The sky was blue and clear.
Trees of all shapes grew wildly, some twisted, some straight. Their gray-green trunks were covered in moss and fuzz.
In the treeless clearings, the grass grew in a tangled mess. Lush plants were everywhere: wild celery, nettles, and wild thistles grew unchecked.
Suddenly, the crisp sound of hooves broke the forest's stillness. Like a pebble dropped into a lake, it sent ripples spreading outward.
The silhouettes of a party slowly emerged along the forest path, where light and shadow mingled.
"There's a strange smell." Theron flicked his forked tongue twice in the air and spoke. "Should we camp here?"
"It's just goblins," Gauss said confidently, glancing at the surroundings.
After all, no one understood goblins better than he did.
He could even sense them faintly whenever he came to a place goblins had recently passed through.
It was like some kind of mysterious telepathy, though he couldn't explain why.
"Those little green brats? Where, where? I don't see any." The Dwarf Thorin looked around.
"Their lair probably isn't nearby."
Gauss looked around and made his judgment.
"Oh, well. Never mind, then." Thorin dismounted and prepared to set up camp.
If there were monsters nearby, he wouldn't mind stretching his muscles a little.
But he was too lazy to go looking for them, especially ordinary monsters like goblins, which weren't worth the effort. They might as well rest while they could, then continue on their way that afternoon.
"I'll take a look around and see if I can find something to hunt." Gauss said to Thorin, his eyes briefly flicking toward the dried little footprints on the ground.
They were still in the outermost part of the Emerald Forest, which was relatively safe.
"Sure." Thorin waved a hand while preparing the ingredients.
Nancy and Elton