Gormak let out a loud belch, much to the approval of his fellow goblins. The evening meal of humans was particularly delicious. They had apparently been merchants, and were well fed.

Suddenly there was a strange humming noise over by the cavern entrance. Seconds later a female was standing there. Gormak's small brain was instantly confused. Tall female with ears and eyes of an elf, but the breasts and hips of a human. A very robust human. And where did she come from' How did she get here?

There was a cylinder in her hands. Gormak marveled at the black nails that were pointed at the ends. But then the cylinder sparked and sputtered out smoke. The female spat out words he didn't understand as she smacked the device against her palm a few times.

Finally she looked up and around at her surroundings. The cavern full of a few hundred goblins was entirely focused on her.

"Huh." That was all she said before she turned and casually walked toward the cavern entrance and into the tunnels.

Gormak looked to his fellow goblins. They all apparently shared in his confusion as they were looking at each other. Some just shrugged and went back to eating. Others picked up their weapons and went howling after the female. Gormak began to pick up his club to follow when he heard a noise from the cavern tunnels.

There was a horrific shrieking sound. Goblins screaming. The ones that had rushed after the female came running back. They were soon followed by the remains of two dead goblins. Their bodies were ripped in half and one had a leg missing. It looked like it had been bitten off.

Gormak was not a brave goblin. But curiosity....He decided he would follow the female but at a much safer distance.

"Here Mistress Kitty! Here!" Gormak's quavering voice called into the caverns as he stepped out into the light of the day. He immediately threw up a hand to cover his eyes. The sun was painful!

"I told you to just call me....never mind. Whatever. Give me a second to change my appearance." The dark elf called from within the caverns.

"Oh yes, of course, Mistress Kitty. Gormak wait right he-EEK!" His voice cut off as he made a dive back into the protection of the caves. An arrow was sticking up from the ground where Gormak's foot had been before he turned. It had missed him only by chance.

"The hells?" Kitty pulled the arrow from its landing place as she stepped into the daylight. She was once more looking simply a female elf with some unusually pronounced curves. She squinted at the tip and then the fletching before tilting her eyes toward the trees.

"Careful Mistress Kitty! We can hide in caves!" Gormak crept back out, hiding behind Kitty's legs as he peeked toward the trees as well.

"I'm not hiding from anyone. Especially a tree hugging elf." Kitty spat as she broke the arrow in half and tossed it aside. Then she jerked and clenched her hand in front of Gormak's face.

Inches from Gormak's nose was another arrow. The goblin's eyes crossed to look at the arrow, and then promptly rolled back into his head. His small body crumpled at Kitty's heels as he fainted.

"HEY! TROGLODYTE SPIT! STOP SHOOTING AT MY SERVANT!" Kitty bellowed toward the trees. Her lip curled in annoyance.

"What kind of elf has a goblin as a servant?" A feminine voice came from the trees.

"The kind that doesn't hide in trees like a coward." Kitty snapped back before she nudged Gormak with her foot. The goblin groaned. He'd be fine.

"I've never seen an elf like you before." The voice again came from the trees.

"I don't see you at all. We should fix that." Kitty muttered before she suddenly whipped the arrow she was holding toward the trees like a small javelin.

"OW!" The voice cried out before a mess of greens and browns topped with blonde hair toppled to the ground.

Gormak finally came to just in time to see Kitty grabbing a female elf from the ground and lifting her up by her throat.

At least it wasn't him this time.

The world before Gormak's eyes began to grow fuzzy. They had been walking for what seemed like forever. In reality it was most of the day, but to his little goblin brain it was too much.

A rock in the path happened to just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. His toe caught it, sending him sprawling forward.

Kitty paused and looked back to the goblin. She could go for days without getting tired. While this was normally not an issue, since she normally worked alone, it did cause anyone with her some problems. She sighed and took a step back, scooping up the goblin and tossing him onto her shoulder.

"Gormak sorrrrry, Mistressss Kitty. Gormak not....not use to walking such loooong ways," he was so tired even his groveling sounded more like a slurred mess.

"Don't worry about it, Gormak. I can carry you." She had given up on getting him to stop calling her Mistress. She just inwardly sighed each time.

Gormak tried to utter some sort of gratitude, but what came out was entirely unintelligible. The world faded away to black where he dreamed of death.

When he woke up the sun was rising. He was laying on the grass on the edge of a field. He sat up to see where Kitty was and get his bearings.

Through the early morning mist he could see her standing further in the field. There was a cloaked figure standing next to her. She wasn't looking at the figure, but out at the field itself. He could see her lift her hand and point off to the distance as she murmured to the figure. Gormak adjusted his large ears to better hear the conversation.

"So all the dead were buried there. Would anything special be done for the mage?"

"He would likely be buried alone. Covered in rocks," the voice was male. "Fair warning, though. They probably did things to the body to ensure he wouldn't return from the dead."

Kitty nodded. She apparently expected that. She squinted in that direction for several moments before she turned her head toward the mysterious figure.

"What of the elf that killed him?"

"He disappeared during the battle. I don't know if he still lives."

"Think the Duke would be willing to assist me in finding him?"

"Depends on what you have to offer."

Kitty grimaced slightly. She doubted the Duke was looking for money.

"Very well."

Kitty turned and started to walk back to where she had left Gormak. The cloaked figure walked further into the mist and disappeared.

"Mistress Kitty! Gormak help?" He got to his feet quickly.

"Sure. We're going down to that area to look for a grave. One covered in stones. Probably some other stuff on it to ward off evil magic. Up for it?" She arched an eyebrow at the goblin.

"Oh yes, Mis-ERK!" His voice was silenced as an arrow pierced his throat, spraying blood on her and the surrounding grass. He fell to the ground, writhing for only a moment before going completely still. His eyes were still open in surprise even as they clouded over.

Kitty stepped back in surprise. She had allowed herself to drop her guard once they reached their destination. Her eyes lifted to where the arrow came from to see an elf step from the trees. But she knew this elf. She had seen his face through the eyes of another.

It was the traitor.