by Pirateaba
—-
Erin squatted on the ground, head buried in her arms. The other shoppers stared at her. The shopkeepers stared at her. Half of them looked sympathetic. The other half looked disgusted. The children were torn between impressed and horrified.
A heavy, furry hand patted Erin on the shoulder.
“Humans have very strange bodies, yes?”
“…Yes.”
She really hadn’t meant to shout.
“I really didn’t mean to shout.”
“It is nothing.”
Krshia flicked her fingers dismissively.
“Shouting is good. Almost as good as howling, but we are forbidden to do that unless it is a full moon. But I am sorry. Gnolls do not have your periods, nor do we let our blood each month.”
“So you don’t have anything like that?”
The Gnoll paused. She tapped her lips with one finger and nodded.
“The blood. It is for mating, yes? We do have a similar time. All those who still are able to bear children, we go into a heat. It is called estrus, but it happens only once or twice a year. It is the time when we mate.”
Erin looked up at her.
“Does it hurt?”
Krshia scratched one ear and shook her head. More fur flew into the air.
“It is enjoyable. Some look forwards to it. It is a time to have sex and to bear children and and so we are happy when it comes to us.”
Erin pointed a shaking finger at Krshia.
“I hate you so much right now I can’t even explain.”
The Gnoll grinned at her, but without any malice.
“I am sorry for your plight. But I have no smooth cloths. But I do have these. These are wool; not finely woven, but strong. Would you like a few?”
Erin looked at the rough fabric offered to her and shuddered.
“Do you have any idea—no. Just please, please tell me there’s someone who sells what I need in the city.”
Again, Krshia scratched her head. Erin wondered if she had fleas.
“Hm. No.”
“No?”
“We Gnolls need no padding. And the Drake folk and Antinium, they need none either. Humans are rare here, so I would not think any padding you wish for exists in any store.”
The blood drained from Erin’s face. She stared open-mouthed at the shopkeeper, who looked concerned at her expression.
“Is it so bad?”
“I—I’m going to die.”
“Not from so little blood, I think. But I have a thought.”
Erin latched onto the ray of hope instantly.
“Yes? Tell me. What’s your thought?”
“The Adventurer’s Guild. They have bandages. Many bandages. If you cannot stop this blood, they would be able to help more than I. And bandages are soft, yes?”
“Yes—yes they are.”
Erin was on her feet in an instant. She waddled away from the Gnoll and then stopped.
“Thanks. I uh, gotta go. See you later.”
Bemused, the Gnoll watched Erin walk awkwardly out of sight. She looked at a female Drake who was passing by her shop. She bared her teeth in a grin.
“Humans, eh?”
—-
The cool wood counter of the reception desk in the Adventurer’s Guild felt good on Erin’s head. She rested her head there and wished she didn’t have to deal with the world.
“So you really have blood coming from down there? And it happens every month?”
“Yes.”
“That’s so weird.”
Erin groaned. She looked up at Selys, the helpful receptionist. She’d been grateful to find the female Drake was working today, but she really, really couldn’t deal with her innocent curiosity.
“I know. Everyone keeps telling me that. But please, do you have bandages? Thin, soft fabric?”
Selys nodded and pulled a drawer out. She fished out a roll of thin, white fabric and showed it to Erin.
“We’ve got lots, just in case there’s an emergency. How much do you need?”
“Lots.”
Erin said it glumly as she fished out her meager ration of coins. She tried to calculate how many rolls of bandages she’d need, and how she’d turn them into a pad. She needed to buy food—but this was more important.
“I’m going to need enough for a week, maybe. And I need to use the bandages to make a pad. You know, to cover the area. And I change pads every few hours sometimes, so…”
Drakes didn’t have eyebrows, so Selys couldn’t raise them. But she widened her eyes and flicked her long tongue out.
“That’s expensive. Sorry Erin, but I’m not sure you’ll have enough money for that. Bandages are cheap, but you’ll be using a lot.”
“Tell me about it. On bad days back home I used to use a ton of pads each day before I switched to tampons. And let me tell you, that was a psychological shift as well.”
Selys looked blank. Erin waved her hand. She wasn’t about to open that can of worms.
“Well, back on the topic of pads…why not make one that you can re-use more than once?”
Erin looked up at Selys.
“What?”
“Well, doesn’t that make sense? If you’re going to make these pads dirty, why not rewash them rather than keep throwing them away.”
As she opened her mouth to reply Erin’s brain froze. She tried to think of a response but she didn’t have any good one.
“Um. Uh, that’s—that’s actually a good idea. I heard they did that in developing countries but—okay. Okay, yeah. It’s gross, but yeah. How would I get one of those made?”
Selys smiled at Erin. There were still too many pointy teeth in the smile, but Erin was getting used to it.
“I’ve stitched up more than a few adventurers right here. I can make a few of these pads quite quickly if you want me to. I’ve got the skill [Fast Stitching] so it won’t take more than a few minutes.”
Erin leaned across the counter and seized Selys by the clawed hand. The receptionist blinked at her in surprise.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Really. I’ll start on this pad right away. How should it look?”
“Um. Sort of like this.”
