The sun begins to set and the wind brings a chill in the breeze. Another mile inward, they stop at another small clearing with ashes at the centre from firepits of past travellers and a log to sit on. Borkin, still trying to catch his breath, takes a seat. Krankos lays some nuts, berries and seeds on a nearby stump for Nibbles who glides down towards them with glee.
With Nibbles eating, Krankos approaches Borkin, "I think we should be safe here until morning."
Borkin glares at the Elmforge as if to scream at it while continuing to collect his breath. After a few moments of Krankos trying to read Borkin's face, he yells, "What the bloody hell happened this time!?"
"Sorry I had to wake you again. The dwarfs had found us. I had no time to explain."
"Aye. I get that, what 'bout ma fucking cart?!"
"Oh, right. Well, I'm not actually sure what happened to it," Krankos confesses.
Borkin’s face shrivels with confusion, prompting Krankos to elaborate.
"I saw the bird creature. The dwarfs weren't around. I thought it was worthwhile speaking to her. After all, she did help us."
"So ya thought rather than keep a lookout, ya would jus' walk off 'n' hope for the best?" Borkin sarcastic in his reply.
"Well, it seemed safe. I just thought..."
"Oh, ya just thought," sarcasm shifts to anger, "Well maybe next time you're on the 'lookout', ya shouldn't think!"
Krankos has no words hearing the anger in Borkin's tone, its head drops. The best it can come up with is, "I'm sorry..."
Borkin looks over at Krankos, sighs and puts his head down, "What she say then?"
"She said she was a Coori called Keetuk."
"Damn..." Another sigh escapes him, "Any idea if she was alone?"
"No. She said a few Coori were sent but unsure if they are nearby, why do you ask?"
"Well, if it's who I think it is then that, bitch, likely lured you away so they could steal from mi. They have ma fuckin' goods!" Borkin's anger resurges.
Krankos isn't sure what to say. Keetuk shared her name and let him go. If she wanted to steal from them, why wouldn't she make sure Krankos couldn't return and leave the dwarfs to find them?
"Guess we're huntin' birds in the mornin'." Borkin adds, whilst his angry tone faded, his expression is unwavering.
"Why?" Krankos asks. Although it just met Keetuk it quite liked her and the connection between Nibbles and her felt too important to lose.
"Ya takin' piss. Look, ya can't just steal from a dwarf and get away with it. Besides, I need my stuff!"
It is clear to Krankos there is more than Borkin is letting on, "I'm sorry. I understand it was your livelihood but we are being hunted ourselves. Even if we do find it, how would we carry it without the cart?"
Borkin sighs yet again, this time in exertion, "Krankos, ya don't get it. It ain't 'bout jus' trinkets, I'm a damn good merchant. I can make ma money back but there were some items that are irreplaceable... Like... Family heirlooms."
Krankos pursues no further, putting its trust in Borkin; just as he put his trust in Krankos. "Very well. As your escort, I shall help find your stolen goods then and get back on the road to Mount Lyke."
Borkin forces a smile, "Aye..."
With the campfire going and wrapped in a blanket, Borkin sleeps on the floor and Nibbles returns to its spot on Krankos's shoulder. Sitting on the log, Krankos quietly meditates in hopes the nature spirit would return, even though it wasn't sure it was real, there are still many questions left unanswered and Keetuk only increased them.
After several hours, nothing happens and Krankos instead focuses on nature itself. It sits, enjoying the peaceful forest and its pleasures.
One particular creature crosses its eyes but struggles to make out what it is. The Elmforge rises to get a closer look at the creature as Nibbles wakes from its sleep. The creature blends almost perfectly with its surroundings. Krankos senses its movements and sees a vague shape moving. Then, as it locks eyes with Nibbles, the creature removes its camouflage, revealing its true form. Krankos lets out an, "Oooooww," of amazement as Borkin wakes up and climbs to his feet before walking to Krankos.
Sat on a branch is a large chameleon, about the size of a house cat, staring at Krankos.
"Ech, bloody lizards," Borkin comments before walking back to the fire and sitting down.
Krankos joins Borkin, "I think they are pretty amazing. Imagine how incredible it would be to meet a lizard person like that. After all, bird people exist. There could be so many other races."
Borkin pokes at the fire to keep it going and pulls out some rations from his backpack. "I don't need to imagine 'em. I've met all kinds of races; types like that, including the ones with all the colours of the rainbow."
"Like the lizard?"
"Oh aye, can't trust any of 'em, always tryin' to deceive ya."
"What do you have against them?"
