Children of the Sun and Moon by P. D. Stewart

quite gloomy. The sky showed signs it might rain. This
looked like it made Nak and Mork very happy.
    “Noz onses
tracks rainses,” declared Mork to Eric as they were breaking
camp.
    “Will it not be
difficult,” he asked.
    “Noz,” Mork
answered. “Horseses goods throughs muds.” Then he rode off ahead to
see what the trail looked like.
    Eric knew the
goblins understood more about this than he did so he just packed up
his things and decided to see what the day had in store for them.
The mist the morning dew was creating, amplified the eeriness from
the day before. The ride was slow going because of the conditions
of the trail. Eric had never felt such a strong sense of anxiety.
The forest was really starting to unsettle him and it was not
something he alone was feeling. All of the goblins were constantly
glancing about.
    “Somethingses
watchings usses,” whispered Goulerick from behind Eric.
    Eric just
nodded his agreement, too nervous to speak.
    Nak had rode on
a bit ahead but Eric could see he had stopped. When they caught up,
he could see why. Lying on the ground was Mork, badly injured.
Apparently, the approaching band had scared off whatever had
attacked him. Even though there were only six of them the creature
had been intimidated. At least this is what they were hoping and it
really was not going for reinforcements.
    “Weses getses
hims fixes,” stated Tallmeken. “Mights hunts bloodz smellses.”
    “Then we need
to heal his wounds as best we can. He can ride with me until he is
strong enough to do it himself,” suggested Eric.
    Nak agreed.
“Riverses closez. Twoz days mostes.”
    “Thenz, twoz
weeks toz cittz,” finished Dilmek.
    “I hope Mork
can last.”

    They spent the
next hour cleaning up Mork. Eric knew some minor healing spells and
used them to seal his wounds. “That will help but I am not sure
what to do about his injuries inside.”
    Nak placed his
hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Youz dids bestes. Weses needses goes
nowz.”
    They were
getting ready to leave when Goulerick silenced everyone. “Whatevers
gots Mork backses.”
    The group
scanned the forest around them and they could make out five forms
moving in the bushes. “Apparently it went for friends,” stated Eric
despondently.
    Drawing their
weapons, they prepared themselves for a fight.

    The fight
didn’t come instantaneously, in fact the figures paced in the bush
for quite some time without making any move to attack. The tactic
unnerved the small troupe. Goblins were used to full out attacks
not hesitation. The unrest of goblins appeared to be exactly what
they were waiting for because without warning they attacked.

    Eric, on the
other hand, had been prepared. He was familiar with this tactic. It
was one of the attacks Payton had used on him many times in his
training. When they charged the small band, Eric charged them.
Running for the nearest form, he had survival on his mind. When the
creatures came into view, Eric regretted his bravery. The creatures
were nothing he had seen before.

    They looked to
be part bear and part boar. The animals stood over seven feet tall
and had an intelligence in their eyes. Intimidated, Eric decided he
needed to change his strategy. The thing he was fighting had picked
up a piece of a broken tree and was using it as a club.

    Eric dove
between the creature’s legs and drove his sword into it. Scrambling
to get up he could hear the creature howling in pain and decided to
go back to where the others were. Coming out from the bush, he saw
his companions were faring just as well. Dilmek was unconscious on
the ground and before Eric could reach him one of the creatures
scooped him up and went running away. Knowing there was no way he
could catch the creature he turned towards his companions to help
with the fight.

    He ran over and
was about to take a swing at the nearest creature when he felt a
thud on his head and then everything went dark. Nak, seeing his
companion fall, attacked with more