“So you’ve got a gig huh? You and your band?” Grimbledung easily fell in step beside the Elf.
“Yeah, man. We’re the Acoustic Mayhem. We got a gig for sundowners.
“Sundowners? Is that a tavern?”
“No, man. It’s to play as the sun goes down. It’s gonna be nice and mellow.” A thought came to him. “Hey, did I ask you if you wanted to taste my frog?”
“Yeah, you asked me that.” Grimbledung blanched.
“What’d you say, man?”
“I said no, I didn’t want to taste your frog.”
“Oh, yeah.. Well how about now, man?”
“No, I’m still holding out on that. Thanks for asking though.” Grimbledung shook his head. “So is it far?”
“Far to where, man?” Asked Teeth.
“TREETOP CITY!” Grimbledung screeched. “We’re going to TreeTop City!”
“All right, man,” said Teeth, “you know you need to relax if you’re going to stay at TreeTop City. Or things aren’t going to work out, man.”
“What happens then?” Grimbledung asked worriedly.
“Well, we’ll just have to cook you and eat you, man,” said Teeth matter-of-factly.
“What? You eat Gnomes?”
“We eat pretty much anything we come across or comes across us. As long as it came from the land, you know.” He looked down at Grimbledung. “Hey, man, where were you born?”
“In a barn, so I’ve been told.”
“A barn? Far out, man. That’s like out on the land and stuff.”
Grimbledung moved a little bit away from the Elf. “Well, I’ll try to behave myself then.”
“All right, man. If that’s how you want to play it.”
Grimbledung looked over his shoulder. “Hey Teeth”
“Yeah, man?”
“Is this top speed? I mean, I am trying to avoid a bunch of Halfling warriors here. I’m used to Elves being a lot faster when it comes to moving in a forest.” He considered his next comment carefully, “And maybe a little cleaner. Maybe.”
Teeth shrugged, “We’re a different kind of Elf out here, man. We’re not all uptight and stuff like they are.”
“Yeah, tell me about it!” agreed Grimbledung.
“They’re uptight.”
Grimbledung stared at the Elf, “Yeah, I got that. You didn’t have to tell me that again.”
“Well, why’d you ask, man!?”
“Never mind, Teeth. Let’s just get there.”
“Right, man. Did I tell you I got a gig?” Teeth asked
“Yeah, you told me.”
Teeth opened his mouth.
“And I don’t want to taste your frog.”
Teeth closed his mouth.
The pair moved on in silence into the depths of the woods.
To Grimbledung’s relief, it seemed the Halflings had (inexplicably) lost their trail.
For the moment, anyway.
Chapter Eighteen
The Search Party Heads Out
Nulu stealthily came down the stairs from her room into the Foyer. There was a human asleep at the desk. There was a bell by his head. Resisting the wicked urge to ring it, she crept out of the Duck Inn and Dine. RatShambler was already outside waiting for her. He was hitched to a wagon. “Nice. I was afraid I’d have to ride you all the way up there.”
RatShambler shook his shoulders, “That would have been a tough ride.”
Nulu leaned forward on her stick, “What are you saying, exactly?”
“Well, just that I have no saddle so it would be a tough ride,” RatShambler smiled a toothy grin. “What’d you mean?”
“It’s way too dark out,” warned Nulu.
RatShambler grinned again, “Fine, fine. Are we ready then?”
“We’re waiting on one more.” Nulu looked up and down the street. “He should be here shortly.”
“What? I thought Drim was staying to run the store. Who else is coming? Not Akita?
Nulu moved to the side of the wagon and placed her Please Stick in the back. Beside it, she placed a large backpack and an equally large sack.
“Traveling light, I see.”
“A female needs her things,” said Nulu defensively. “Besides, I have my armor with me as well.”
Out of the night, a dark figure soared over RatShambler’s head. He ducked but it was already too late. The figure landed in the wagon. A throaty chuckle came from it.
“Klank!” Said Nulu.
“Ready and waitin’, Nulu.”
“You’re going to explode my heart, you crazy Gnoll,” said RatShambler as he turned to look at Klank.
