ones allowed them to stick their snouts in and lap up the drink with their tongues without making a mess.  The lower table was also designed for creatures with a shorter stature.  The tea was good too; as she'd claimed it was the real stuff, not something made from roots like a lot of the 'common' folk used due to the cost of real tea.

After some polite sipping, and compliments about the tea, Mabel finally asked,

"Kix, what brings you back here after so long?  After that ass of a mayor sold you like that I thought I'd never see you again.  Not all of us were pleased about that you know."

"I know, Kix said, many of you treated me and Master Cuthbert's other non-human servants like just regular people.  If we'd known the mayor was going to do that we'd had fled after the Master died, but it caught us by surprise.  But tell me, what happened to the village??  Where is everybody?"

Mabel gave a sad sigh, and replied, "After Master Cuthbert died the village just kind of dwindled away.  Its main business was supporting the Manor, and after what that turd of a Mayor did the kobolds stopped coming around to trade.  There was no reason for the villagers to stay anymore, so they packed up and left.  I'm the only one who didn't leave; I didn't have anywhere else to go."

Kix gave sad little hiss, and asked, "Why the 'crazy witch' act?  You like to have scared us to death!  I don't know if poor little Ick will ever come down out of that tree."

"Well, Mabel said, I'm sorry about that.  I just didn't recognize you right away after so long.  We had some looters and scavengers turning up after everyone started leaving, including some kobolds, so I developed a reputation of a being a 'crazy old witch' to get them to leave me alone.  It's worked pretty well, they pretty much stay away."

"I can see why, she sure convinced me!"  Griss hissed at Kix.

Mabel stood up and slipped out of the ragged patchwork dress she'd had on, and to Griss's surprise she was much younger and more slender then he'd originally thought, and the 'dress' had also been padded to give the impression of a humped back and big sagging breasts.  She wore a plain clean dress under the 'costume', and also looked taller now.

"Oh yes, that's better now, Mabel sighed, that outfit is itchy and hot!  So tell me Kix, what brings you back here?"

Griss was delighted when he found out Mabel understood kobold, even though she really couldn't speak it very well; no human could, wrong vocal cords.  But it certainly made conversing much easier without having Kix have to translate everything he said.  So they told her their stories, Mabel listening intently, and when they got to the part about Griss being cursed and transformed she sucked her breath between her teeth in a very good imitation of a reptilian hiss of anger.

"That was foully done, Mabel said, those who abuse magic give the rest of us a bad name."

"You're a real witch?"  Griss hissed in surprise.

"No, not really, Mabel said, but I do practice some 'natural' magic, mostly taught to me by kobolds, to help my herbs and other plants grow.  I used to make some drugs for the local midwife, and provide food for the Manor.  I was in charge of the servants, both human and otherwise.  After Master Cuthbert died I moved back into this house when the manor was closed."

"Ah, about the Manor, Kix asked, what kind of condition is it in?  Griss and I hope to retrieve some of the Master's books, if they're still there that is."

Mabel frowned, and replied, "It's actually in very good condition, all things considered.  I think because of how it was built, going with the land, instead of against it.  But it does have an infestation of vorches, and there are bats in the attic.  The carnivorous kind."

Yuck, Griss thought, he didn't care much for vorches.  Humans called them cockroaches, and while relatively harmless they were nasty, and in large enough numbers could do some real damage.  The 'domestic' kinds were bad enough, but some of the jungle ones were jumbo sized.

Kix gave a snort, and said, "Master Cuthbert would have been appalled, but at least that's all.  If gorks or varks had moved in, well, that would be different."  The medium sized predators ran in packs, and were very dangerous, especially if they caught you on the ground.  And varks could climb too, but not as well as kobolds.

Griss knew what a gork was, a kind of medium sized canine, but asked, "What's a vark?"

"Oh, nasty things, Kix replied, they're reptiles, about half our size, but not civilized like kobolds.  They're strictly carnivores, and don't care what they eat, warm or cold blooded.  They're at least partially intelligent, which is what makes them so dangerous."

"The mayor's men ransacked the Manor fairly thoroughly after Master Cuthbert died, and no relatives came forward to claim the estate, Mabel said.  But I doubt if they found the secret vault in the basement.  Cuthbert only revealed its existence to his most trusted servants and friends.  If the "Compendium' is still in the Manor, that's where it will be."

Mabel paused as they heard a scratching at the door, and getting up she opened it and Ick warily came in, head darting back and forth as the lizard looked around.  Finally deciding the scary monster was gone she came into the house, and climbed up on an empty chair and perched on the back.  After Mabel gave her a jerky treat and scratched her snout she decided everything was OK, and settled down with a contented hiss.

"Scaredy cat."  Kix hissed, but Ick didn't respond.

"She's a pretty thing, Mabel said, I hope she'll get along with Rikky, but he's off running around somewhere, as usual."

"Rikky?"  Kix hissed.

"My house lizard, Mabel said, he usually hangs around bugging me for treats, but lately he's been off somewhere else most of the time.  Little varmint has a mind of his own, but he always comes back home at night."

"We need to visit the manor as soon as possible, Griss said, that magician we talked about; Melchet, is on his way here right now.  We can't let him get that book, it would be a disaster."

