《Nana and Snarl》 Silent Death This was the worst day in the tiny goblin¡¯s life. Silent Death was coming for it, and neither dark nor the foliage slowed it down. It heard its silent movements, saw it scuttering around the giant forest trees. It could not even hear the creature as it swooped in for the kill, nor see anything other than the glow of the pale yellow just before it struck. It was coming. The forest was dark. Snow everywhere, even on trees. Extreme darkness that did not help it hide at all. Got to run. Must find a safe place. A place where a goblin can hide. The eyes! Goblin managed to jump away as the gigantic razor claws passed their tiny prey. Silent Death crashed into the ground, kicking up a chilly dust cloud of white around them. A chance. Got to run. Got to flee. Scram, split, and bolt. Its legs were barely carrying the tiny goblin through the ordeal, they failed it and more than once made the goblin stumble and swirl its arms around to try and maintain a balance during the frantic escape. Go around the big bush, under a large tree¡¯s root, make more distance. It did not even turn to check if Silent Death was chasing it again. It would search for it and would find it, sooner or later. Detect a burrow. Find safety. There was nothing, just a blanket of white cold and dead foliage that wouldn¡¯t even protect a beetle if it hid within. The goblin moved then froze as the hunter landed silently on a branch in front of it, looking for the victim that escaped. No one escapes Silent Death. The goblin whimpered. It shouldn¡¯t have left home during the frigid time, but it was hungry. Now it will be hungry AND dead. It remained frozen in place, silently scanning the surroundings with its breath held deep so it wouldn¡¯t make even the whisperists of noise. There was a hollow in the tree that the Silent Death landed on, a promise of safety. A skeletal figure of a berry bush with some snow piled up on it, the path to safety? Maybe turn back, it might manage to- Silent Death did not give it a chance to think, the hunter found the goblin and screeched before diving towards it. That hollow was the safest place right now. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. It dashed under the skeletal bush to avoid the worst of the hunter¡¯s clawed flight. Silent Death did not continue its murderous path and decided to land on the bush, instead, trapping it within the cage of sticks and death. The claw crushed through the sticks and landed close by, earning Silent Death a scream of guttural terror from the goblin¡¯s throat. Can¡¯t run. Can¡¯t hide. Must fight. Can¡¯t fight. Big. Deadly. Predator! The goblin was small. Weak. Prey. It will die if it does not fight. It had to fight. Small or not. It grabbed one of the crushed sticks and raised it as the claw crashed again. A desperate exchange of stabs and clawing followed. The goblin lost the stick, picked another, avoided a claw, barely, got clawed in the arm, another stick crushed, picked another. Until a sharper stick finally made its way under the armor of white feathers, poking the creature and causing it distress. The creature screeched in pain and fell on the snow in a furious thrash. Rush to the shelter at the base of the tree. The goblin made the mistake of looking back. Silent Death chased it and it was closing. It dove into the hollow. No. No, no, no. It was not a hollow, just a tiny hole, it would not save it. The beak followed it inside and took a bite out of its ear. It shrieked in pain and pointed the stick again. It tried its best to stay away from the course of the sharp, hooked, blood-covered beak. The hunter bit through the stick and pulverized it. ¡°Git, git!¡± a voice shouted, and a burning light followed. Silent Death turned its head just to be hit by a fan of straw attached to a stick. It sent the menace flying, shrieking in fury. What manner of monster can send that demon with its tail feathers between its claws? It gulped and held its injured arm as the light got closer. The source of light, a metallic object with a glossy, translucent surface between its maws. Flames gave out the illumination from within. Then the larger monster kneeled. ¡°Hiss!¡± It snarled as the gigantic eye studied it. ¡°Oh dear me,¡± the wrinkled creature grumbled. The goblin did not understand the words it spoke. ¡°You are injured, come here.¡± It tried its best to snarl, to threaten the large creature. It was a small morsel, and not worth the hassle of eating. ¡°Feisty one, aren¡¯t you?¡± the voice said in a calm tone. It failed to threaten it. ¡°There we go,¡± the giant shuffled for a bit before a big hairy hand reached in to catch it. No amount of biting or scratching seemed to hurt the hair on the wrinkly giant¡¯s hand, it was invincible. A foe worse than Silent Death. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± the giant spoke near him, and its breath smelled of delicious food. It was still hungry, and it was going to eat it after all the food it consumed. It struggled helplessly against the grip. Yellow eyes watched it with a grudge as it was carried away by a new hunter. Silent Death hooted once before giving up and flying away. "That crazy bird," the giant said in a frustrated voice, looking at the fleeing foe. "It is always killing things near my house. Last time it was a rabbit, and it did not even eat it entirely. Yet mice and rats are everywhere." The goblin snarled and attempted to bite the giant''s arm again, but it was growing more exhausted, and weakened. "I think I''ll call you Snarl," the giant said. the tiny goblin was injured, cold, hungry, and soon, it would be crushed under a giant¡¯s teeth. This was the worst day in the entirety of its goblin¡¯s life. Ambrosia Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. MILK Cookies The goblin stirred from its slumber, its senses slowly returning to it. It raised its groggy arms into the air and flinched when one of them rewarded him with sharp pain. The arm was covered with something soft, it covered the wounds inflicted by Silent Death. Though they still hurt when it touched or moved it too much, it was much less painful than before. Maybe it will be much easier to climb the wooden cage that surrounded it? It was still hard, the goblin grunted as it pulled itself using the cracks in the wood. It took a few determined tries, but it was on top of the flat, wooden piece. Looking at the strange gigantic home. Lots of flattened wood made into shapes, with colorful, odd flowers that had strange patterns on and around them. A forest of glistening fat shrubs with no leaves coming out of them. Ivy weaves dangles off flattened wooden surfaces. Dying flames flickered in their rocky cage. Of the giant, there was no trace. And more importantly, there was no sign of MILK. It made sense, to the little goblin. Such precious liquid would be kept under the most vicious and vigilant of guards, and the goblin could not see any of those around. There were a few dried plants on a wooden platform on the far wall of the cave, though. And it was ravenous. The goblin dangled from the side of the wooden cage and dropped on the weaved ivy, it was as soft as the cloud of moss inside the cage. A sprint followed, allowing it to reach the curved branch arc nearby. It hit the side of the branch with its stomach, knocking the air out of its lung before it dropped into the soft growth underneath. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It was the best climber and runner of all goblins in its area, but it would seem its injured arm wasn¡¯t strong enough for such maneuvers, yet. It grumbled as it looked around. A long weave dangled from the walls, close by, and it can get to it easily by jumping. The weave that dangled on the wall was much easier to climb, and had a large straight branch on the top that kept it from being pulled down. The goblin huffed as it reached it, its arms and legs dangled from the sides while it drew deep breaths. It was still feeling so weak. Food will make it stronger. It rose with determination, figuring out the next part of the treacherous trick across the strange cave. From the branch, it dangled to the spiraling vine. Swinging from vines was easy, aiming for where to land was harder. But the vine could easily reach the wooden shelves if it was swung hard enough. It took a few tries, but it finally reached the wooden platform and pulled itself on it with its large foot. The glossy round shrubs the colors of white river stones, with blue flowers swirling around. The tiny creature laid low, preparing for a large jump to climb the strange plant, and reach the dried ones on top of it. One. Two. Three- It smacked into the hard surface and barely grasped onto it as the item began swerving around and surrendering to the gravity. The goblin went down with it. The plant landed with a soft thud, and the goblin was sent flying. It rose in a panic only to find it was safe. Soft red ground saved it. The strange plant was not okay, though. It spilled its insides on the ground. The goblin took one sniff at the brown flat disks, decorated with dark spots. And it smelled delicious. It took a careful bite out of the disk and it was swarmed by waves of deliciousness. The soft disk crumbled under every bite, and the dark spots melted inside its mouth. A taste that can only be rivaled by MILK. The disk was gone, and then another followed it, and another. The goblin would die a happy creature, just for experiencing this taste. Porridge ¡°You¡¯ve made such a mess, Snarl,¡± the old woman sighed at the tiny creature. She left to the market for just under an hour, and came back to a home that was ravaged by something that had a mix of the energy of a child and a dog. The curtains were ripped. Table cloth on the floor, alongside everything that was above it. A broken vase. A couple of broken ceramic jars that used to hold cookies, not so many of those, judging by the looks of it. And the culprit was lying lazily in a sugar coma, belly bloated with what can only be delight and future regrets. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± she picked the food comatosed green fella in her hand, the round creature swayed in the cupped palm. It looked at her with a look that regretted nothing, and she can do whatever she wants, now. So she did. She pressed the bloated tummy and the long eared creature struggled poorly against the attempt, a series of belly rubs broke it into serene acceptance. ¡°Do you realize how long this will take to clean up?¡± she huffed, looking at the mess again. At least two hours to get everything clean and the broken stuff sweeped. She needed to make dinner, as well. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll get some porridge on the fire,¡± she said as she placed the creature on the table. She tossed a couple of pieces of firewood and some tinder into the embers, and the flame began roaring back to life. She placed some wheat flour, milk, honey, and butter into a large pot, and let it hang over the flames. It was a low effort meal that would allow her to clean the place as it cooked on its own. She turned and saw Snarl was watching her with perked ears. ¡°Bad, bad snarl!¡± she pushed her finger gently on its nose, and it did not protest. It stared with large emerald eyes at her, slowly blinking. ¡°Oh, I never told you my name, did I? I am Rose. Rose.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. She smiled as the creature''s head leaned to the side. It would be less amusing if she wasn¡¯t sure it understood what she was saying, in some way. Like a dog, in a way. ¡°People call me granny, though. Or Nana. Can you say Nana?¡± Snarl kept watching her with that puzzled look. At least he was better than yesterday, she would have to try and change the bandage later. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to that, especially with it energized by copious amounts of sugar. Rose picked the broom and began cleaning up the mess. She got rid of the sharp fragments first, the pulverized cookies and their crumbles followed, then she arranged whatever she could salvage back into their proper place. Her heart was racing by the time she was done. ¡°Okay, little guy, it''s time to go back into the box,¡± she picked Snarl. ¡°Until I can figure out how to place you somewhere you can¡¯t escape, or prevent you from causing more of these messes.¡± It tilted its head, producing a strange chirpy noise, ears perking again. Oh, the food. Rose rushed to save the porridge before it began to burn. She Placed the pot on the counter and grabbed a ladle before opening the lid. Good, it wasn¡¯t charred at the bottom either. A little bit on the thicker side, but she did not mind that. She filled a bowl with a couple of scoops and grabbed her good spoon before sitting on the table to eat her meal. Or she tried as Snarl began chirping insistently at her. ¡°You are going to blow up if you have any more food,¡± she mused. It did not make the creature stop, though. ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± She looked around, finding her toy tea set from her childhood. They had some tiny bowls that would suit the tiny body of the annoying creature. She picked one and placed a tiny amount of porridge in it, before handing it to the annoying, green menace. It began licking the porridge before flinching from how hot it still was. ¡°Serves you right,¡± she smiled, ¡°shoulda left you to that owl, ya know?