“Just makin’ sure you’re awake, that’s all.” Klank showed his long, white teeth. They were also quite pointed; it may have been jovial, but it sure didn’t look it. He hefted a large backpack off his shoulders and dropped it heavily onto the wagon.
“What are you carrying? Hearthstones?”
Klank shook his head at RatShambler, “Spices and cookin’ utensils. Mostly spices. Maybe a couple of pots Some dry stock, cured ham for soup, hardtack. Things like that.”
“Oh Klank. I love you most of all.”
Nulu moved to the front of the wagon, “All right you two. Let’s get going. You can bond on the way.”
Another dark shadow approached the wagon.
Nulu took a step backward.
“Bonk! Come t’see us off?” Asked Klank.
Bonk nodded, “Figured you could use a snack to get you through the day. Y’ll make better time thataway.” He tossed another large backpack into the wagon. It also landed heavily.
“Oh Bonk, I love you most of all.”
Klank squinted at RatShambler. “Fickle.”
“Thanks Bonk,” said Nulu, “and don’t worry; we’ll get your brother back to you in no time.”
“Ya better. I’m takin’ his cookin’ duties while he’s out galavantin’.” He smiled at his brother. “Safest travels that can be had, Brother.” With that, he loped back into the darkness.
Nulu smiled at Klank, glad they were bringing a renowned cook as well as tracker. “I’m glad you’re here, Klank.”
RatShambler nodded as Nulu climbed onto the wagon. “Me too,” he said, “now if we have to deal with any Elves, we at least have a chance.”
Klank hopped up beside Nulu, “Elves? Them’s the least of your worries.” He glanced at Nulu, ‘Ya didn’t tell him?”
Nulu raised her finger to her lips, “No, no. I figure I’ll bring it up only when we have to.”
“What? What will you bring up?” RatShambler asked nervously. “No secrets you two!”
Nulu took the whip from its cradle beside her. She cracked it over RatShambler’s head. “Hiyah!” She said loudly.
RatShambler stared at her. “Seriously?”
Nulu smirked mischievously. She cracked the whip again, this time coming in contact with RatShambler’s hind end.
“Hey!” Complained RatShambler as his hindquarters hopped. “Cut that out!”
“ ‘ave we left yet?” Asked Klank.
Nulu raised the whip again.
Without looking ahead of him, RatShambler began to walk, “Oh, just you wait till I’m back to being a rat.” He narrowed his good eye at Nulu.
Nulu laughed as she returned the whip to its cradle, “I’m just teasing, Rat. You know the way to the Foreboding Forest, right?”
RatShambler nodded. “Yes,” he said testily. With that he turned to look ahead, “I know the way.”
“Grrrreat. I’ll just take a nap for a while.” Klank let his tongue hang out the side of his mouth, “It’s not ‘ealthy to see the sun come up.”
Nulu nodded, “You know, that’s what I’ve heard too!”
The two quickly rolled into the back of the wagon. Each took a large backpack as a pillow and were snoring only shortly after leaving town.
“Seriously?” Complained RatShambler to no one in particular. Particularly because anyone who could hear him was snoring contentedly.
Rat continued to walk as the sun rose from its underground resting place and began to crawl up the sky on RatShambler’s right. When it was even with his shoulder he turned and looked into the wagon. Both Nulu and Klank were still asleep. Now however, Klank was acting as a pillow for Nulu’s head. Neither seemed to have noticed the change in sleeping arrangements. RatShambler’s stomach let out a loud growl. “Hey you two!” He called angrily. “Wake up!”
Nulu bolted upright “What?” She looked around groggily, “Trouble?”
RatShambler nodded his head, “Yes there’s trouble! I’m starving to death up here and you two are cozily napping.”
Klank continued to snore throatily.
“Wake up that Gnoll and have him whip up something to eat.”
Nulu stretched her arms out wide, biceps bulging. “Gimmie a minute here.” She arched her back as it popped and cracked. “Not the best place to sleep.” She twisted side to side then finally stood up.
“Starving.”
“You sound like Grimbledung,” tut-tutted Nulu. She reached down and patted Klank’s shoulder, “Klank, time to get up.”
Klank rolled onto his back and stretched out, almost all of his legs sticking out the back of the wagon. “Not the best place t’sleep,” he commented as he yawned widely.
