Chapter Eighteen: Golir, Rif, and Mil

Golir and Rif were inseparable as we continued scouting for possible survivors. They weren't familiar with the mainland. What they did like was the deer we hunted as we explored.

"We've only had fish since the moon turned red," Golir recounted as he stuffed the bite-sized venison in his mouth. It had just been cooked over the campfire. The clearing we camped in had a great view of the clear night sky. I reveled in it until I realized Golir was eating too fast.

"Slow down there," I warned. "Don't choke."

He beamed at me and continued chewing.

Rif was something else. When he felt, he felt completely. Describing him as curious doesn't do him justice. He was perceptive and quiet, but his eyes spoke for him. If Mil wasn't hunting, he'd follow her and learn how she tracked game and made traps out of wood.

Jopp hissed at her every time she carved a new trap or made a new bow.

"We don't exactly have any blacksmiths," she complained. "Hekin! Can you melt metal?"

Hekin glared at her. "If you want a bow and arrow made out of metal, give me your soul!"

Mil scoffed. "Your demon bow wouldn't be worth a blade of grass, at this point."

Hekin scowled as he summoned a fiery bow and showed it to her. "Behold! The bow of the Dozen!"

"The dozen what?" Mil asked with a disappointed smirk.

Hekin shrugged. "Hell if I know. Give it a try, if you can." He chuckled as the bow cooled and turned black like basalt. It had inscriptions in it that were glowing orange, and that seemed to catch Rif's attention.

He held out his hands for it, and Hekin glanced at me for approval. I nodded, and Hekin placed it gently in his grasp.

"Can I have it?" Rif queried in a soft voice.

Hekin grunted in surprise. "If that's the case, I'll make it your size." Hekin tapped it with his fingers, and the bow shrank until it was a comfortable fit.

"Do you have arrows, too?" Mil wondered.

"What's the Dozen without a dozen?" Hekin muttered as a quiver of fiery arrows appeared in his hands. "The trick to these is that you have to light them up with words," he notified. "The Dozen only works with the dozen, and the dozen words make up the kind of arrow that you say you want. Hyn is fire. Kyn is ice." Hekin paused for a moment and sighed. "I forgot the other words. I'll tell you when I remember."

Rif giggled as he ran his hands over the bow's strange material. He slung the quiver full of arrows over his shoulder and tried to take one out.

"You can have this on your waist, too," Hekin informed as he moved the strap and quiver.

Mil crossed her arms and stared at the bow and arrows dubiously. "I'll blame you if he gets hurt."

"He'll be fine," Hekin assured.

I glared at him. "Why didn't you give me anything that cool?"

"You sure as hell didn't ask," Hekin replied. "You just wanted to play board games and cards."

"What else do you have?" I queried as I rubbed my hands in anticipation.

Hekin shook his head. "You're protected by Penny Lee. My demonic creations would be disintegrated."

"Really?" I frowned.

Hekin pointed at Chichi and Sketta. "They might be able to keep something."

"I have my own, thank you," Sketta responded.

Chichi smiled as she revealed a greatsword. "I just found this sucka in the bushes."

"That's where that went," Jopp piped. "It was Gez's."

"Well, it's mine, now," Chichi declared.

"What do you have for Golir?" Mil asked.

Hekin looked at Jopp, and Jopp growled.

"I'm not giving a damn thing to nobody!" Jopp contested.

"My tribe believed that items can call people to them," Hekin uttered. "Did you have something in mind, Golir?"

"I like gold and pirate ships and good food!" Golir blurted, his mouth half full.

"Kid has some sense," Jopp admitted. He glared at Mil. "I'm not making a ship!"

"You can and you will," she demanded.

Jopp crossed his arms and scowled. "I dare you to make me."

I patted Jopp's shoulder and chuckled. "Should we tell Golir your real name and have you forced to do it?"

Jopp's frown deepened. "We'll need lots of wood and metal."

"Leave the metalworking to me," Hekin offered. "What will we get in return?"

"My good graces," Mil replied with a smirk.

Golir hugged Jopp while Rif hugged Hekin.

The demons froze at first, but their frowns melted into smiles.

Jopp cleared his throat and glanced at Hekin. "How the hell do we make a pirate ship?"

Hekin grinned. "The old-fashioned way."

As they discussed it while walking down the beach, I yawned and entered my tent. It wasn't long before Golir, Rif, and Mil crept in and snuggled for warmth. I covered them with extra fur blankets while Chichi and Sketta patrolled the campsite.

It must've been midnight when a wolf howl startled me awake. I sat up and glanced at Mil and the boys. Mil wasn't there, but the boys were still sleeping. Hushed voices came from the low campfire. I peeked out the tent and watched as Jopp and Mil beckoned Hekin closer.

"We'll need this," Jopp told him. "Do you think you can make it?"

Hekin stared at the ground and furrowed his brows. "What are we hunting, exactly?"

Jopp urged him closer and whispered. "Noforl is still out there. Do you remember what happened last time?"

Hekin sighed and controlled the flames with his claws. "Only Penny Lee can defeat him. What chance could we possibly have?"

Jopp swept his claws at my tent. "They're giving us this chance, Hekin. I say we take it!"

Hekin gazed at the tent for a moment before taking a deep breath. "All right. We have the magic of the witching hour. Let's make it count."