¡± The creature chirped before trying to eat again. Nana and Snarl had their first meal on the table together, and it was not a quiet one. Milk and Treason This was the best day of the goblin¡¯s life. It was living in luxury it did not expect to have in this life ever since he was adopted by the giant, and was even offered the most delicious of morsels and pieces of its leftover meals ¨C So much that the tiny goblin was no longer a tiny goblin ¨C but today was the best day of the little goblin¡¯s life for sure. Nothing can top this wonderful day. ¡°There we go,¡± Nana ¨C for that was her name after she repeated it enough times for it ¨C placed the large, roasted bird on the table. It was a beautiful golden brown, smelling of herbs and delicious char. It could not resist licking its lips and trying to get to the bird. ¡°No,¡± Nana wagged a finger at him, ¡°bad Snarl, bad!¡± Snarl, that was the name chosen for it by the giant. It did not mind, for it had no name before. Goblins only named their most powerful and most courageous members, and it was small and cowardly. Snarl tilted its head, pretending not to understand that it was because it wanted to eat the bird. What if it was the meat of Silent Death? It would be a sweet, and delicious, revenge. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Bad Snarl,¡± she poked his face with the finger, and Snarl hissed. ¡°This food is not for you.¡± Snarl¡¯s ears went up in alarm. Food that wasn¡¯t for itself? This was clearly a misunderstanding, the giant wouldn¡¯t possibly have said words that meant that. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some of the leftovers when I return,¡± Nana said, as she placed the different foods into boxes then placed them one above the other. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some milk for-¡± The goblin jumped. MILK! The giant kept talking while grabbing a large glass bottle of the white ambrosia. A bowl was placed in front of it, and the liquid was poured into it. Snarl could only see white. ¡°Wait until I¡¯m done pouring- no stop- you little menace,¡± she grumbled and took away the rest of the bottle. ¡°I will not pour milk in front of you ever again, you splattered it all over me.¡± Snarl raised its head, licking the droplets of liquid that were sliding on his face and watched the wrinkled giant wipe her clothes. The woman carried the boxes before looking at Snarl again. ¡°Don¡¯t. Break. Anything.¡± Nana left and closed the door. Snarl¡¯s eyes widened in terror. That food wasn¡¯t for it!? She expected it to survive on just milk? No cookies? No porridge? No cake? No sweet honey baked bagels? No roasted Silent Death? Snarl shrieked in horror, then felt a bit thirsty so it went back to drinking the MILK. Chicken Snarl took a nap on the chair, it slept on the edge and let its foot dangle and swing slightly. It was all he could do after the treacherous giant left it with no means to feed itself aside from the MILK. No amount of looking around made it find food, not even looking around the jars and shelves. The giant has hidden its stash in a secret safe, protected by the most hardened of guardians, a flat tree sentinel. The thing the giant called a ¡®Door¡¯. Only a nap could cure this broken heart. The door made noises, and that made Snarl ears perk in anticipation. The giant is back, with food, and deliciousness and- and the door wasn¡¯t opening. It was just producing some scratching noise. Snarl squinted and decided to check the source of that noise. It grabbed into the leg of the chair and slid down, crashing into the wooden floor with its now padded bottom then crossed the field of carpet. The noise was familiar, like something was trying to get through the sentinel. The stalwart guardian of the cave. Snarl sneaked the last few steps and sniffed. Danger. Intruder. Alarm! Snarl hissed, and the scratching stopped. It was replaced by sniffing, as well. Then by similar hissing. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Another goblin? Snarl blinked in surprise. A quick expression of hisses, clicks, then chirps followed. The other goblin did have a strange accent to it, something unforesty. But Snarl was so smart that it did not need much to figure out the meaning. ¡®Stay out of my territory.¡¯ ¡®This place is mine,¡¯ Snarl growled. ¡®If you don¡¯t leave, we will make you regret crossing us!¡¯ ¡®Forest goblins are strong, Snarl will win!¡¯ Snarl was met with sudden silence. ¡®You are a forest goblin, get out of our village!¡¯ ¡®This is the great, wrinkled giant¡¯s cave, and it is my territory now!¡± There was a sudden thud, it made Snarl jump back in alarm. Then there was a sharp scream, followed by a rustle. Huh. Good, that inferior goblin realized the danger of facing against Snarl! Sole survivor of the Silent Death, the pettable of giants, the drinker of ambrosia! Snarl walked away, back straight and head held high and climbed back into its nap throne. The door opened shortly after when Nana returned with shoulders covered in snow. ¡°That darned owl,¡± she grumbled, ¡°It killed something else, this time on my doorstep.¡± Snarl watched with confusion until Nana was inside and the door was closed again. ¡°I got you some leftovers,¡± she said, taking out a large, half devoured drumstick. ¡°hope you like chicken.¡± A sharp toothed grin found itself on Snarl¡¯s face. Diet ¡®This is my warren!¡¯ the goblin hissed from behind Door. Snarl merely huffed out. This was nearly a daily occurrence now. At first, the goblins challenging it from behind the protection of Door made it excited. Its blood surged and it tried to find a way out to meet the challengers, a goblin with a name had to defend its territory. Specially with its injuries healed. It did not manage to find a way out, yet. So Snarl was just fine with verbal exchanges against its veiled foes. Even that got pretty tiring, after the many fingers of times they threatened Snarl with violence over territory. ¡®Yes,¡¯ Snarl hissed without passion. ¡®I will destroy you, by the name of Snarl, and you shall regret it.¡¯ ¡®You are bored talking to me?¡¯ the other goblin shrieked, hitting the door with its head, if Snarl had to guess. ¡®I am Gutter, the third! You will meet my-¡± Like every argument, it ended with a subdued thud, and a horrified scream. They didn¡¯t last long enough to finish the threat fight to even move to the fight fight. Not that that part was going to happen with him not knowing how to leave. But Snarl has come with a plan of action to remedy that! It would make Nana angry if Door was harmed, or the ground was dug through. And it would let the nice warmth of the tamed flame out. But what if Snarl made a new exit? Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. There was a tiny rock under the large flat tree where it sleeps. Snarl ran to the rock, scratching on its sides to loosen it up. It wasn¡¯t larger than it was, and Snarl could place it back and push it out if it wanted to leave. A little bit of wiggling, it was going to be ready in no time. Nana was not at home, so Snarl wasn¡¯t going to miss food. The goblin looked down at its body, no longer tiny, but round. It was truly a glorious creature now, All that food made it bigger, stronger, a little bit tired. Yeah, a little bit tired. Snarl stopped working and tried to climb back into its favorite sleeping spot. It was a harder climb than it ever was, and increasing in difficulty lately. With heavy breaths, it managed to climb the wooden leg, and reach the soft bed. It was probably because its body was hungry. Snarl circled itself and took a quick nap before food arrived, then the work on the new door could continue. - ¡°You are growing rather fat,¡± Nana poked at his round belly, a natural form displaying Snarl¡¯s stature and power. ¡°Perhaps it was a mistake to indulge you with so many meals.¡± Snarl rolled around, satisfied. He was one back scratch away from reaching the golden plains. Yes, scratch the back. Scratch it! ¡°You do look cute when you are fat,¡± Nana continued. ¡°But I think this might be bad for you¡­¡± Yesssss. Ah. the sweet scratchings and scritchings. ¡°I think it is time for a diet,¡± Nana sighed. Snarl turned around, an ominous feeling washed over it. ¡°It means less food for you, Snarl.¡± HISSSSSSSSSS! Snow Nana cleaned away the bloodied snow. She would have to ask Arthur to come and get rid of that owl at one point, despite her reluctance to harm wildlife in her part of the woods. The viscera it left behind was starting to get into Rose¡¯s already thinning patience. Snarl wadded through the layer of snow, jumping and playing. A good thing considering the large belly it was developing lately. Rose had asked the hunter about Snarl, about the type of creature it was. He said he had never seen something with the same characteristics she described, and that he would come to visit her after he finished his winter fishing trip. His smoked salmon was pretty popular amongst the villagers, so she could not blame him for not rushing over. She did not intend to keep Snarl as a pet, so she had to keep it healthy so that it wouldn¡¯t die as soon as it went back to the wilderness. Preferably in late spring. ¡°Less food and more activity,¡± Sarah had told her. She owned the closest thing there was to Snarl in this community. A cat. Snarl jumped into the snow with a tiny, wet thud, then vanished into it. She got slightly worried for a moment, until it popped out with a pile of snow laying over its head. Skin having a slight blush from the cold and nose sniffing before turning to her with a sharp fanged grin. At least It was not as disturbing anymore, she sighed. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She continued moving the snow off the doorsteps and the pathway to the road. She was too old for this type of work, but it had to be done, lest she trips over something and breaks her bones. That would be much worse than a hurt back. Or pain in the knees. Or- Rose just¡­ felt old. A sharp chirp made her look again. Snarl was staring at her. ¡°No, no food. Go and play.¡± It tilted its head in response, then started making that silly gurgling noise. ¡°No.¡± she said, firmly. Angry grumbles, then it tried to walk back inside. Or waddle. The door was closed and so it failed to do so. ¡°We are going to stay outside, and work that fat off your lazy bottom,¡± she groaned and shoveled another scoop. She ignored the angry protests behind her and continued, one small scoop at a time. Taking a break between each one. It took a while for the chirps to stop, and for Snarl to walk back into the snow. It took a small scoop of snow and mimicked her, tossing the snow much like she did. ¡°Oh, you are trying to help me out?¡± Snarl grunted as it grabbed another pile, no larger than one of the buttons on her jacket and tossed it into the larger pile. It was a small effort. And it did not make her work any faster. But somehow¡­ She felt it was actually helping. Rose felt energized, and the pathway was cleared quicker than she¡¯d seen in the past few years. ¡°Phew,¡± she huffed as she went back to the door. She waited for Snarl to hop over before opening the door. ¡°Okay, we deserve a tiny treat after that work.¡± She closed the door, just in time to hear something crash against it. Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes. That darned owl¡­ Challenger Snarl did not enjoy the recent changes to the portions of food, but Snarl was no stranger to starving. The winter has been rough on its tiny body, many times, in fact. Maybe Nana the giant was just saving food for the end of winter, until the bounty of spring began sprouting. Who knew how many berry bushes would be needed to feed the giant for a single day? Snarl wasn¡¯t starving, therefore, it was not angry. Just slightly upset about losing its marvelous, prestigious body. The roundness was fading away fast, and that was inconveniencing him. Nana was sleeping on her large bed, tired after trying to get rid of snow. Foolish thing, Snarl thought, that the wrinkled one wasted her energy on a futile task, but it still helped. Snarl was nothing if not loyal to the thrice savior of itself. Silent death and injuries were the two scariest ordeals it had suffered in its entire life. And just many days ago Snarl watched Silent Death diving from one of the giant trees, aiming straight and true, its claws a few steps away from catching Snarl¡¯s blubbery figure. Door closed to keep the intruder out. Those pale yellow eyes promised to never let go, ever. Nothing escaped Silent Death, nothing except Snarl. Snarl discovered that there was a barrier called Window that could show it the outsides, where it watched the creature perch, watching in anger. But tonight was not one of those nights. Tonight, Silent Death got tired and went to find another meal. So Snarl rushed. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Grab the curtains and swing on the dangling cord. Jump at the right time to land on the wooden frame then slide down into the chair. Jump on the nice and bouncy sleep spot and into the wooden edge. Grab the wooden leg and slide down, with the grace of a forest goblin that knows no fear, makes no noise, and needs no help. Not a single mistake! Snarl huffed out. No one was there to watch it do all of this. No one appreciated it. But that was about to change tonight. The tiny rock he worked on for days and days was now loose, and he can pull it out of its tiny lodging. It did not lead to the outside, but into more rocks. There he had found a small squeeze between two large rocks, one it would not pass through if its belly was still a large, round, and glorious figure. Then he had to push out another small rock to the outside. The frigid winds struck him as soon as the rock moved out of its place, but it fell easily after the days of work. It poked its tiny head out while hiding its big ears inside the hole. No yellow angry eyes, the sun was about to come up, and Silent Death liked to hunt at night. Most important of all was that the challenger that glared at Snarl was crawling through the bed of snow to participate in the most holy of goblinkind traditions. A fight. Battle As per goblin-kind tradition, the battle began by establishing which goblin could hiss better. ¡®I¡¯ve come to challenge you, worthless one,¡¯ the other goblin hissed, barely a head above the snow. ¡®Come and fight me, if you dare.