The kobold crouched low just inside the tunnel entrance. Shading his eyes, he hissed as the bright light filtered through the undergrowth and stabbed into his eyes. The world beyond was so bright, the green and brown forest illuminated by a carmine glare that felt like a pair of daggers had been plunged into his skull.

"Goggles," the young kobold's companion hissed, a clawed hand stuck his horns in reprimand, "You'll ruin whatever vision you hope to have out there."

Returning that hiss with an added snarl at the strike, Nocuous fumbled with the leather, brass and crystal lenses that hung around his neck. The smoked glass cut the glare of the setting sun and brought the world into a sharper focus. Turning his head he watched his chief and trainer Vikris scuttle out of the tunnel and skirt the bushes on the outside. Vikris’ scaled body, normally bright red scales and maroon plates, was subdued in the smoky haze of the goggles but he could see his outline well enough. His lithe frame was barely four feet tall but he had a wiry strength that Nocuous aspired to attain one day; though he had little hope of attaining the skill at spellcraft and dagger-play his leader possessed.

The younger kobold checked his sword and crossbow were still safely stored. His claws grasping the handle of his sword and drawing it a few inches to test one last time its motion in the hilt before he moved forward to join Vikris as he motioned him out of the tunnel.

Crouching low, he scuttled forward, less smoothly and louder than he would have prefered, but it seemed unavoidable in the armour he had been given for this mission. It was tough black leather, and covered the purple scales and plates of his own body, extending down to his thighs and upper arms. It was new and stiff; and dug into his body uncomfortably. It was not entirely unwearable though, and had been well oiled by the quartermaster who had assured him with time it would break in and conform to him, but that would take time and probably weeks of wear to happen. Of course keeping it clean and in good condition was now up to him and a daunting task. Compared to hunting with the Chief however, he'd take looking after his armour any day of the week.

"It stinks out here," Nocuous muttered to Vikris as he crouched beside him, "What is that... stench, damp and pungent? I can taste it on my tongue... rotten and ugh..."

"That is the forest, most of the surface world stinks like this," Vikris hissed softly as his forked tongue tasted the air, "You'll get used to it in time, now follow me, be quick yet silent like Yaron showed you.” He then moved off through the deepening gloom, flitting from shadow to shadow like a ghost, his black tunic blending perfectly into the shade created by the forest's overlapping canopy of branches above and bushes on the ground. Even the red lining of the tunic’s hems seemed to vanish when the lizard went still.

Easier for you without all this armour, thought Nocuous before, and with a deep breath, he took after him. Scampering, claws skittering on stones from shadow to shadow, using deft twitches of his tail to change direction, never having to pause for long as he slid from shadow, to shade, to patch of darkness.
As their pace increased, the kobold’s trepidations for the outside world began to abate. Traveling like this was exhilarating, it was like he was pulling the shadows around his body and for nearly an hour they sliced through the forest together leaving almost no trail in their wake.

There were moments when it was less fun however, like the stagnant pool of water coated in scum they had skirted. The stench was unbearable and the floor of the forest wasn't solid rock like he was used to, it was soft and sticky and after wading into a low dell full of mud his legs were sticky with the vile organic gunk.

Eventually Vikris stopped and tilted his head to the side, listening, rocking his head this way and that. One claw snagged Nocuous’ muzzle as the purple kobold caught up and tried to speak, it held his mouth shut and rendering his speech as just a huff of breath from his nostrils as Vikris listened to the forest around them.

After a moment, a sudden flurry of wings beat a few meters above their heads, and Nocuous went for his crossbow but Vikris caught his hand as he released the purple snout. “Its nothing, just an owl on a hunt of its own.”

“A what?” replied Nocuous, his voice sounding tense.

"A night predator bird," Vikris explained as he released Nocuous’ wrist as well, "We need to get closer to the road."

"Why do we gotta hunt out here anyway!" the young bold hissed, "It's horrible and you can't feel or see very far."

Vikris' eyes glittered as he regarded his young charge and he reached out a clawed hand and pulled off Nocuous' goggles with a snap of strap pinging off his horns. With those off, the young kobold could now see that the sun had set and the forest was as dark as the tunnels they called home, darker even in some ways. Vikris it appeared had removed his own goggles quite a while ago. Nocuous mumbled a quiet and reluctant growl of appreciation.

The red kobold beckoned and started to climb the tree they had been hiding behind, his short body slinking upwards rapidly. Nocuous watched him go then followed him, he'd spent enough time during his training climbing up rock walls in the caves back home that he knew he’d be able to climb this tree. It was stickier in places thanks to tree sap but also easier as he could dig his claws into the bark and make his own handholds.

Sliding through the tangle of branches and leaves at the top the young purple kobold rested his feet on a branch and balanced next to his Chief. Vikris was silent for a moment then leant forward and gripped Nocuous' shoulder and asked, "Where do we live?"

"Ah..." that wasn't the question he'd been expecting, "The galleries and caverns under Drailen Mountain, near the Font of the Shadow Flame."

"Exactly, dark, quiet underground caverns, we've got plenty of minerals, lots of rocks and metals but barely any space for food. Who do we trade with?"

"The… dwarfs of Traygon Hall?"

"Yes though their prices for fresh food are punishing, who else?"

"Erm, oh! The Orcs from Grendelholme, the Beholder Yarogoth's people and uhm... the drow occasionally?"

