Kono, Futa Drow Ranger Ch. 02

Amelia:

Amelia awoke from an unfamiliar dream. The dirt walls of the burrow reminded her that yesterday really did happen. She pulled her cloak over herself to defend against the morning chill.

"Good, you're awake." A familiar voice startled her. "We leave before first light. I recommend you eat something."

It all came back to her, where she was, who she was with, what she did last night... The thoughts made her blush, and the rush of embarrassment made her hide her blushing face under the cloak. She must have put this over me after I passed out. I hope I didn't sleep too long. I must seem so weak. Amelia breathed deep and peaked her eyes out of her soft barricade.

There was Kono, kneeling down in front of some kind of glowing green magical box.

"What's that?" Amelia asked sheepishly. Not even awake for five minutes and she's already doing crazy magic stuff.

"Salted pork, hardtack, and a bit of local mushroom for flavor." Kono replied, still busy digging through the box.

Weird, those reagents sound like breakfast. Oh she's actually talking about breakfast. Amelia poked her head out a little more, and saw a deep bowl filled with stew in front of her. The sight made her stomach growl, and the hunger made her forget any embarrassment and emerge from her hiding place to start eating.

"Wow this is a lot! And it tastes good too!" Amelia spoke with a mouthful of salty pork and mushrooms.

"The influx of mana will give you more energy, but that energy has to come from somewhere. You'll need to eat twice what you normally would today." Kono's tone was distracted by whatever was going on in that box.

Influx of mana? That's an awfully concise way to say that I just sucked your thing until it shot hot cum all down my throat. Amelia gulped down a particularly difficult piece of hardtack. Maybe she doesn't want to mention it? Or maybe I wasn't very good? I mean it was my first time but I sure did feel like I was doing a good job. Maybe I did such a good job that she dare not mention it, lest she be forced to leap upon me with sudden uncontrollable lust. Yup, that's it. Amelia giggled quietly to herself, eyeing Kono over the rim of her bowl as she shoveled the rest of the tasty stew into her mouth.

With her bowl empty Amelia crawled over towards Kono before sitting up on her knees to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Kono was pulling pieces of armor one by one out of the box, neatly arranging them to one side. They were pieces of full plate, their alloy colored a dark purple Amelia had only seen in the manor's history books. She turned her attention to the glowing container.

The inside of the box looked like an open void, and within floated an assortment of weapons, armor, and all kinds of adventuring assundry. Amelia's bright face lit up with excitement.

"Wow, that's a crazy box!"

Kono flicked a piece of armor away, another came to replace it all on its own. "It's not a box, it's a portal between this plane and the astral plane. With a considerable expenditure of mana, I can pull any item stored there to our plane of existence."

The drow pulled a metal cap out of the void. It looked like a helm Amelia often saw the manor guards wear. Kono turned around and briefly studied the top of Amelia's head before casually placing the helmet on it. The weight felt strange pushing down on her scalp, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"There's a hole in the back, for your ponytail." Kono said before turning back to her work. Amelia pulled her blonde hair through the hole in the back, tying it up in that familiar elven style.

"I didn't realize they put hair holders in these."

"They don't. My bow made that hole."

Amelia froze for a little, a strand of blonde hair escaped her grip as all the implications settled in.

"Forgive my um... inexperience, but what's the point of a helmet if you can shoot an arrow through it?"

"Lucky for you I won't be the one shooting at you. That helmet will deflect blades, falling rocks, rubble, and probably goblin arrows."

"Probably..?" Amelia suddenly grew very aware of her mortality.

"Best not to find out."

The hike back to the goblin's brook was more taxing than before. It had taken Kono a half an hour to don her full plate, and the sounds of its metallic cadence was as audible as the drow's heavy breathing. Amelia was fascinated by the sight of it, the dark plates covered the drow from neck to toe, and anything not protected by them was guarded by a thick chainmail hauberk beneath. Even though the armor was thick and protective, it had a certain artistry to it. The design was both intimidating and somehow feminine.

The armor wasn't the only new bit of kit. At her hip Kono had a new sword, the blade was curved in a way Amelia had never seen before, and at the drow's waist was a small hand crossbow. Amelia was dying to overwhelm Kono with questions, but every time she opened her mouth she shut it quickly. Kono's heavy breathing relayed that maybe she wasn't keen to answer a bunch of silly questions.

Just when Amelia couldn't bear her curiosity anymore the drow spoke up. "You keep opening and shutting your mouth like you're catching bugs. It's annoying me. Very well." Without looking back she held up three armored fingers. "Three. You get three questions to ask me whatever you wish."

Amelia didn't respond immediately; she took a minute to carefully consider her queries. "So if you have such a um, splendid suit of armor. Why not always wear it? It must be more protective than what you wore yesterday."

Kono waited until they crested the next hill before responding. "The simple answer is the plate, and more so the chain hauberk underneath it, is heavy. I'd rather not go on long treks into combat wearing eighty plus pounds of metal. By the time I draw my sword I'd already be exhausted. Today we know where and choose when we are going to fight, so I can bring this armor to counter the goblin's weak weapons. Versatility is key, Amelia, and any chance you have to put a fight in your favor or gain an advantage, you take it. And if you don't have a chance, you create one."

Amelia frowned a little to herself. I suppose last night was just creating an advantage then. She shook her head, readjusting the helmet to sit proper. Of course it was, I was taking advantage too. Don't think like a foolish girl.