¡¯ ¡®I see only ears speaking,¡¯ Snarl hissed with as much scorn as it could muster against the smaller goblin. It being hardly seen was befitting of a goblin as lowly as it was. ¡®Perhaps you should come back when you are an adult?¡¯ Dissing another goblin¡¯s height was an effective way to get them. The other goblin was seething because Snarl pointed out its inferior height. ¡®Your skin is so brown, like stool, and scarred like bark,¡¯ the other goblin jumped out of the snow and arched its back as it approached. Ah yes, the classic skin color insult. It was not working, because Snarl knew it was the most green goblin in the world. Even if the words stung a little. ¡®You have tiny flat fangs, herbivore!¡¯ ¡®Your legs are floppy, like toads!¡¯ ¡®Your climbing is as good as a lizard,¡¯ Snarl grinned when the other goblin smiled, right before delivering the blow. ¡®A DEAD lizard.¡¯ ¡®Your ears are short.¡¯ Snarl gasped. Not the ears! That was a low blow. Especially from a smaller goblin. It continued the savage attack. ¡®And one of them is clipped!¡¯ This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡®HISS!¡¯ ¡®HISSSS!¡¯ With the round of preliminary insulting and hissing out of the way, and with Snarl¡¯s pride only slightly bruised, it was time for the second phase. The one he could never reach with Door protecting the mighty cave. After a battle of wits, it was only proper to start with a battle of brawn. Finally, something to feed its instincts, after so long! Belly joust! Both goblins screamed into the air, shrill and sharp screams that would¡¯ve made a baby goblin cry, before rushing into each other. Snarl jumped and extended its belly in front of itself, and the other goblin did the same. They crashed into one another with a loud boom, the other goblin was sent flying back into the snow. Snarl stood there, proud of the belly it grew during its stay with Nana, the giant. It was now time to deliver the finishing blow. ¡®My name is Snarl,¡¯ It squeaked. ¡®Warren Lord of giant cave Nana. Goblin of the Mystical Forest. Survivor of Silent Death!¡¯ The other goblin jumped out of the snow, face frozen from the shock. ¡®You are named goblin?¡¯ the little creature yelped. ¡®You escaped Silent Death!?¡¯ Snarl stood proudly. The opponent was defeated without needing to go through extra steps. It was disappointing to not go all out, but the enemy was significantly weaker than Snarl. It had to be this way. ¡®My ear was bitten by Silent Death,¡¯ Snarl said. ¡®My body scratched by its talons! And I still liv- aaah!¡¯ Snarl saw the white bird flying and bolted to the hole it used to leave, hearing the bird screeching angrily as it saw the delicious looking goblin one. Snarl pulled the rock back to plug the hole and ran back into the cave. It reached Window and dared a peek of the outside. The other goblin dove into the snow while Silent Death was chasing Snarl, and fled like a coward. It left a bitter taste in Snarl¡¯s mouth. A taste that could only be washed by ample amounts of MILK. Today was both a victory and a defeat. Another One Bites the Snow Snarl has gotten used to the strange work the giant does, even if its tiny hands did similar things on smaller scales. But snarl did a lot, faster, and tiring a lot slower. Its body lost the roundness it cultivated during its stay here, and was now more bulky and scary looking. Especially with those talon scars and the snipped ear, it looked like it had a fight with a rabbit and won, and rabbits were pretty vicious. More goblins tried to challenge Snarl over the last few days, as well. None of them were named, and they were not a challenge to Snarl, even after losing its mighty belly. The goblin with the fat butt tried to mock Snarl¡¯s lack of belly, but it was soon taught that real strength comes from the name, not just from the belly. And speaking of belly¡­ Snarl sunk its face into the porridge and devoured it in an instant. Food was going scarcer and scarcer, but Snarl was grateful that Nana was sharing her food while taking smaller portions herself. Things must be rough this winter. Snarl stood up and carried the bowl above its head, and carried it into the cleaning place, where Nana would wash the food eating containers until they smelled nice. The giant always looked so grateful when Snarl helped her with the work. And that in turn made snarl happy. ¡°You are being awfully helpful lately, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nana said as she carried her own bowl and placed it in the cleaning area with a clang. ¡°I think I¡¯ll leave the cleaning for later,¡± she gave him a tired smile. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Snarl tilted its head, receiving a pat from her before she turned and walked to her bed with slow, deliberate steps. ¡°Don¡¯t break anything now.¡± Snarl waited until she was in her bed and sleeping before rushing to the window. It was a slow, quiet day. The snow was thawing, indicating the soon arriving spring. Silent Death was camping the spot, it refused to leave until it was starving and had to find another meal. No one escaped Silent Death, no one escaped it. No one but Snarl. That won¡¯t last for long, if the bird kept on glaring at the opening Snarl made with vicious, beady glares. Other goblins have tried to approach the place to find more challenges every now and then, but the recent overwatch of Silent Death made a lot of them stay in the shadows of the bushes, behind the bark of the trees. Even if spring arrived, even if summer did. The bird will not let go of this grudge, and Snarl will remain a prisoner of this cave, not a Warrenlord. And the great Warrenlord of Nana¡¯s cave was not a slave goblin. Snarl needed to take action against Silent Death, somehow. Or defeat it. And for that, it will have to remember the old legends, and find the ancient courage. Silent Death glared at Snarl, sensing the enmity that pulled against the both of them, without a doubt, before it flew off. Another attempt to trick Snarl and the other goblins that the area was safe before it struck again. One of the challenging goblins