[center][h2]X a a l[/h2][/center]
[hr]

Over the past few days, hundreds of thoughts had flown through his brain. The main thought process, however, centered around one thing - Goblins grew at a very fast pace. In mere days, his mind had grown from that of a toddler's into what it was now - a centerpiece of willpower, focus, and planning. Within the first day of his birthing, he had spent the majority of his time observing. 

Eating, observing, and thinking. The first few hours were tough, as he could not even say 'Goblin' without a lisp or a major butchering. But, as hours waned, and darkness bloomed, and he [i]ate[/i], thoughts began to surface - some hypothetical, some practical, and some rhetorical. Who was he, exactly? Why did he feel so...out of place amongst the other green-skinned baby goblins? Why was he so [i]damn[/i] hungry all the time?

Another instinctive word...'damn'. 

It was around this time, where he awoke on the second day, that he realized something. He could actually stand up and move. His first foray into 'walking' was a bit...shaky. He had watched the Old Goblin waddle around, hunched over and leaning on a wooden club, but that didn't feel right. So, he had straightened his back, and began to move at a faster pace, a fair distance away from the viciously eating group of Goblin kids he had been born alongside. Sadly, walking took a lot of energy, and within minutes he had collapsed on his butt, a scowl marring his lips once he realized that he reached his walking limit for the moment. 

It was around this time, that the Old Goblin began speaking in his worn voice. The Old Goblin told them that soon, they would have to hunt on their own, and kill for their own food. The Old Goblin told them of the monsters and dangers that laid outside of the cave, and how they would have to fight to survive - nothing was given. They had to rely on themselves, and their own grit. It was that minute, as he sat there grasping his legs, that the young Goblin decided that he would do better than survive. He would survive, and thrive. Let the dangers come...he'd take them all on. The newly dubbed 'Grandpa' gave them each their names, and the young goblin felt a smile - or was it a smirk? - form on his face.

He was Xaal, and he'd show 'em all.

And now, at this moment in time, he was about to go out on his own Hunt. The young Goblin had grown since the second day, now standing at a respectable height of 4'2". His eyes, a shockingly vivid crimson, were sharp and shrewd, even as he calmly looked around the forest ahead of them. A long shard of rock, scraped endlessly against the cave's wall to end in a durable and sharp point, was gripped in his right fist, sending a rush of confidence into Xaal's dark green body. 

He was ready - and, he was rather hungry. He gave a quick glance over his Goblin brethren, all of them the same age as he...three days. Xaal hadn't spoken to any of 'em, other than a few words. Too preoccupied with eating and thinking, he guessed. But now...maybe they should stick together for the hunt?

Screw it.

[b]"Thanks, Grandpa."[/b] He hadn't spoken much since his birth, so his voice was rather rough as he took a step out of the cave, and into the blinding sunlight. Xaal would be the first to cross that barrier.

Without a look back, he made his way into the underbrush. If any of his brethren wanted to come with him, they were free to do so. He really just wanted to get some food at this point, and Horned Rabbits sounded very delicious at this point in time.