After a long and tedious talk, the goblin group and the monster group went their separate ways to opposite sides of the cave entrance. Orchid followed Crispy towards the goblin side, mainly to get food, but also because Crispy needed to talk to her. Tired and annoyed Orchid wanted to ignore him but knew that if she did that would only get his ire. She had hoped that she had verbally beaten him down already but evidently he was stronger than that.

Orchid would meet Crispy at the edge of the goblin camp, leaning against a tree with her hand crossed but close to her club. She still didn’t trust the goblins but then again she doesn’t really trust anyone. She just knows who is her enemy and who might not be her enemy yet. Once Crispy arrives Orchid says nothing and just listens to what he has to say. 

When they stopped at the tree, Crispy turned towards Orchid with a frown. His eyes glanced at her club, close to her hand. He looked at her face, clearly tired, but still listening...but hoverhanding that club, and that hard glint to her eyes, left no question that she was considering a "what-if" situation. And now Crispy nodded in approval.

"Youngling, you know what you doin' right now? You bein' smart." began the older goblin. "If I was mad enuff at yas to hit ya, you'd hit me first wif dat dere club. Ya waitin' and seein', like Crispy." But now he pointed at her. "But ya makin' mistakes! Listen to Crispy, not an Elder Gob yet, but been roun' da cave a few times!"

Now he pointed at the other side of the clearing. "Dem mobs ain't s'posed to talk at all, but dey REALLY not s'posed to talk Gob! Humans talks, but dey don't talk Gob! If dey talks, why not talks Dragon-tongue, or Fey-speak?" He slammed a fist into his palm. "Anudda ting, if dey wants to helps us, why dey not bring nuffin' ta prove it? Pygmy Drake say can make potions, me ain't seein' no potion! Dun add up, it's, uh, capricious!"

But now he shook his head and turned away from Orchid. 

"But dat not biggest mistake. Lemme tell yas bout da time Crispy saw dis mistake first--almost neva see any Gob make dis mistake. But Humans, Ventures, dey makes it lots!" He turned back to her, traced a finger along his tattoo.

"When Ventures come and I fall in fire, was hurt real bad. Human coulda killed me easy. But Rattleskull Smashed anudda one, didn't kill 'im but hurt 'im bad. Da one dat was gonna kill me? Stopped fighting!" Crispy looked incredulous, and seemed to be looking at Orchid to gauge her reaction as well. "Used red water potion, poured it on one dat got Smashed! Dat gave Rattleskull and sum o' da Old Gobs time to hurt anudda one bad, den we wuz able to get away! Old Gobs, before dey die, dey tell Crispy bout it."

He crossed his arms sagely, looking back towards the other goblins. It seemed the last two had come back--Orchid's last shieldbearer had filled his shield with rocks instead of food, and Jezee was carrying much firewood as she could in her two arms in front of her. They were stacked up so high she couldn't see over them.

"Is called "kindness." Biggest weakness evah for Humans, Elves, lots of tings. Gobs is smarter, so we sees how stupid it is--waste chance to kill enemy. Use tings ya gots for yaself on uddas, instead of makin' dem bring tings to you. You already doin' dat right, look at ya minions bringin' ya stuff! I tinks you tryin' to be smarter Gob--you tinks we makes da udda mobs our pets, makes 'em fight for us. Sumtimes dat werk. But yas bein'...ya's bein' nice to da udda mobs! Gobs ain't nice! When yas nice, ya gets stabbed in da back, or while ya's sleepin'!" He gestured over his shoulder with a thumb, back towards the cave.

"Just ta shows ya how stupid it is, when me an' my minions went to check out Rattle's body, we runs inta udda mobs too! And dey wuz askin' me for help--wuz sayin' dumb stuff about dunjons and zombos. Dey act like dey needz me--so I tricks 'em, cuz Gobs don't needz dem! Made 'em tink dey wuz gonna make fair deal! Dey say dey gonna meet us at old bonfire tomorrow, only gonna send one guy."

Now Crispy seemed to be feeling his oats again, and proudly held up one hand to cut Orchid off.

"But I knows wat ya gonna say! Dat's awful smart, let dem send one guy, den WE gang up on 'em! Pick 'em off one at a time! But Crispy do one betta!" He wagged a finger. "Just one guy, can't CHASE us! If'n he tries, all da gobs just gang up and kill 'im den! So Gobs home clear! We gonna leave stoopid cave--woods dangerous, but Crispy go on raids with Old Gobs and Rattle before, knows ways to stay safe...mostly. And knows where we can go!"

He put both hands on his hips, looking quite smug. 

"So dere, Orchid, do ya sees? Kindess, dat a weakness. Gobs NEVER be kind--but when UDDA PEEPLES kind, Gobs smart! Gobs stabs 'em whenever dey sees da chance!"

Orchid looked at Crispy warily. One part of her wanted to feel happy that he praised her, but she wouldn’t dare show it. The other part understood what he said though. How kindness is a weakness. Orchid knew that all too well in her old life. Or maybe kindness was just how she rationalized her weakness and unwillingness to stand up for herself. Being so “kind” as to not talk back against her bullies and oppressors. Being so kind as to not ignore her family and do her own thing. Kindness was an excuse. Kindness got her killed and now she’s here fighting tooth and nail for every little bit she could get.