Erin showed Selys as the other Drake hmmed and began layering the cloth bandage together. They’d just finished the basic design and Erin had opened her coin pouch when she her a familiar growl from behind her.
Selys gulped, but Erin scowled. She turned around and looked up into the face of an irritated male Gnoll.
“Human. You still stink.”
“I’m not talking to you. Go away.”
He blinked at her, but Erin was already turning back to Selys. She felt a rough hand spin her around and nearly dropped her money. She narrowed her eyes up at the Gnoll.
“You stink of blood. I warned you last time – leave this place now.”
Erin felt her teeth grinding together. She clenched her jaw and looked up at the Gnoll. He was big and scary, but she was also pretty sure he wasn’t allowed to hit her. And even if he was, she was in a really bad mood. Unbidden, the thought occurred to her that she’d never figured out what [Tavern Brawling] actually did.
“Do I look like I’m in the mood to be bullied?”
The male Gnoll growled at her. Erin stared at him. She didn’t blink. She was really cramping up down below now, and the trickling sensation was not making anything better.
Her gaze locked with the Gnoll’s for a solid minute. He was looming over her, doing the classic male intimidation move. She was too angry and sore to care.
After another minute the Gnoll’s ears suddenly flattened for a second. He whirled, and walked away. Erin flipped him off with one hand and then turned back to Selys.
“Sorry. Where were we?”
The female Drake was staring at Erin with open mouth. Erin stared back at her and then flashed a smile.
“Bully me once, shame on you. Bully me twice—I get mean. And violent.”
“I can see that. But I would have known it anyways. Terbore might growl at you, but we all heard about how you killed that Goblin Chieftain by yourself. That was some story.”
Erin’s smile slipped for a fraction of a second.
“Oh. Someone told you about that?”
“Oh yes.”
Selsys nodded as she began stitching the bandages together with needle and thread. The fingers that held the long needle flashed back and forth across the fabric at mesmerizing speed.
“Klbkch had to turn in the Goblin Chieftain’s head here. We all heard about how you killed it. That’s amazing, by the way—Klb says you don’t even have any levels in a fighting class. How’d you do it?”
“Um. I burned his face off.”
“Oh, are you a [Mage] then? I saw a human one in town the other day, but apparently he’s a troublemaker and a thief.”
“No, no. I’m no mage. It’s just—I used a trick. And I nearly died. I bet Klbkch didn’t mention that.”
“He said you were wounded. Was it bad?”
“Very. He gave me a healing potion. Without that I would have been a goner.”
Her hands paused in stitching as Selys stared at Erin.
“He gave you a healing potion? But that’s expensive. You must have been badly injured if Klbkch gave you his potion.”
Erin shifted nervously.
“Are they—are they expensive? Those potions, I mean.”
“Very.”
Selys nodded. She named the price and it was Erin’s turn to do the gaping.
“Well, it’s important that the Watch carries them in case someone gets hurt. They’re not supposed to use them unless someone’s really hurt, though. And the potions the Senior Guardsmen carry are even stronger. They can heal most big injuries in a moment. Unless you lose an arm or a body part, you’ll be fine in moments.”
“Yeah. They are good.”
Erin poked at her stomach reflexively. She sighed. Another mark on her debt to Klbkch.
“I’m just glad it was only a Goblin Chieftain. If the rest of the Goblins had come after me, I would have been dead.”
“Oh, if it had been a Goblin Raiding Party we’d have sent out the entire Watch to deal with them. I just don’t understand why a Chieftain would come after you. It doesn’t make sense.”
Erin blinked.
“A Goblin what now?”
“A Goblin Raiding Party. Haven’t you heard of them?”
“Uh. No…no I have not. We don’t have many Goblins where I come from.”
Selys sighed enviously as she finished the first pad and slid it over to Erin. The other girl felt at the soft fabric and smiled happily.
“You’re lucky. Goblins are a real problem around here. I mean, sure, the lone Goblin isn’t that dangerous. They’re only deadly in packs. That’s why we send out Senior Guardsman and post bounties on Goblins to keep their numbers down.”
“So you guys kill Goblins all the time? What about Chieftains? Do you sent adventurers after those guys?”
Erin didn’t know how she felt about that. Bad. But her sympathy only extended to the small Goblins, not the vicious, sadistic big ones.
“Chieftains? No, no. They’re far too dangerous to send most adventurers after.”
Selys shuddered.
“Why not?”
“It’s not that they’re stronger than the Watch. Relc, Klbkch, even some of the regular Watch are probably better fighters than Chieftains. It’s just that they’re—tough. And strong. And when they call their tribe well, the average group of adventurers would get wiped out against that mob.”
“So you’re not sending adventurers out against a raiding party either, then?”
“Gods no. If we hear about one of those we form a hunting party and try to get rid of it right away. A raiding party can wipe out a village in an hour if we don’t get to it in time.”
“Nasty.”
“It is. Here’s another pad.”
“Thanks. Sorry I can’t pay you more—it’s just that I don’t have much money from this innkeeping thing.”
Selys waved her needle at Erin.
