The Iron Teeth

Playing With Fire 2

With an impatient growl, Blacknail took off after Scamp. He ran through Mahedium's lab and then out through his living chamber. The hobgoblin then burst outside and landed on the ground in a crouch, as he quickly looked around for the goblin.

There was no sign of him, so Blacknail hurriedly sniffed the ground for his scent. Mahedium stepped out behind him. He looked flustered and annoyed, but there was also a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

"Where did he go?" the nervous mage asked.

Blacknail didn't bother to respond. He just took off after Scamp as soon as he caught his scent. He moved at a brisk walk as he tracked his quarry. Mahedium followed him.

Why was Scamp allowed to run around like this? It was stupid. When Saeter had taken him in Blacknail hadn't been allowed to leave his master's side without permission.

Scamp's trail led to a group of empty tents that encircled a fire pit off to one corner of the camp. The four tents were made from animal hides stretched over wooden poles. A large pot of something was hanging over the unlit campfire. Blacknail scanned the area quickly, but didn't see any obvious signs of Scamp.

Then, he heard a faint sound from one of the tents. As silently as possible, the hobgoblin crept over to it and gently slid the entrance flap open so he could look inside. Blacknail didn't see the goblin, but there was a man sleeping under some blankets in the tent. Blacknail frowned; he had been sure Scamp would be in there.

The unconscious bandit who lay within the tent stirred as cool air blew in through the open flap. Then he blinked and opened his eyes, to find Blacknail's green face staring down at him.

"What in all the hells?!" he yelled out as he jerked away from the hobgoblin.

As he moved away from Blacknail, he pulled his coverings with him, and the hide blankets slid away to reveal a green lump. Tentatively, a small hand rose from the green mass and patted the area around itself as if searching for something. After it apparently failed to find what it was looking for, Scamp's head rose up and looked around. The goblin cringed and grimaced when he saw the hobgoblin staring down at him.

Blacknail growled triumphantly. He'd found his prey. Mahedium stepped up beside the hobgoblin and stuck his head in the tent as well.

"Ah ha!" the mage declared as he noticed the goblin.

"Wha? What the fuck are all you bastards doing in my tent?" the man inside the tent yelled as his fear and surprise turned to anger.

"Sorry, it's important," Blacknail replied politely. At least the man hadn't thrown anything at him.

"Don't let that goblin get away, it's stolen some dangerous magical items!" Mahedium said at almost the same time.

The tent's owner stared at Mahedium for a second, then what the mage had said sunk in and an alarmed expression appeared on his face. He quickly responded by diving as far away from the goblin as he could get while Blacknail was blocking the tent's entrance.

"Return my mana crystals!" Mahedium commanded as he scowled disdainfully at the bandit.

Blacknail didn't bother with words; he just leapt at Scamp. The useless little thief was really getting on his nerves.

"No, my bright pretties!" the goblin troublemaker yelled as he rolled under one of the tent walls to the outside.

Blacknail hissed angrily as he landed on empty ground. Infuriated, he spun around and pushed past Mahedium as he exited the tent and continued the chase. Once outside, he whirled around until he saw Scamp's fleeing form.