jumped into the opening to cross the distance and challenge Snarl, only to meet the fate Snarl knew it would. Becoming a meal for Silent Death, it developed a deep hunger for goblin meat it seems. There had to be a way to defeat the bird, Snarl grumbled, turning away from the horrible carnage. And Snarl was going to find it. Warren Lord Snarl snuck out of the cave once it was sure that Silent Death was gone. There wasn¡¯t much snow to hide him, and the foliage was nonexistent. Snarl risked its life to go outside. And it felt glorious. Armed with a pointy stick that wouldn¡¯t break easily, and with its incredible wits, Snarl Went through the last of the snow and into the trees. It would not be hard to find other goblins, now. It would only need to find their scent and the muddy footprints they left in the wet soil. It would not take long for Snarl to find them. It just needed to find the direction the feet were going and then maybe it would have to make traps to catch one of them, then make it lead them to their weak and cowardly leader. ¡®Its the Warren Lord!¡¯ A goblin screeched next to him. ¡®We¡¯ve found the Warren Lord, we¡¯ve found it!¡¯ Maybe Snarl did not find them after all. The large group appeared from behind the trees, rocks, from within the holes in the ground. Some with huge ears ¨C none bigger than his, naturally. Some with long feet. All of them starving. Snarl hissed loudly and stabbed the sharp wooden stick into the ground, the hissing did not stop until the other goblins began to cower. ¡®Who is your eldest?¡¯ Snarl demanded. ¡®You wish to meet the Oracle?¡¯ a tiny goblin meekly said, flinching as Snarl stared towards it. An Oracle? Snarl did not even know what that meant, but if it was a named goblin, there would be a ferocious battle ahead of it, and it made it grin, revealing the sharp teeth inside its large mouth. ¡®Your leader?¡¯ The tiny goblin dropped into the ground, prostrating. ¡®Please Save the Oracle,¡¯ It nearly cried. Snarl tilted its head to the side. Why would one save their goblin opponent rather than engage them in glorious and bloody belly jousts? These goblins looked defeated and broken. That could only mean one thing¡­ ¡®Take me to the Oracle,¡¯ Snarl squeaked. There were some hopeful faces, some happy ones. The near deadly quiet turned into a cheer as many of them volunteered to lead Snarl. Every other goblin followed, they made a large wave of green, popping across the forest¡¯s ground as they moved towards an ancient tree standing in the middle of the other great trees. ¡®The Oracle lives in the ancient oak!¡¯ the tiny goblin hopped in front of Snarl. It was so much greater than every other tree, Snarl noticed, but not greater than Nana¡¯s cave. That cave had MILK. The goblins suddenly stopped, still a fair distance away from the tree. Snarl kept walking. A fat goblin stood in its way, shorter than Snarl, but with a mighty belly and a spherical figure. Snarl understood. This was a Warren Lord, too. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The large goblin stood before Snarl, not hissing, not taking a battle pose. ¡®I was waiting for this day for a long time,¡¯ the fat goblin rumbled. Few more goblins appeared behind it. They were all big. ¡®Ever since you killed Gutter.¡¯ Killed? Snarl blinked. Oh, those thudding noises when he had Door protected insulting battles. ¡®I did not kill any goblin,¡¯ Snarl tilted its head, making its ears pop as it did. ¡®Silent Death did.¡¯ ¡®You are a traitor,¡¯ The fat goblin finally hissed. ¡®You lured them out, servant of Silent Death. Made them victims to the eternal predator of our kin.¡¯ The goblins behind snarl gasped in shock. ¡®Snarl is no traitor,¡¯ Snarl hissed back. Finally, some decent trash talk and dramatic interactions from a crowd. A proper goblin fight! ¡®My ears were snipped by the evil bird, my body scratched. I survived because I am strong!¡¯ The crowd cheered, as they moved to circle the place, to watch the battle unfold. ¡®You are the traitor,¡¯ Snarl pointed at the goblin. ¡®You did not care for the other goblins of your warren, they are skinny and small, you, and your minions,¡¯ the goblins behind the fat goblin hissed, annoyed at the implied servitude. ¡®Are eating all their food.¡¯ Yes, that made sense to Snarl. Warren Lord should have the bestest food. But the crowd needed to be riled. The crowd gasped in shock, again, before they booed the larger goblins. ¡®I am Glob,¡¯ the fat goblin said, ¡®The Oracle warned me of you, the goblin that would come to destroy forest goblins. I took the food to feed my minions, and myself, to prepare to stop you. It was necessary, minion of Silent Death.¡¯ What was this weird goblin talking about, this was not how goblin battles went. It should insult Snarl. Snarl should insult back. They should do it until they both were angry enough to start a furious belly joust. Wait, did it call Snarl a minion? ¡®Snarl is no minion!¡¯ it hissed loudly. ¡®Snarl is a Warren Lord. Survivor of Silent Death. And I will defeat you, weak and pathetic Glob.¡¯ Snarl pointed a clawed finger at it. ¡®You still think we are going to have a power struggle?¡¯ Glob blinked. ¡®Stick. Mud. Pebble. Get rid of him.¡¯ Snarl stared as the three goblins approached from behind Glob. One long armed and slender. One more brown than green, short and stocky. And a muscled looking tiny goblin respectively. Three named goblins. This was not how goblin fights were done. The crowd of goblins booed and threw mud into the arena, but a hiss from the three goblins made them stop. They all watched as the group reached the center, ready to fight Snarl. Snarl held onto the stick and watched with anger as his hopes of a proper battle were dashed once more. There was only one thing that Snarl could do. ¡®Skinny like a stick insect with tiny ears!¡¯ Snarl pointed at the first one, the crowd gasped in terror. ¡®Brown as the defecations of a wolf, with small feet!¡¯ The second goblin nearly recoiled from the pain of the insult. Snarl turned into the last one and grinned viciously. ¡®Thumblina.¡¯ They did not have time to react as Snarl charged belly first into the mentally incapacitated trio. They stood no chance, Snarl was rushing with all the power it had and they were knocked around like a bunch of pins gathered in a convenient place to be knocked down. The trio watched with horror as Snarl stood above them, victorious. The crowd was just as silent. ¡®I am your Warren Lord, now.¡¯ Mighty Bellies Snarl walked towards Glob, who stood there, shaking from anger. ¡®Idiots!¡¯ Glob shouted, pointing a gnarly tree branch at its minions. Former minions. ¡®Get him!