“Don’t apologize. I’m happy to help. But I’m afraid I could have warned you that innkeeping in that old inn isn’t a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Well, what level are you? Ten? Twenty?”
“Nine.”
“See, that’s not too good. If you were in the city I’d say you should get apprenticed to another innkeeper until you’re at least Level 15. It might take a year or two, but then you’d have a few good skills to run your inn with. And I wouldn’t have an inn that far away from the city to begin with.”
“Yeah. No one comes by. Is it because I’m human? Or is it too far to walk?”
Another pad finished, Selys picked up the roll of bandages and cut off more for the last pad. She lined the backing with a stiffer cloth and then sewed layers of the soft bandage on top.
“Both, I’d say. It’s dangerous to come out that far—well, not too dangerous but it’s a bit of a deterrent. Your being human isn’t bad, but…”
“But…?”
“Well, I’ve heard Relc talking in bars. He says you make pasta. Is…is that all you sell?”
“Um. Yeah. I can make other things. I’ve got [Basic Cooking], but—what’s wrong?”
Selys was shaking her head as she sewed. Erin was envious of her speed, and also her scaled hands. Whenever the Drake missed her cloth or stabbed one of her fingers, the needle hit her scales rather than soft, vulnerable flesh.
“I don’t want to be rude Erin, but that’s not too impressive. All cooks and chefs have [Basic Cooking] as a skill. Some even have [Advanced Cooking].”
“Oh. And uh, I guess pasta isn’t that interesting.”
“You could make other things, but there are a lot of good inns in the city. And we get recipes from the human cities up north all the time. Even if you sold a new dish, someone would copy it the next night.”
Erin’s face fell. Selys looked unhappy, but went on.
“Anyways, no one will make the journey if all you’re selling is pasta. I’m sorry.”
Erin groaned as she thumped her head back against the counter. That helped explain her lack of business. Her regular clients might not mind eating the same dishes, but everyone else would. She guessed she should be grateful for her regulars, thinking of it that way.
Relc would probably eat anything he could swallow. Pisces would eat anything he could steal, and Klbkch would eat anything she put in front of him. The Goblins were probably pickier eaters than her clientele.
The last pad done, Selys slid it over to Erin. The young woman gratefully accepted them and felt them carefully. They were thick, but not so much that they’d be uncomfortable wearing. More importantly, they were made of strong materials and she was sure she’d be able to wash and use them again.
“You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much.”
The Drake smiled at her. Erin smiled back.
“Don’t mention it. And good luck with your innkeeping. I’m sorry I had to say it like that but—”
“No, you’re right. I’ll…do some thinking about it. But right now—”
Erin was edging away from the counter.
“Uh, where’s your bathroom?”
—-
The new pad Erin was wearing did not chafe like the towel. Which was exceptionally fortunate, because her skin was raw and still sore. It made the walk back to her inn less fun than normally, but at least the crisis was averted.
“Just in time for a new crisis.”
Erin grumbled to herself as she felt at her pocket to make sure the precious pads were still there. She had to think about business. The trouble was, she’d never run a business or even worked in any job aside from a part-time library assistant and helper in chess tournaments. She had no idea what to do.
“I’ll think about tomorrow.”
Erin muttered to hersel
f as she opened her door. It was just past midday, but she felt exhausted. She hated periods. Why couldn’t they have disappeared along with her world? Maybe there was a skill to get rid of them. [No Period Pain] or [Bloodless Flow] or something like that—
As she opened the door to her inn Erin stopped in her tracks. Her inn was empty. But something was moving underneath the table. Something glowing…
In her haste to leave, Erin had kicked her bloody towel and pants in a heap. And one of the windows must have been open a crack, because it had attracted guests.
A swarm of glowing green acid flies crawled over the dirty cloths. They rubbed their bodies all over the cloths, the table leg, the floor…
Parts of the wood were smoking and glistening with the acid fly’s toxic juices. Erin could see pitted holes in the floorboards. She stared in horror at the green dots shifting all over her clothes.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
1.22
A shifting, glowing mass of green and black insects covered the bottom half of a table and pieces of bloody cloth. Erin looked at the countless bugs that had entered her inn and wondered whether screaming would attract their attention. Probably.
They were huge, black bugs that vaguely resembled fireflies. Except these acid flies were three times bigger than fireflies, and instead of pretty glowing backsides, theirs were bulbous glowing orbs that exploded if you annoyed them.
And they were in Erin’s inn.
“Oh no. No. This is not right.”
Slowly, she edged around the room. The acid flies took no notice of her. Erin made it to the kitchen, dropped her pads in a clean spot, and grabbed a bucket. Then she edged back out of the room and ran for the stream.
—-
Ten minutes later Erin opened the door of the inn and ducked as an acid fly buzzed at her face. The insect spiraled away and flew back to the bloody cloths. Erin narrowed her eyes and squinted.
It looked like the flies had devoured, or melted a large part of the cloth. And either they were full or sleeping, because most of them were sitting on the pants or around it, not moving.
“Perfect.”
Erin tiptoed closer, pausing every few seconds to make sure she wasn’t bothering the bugs. The bucket was heavy in her hands, but she was close. She just needed to be in range.