Chapter 34: Cold Voice
The dark night had completely swallowed the forest. The rustling wind made the foliage tremble, and the whispers of nocturnal animals added a sort of natural darkness—almost comforting, in a way.
It was already quite late. The time for rest had come for the diurnal creatures. Even the hobgoblins from the right-side village, despite the hunger gnawing at their bellies and the troubling absence of their hunting party, had resigned themselves to sleep. They had to conserve their strength for the next day.
All the females had retreated to their tents. The males, more resilient—or maybe just less inclined to seek comfort—remained outside, watching over the village. Someone had to take care of it.
One hobgoblin in particular patrolled in the heavy silence. Now that everyone was asleep, he moved with cautious steps, constantly glancing over his shoulder. Eventually, he slipped behind a boulder at the back of the village.
That rock hid the entrance to a tunnel he had discovered by accident. He hadn’t told anyone. Since then, he’d claimed it as his secret hideout. Sometimes, he brought females there—ones that weren’t his—to satisfy his urges before killing them and erasing all traces. Other times, he stored stolen meat there, pretending he’d eaten it with the group, only to feast on it alone like a king without a crown.
He wasn’t very tall, a little shorter than their leaders. But tonight, none of the leaders were around to keep an eye on him. And he hadn’t come for carnal pleasure: he came to retrieve a piece of wild boar meat he had stashed there the night before.
He entered the tunnel, shivering slightly as the damp air brushed his skin. He immediately began searching. Every usual corner was checked, but nothing. Nothing at all.
He frowned, his grotesque face twisted with confusion.
He may have been twisted, but he never hid things so well he couldn’t find them. He was certain the meat had been there. Could someone have found it? No... he shook his head. Unthinkable.
He had taken all the precautions. The entrance was hidden behind rocks, and the reeking stench of the meat still lingered in the tunnel—proof it was there, somewhere.
He resumed his search, this time with more determination, following the scent like a trail.