Goblin Everywhere! (III)

Coco ran towards me in her horse form and neighed.

"I think she wants me to ride on her back." I pulled on Phil's clothes. He looked towards Coco without much thought and nodded. Trotting side-by-side next to Phil's horse, Coco neighed for me to climb on her back.

I nodded and reached towards her. Phil grabbed the back of my clothes and helped me over onto her back. It was difficult changing seats without falling over; this was my first time doing this in one fluid motion in this tiny body that I had. Finally, situated, I sat comfortably as I could.

"Which way," Phil asked.

"I don't know."

"What?!" His voice went out in an octave. The way he stared at me, I could feel the intensity of wanting to shake me.

"I seriously don't know the way." My voice was smaller than before. "I flew not walked."

"Then how are we supposed to get there?"

"Coco might know."

Coco shook her head in agreement. She braced forward and bolted towards the direction that we needed to go. With relief that she knew the way, I patted her on her neck, thanking her for saving my neck.

The wagons squeaked; the crowd followed closely behind us.

We trekked on hard, and we arrived at the edge of the Forgotten Forest. Coco waltzed in the open Forest path as if it was nothing, while everyone else carefully entered with fear in their hearts. Even the other horses bickered and whinnied when they entered the forest. It wasn't until Coco walked up next to them and gave them a wild neigh that all the horses kept quiet and followed closely behind her like a train.

It was quite an impressive feat to see Coco command the horses without a single word from their owner. I didn't think that having a horse like Coco would be so useful at such a time as this.

Young mistress. For a second, I thought I heard Tart's voice. Looking around, I did not find him anywhere near me. Tart?

Young mistress. I'm talking with you telepathically. Tart called out. I am hunting in my Wolf form. I can do short-distance telepathy.

Tart? I couldn't help but be amazed at Tart's skill. How is it looking from the back?

Everyone has quieted down, though I do not think it would be wise for me to be entering into the group. Instead, I have destroyed twenty goblin riders. I assume another hundred is following our trail, though I do not know if this means there are more following after us.

A hundred goblins were not a bad amount. It was a manageable amount of goblins that either Tart and Moca could handle. It was the thousand that could come pouring from the back that could kill everyone.

Is it possible to divert the scouts differently?

I can do that for you.

Okay, then do that as well. Where is Moca?

He is setting up threaded traps right now as we speak.

Threaded traps?

Yes, his silky threads are useful to trap prey. He is considered the best of his kind.

What kind?

A Red Tyrant Spiders.

I gulped. Spiders. They were not my favorite bugs, but that did not mean I hated Moca. It was just that spiders made my skin crawl, while Centipedes and Millipedes were a whole different story. Their wiggling legs are worse than spiders themselves.

I see...

Moca and I will buy you as much time as possible. Please be safe, and we will meet you back at the castle.

Be safe.

Thank you, young mistress. Tart spoke cheerfully. Please reward me ready when I come back.

I'll think about it.

Boooooo. Please, young mistress. I'll be motivated if you kiss me on the cheek.

Ugh, this little kid was a handful. Okay. Fine.

Yay! I'll be sure to make it back alive. It's a promise!

The telepathic communication was cut off in a matter of seconds. I couldn't help but chuckle at Tart's cute behavior. This little rascal will be a lady killer when he grows up later on. I need to make sure he doesn't turn out to be one. I had so many things to do, from not dying any time soon either by Phil or some other reason, to teaching Tart not to take advantage of women, and finally not get eaten by Goblins.

Me, a dragon that already has a lot on my plate.

I groaned.

"You alright?" Phil asked. He curiously examined me.

Don came over and took a lap around me as he waved his hand in front of my eyes. I didn't react.

"She's off to Lala land again."

"It appears so."

"Berry? Berry?" Don waved his hand continually in my face.

Snapping back to reality, I quickly pushed away such thoughts and instead focused on what was ahead of us. "Yes."

"We should go in."

Don pulled down his fox mask, covering his face. I wondered why he did that, but there was no time to ask him.

Phil nodded. He was the first one to enter into the Forgotten Forest. I trailed closely behind him, wondering what was really in the Forgotten Forest. Was it all a hoax to scare people, or was there something that did exist? I was not sure.

It was kind of sad that I didn't even know my own back yard. I quietly told myself that I would explore the forest to get a better understanding of what I had.

The dreary atmosphere of the Forgotten Forest was everywhere around us. The vines and plants were all twisted into strange shapes that I had not realized until now.

Phil went through the Forgotten Forest carefully. The others scurried behind in careful steps for fear of disturbing the eerie forest. We continued deep into the woods until the moon hung over us. The lights that we had sold to the citizens were the only things that lit up the dark path.

"Kekekekekeke." A shrill like voice echoed throughout the forest.

"What is that?" Don glanced around, looking for the source.

The scared citizens huddled tightly together in fear.

Even I felt a sudden shudder that went up and down my spine. It was not human, and what was worse it was close by.

Phil reached over towards his back and pulled off his bow that he slung over his shoulder. He eyes around, carefully looking for any strange and sudden movement.

"Is everything all-"

Raising his hands, Phil stopped me from saying anything further. He knocked on an arrow onto his bow and shot into the bush. I honestly did not see what compelled him to shoot so suddenly.

"KekekekekGack-" A monster the size of a rabbit jumped out. It was an ugly-looking monster that looks more like a rat than a rabbit. Its huge bucktooth, sharp claws, and a long tail that had a snake on end.

I stared at it strangely. Did that monster really make that noise?

"It's a Squealing Rat. They make those awful noises to keep the predators away. On the other hand, it makes our location known by higher-level predators if we are not careful." Phil spoke relieved that it was just a Squealing Rat.

"I see....." I look down at the strange creature on the ground. Coco went over and stomped on it a couple of times to make sure it was dead. Is she a rat hater or something? I swear she stomped on it more than a few times.

"Coco, that's enough. It's getting all over your hooves." I tried to pull her away, but she insisted on stomping it a couple more times. "Coco!"

Coco stopped and turned her head over towards me. She shook her head up and down. Turning away, she kicked up dirt onto the dead rat.

"Are there any more?"

"No. The Rats don't usually come out at night." Phil stated, concerned. He gazed around to find something that I wasn't sure what. "It's a bit odd to see one out this late."

"Kekekkekakakakekkak!"

"Kekekakkeakaka!"

Multiple sounds of the Squealing Rats began to go off around us like a siren.

"What the hell?" Don was startled by the sudden loud sound. He pulled out a hidden dagger out of his shirt and threw it into the bush. A loud squeal was heard, and a dead rat flopped over, but even still, the sound of the Squealing Rats continued to scream.

"What's going on?"

"Help!"

Alarmed, Phil turned around and noticed his people in a panic. Even I looked around, bewildered at the sudden squeals from the rat monsters.