Chapter 371: River Shower Part 1
The guards cheered and hurried to open the gates at the sight of the hunting party emerging from the edge of the ashen tree line. Stryg carried the giant snow leopard over his shoulders with pride. The chieftain Jahn walked next to him, whistling a happy tune. Srixa and the other three hunters followed behind, none seemed as happy, though they all gazed at the blue goblin with pensive expressions.
Several goblins crowded around the gate as Stryg walked in with a triumphant grin.
Jahn glanced at the early afternoon sun and smiled, “I take it we’re the first hunters to return?”
“Yes, chieftain!” one of the guards nodded excitedly. “We didn’t expect any of the teams to return until sunset.”
“But as expected, the chieftain’s team never fails to impress,” another guard said as he stared in admiration at the snow leopard carcass.
“No, this kill was our resident shaman’s and his alone,” Jahn said proudly.
The guards and the other goblins stopped staring at the carcass and stared at the one carrying it instead. Stryg had thought he had grown used to the stares. The fearful and wary stares of his classmates back at the academy, or the stares of envy of Undergrowth’s nobles, and even the stares of awe amongst the orphans of the Commoner District; he had especially grown used to the stares of hate that never seemed to leave him wherever he went. So it came as a surprise to him when he saw the stares of plain and simple curiosity in the yellow eyes of his tribemates.
“Oi! Stop staring and help get this beast to the cooks. I want to be eating roasted leopard by sunset,” Jahn said.
“Yes, chieftain!” “Right away!”