The Storm Arrives

Vigilantly entering the cave, Roy and Solus cover their noses as the rancid scent of the cave could make a zorilla cry.

Holding back the vomit he could feel entering his throat, Roy slowly made his way deeper inside. As he got further in, the air circulation got worse and worse, intensifying the smell.

'How in the hell can anyone stand this smell?!' Roy questioned if the goblins even had a functioning sense of smell as he carried on with a disgusted look.

He finally arrived near the kobold prisoners, noticing that one of them had actually broken free from her straps.

"What the hell? She managed to break out of her bindings, though she is far too weak to move right now." Roy said, standing over the fainted kobold.

"Solus, do you know how to communicate with them?" Roy asked, hoping that she could translate for him.

Solus shook her head though, disappointing Roy. He pat her head telling her it's okay and went on to the other kobolds that were still tied up.

They looked at him with hope in their eyes, pleading to be saved. Roy didn't keep them in suspense and quickly used his tri-knife fingers to slice open all of their bindings.

"Aroo aruff ruu?" One of the kobolds said to him. Though he didn't understand. Hoping they could understand hand signs like Solus could, Roy pointed to the exit and then their legs. Attempting to get across the question of if they could walk out.

"Roo..." They all said in unison.

Figuring that the response meant no, Roy asked Solus to help him move all of the freed captives to the cave entrance.

Roy princess carried the fainted one, as she looked to have been beaten harshly, her face puffy and bruised.

...

Looking over the kobolds in the moonlight, Roy could finally see the full extent of the torture they had been through. Their claws had all been ripped out, they were covered in excrement and blood, some were bruised pretty seriously in certain places, and all of them had clouded eyes, as if they had given up on living.

Seeing them like this, Roy began to tear up. He had never personally seen such a horrific sight in all his two lives.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner..." Roy whispered, as tears ran down his face. The empathy he felt for these people causing him enormous emotional distress.

[Enough Experience has been accrued]

[Mental Fortitude Level up 5->6]

"Ugh" Roy groaned, feeling as if some of his emotions had been locked away. He quickly wiped his tears and snorted up the snot that was beginning to leak from his nose. He knew the skill was useful, but he also didn't like the feeling of not having access to his emotions in times like this.

Looking down at the fingers of the kobolds, Roy decided to help them out a little.

"I can't exactly give all of you intricate gauntlets, as time is limited. What I can do, is make you all a middle finger knife. I know it doesn't make up for your lost claws, but I hope that it can help you one way or the other." Realizing that he was basically talking to himself, Roy stopped his speech and took the hand of the closest kobold.

She jerked away at first, but soon realized that Roy held no ulterior motives and stopped resisting.

After feeling out the measurements, Roy got to work.

...

[Enough Experience has been accrued]

[Keratin Growth Level up 7->8]

"Buhihi! All done!" Roy said, before putting his sword away and handing his creations over to the kobolds. Each one took their new weapons, looking at them in confusion. Roy understanding that they didn't know the purpose of them, took one and placed it on the kobold's finger.

"Oohhh" All the kobolds quickly understood and equipped their own. Roy walked over to the still sleeping one and put it on her finger as well.

"These weapons are pretty sharp; hopefully they can be a good temporary replacement. Solus can you use [Scratch] on a tree and show them what it can do?" Roy asked his sibling.

"Ruff!" Solus barked and nodded her head, before using her skill on a nearby tree. Soon after, five distinct scratch marks could be seen and the kobolds all looked at her in amazement. Roy then pointed at their own equipment and said, "That's basically the same design, just for a single finger."

The kobolds couldn't understand his words but picked up the context as they looked at the gauntlets then their own weapon.

Some of them even tried to stand up and test it, but soon came to remember that they could no longer walk right. Finally escaping the nightmare also made them remember their hunger.

*Grumble*

They looked down at their stomachs as they cried out in hunger. Roy, hearing loud and clear the rumbling tummies, looked around and realized the only nearby food was goblin sashimi. They couldn't start a fire, as it would attract the goblins looking for them.

"Solus, there should still be some jerky left in the food holder. Do you remember where we left it?" Roy asked Solus, and she nodded her head right after. "Can you go grab it for me? I'll watch over them and make sure they stay safe."

Solus gave a short bark and nod before running off in the direction they left their items behind.

'It was in a tree, so hopefully no animals ate it...' Roy thought, knowing full well these kobolds would have to eat raw goblin otherwise.

...

Five minutes later, Solus returned. Not only did she have the leftover jerky, she also brought Inbellis' mobile home!

"Nice job Solus!" Roy exclaimed as he pat her head. 'I completely forgot about this thing.' Roy looked down at the decaying leaves in the cup and set it inside his backpack soon after.

Inbellis, seeing his mobile home had been returned, crawled right into it and commenced his feasting.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Come on, we're returning to the cave! They either left or are still hiding. Either way we are just wasting time." Nabik told his subordinates before turning around and heading back to the cave.

'Damn bastards, if I ever find you I'm going to give you a slow and painful death for wasting my time like this.' Nabik was truly furious; he absolutely loathed work, much preferring to leave it to his minions.

...

'I'll just make all of them stay watch near the cave entrance when we get back and catch some sleep...' Nabik, arriving at the cave entrance cut his train of thought as he was witnessing something he never would have guessed.

In front of his very eyes, a fully armored orclet and a pelt covered kobold pup with gauntlets on were staring at him full of animosity. Behind them were the breeding stations he captured.

A wickedly cruel smile slowly opened on his face, as he realized what was happening.

"HA HA HA THERE YOU ARE!" Nabik screamed out in utter amusement as he threw his hands out wide. "Did you know how much effort I put in to find you little piggy?!" He said as his smile quickly turned into a scowl.

"Bad little piggies who make grown ups run around need to be punished..." Saying this last line, his face became emotionless as he slowly took a step forward.

The orclet and pup also stepped forward, the orc setting his backpack down and pulling out a shiny hatchet, while the pup braced her gauntlets.

The tension could be felt in the air as the two sides stared at each other for what felt like eternity.

Finally, basking under the moonlight, the fight began as both sides put in their all to kill and survive.