Chapter 99: Chapter 89 – Curiosity killed the Hyena?

"Much like the animals they resembled, therians tended to be territorial, and usually rarely left their home areas. That said, when wanderlust did strike, it struck them hard, and it was not uncommon for them to depart for other continents, at times en masse even. One of the nations in the Union was formed by several tribes of therians which migrated together to Alcidea centuries ago, even." - excerpt from "A deeper view on Therian culture and habits".

 

Come dawn the next day, Cal saw as the mercenaries departed the settlement, their task finished and paid for. The goblins kept a store of coins for when mercenaries wanted to be paid in them, but these groups happily accepted payment in the form of the tyrant lizard's harvested parts.

 

Surprisingly, the most expensive part of the tyrant lizard was its pink, downy feathers. Feathers the goblins themselves have little use for and were more than happy to use as the mercenaries' payment. Now that she thought about it, Cal had recalled a couple rich-looking ladies in feathery dresses of that shade back in Levain.

 

The goblins themselves were happy that the mercenaries wanted the - for them - less useful feathers, and offered them a few packaged slabs of the beast's meat as a bonus. The dwarven team refused politely as their faces paled. Half of the mixed team also paled, but they and the elvish mercenaries accepted the gift nonetheless.

 

Farewells were exchanged, while some young goblin girls kissed the mercenaries full in the mouth, and told them to visit again. Cal snickered at the sight, since if the mercenaries came by again the next year or so, they might have toddlers that called them "daddy" awaiting their arrival.

 

Goblins were after all the most fertile of the civilized races, and their proclivity to reproduce with nearly anyone was known to all.

 

Now that the mercenaries have departed and she was the only outsider in the village, Cal shed off the pretense of modesty and stored away her vest and chest wraps. She also replaced her shorts for a loincloth that were simply a long strip of cloth, wound around the hips, and secured with a knot at the small of her back, before the excess was brought back to the front between her legs, and tucked through the cloth belt in front, where what remained of the excess hung like an apron.

 

None of the goblins even took a second look her way when she walked past after she changed. The feel of the wind on her bare skin helped make the clammy climate more tolerable at least. The way the goblins lived communally was somewhat similar to the merfolk, yet also different. She also saw how the goblins divided their labor.

 

The settlement's women gathered communally every morning, and a portion of them cared for every child in the community for the day, while other women busied themselves with cooking and cleaning, and yet others helped the males with their work. Those that were visibly pregnant were exempted from harder work, and spent their days relaxedly as they weaved baskets or other similar items.

 

When Cal asked about it, Fheeri noticed her and explained that this way, the work is shared between the community. Each of the women only needed to work hard for around two days of every week, and did lighter work for another two days, while the remaining three days were their free time to have. Fheeri herself was not part of it because as a hunter, she was grouped up with the men, who either worked the fields or went out to hunt every two or three days.

 

The young hyena-therian girl enthusiastically showed Cal around when she mentioned that she could use a guide. They had a little talk with her adopted father where she asked his permission, which he happily granted.

 

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The goblins - now that she looked closer she noticed some obvious half-breeds or other hybrids among them as well - and the therians mostly planted a mixture of corn, rice, and yams in the areas they have cleared. Their diets supplemented by hunted animals, as well as fruits and herbs forged from the forest around them.

 

It was a bountiful place to be sure, though with the many predators that roamed the forest, not without its own dangers. Fheeri said that supposedly deeper into the land, larger creatures roamed freely, and she had heard stories how some even attacked cities built by the goblin tribes there.

 

The girl herself had never taken a trip to another settlement since she was adopted. She only turned fourteen this year, which was the age the therians considered an adult, and had not had the chance yet. The past twelve years of her life, she had spent in the settlement or around it. Cal happily regaled the girl with tales of the lands beyond the forest while Fheeri showed her around, to the girl's excitement.

 

When Cal mentioned that she only planned to stay a few days, and would roam the goblin lands afterwards before she continued to the next part of her journey, the young therian girl asked if she could come along for part of it. For some reason, Cal was not against the idea at all, probably because she had just taken some students under her wing not long ago.

 

They went over to the hut where Fheeri's adoptive parents lived - she and her siblings lived in a different hut more suitable for their size - and broached the topic with the old goblin. The old man and his wife had some trepidation at the idea, but acknowledged that their adoptive daughter was an adult now, and agreed to her request. Cal vowed to them that she would have Fheeri's safety guaranteed while they travelled together.

 

Four days later they departed together from the goblin settlement, while Fheeri's adoptive parents and her siblings bade them farewell at the gate. One additional benefit she got when she chose to let Fheeri travel along with her was how the girl was a wind-affinity mage. She was not powerful, but just the ability to conjure a cooling breeze was plenty for Cal.

 

For her part, Cal also taught the girl quite a few things, since the girl definitely benefited from some tricks about fighting. When it comes to ramged combat though, Cal found that she had little to teach. She was a decent shot with the crossbow if given time to aim, but the way Fheeri could have her sling loaded, swung, and loosed with eye opening accuracy all in moments was a whole different thing altogether.

 

The girl was also a deft hand with her throwing knives - if they could be called that. The weapons in question were oddly shaped, with several blades that protruded at angles from the main shaft. She said the goblins called it a "Hunga Munga" in their tongue.

 

What Cal taught her as they walked was mostly about close combat, a field the young therian lacked. She had not even possessed a close combat weapon other than a knife, though her Hunga Mungas would serve as such in a pinch. Still, Cal decided that the situation should be rectified as soon as they reach a settlement with a weapons shop.

 

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