The Worst Kobold Chapter 16: Chapter 12 - May I Have a Moment of Your Time?

Read chapter 16 of The Worst Kobold by Thalaas on NovelPedia.

Fluke, Ember, and Griffon swam and splashed for some time, just reveling in the small victory of making it safely out of the Spire Mountains. By now, the three of them had crawled out of the water, half exhausted. Fluke, the current world record holder in skipping kobolds, currently at four, just beamed as he started to do some campsite prep. He grabbed a random dead log and torn it to shreds in seconds so Ember could get a decent fire roaring. Griffon watched in fascination. She was just getting used to Fluke's causal displays of strengths when she had taken it for granted for so long. It would take her a good ten minutes, with a decent ax, to make the log into usable firewood. Fluke just dug his talons into it and casually broke it apart without the slightest strain. In seconds, there was enough wood for a blazing bonfire. The group rapidly dried off from the blazing heat. Ember had used her slingshot to bring down a few fat pheasants which Griffon had taken to prepare. The scarred kobold had lost her bow a lifetime ago now, so she couldn’t do any hunting. She was currently defeathering the birds as she looked up to the pony-tailed goblin who was sitting across from the fire. “Hope we didn't wreck your stuff.” After her successful hunt, Ember had opened her rucksack to check the contents after that little adventure. It was mostly waterproof. She strongly believed in not cheaping out on vital supplies. Don't want all your food ruined due to a good rain storm after all. But there were limits to the material, and dragon-diving into a river at the speed of a hawk seemed to be beyond the bag’s limitations. “My ration bars are all pretty much wet and broken,” she said as she took another one out and tossed it to Fluke. He snapped it up like a dog treat. “But Fluke here doesn't seem to mind them. And if you're gonna roast us some pheasant? No need to keep them.” Ember smiled and flung another one in a rising arc. Fluke ate the densely packed calorie bar. Hardly a nibble to him but sweet with nuts and dried fruit. Soggy but a wonderful burst of flavor. “Those are really good!” he exclaimed, with a goofy grin on his face. “Yup. Good for a full meal and keeps for a couple months.” Ember leaned back as Griffon spit the birds over the fire. After which the goblin went back for a few more to make sure Fluke got a good full meal. He protested of course. But both of the women insisted. They knew why his appetite was so intense even if he didn’t. One of these birds was barely a mouthful to him. The meal was simple, yet satisfying. Fluke had eaten twelve of the poor birds plus a decent sized carp that Griffon fished up while the meal cooked. Ember had kept a small line and hook in her pack as well. Never hurts to catch a meal on your way back. At the end? Fluke was half laying on his side. A look of utter contentment on his face. His tail lolled back and forth almost like a cat as he basked in the early evening sun. Griffon was cleaning her new sword and Ember was making sure the last of the fire was out by burying the remnants deep in the sand. “Thank you,” the dragon said as he raised his head to the pair. “Both of you.” Neither of the two had done anything for the last several minutes besides some light chattering between the three of them. “For?” Griffon asked. “This.” Fluke replied softly. “Just this whole day. It... really means a lot to me.” He turned his face to look to the sky, with a look of just blissful relaxation.”I’ve never felt so… at peace,” he said as he took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say this won’t be the most memorable couple of days in my life,” Ember joked as she walked over and patted Griffon on his back haunch The massive red beast of Fluke still just stared up at the sun as it slowly began to set. “Yeah, getting attacked by a bunch of criminals and escaping, that’s pretty exciting. And terrifying.” “Yeah, that’s exactly what I was talking about. Those dangerous thugs,” the goblin chuckled as