The Worst Kobold Chapter 11: Chapter 7 - How to Take a Fifty-Ton Unstoppable Beast Hostage

Read chapter 11 of The Worst Kobold by Thalaas on NovelPedia.

Ember, the goblin spelunker turned reluctant guide, had been leading Griffon, the tough-looking warrior kobold, and Fluke, the, secret dragon, for most of the day. She had chosen the main well-traveled path down the mountain. It was wider and more direct way down, used for large groups of horse drawn mining carts or trade caravans. Normally she avoided it because there could be bandits looking to prey on lone travellers like herself. But she decided to opt for speed and well, she couldn’t see anyone messing with this group who wasn’t insanely suicidal or suicidaly insane. She was actually amazed that there was no… anything going on. No panic. No soldiers. No mages. No alarms. Fluke’s gigantic! I mean, I know this is secluded but there has to be a few people who see the dragon out for a casual stroll! She thought internally. Fluke looked down at the nervous Ember in front of him. “How much further till we are out of the mountains?” he asked casually, trying to make polite conversation once more to ease the tension. He could tell the poor goblin was still tense. Griffon really must have scared her more than he thought! The normally talkative Ember just turned around and squeezed her hands tightly together. Every time the dragon talked she could feel her heart skip. His very voice sent tremors through her meager frame. “It’s about three more days on foot, Fluke, sir!” she got out. Her voice only cracked twice that time. She was getting better. Griffon thought it was a bit odd she added the term ‘on foot’. What other way could they go? Fluke was far too heavy for even the beefiest horse let alone the smaller dire wolves kobolds normally used, even if they had any. And unless they all sprouted wings and flew she couldn't see a quicker way. “We’ll need to make camp soon. If you know a good spot, we’ll stop there and I’ll…,” she stopped speaking suddenly. So suddenly, Fluke had to dig his front claws in the ground to stop from running into her. His entire back end lifted from momentum and then slammed back down on the rocky path behind him causing a micro tremor. Ember turned around, but before she could say anything the kobold grabbed her and pulled her back behind her. For a horrifying moment she thought her usefulness was coming to an end and the dragon was going to devour her. Instead, Griffon pulled out her brand new sword in a fluid motion and stood in front of her in a fighter’s stance. “If you’re going to try an ambush?!” the warrior shouted out loudly to the descending empty path that lay in front of her. “Either do it downwind, or try bathing once in your life!” There was a long pause. A soft wind blew through the air. Then? A voice. “Well well well…,” came a mocking voice. They watched as a sun-baked lanky man climbed on top of one of the many boulders strewn about. Stubble flecked out from his scarred chin as he chewed something vile. A drop of some dark putrid liquid began to drip down his lips. “What’s a bunch of little rodents like you scurrying all about?” he chortled loudly. Even as he spoke, a half dozen of rancid looking highwaymen began to spread out from behind the various rocks and crevices. They held tarnished swords and poorly maintained crossbows. “Yer all walking on Slitthroat Pete’s road,” Slitthroat said as he hopped down from his vantage point to stand in front of his gang. With calloused hands, he pulled a sharp dagger from the hilt under this arm. “And fer yer sake’s? I hope ya can pay the toll.” All three of the travelers had different reactions. Fluke? Bowed his head low to the dirt. He whimpered a little and took a shaking step back. His golden eyes darted left and right like nervous water-bugs on a lake. Griffon’s hands just grasped the hilt of the famed sword tighter till the knuckle-bones showed under the scaled skin. Ember meanwhile? Was struck speechless for the second time in her life. She looked to the motley crew of thugs in front of her. Then back to the giant mass of thickly scaled sinewy m