“You should try doing it while walking!” Said RatShambler. “On an empty stomach.” As if on cue, his stomach growled again.
Nulu laughed as she stepped over onto the seat of the wagon. Moving the reins to the side she sat down roughly. “Poor Rat. Starving to death.” She reached forward and patted Rat’s hind end, “Klank? Got anything for our poor starving beast of burden?”
Klank rolled onto his feet. “Just the thing!” He rummaged in his backpack and pulled out a feedbag. “This’s the best thing ‘round. The kids love it!” He hopped off the side of the wagon as RatShambler came to a stop.
RatShambler looked at Klank and the feedbag. “No.” he said flatly. “It can’t be.”
“It’s th’latest craze. The kids love it!” assured Klank as he moved forward. “It’s called”
“Mixed Trails,” interrupted RatShambler.
“Yeah!” Klank reached into the feedback and pulled out a handful of nuts, berries, bits of chocolate, and toasted bits of cracker. He popped the mix into his mouth. “They’re grrrreat!” He said with his mouth full.
RatShambler shook his head. “Fine, fine. Don’t eat it all you crazy Gnoll.” He turned his head toward Klank and lowered it.
Dutifully, Klank hung the feedback over RatShambler’s snout. “There ya’go.” With one bound, he jumped onto the seat beside Nulu. “Want some too?”
Nulu shrugged, “I’m more a meat and potatoes kind of Trolless. Light on the potatoes.”
Klank winked at her as he leaned back into the wagon. He dragged the backpack his brother had dropped off up to him. Untying it, he rummaged for a moment before presenting a Cornish hen with a flourish to Nulu. “How’s that?”
Nulu took it. “I love you boys.” She smiled as she took a bite of the cold, yet still delicious bird.
“Hey! There’s meat?” Complained RatShambler, “I get meat at my next meal. Fair’s fair.”
Nulu nodded as she pulled a browned wing off the chicken and popped in her mouth bones and all. “Deal.”
The trio ate in silence as they passed by the ruins of Aution. Several tents had been erected in the town’s ashes. “Looks like someone’s takin’ up shop,” said Klank.
Nulu nodded, “Seems like an odd place to do it.” Here and there, wisps of smoke could be seen rising from the ground, “Seems odd that things would still be smoldering.” Nulu reached beside her and not-so-casually rested her hand on her Please Stick.
“Well, therrres plenty of space an’ no one t’ tax you for usin’ it.” Klank moved beside the wagon, “Might not be all that odd.” Even so, he raised his nose into the air and breathed in deeply. “Nuthin smells out of sorts. Mainly just burnt things.”
“Get this feedback off me in case I need to run,” said RatShambler as he also looked around, “this place is creepy.” Here and there dark trails of smoke rose from mounds made in the ground. A very large pile of partially burned wood took up a good portion of what used to be the center of town. “I vote we keep moving.” RatShambler began to walk tentatively. “Anyone disagree?”
“We’ll check out old Aution later. Right now we’ve got someplace to be,” said Nulu as she hopped off the wagon. RatShambler obliged and stopped as she removed the feedback. “Let’s get going before this delays us.”
Klank turned his head to the side and perked an ear upward. “Hold on,” he said as he clambered up and stood on the bench of the wagon. He raised his ear even higher. “I ‘ear somethin’ comin’ from th’ woodpile.”
All eyes turned to the large pile of wood. It easily stood fifteen feet high, and was forty feet across; a good three blocks of the town was represented in it. A figure, arms loaded with wood, moved around the pile and into sight. His face was obscured by wood and he gingerly stepped to avoid the loose planks around the bottom of the pile. He was whistling a jaunty tune.
Klank looked at Nulu and raised two clawed fingers. He pointed at the approaching figure, then at the pile. As if on cue, another figure –similarly loaded down- appeared and began to follow the first.
“Let’s go” Nulu whispered into RatShambler’s ear. “I don’t think they’ve spied us.”
Klank nodded at the Trolless.
Quickly the trio moved past the burnt out town, seeing wisps of smoke where it seemed large mounds of dirt had been piled up over whatever was burning.