¡¯ Snarl turned and glared at the trio that littered the ground, they did not dare to even stand up. As is proper for the defeated. Snarl needed a strong insult for this fat goblin, but commenting on its weight would only be a compliment, and ears length insults were beneath a Warren Lord of high standards. What was a good insult to start this one with? Snarl though. ¡®This is not a power struggle!¡¯ Glob screamed, hitting the deformed staff on the rocks. ¡®Seize. You will not destroy goblins with your schemes. We will not be uprooted from our way of life!¡¯ Glob shouted as Snarl approached it slowly, still thinking of something to initiate the fight with. The weak insult this goblin sputtered did not match its glorious body. It was weak at fights. ¡®I. Will. Not. Allow it!¡¯ ¡®You are a fake goblin,¡¯ Snarl said with a sudden realization. The fat goblin reeled in shock, mouth open widely. ¡®You refuse to do goblin things.¡¯ ¡®How dare you, I¡¯m twice the goblin you will ever be,¡¯ Glob hissed. Finally, the rage. The shaking. The weakness that Snarl should capitalize on. ¡®Fake goblin.¡¯ The two goblins rushed at each other, squeaking loudly. Stomachs forward, arms backwards, backs arched. The first blow sent Snarl to the side, and it hurt. That was a mighty belly, Snarl worried that it would become a minion of this fake goblin. At least, it was, until it turned around. Its enemy was also hurt from the strike, so it was not as Snarl feared. ¡®This is ridiculous!¡¯ Glob grabbed the staff and pointed it at Snarl. ¡®I will not be pulled back into our primal instincts.¡¯ Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. It was not going to do goblin things, in other words. ¡®Fake. Fake!¡¯ The other goblins jeered and the defeated trio even began to look at each other, doubt rising in their eyes. ¡®I won¡¯t fall to your taunts,¡¯ Glob approached and swung the staff, Snarl jumped back with a yelp and the staff splattered the wet dirt where it stood. ¡®I won¡¯t allow you to ruin goblin kind.¡¯ Glob was refusing to belly joust. And did not move to the sacred third phase of Warren Lords battles? Snarl was so looking forward to the deadly eating contest, too. This goblin was mocking all the things goblin, while saying it was protecting goblins. Snarl dodged a swipe, and got clipped on its shoulder with a twisted knob at the edge of the staff. An overhead swing followed, with the staff sinking into the melting ground. Snarl rushed and did its most mighty belly jump while the staff was stuck. Glob¡¯s eyes widened in horror as Snarl¡¯s belly crashed into its pudgy face and sent it rolling. ¡®Snarl is the Warren Lord,¡¯ Snarl shouted. ¡®I conquered this pathetic fake goblin, and its unfair servants. Now they all belong to me!¡¯ The goblins cheered and rushed to raise Snarl in celebration. A few tosses, some groveling, a low of awe. Snarl accepted all of it with the humblest way it knew. ¡®More! More, my servants!¡¯ ¡®Little goblin from the forests,¡¯ A voice sounded from within the tree. ¡®Warren Lord Snarl, approach mine chambers.¡¯ The goblins dropped to the ground, bowing, as the voice sounded. Snarl was left the only one standing. It forgot what it came here to do because of all the exciting things it had done. But now it was time to talk to this Oracle, to see what Snarl could do and use against Silent death. It approached the tree, followed the opening in the trunk into a large tree room where a goblin sat on a rock. ¡®Goblin who would end the life of goblin kind as we know it, what is it that you come to seek here?¡¯ ¡®You are the one that knows stuff here?¡¯ Snarl tilted its head to the side. That goblin looked so young and¡­ not goblin like he was, but goblin like the slender kind that did not fight or joust. ¡®I want to know Silent Death¡¯s weakness, how can I defeat it?¡¯ Oracle studied him with an empty expression before she answered. ¡®I cannot stop fate, it will happen as I saw it. If you wish to defeat your enemy, the hunter of goblins, their silent death¡­¡¯ Oracle moved to a tiny table, where she had placed a lot of strings. ¡®Tie the bird down, prevent it its flight, they cannot fly, they cannot swim.¡¯ She said as she formed the strings into a messy entangled ball. ¡®Then bring our kind to the new age. Lord Snarl.¡¯ Demise ¡®This is stupid¡¯ Glob grumbled as it followed Snarl. ¡®You will never be able to defeat that monster.¡¯ Snarl wasn¡¯t sure it could either, but a Warren Lord did not hide inside a giant¡¯s cave just to drink MILK all day long. That sounded extremely good, though. Snarl wanted to go back and have some cookies and MILK, with some porridge, and a meat stew. A cake, too! No, no. Snarl had to focus. There was little time left, and the goblins did not finish preparing the ambush, yet. ¡®We need more over there,¡¯ Stick shouted, and more goblins responded with enthusiasm. ¡®This will never work,¡¯ Glob added. ¡®We will need someone with a glorious round body,¡¯ Snarl nodded. ¡®Someone with a body unlike any other to help me add some weight.¡¯ ¡®Of course you do,¡¯ Glob snorted. ¡®Someone round and magnificent,¡¯ Snarl continued. ¡®Naturally,¡¯ The round goblin nodded. ¡®Someone like you,¡¯ Snarl grinned. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Glob continued to nod. ¡®Exact-¡¯ Glob looked up to Snarl, eyes wide in terror. It didn¡¯t manage to run away fast enough before Snarl dragged it, kicking and screaming, into the clearing. - Snarl stood in the middle of the snow as Silent Death returned. The bird was furious, probably at the lack of prey. Snarl squeaked and Silent Death¡¯s eyes immediately found its nemesis. Standing deliciously in the emptiness. The bird dove straight for Snarl. ¡®Now!¡¯ Snarl said as it dove into the snow. The goblins pulled the strings with all their combined strength, pulling out the ropes Snarl borrowed from Nana. Curtain ropes, threads for tying herbs, every cord and piece of string the goblins managed to gather. A great web made out of different materials that was now standing in the way of the angry beast. Snarl did not see, while inside the snow, it had to move to its position and help, but it could hear the panicking of the other goblins. ¡®Pull!¡¯ Glob screamed, holding to his own side of the curtain¡¯s cord. Snarl popped out and grabbed the cord with it, pulling hard against the strength that nearly sent them all flying into the air. Silent death was struggling against hundreds of tiny goblins. Goblins so weak that most of them didn¡¯t even have the strength to stay on the ground during a windy day. But now, they added their strength to one another, an army of goblins pulling with the strength of one, and they succeeded in making the bird stuck. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Snarl pulled with a loud shout, using all its strength, and the others responded to its shout. They all pulled, bringing the mighty bird into the snow. Silent Death screeched horribly before it was muffled by the snow. ¡®Now!