Vikris nodded, "Yes all powerful clans and a long journey from our caverns, and all unlikely to give us a good price on food and drink. So we have to hunt in these woods, you see that?" He pointed to a glow on the horizon, "Do you know what that is?"

Nocuous peered over the dark canopy of trees then shook his head, "No... I've never been outside before, is the forest on fire?"

"Hardly, that is Casa Tof'Marole, the largest independent trading port on the Koomnit river. We could buy anything we want in its markets. Food from all across the seven states, or from the Dominion of Wolf or the Baroncle Empire or even as far afield as Raythrust, Kingdom of the Dragons."

"Why don't we?"

"Because those who rule call us monsters, barbarians, uncivilized savages who should be killed on sight," sighed Vikris as he shook his head, "Our people are not welcome in the city and the tunnels that run beneath it are closed to us. Even skulking in their underground river tunnels we could get access to more food than we could trade off the orca, dwarfs and beholder combined."

Nocuous frowned then glanced at his leader, "I guess there is a good reason we don't use their tunnels."

"The Beholder Yarogoth has claimed the only tunnel from the mountain that links to the city and the "Sewer realm" belongs to the Rat King… even if we could make a deal with him we are locked out."

“So,” Nocuous began but stopped as Vikris pulled one of his daggers out of his belt and teased the blade against his claws.

“We are cut out of the world, outcast from those who claim we are evil. A leftover experiment from the days when dragons ruled all. Egg-born, but free…” he grinned at the younger kobold, “And we have made our place in the world.”

“So we come above ground and hunt here as best we can to feed ourselves?”

“Yup, now follow me down and help,” the red lizard dropped off his branch and fell, Nocuous gasped and hurried to scramble down to the ground as someone yelped from below. What he found was his Chief perched on the shoulders of someone dressed in the soft green felt and brown leather clothing that identified him as a ranger, and the thick fur all over his body as something neither human nor elf but just as tall.

Vikris had his heavy foot-claws pressed into the sentient’s back and he’d been forced down onto his knees by the initial kobold assault. Vikris also had rendered him incapable of resisting by pulling his head back by his hair and pressing the blade of his dagger firmly against his throat.

“Disarm him Nocu,” Vikris hissed as the tawny furred stranger rolled his eyes toward the purple lizard in fear, “I’ve not had the pleasure of a fully fledged ranger before, so be sure to strip him of everything, I don’t want any hidden weapons left behind.”

Nocuous took a moment to take in look over their shared prey. Its canine muzzle and short but thick furred tail had to make it some kind of wild dog. He relieved the wild-eyed tall creature of its sword, the heavy dagger at his belt and his claws sliced the bow-string to pull the large ash-made bow away. He then took his talons to the ranger’s clothing, sturdy boots, leather trousers all died under the sharpness of his nails. He found a dagger in his boots and another one on a piece of string hanging down his back as he shredded his padded coat and shirt.

"I think that's everything sir," Nocuous murmured, as now naked, the spotted flanks of the canine made his native species obvious. The purple kobold had seen such pelts decorating their caves’ floors and walls.

"You going to behave hyena?" hissed Vikris into the ranger’s ears.

"Yeef," their captive mumbled, all the fight had gone out of him. Nocu watched with interest as Vikris pulled his dagger away, seized the hyena's arms and bound them behind his back. He was then unceremoniously tipped onto his side where he lay trembling. The purple kobold cocked his head in mild disgust, "He doesn’t have much fight in him..."

"That's the thing with the surface dwellers, especially the warm blooded furry ones; take away their weapons and their clothes and most of them will surrender."

Nocuous crouched down next to their captive and stared at him, "But he has claws, teeth... he could still fight us! I'd never surrender just because I was naked."

"That is because you are a kobold of Clan Shadowflame," Vikris slapped Nocuous on the shoulder in approval then turned his attention to the rangers gear. Sifting through it all he nodded his head and smiled, "Not bad for a night hunting, we'll get nearly a thousand gold for tonight’s haul."

Nocu couldn't stop grinning as it all became clear now. They weren’t out here for game. The little lizard puffed up his chest proudly, "So this our usual prey?"

"Lone travellers are always worth more than a deer or boar, let's get ready to move out,” instructed Vikris as he began taking the hyena’s captured weapons and attaching their holsters to his ornate chieftain belt.

The hyena suddenly growled, squirming into a sitting position, "You kobolds are as dumb as you are dishonourable, my gear is worth very little." Nocuous instantly felt that insult cut deep and reached for his sword but Vikris had already moved.

Having dropped the bow, Vikris had strode over and gripped the hyena's muzzle and stared into his eyes. He shifted a foot and stepped quite firmly atop the hyena's tackle making him whine and squirm, "You mis-understand me hyena, your gear isn't what I'm selling," he twisted his foot making the hyena squeal again then threw him face down in the dirt, "I know quite a few people who'll bid well for a muscular young hyena slave like you."

Nocuous gasped but then clasped his clawed paws together excitedly. He knew just how much coin a slave could net the clan. A single good one could get some of the best food for all of them for a month. "You mean it, we're really going to sell this one?"

"Of course, he's ours now, he'll learn his place and I've got some useful spells to jack his price up. Now get him on his feet and let's get him back below ground,” Vikris hissed to his clan brother before locking his eyes one last time on their prey. “Your life as a pissing tree-hugging ranger is over."

Nocuous nodded and quickly dragged the whimpering, naked hyena to his feet and pulled him after Vikris as the red and purple 'bolds headed back toward the mountain and their caves.