Got a while Orchid didn’t say anything and just shrugged. [color=firebrick]“Can’t say I agree with you. But you’re not wrong either.”[/color] Orchid didn’t want to bombard Crispy with her own lecture so she would do something she hasn’t done since she got here; be honest. [color=firebrick]“I don’t really trust the other monsters. I don’t even trust you goblins. But you aren’t trying to kill me right now and you’re useful, and that I can trust. Those monsters on the them side are useful, a few of them at least. That’s really all there is to it.”[/color] Orchid stepped away from the tree, hand still on her club as she looked towards the other goblins who gathered food and materials.

[color=firebrick]“But if you want to live outside of the cave you need better weapons and armor. Sticks and stones won’t protect you against adventurer weapons. And to get better weapons we need a home. Doesn’t have to be the cave but we can’t just keep running away either. So… Got any ideas?”[/color]

Crispy frowned again, but it was the kind of frown one used when they were frustrated because something was difficult to grasp. His anger had abated somewhat, but Orchid was likely still talking over his head to some degree. Still, he seemed to latch on to "better weapons" and "got any ideas?"

"Makin' weapons good, but right now we gots to rest. Gobs been up all night. Make Bigs an' Wej take first watch, dey been sittin' around da most." He looked around at the others. "You and Clod should take Jezee and Sqwal each, since youse strong and dey weak. My minions finish up da night."

He started heading back towards the camp. The other goblins had already begun to eat the grubs and other assorted things that had been gathered, and Crispy had to shout at them to make way so that he could build a fire. He speared a few wriggling things for himself on a pointy stick and began turning them over the crackling flames.

"Tomorrow, we's gonna head for a place ain't none of yas prolly seen yet. Is called a farm." Crispy said, taking a juicy bite out of a beetle, shell and all. "Dere's Humans dere, but dey weak...most of 'em. Sometimes Ventures is dere. But dere's lots o' places to hide roun' dere, lots of tings to steal. Like Cluckees! Any of yas ever seen Cluckees? Dey good eatin'!"

Clod, shoving a handful of berries into his mouth, approached Orchid. Now that she had figured out by process of elimination what name to address him by, much like the others he became a little more distinct in her mind. Now that she actually bothered to look he was one of the only goblins thus far she had seen to have hair--two little spiky tufts split from their root just above the center of his head. They were blonde, if that made it any more odd.

"If Crispy da new Boss, dat makes you da new Mid-Boss now, Mini-boss." said Clod. He held up his spear--the best of the three that Orchid had helped her crew make. "Ya dids good on dis spear, and da shields too...but I dun like da pointy bit on da end." He gestured to the stone tip mounted on the end. "Can only stick'em wif dat one end! Wanna be able to swing at 'em, too! Like wif Crispy's knives, but biggah! Tink yas could help me tomorrow?"

Orchid helped herself to some food, though she waited for Crispy to actually make a fire so she could cook the roots and grubs. Not the grosses thing she’s ever eaten considering she’s gone quasicannibal already. As she ate her food another goblin approached and asked her about her spear. Apparently he wanted something different. Apparently he wanted a sword. Looking around the supplies they had Orchid rubbed her chin. It was doable.

[color=firebrick]“Tomorrow… Yeah. Gunna need a few things but I could probably do that. You need to help too. But we can deal with that tomorrow.”[/color]

Once the other goblin was placated Orchid mulled on Crispy’s plan ya raid a farm. How strange that she’ll be going to a farm to raid it. Would they kill the humans living there? Would they keep the farm for themselves? What if adventures and such were there? A lot of questions. The one that she didn’t ask, and didn’t want to know; was it the right thing to do? Orchid was too tired to be philosophical right now. She needed to sleep. Put her back against a tree and her hand on her club she curled up and closed her eyes. No doubt there’ll be trouble eventually. Her watch would be coming up soon anyways.

And when her watch did come up, it was pretty uneventful. The fire kept the goblins warm while Orchid and Jezee, the young goblin assigned on watch with her, were on patrol. Jezee seemed more attentive than Orchid was. Perhaps he was scared. To alleviate his fears she gave him a shield though he only had a torch as a weapon. Meanwhile Orchid couldn’t really settle down just watching, so she grabbed a few sticks and such to make more twine and rope using the wood fibers. She’ll need a lot of it for the stuff she’ll be making tomorrow. Hell, she may need an entire day to dedicate into just making rope. She ought to teach some of the goblins how to make it. It’ll be worth it in the end.

[hr]

At some point after her shift, Orchid went back to sleep. And not much long after she'd be awake. The fire was still going albeit slightly weaker, and the goblins on guard duty were still up. Orchid got up from her spot and stretched her body. She had some rope she never finished making nearby, and she still had plenty more to make. No doubt once all the goblins are awake they'll get to work figuring out what to do. Some would need to head out to fetch more food and water, some will need to get more supplies. Orchid needed to teach anyone with more than half a brain how to make rope. And of course, she'll need to check on her monster allies too. Orchid might be willing to work with them but the goblins still aren't convinced. And knowing of their traitorous ways they aren't going to try and be friendly. It'll be up to Orchid to make sure some sort of alliance works out. Fine by her though; she doesn't want the other monsters to get too friendly with the goblins in the event that she does need to leave the greenskins. Or vise versa.

In any case right now Orchid needs to make more rope. It'll be important since the first two things she wants to make for herself and the group are new weapons, and more importantly, armor. Shields were good but even a wooden breastplate would be better. Or maybe she could just make a shirt out of wooden panels, like how her mother made curtains. It was something.