"Hmm, Mabel mused, it's too late now.  Once the sun goes down it's not really safe when all the night hunters come out.  They used to avoid the village and Manor, but not anymore. They can't get in the house of course; the wards see to that, but they come right up to it sometimes and sniff around.  I have plenty of room here, so you're welcome to stay; that is unless you'd prefer to find a nice tree?"

"Oh no, Kix said, this will be fine, we appreciate it.  I think Griss will be happy to stay under a real roof for once, too."

Well, not all that happy, Griss thought, he'd rather gotten to like sleeping in trees, at least so long as Kix was there.  It had been odd feeling at first, but not anymore.

Mabel had some dried meat that she cooked into a savory stew, and they all feasted on the rich meal; and to Kix's delight she even had some juice berries, but Griss turned his snout up when she offered him some, and said.

"Thanks, but no thanks; they're too sour for me."

"Well, Mabel laughed, I prefer them squeezed and mixed with water myself, but they're good for female kobolds when they're gravid."  Then as she saw the way Kix froze and flared her nostrils, added, "Oh dear."

Griss froze too.  Gravid??  Kix???  His jaw hanging open he turned to her, and asked, "Is that true??"  Then when Kix nodded, he added, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I can't believe he didn't know!"  Mabel said, a little flustered.  "I'm so sorry Kix,           I thought he knew!"

 "Gravid, eggs?"  Griss hissed to himself, that was...wonderful!  But kind of terrifying as well.

Kix was caught off guard by the unexpected 'revelation', and wasn't quite sure how to respond at first.  Finally she stammered, "I-It's OK Mabel, but you know he was transformed and doesn't know how to tell in the early stages, but I was going to have to tell him soon since I'm starting to show."   Then to Griss, she said, "I didn't want to worry you, there was already so much going on, and your...condition."

"MY condition Griss hissed, what about YOURS?  Ssssss!  Shouldn't you be taking it easy, this traveling must be hard on you!  What about the chil...eggs?"

Kix replied, "It's different for us, for reptiles, I won't need to lay for another week or more, but can remain active right up to that point. We're not, I don't know, as fragile as mammals."

"Well that's good, I guess, Griss said, do you, um, know how many there are?  Eggs I mean?"

"Since it will be my first clutch, Kix said, the average is three to five.  When I'm older the numbers will increase.  A fully mature female can lay up to ten."

About that time they were distracted when Mabel's own pet lizard Rikky finally decided to return home, and he was not glad to find a strange lizard in his territory.  He and Ick exchanged loud hisses, and then Ick hopped off the table and ran up the ladder to a loft with Rikky in hot pursuit, and soon more hisses were heard.

"Um, shouldn't we do something?"  Griss commented, as even louder hisses came from the loft.

"No, Kix said, they're just showing off to work out the pecking order.  Since this is Rikky's home territory Ick will have to submit.  See, it's gotten quiet, they've worked it out."

"Well, I'd better check, don't want them getting in a fight." Griss said; a little worried as he'd grown very fond of their pet guard lizard.

Griss scrambled up the ladder to the loft, and as he stuck his head over the edge he saw the two lizards on top of an old chest.  Rikky was on top of Ick, his hindquarters rising and falling in a regular rhythm; he had the female's neck in his jaws, and Ick's eyes were half way closed and she was hissing softly in pleasure.  Griss blinked, and then backed down the ladder.

"Well??"  Kix prompted.

"They, um, like you said, Griss hissed, worked it out.  Nothing to worry about."

"Well, Mabel said, I don't know about you, but all the excitement and the big dinner has tired me out, I can hardly keep my eyes open.  If you two want you can sleep in the loft, or in here.  I have my own bedroom.

"Um, here will be fine, Griss quickly said, the loft is, um, taken."

            Mabel raised an eyebrow at that, and said, "Very well, I'll get you come sleeping pads, you won't need any blankets, it stays quite warm even at night."

            Kix wasn't really sure what that was all about either, but if Griss preferred to sleep down here that was fine with her.  They took the pads Mabel provided, and spread them by the small fireplace.  After quick sips from a bucket of water they settled in, and Mabel left through a side door that evidently led to her bedroom.  From what Griss could tell the house only had three rooms, the dining/guest room, bedroom, and small kitchen niche.  And of course the loft; presently occupied by two lizards on their honeymoon.

            As they got ready to go to sleep Griss put his head on Kix's stomach, and she asked, "What are you doing?"

            "I want to see if I can feel them moving, the babies."  He replied.

            Kix hissed in amused affection; and as she stroked his head and snout, she said, "That won't be until a week or longer after I've laid the clutch.  Then you'll be able to hear them too."

            "Why didn't you tell me?"  Griss asked, running his hand over the smooth hide of her stomach.

            "I-I wasn't sure how you'd react, Kix hissed softly, and I didn't want to worry you.  You're not...upset, are you?"

            "You're right, I will be worried, Griss said, but why did you think something so wonderful would upset me?"

            "So, you're not...mad?"  Kix asked.

            "Good Gods, no!  Griss hissed in apparent surprise, how could I be mad when I'm so happy?  I mean, me, a father!  I'm the happiest kobold in the world!"  He pressed his head against her stomach again, and added, "And I'm also the luckiest."

            When he lifted his head and licked her snout; eyes glowing brightly as he gently rubbed her stomach, Kix thought, no, I'm the luckiest.

                                                            The End