"Nuttin' against any race, jus' can't trust 'em, just like ya can't trust the Coori."
"It sounds like you have little trust in a lot of people."
Borkin shrugs, "It kinda comes with the trade. No matter what your race or origins everyone is always looking to screw ya for a betta deal and if ya hate everyone, they are all equally as insulted."
"I would rather believe everyone is trying their best than always assume the worst."
"I don't assume the worst. Looking for a good deal ain't bad, it's jus' business. Bad would be screwing ya jus' to screw ya."
Krankos isn't sure it agrees with his views, though Borkin is more knowledgeable about the world outside the dwarven lands so does not dispute this.
Borkin gets up after eating his rations, "'Aight, time to go bird huntin'."
"We're just finding your stuff, right?"
With a hint of sarcasm, he replies, "Aye, which tends to mean we gotta find who stole it to begin with."
Krankos nods ,"Okay." It stands turns, lifts the wooden log and throws it from the clearing. The log collides with another tree making a loud crack.
"What the bloody hell ya doin'?!" Borkin yells with glaring eyes, widened in disbelief.
"We already have one campsite which tells them where we were. Thought we best remove evidence of this camp at least."
Borkin's eyes darts around, connecting the logical jigsaw Krankos had constructed before nodding,"Okay. Fair. But ya know what could also give away? Loud bloody noises!"
"...Or they will investigate the noise while we get further away."
"Krankos… Just try, be quiet."
"Well, nothing else will make much noise."
"Not what I was talking about…" he replies, storming into the forest.
Krankos quickly stamps out the fire and runs after him.
The light of the sun begins to peer through the trees as they continue onwards, Nibbles on Krankos's shoulder and cheeks full.
Walking aimlessly for about half a mile, Borkin stops, "I've no idea where the hell they could be? Any ideas?"
"I don't. What about you Nibbles?" it asks, turning to the squirrel.
Borkin looks at Krankos in bemusement.
"Which way do we go Nibbles?" Krankos asks.
Nibbles hones in on Keetuk's energy, using its link to the Nature Realm to find her trail and gestures to their right. Krankos follows its lead.
Borkin is stunned, somewhere between confused and amazed from what he is seeing. After a few moments he runs to catch up. He amuses this for a few miles before questioning the squirrels capabilities, "Where is the squirrel leading us?"
"To Keetuk," Krankos replies.
"Aye, I get that's the theory but how do we know? Not like it can actually understand a damn word we say. It could be following anything."
"Huh, guess you have a point," Krankos retorts before pointing to a scratch mark on a tree ahead of them, "does that mark help?"
Borkin walks up to the tree and crouches down to inspect, "Well. Fuck me…" he stands and turns back to Krankos. "That mark was definitely made by Coori. No idea how that little thing is doing it, but we're on track."
They continue following Nibbles direction through the forest. As they proceed, more scratch marks and feathers can be found. Evidence of the Coori becomes more and more frequent over the next few miles until they come across a body on the ground. The body has leather armour and Nadeer's insignia.
Krankos kneels down, investigating the body it finds a patch of bluey-purple skin, "This is one of the dwarven archers. Appears they were poisoned, like on the path. The body is fresh. She must be close," Krankos states, tone serious with the uncertainty of Keetuk's intentions after seeing a presumably harmless archer dead.
Shortly after, they hear something jumping between the trees above them. "Show yourself!" Krankos commands, standing upright and alert.
Keetuk replies, voice circling around them, "Why would I show myself to you? You have been tracking me, and with a dwarf no less!"
Borkin replies, voice full of anger, "Aye, we've been trackin' ya 'coz you've fuckin' stolen from mi ya feathered bastards!"
"I've stolen nothing."
"Right. You expect mi to believe that. Who else would steal ma goods?"
"Who knows, but why would I? I helped you escape?"
Borkin is stumped. Reluctant to admit, she had a point.
Krankos whispers to Borkin, "Thinking about it, the cart was full of items and I wasn't gone that long. How could they have taken your possessions without the cart?"
The question is left with an eerie silence.
Keetuk detects movement of dwarven soldiers. Unlike before, it is the battalion, "You fools!" she yells as she jumps to the next tree.
Krankos chases her with Borkin trailing behind, trying to keep up. After half a mile of running, Keetuk's movements cannot be heard or felt by the machine. "I am so sick of trees..." it says in frustration before turning to face Borkin, but he isn't there. The Elmforge calls out, "Borkin?!"
No answer. Only the gentle swaying of the trees can be heard. It leans against a tree, defeated, unsure where to go next.
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