¡¯ Stick, Mud, and pebble nodded and gave orders for the other goblins to run around. Snarl grabbed his end, and watched Glob bounce around into the opposite direction. Threads and cords interrupted his path, but he avoided them with ease. Most of the other goblins did too, as they spun the net around the fallen Silent Death. The bird thrashed and made a bunch of goblins fly into the air. It began screeching again, standing up against the tide of constricting, swirling fibers. Snarl saw two goblins get crushed by the claws of the demon bird. Five tossed away by a wave of its wings. The goblins were too weak, their continued starvation made their strength wane after they spent the last of their power on this effort. ¡®This is doomed,¡¯ Glob screamed, but was still running. Snarl didn¡¯t have time to agree, it continued to run as hard as it could, dodging whatever it could. Silent Death spun, sent more goblins away. Bit, cut more threads. More and more goblins were out, fleeing, abandoning the futile mission. Snarl stopped as it saw the trio leave as well. Only him and Glob were left near the death bird, and only because Glob was too tired to move. Silent death turned, stares full of hate, promising a painful death to Snarl. It screeched horribly before it lunged, sharp beak aiming for its prey. Snarl pulled one last time. Silent Death crashed into the snow with a loud thud as its feet were stuck in a snare. The bird stopped struggling afterwards. Snarl turned around and raised its hands in victory. Goblins cheered, eyes wide in disbelief as the death that was promised them was now at their mercy. Snarl went to check on Glob, it was a cowardly fake goblin, but it was its minion now. And it was still gloriously round. ¡®You did it,¡¯ Glob huffed out. ¡®You actually pulled this off. You crazy goblinite.¡¯ ¡®You helped,¡¯ Snarl noted, the cord was swirled around Glob¡¯s body, and it helped anchor the bird¡¯s legs, even if a little. ¡®I lost half my weight today-¡¯ Glob said before its eyes widened in horror. A large shadow rose behind Snarl, and it feared turning to see Silent Death above it. The bird stood, pale eyes glaring madness. It screeched one last time. Snarl gulped, there was no escaping Silent Death. It was now here for it. Snarl watched and waited. It would be all over, soon. ¡°What is this infernal screeching!¡± Heads turned over as Door opened the path to the cave, and Nanan came out armed with her straw stick. ¡°Snarl?¡± The bird panicked, and the other goblins hid as she approached. ¡°Leave my Snarl alone you bad, bad bird.¡± she began swinging the weapon mightly. Silent Death struggled to fly, but managed to do so after the broom struck it on its feathery behind. Unfortunately, Glob was stuck to the cord, and was being dragged, screaming, into the air. So Snarl had to jump and rescue the minion. Snarl held on tight and climbed the cord as they crashed through branches, and were in the sky. Glob screams drowned by the frigid winds. Snarl made its way into the bird¡¯s body, and pulled the cord tying fat goblin up, the bird was panicking too much to notice them, it seemed. They looked down, seeing the forest becoming smaller, even Nana looked like goblin sized now. ¡®The lake!¡¯ Glob screamed. Snarl squinted, looking where Glob pointed. The lake was no longer frozen. And Oracle told him to stop its flight, that Silent Death could not swim. Snarl grabbed the cord, and handed it to its fat minion. ¡®We will jump!¡¯ Snarl squeaked. The fat goblin gulped, hesitant. Snarl took the choice out of its hands by jumping and dragging it along. ¡®Hold on tight!¡¯ The two goblins swayed and swung around the bird, catching one of its wings and constricting it. The bird¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, as they all fell to their watery doom. Epilogue Glob floated like a piece of wood on top of the water, even while panicking. The glorious blubber took the task of floating in water for it, and it made Snarl jealous. Snarl held onto the fat goblin after it stopped panicking and started pushing both of them into the shore. A real forest goblin knew how to swim, unlike a fake, fat one! ¡®It¡¯s drowning,¡¯ Glob said with disbelief, hearing the struggling flaps of Silent Death¡¯s wings. ¡®It is actually drowning.¡¯ Snarl grunted, busy with trying to save them from drowning rather than join the demon in a watery grave. It took considerable effort, even with the floating goblin helping, but they eventually reached the shore and left the freezing waters. Silent Death glared at them from the center of the lake. A single wing hitting the surface of water as the other was entangled earlier. ¡°You crazy creature!¡± Nana arrived after a moment, their goblin group followed. Even Oracle was there. ¡°No more leaving the house, I¡¯m too old and tired to chase you and that darned bird-¡± Nana went quiet as they all watched as the bird lost the strength to struggle against the water, and went beneath the surface, its eyes still glaring promised death at them. ¡®Is it gone?¡¯ Glob let out a held breath. ¡®Is it actually dead?¡¯ Snarl watched as the last of the last of the mighty predator¡¯s feathers went out of sight before it approached the water again. It was going to shake from the cold, but it had to pay respects to a worthy opponent. Snarl stood straight, belly out. Glob joined him, and the rest of the goblins followed after hesitating. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡®Now what?¡¯ Stick asked, looking at Snarl. ¡®What are we going to do?¡¯ ¡®Before we party, it is only proper that we help.¡¯ Snarl grinned. - ¡®Why are we doing this?¡¯ Glob complained as he carried a handful of snow. The entire goblin tribe was busy clearing the stone path, which Snarl could see right now. ¡®For the ambrosia!¡¯ Snarl said. ¡®What is this ambrosia you speak of?¡¯ Mud asked ¡®It is the food of the gods, the thing that made me grow from a tiny squeaky goblin into Warren Lord.¡¯ Murmurs spread through the goblins. ¡®Now get back to work, we still need to clean inside the house before we get the delicious MILK.¡¯ The goblins picked up the speed, and worked twice as hard. - ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Rose grumbled. ¡°You brought your friends along, and now I have to feed all of you?¡± Snarl beeped as she poured the milk into a large saucer for the goblins. At least they helped with the house tasks, and she didn¡¯t have to suffer back breaking labor daily. She grabbed a warm cup of chamomile tea and sat on her comfortable seat, watching the goblins feasting on the milk with enthusiasm. If they were half as handful as Snarl was, she would be in for some troubling time. At least she wouldn¡¯t feel alone anymore.