“I wonder what sort of operation they’ve got going,” said RatShambler as he moved to put the long pile of wood between them and the pile of wood carriers.
“No idea. Now’s not the time though,” said Nulu.
“I agree,” said Klank.
As the trio moved off quickly, they did not notice the woman sitting atop the large pile. She looked at them as they moved off. A scowl came to her face. “So the innkeeper and the constable are out for a jaunt.” She looked towards Julesville. “Where are you coming from? The Encampments or that magic school?” I wonder who else from Aution ended up there. “Where have you gone, Grimbledung?” She put her hand on her dagger as she looked southward. “Where have you gone?”
Chapter Nineteen
Grimbledung Escapes His Halfling Trackers
Kind of…
Grimbledung looked over his shoulder. He could hear the tracking dogs. “Is this a long way? I think they found your trail.”
“To where?”
“TreeTop City.”
“Is that where you’re going?”
A long howl rose in the air. If they had found his trail, it wouldn’t be long now. “Yeah!”
“Far out. Me too. Do you live there or are you just visiting? Don’t remember and Gnomes living there.”
Grimbledung flailed his arms. “I’m going with you to TreeTop City you daft Elf!”
Teeth stopped walking and turned to face the angry Gnome. “You’re bringing me down, man.”
A closer howl worked its way through the trees. Grimbledung stopped flailing. “Sorry, Teeth.” Even the barking seemed nearby. “It’s just that I’m so excited to get there is all.”
Teeth nodded. “Yeah. I’m excited to get back too. Hungry too.” He looked around. “Well, you need to calm down little fella. We’re going there now.” He began to walk again.
Grimbledung noticed that they were now walking in a different direction. “Hey, aren’t we going in a different direction?”
“Different direction to where, man?”
“Gah!”
As Teeth continued to walk, he took a bright blue frog from his belt pouch. The frog seemed to have suckers on its feet and was bright green. Iridescent green. There was black swath that started near its snout and snaked its way back, ending at the tip of one of its hind legs. He popped it into his mou
th.
“How many frogs you carrying? You don’t even cook it first?”
Teeth moved the frog into his cheek. “Cook it? It’s my pet, man. Why would I cook it?” He smiled widely.
The frog peeked its head out from Teeth’s cheek. “Ribbit” it offered.
“Fine, fine. Let’s just get there quick like.”
“Where?”
“TreeTop City!”
“You going there too? Hey man, you want to run there? The black and greens always make me feel like runnin’.”
Grimbledung heard voices. Angry Halfling voices. “Yes, let’s run there”. Normally, there was no way that a Gnome could ever expect to match an Elf for speed, but after his interaction with the strange Teeth, Grimbledung felt confident he could do it. For a while at least.
Teeth looked around.
“TreeTop City,” coaxed Grimbledung.
Teeth nodded. “Sure. Say, you want to run or ride?”
Grimbledung didn’t even consider the question. “Ride, of course.” It was his default mode of transportation for any trip.
Teeth swooped down and in one motion grabbed Grimbledung around the waist. He twisted him in the air and half-sat, half-tossed the Gnome onto his shoulders. “Ready?”
“Sure” said Grimbledung.
“Not you, man. What you got to get ready for? You’re riding.”
“Ribbit!” Said the frog. Because it was ready.
“There he is!” a Halfling shouted.
“Hey you! Put that Gnome down, you stinking Elf!” Shouted Righty.
“Gah! Go, go, go!”
Teeth looked around then began to run in a totally different direction. It was, Grimbledung noted with relief, at least away from the Halflings who continued to shout. Grimbledung leaned back as the Elf picked up speed. True to his race, Teeth practically flew through the forest- jumping logs, ducking under branches; all without breaking stride.
Grimbledung expected the initial starting sprint to transition into a long-distance pace. After several minutes, he realized this was the long-distance pace. For another few minutes, he enjoyed the passing trees and vines. Twice they emerged into and through sun-filled clearings. Teeth ran straight through them without a look left or right.. Grimbledung had no idea where they were going, but they were making good time! Even so, the jostling was becoming a bit too much. “Getting sick” he offered. Twice.
Here's Looking For You, Grim (Tales From a Second-Hand Wand Shop Book 3) Page 12