As they got close to the brook Kono sent Amelia ahead to scout. She nocked an arrow and moved swiftly into position. It felt like she was lighter than air the way she could move so dexterously from tree to tree. Her heart rate raced when she got close enough to scan the area for any green figures. She breathed a sigh of relief, or maybe disappointment, when she found the area clear.

Kono was close behind and ,after taking a brief glance around herself, promptly sat heavily against a shaded tree. Amelia looked at her a little confused. Kono pulled a handful of jerky out of her pouch and took a satisfied bite. "Finally arrived. I swear, every mile in this suit feels like ten."

Amelia was still perplexed. "Shouldn't we be moving on? Toward their nest?"

Kono replied with her mouth half full. "Nope. They, like all living things, need water and this is where they get it. So, eventually, someone green is going to come down here to fetch some. And when they do, lo and behold, we control that water! We are effectively laying siege to these guys and they don't even know it." She seemed quite proud of herself.

Amelia squatted down and returned her arrow to its quiver. "So we're just going to wait."

"We're not waiting; we're laying siege. Patience is a hunter's greatest weapon."

She's right, unfortunately. Amelia wanted to exert her newfound strength. She wanted to run and jump and shoot. She wanted to fight something. Amelia sighed and resigned herself to sitting by her own tree. I don't have the patience for patience right now.

They lied in wait under the cool shade of the trees for some time. Amelia did her best to keep her mind occupied and her body calm. All calm besides her fidgeting right leg, but that was a habit she had even before she...

Maybe Kono's seed gave me more than just might and speed.

Amelia shut her eyes for just a moment and noticed how the breeze gently shook the trees. It was like she could pick out each individual leaf shaking calmly in the wind. She realized that she could even hear the birdsongs more clearly and locate which trees the small creatures sang from.

Eventually, the sun hung high in the sky and Amelia was starting to grow restless again. "So how far away do you think the nest is?"

Kono was slumped back against the tree, her face calm and shaded. "Well, think about how far you would want to carry water every single day. Now divide that by two since they're half our size and therefore move half as fast. Then subtract some for typical goblin laziness and you should get close enough."

"So they're clo-"

The wind carried the sounds of foreign voices and rustling bushes. Amelia scampered into position behind a tree, nocked an arrow and strained her ears to learn more. Their voices were certainly goblin. They spoke a guttural language she did not understand and sounded to be arguing.

She looked over at Kono who was already prone, peeking over her own hiding spot with her hand crossbow at the ready. She only has one shot with that, if there's more than two it will be on me to take them out. Her body shivered but her hands remained steady. I've never been more excited in my life.

The distant conversation grew nearer, and Amelia was able to pick out three different voices. At least three, but there could be more.

She had been in this position before, but it was never with her life on the line. Amelia tentatively looked over again at Kono for some kind of instruction. The drow looked back with a reassuring nod. Amelia knew she would have to take the first shot.

The huntress could hear their footsteps now to grow closer. She did her best to keep perfectly still, and breathed as lightly as her racing heart would allow. The soft sound of the flowing brook was broken by a dipping bucket. She took a breath, stepped out from her cover, drew her bow with a practiced hand, calmly lined the shot right under the goblins chin, and loosed.

Amelia had never taken a shot this close before. Her heart jumped when she heard the impact of arrow and flesh. In that moment a high washed over her. It was something absolute, almost divine. Amelia inhaled with satisfaction. The air had never tasted more sweet.

The serenity of the brook was broken with shouts of confusion and anger. Amelia had already nocked another arrow by the time she spotted her second target. He was turned around, scampering up a mound of dirt to safety.

Once again, she drew and let loose. Her arrow hit the goblin low on the back with a familiar thud, sending him falling forward with a scream of anguish. That sound again... pure satisfaction, and the screams are like a dash of cream in warm tea...

Her concentration was broken by the sharp echoing crack of bark right next to her. A pang of panic shot up from her gut when Amelia saw the arrow embedded just inches from her head. Amelia breathed deeply to steel her resolve and resist the urge to duck immediately back into cover. Whoever shot that arrow has to nock another one, I'll find him first! .

Amelia retraced the arrows trajectory and scanned the rustling brush for her opponent. She heard the crack of a crossbow shot, and Kono's bolt flew into the brush. Shortly after, a goblin came rolling slowly down the hill with Kono's bolt in his throat.

How did I miss that, how many are there? I didn't take time to count, I was too focused on aiming, stupid! Amelia scanned the area they came from, she heard two voices. One was the wounded goblin screaming as hard as it could, and the other... Focus on the sound Amelia, like you're hunting birds.

Her ears perked up as she tried to make sense of the racket. Amelia filtered out what was unnecessary and focused. She parsed the soft breeze against her cheek, the lightly running water of the brook, her own controlled breathing, and finally, a soft rustling of the bushes just up the hill. Amelia readied her shot, and waited for the bushes to betray their occupant. At first sight of movement she loosed. The leaves of the bush went still.

"That's all of them. Well done huntress." Kono stepped over the brook that was already running red with the blood of Amelia's first victim. Amelia watched from her cover as the drow approached the wounded creature. Its cries of pain were silenced with a sickening snap as Kono brought down her metaled boot. Everything was serene again. Amelia couldn't take her eyes off of the way flowing blood tainted the brook's clean waters.

"This was your first time, I assume. Killing a sentient creature." Kono's voice shook Amelia back to attention.

"It all just happened so quickly, but at the same time... it felt like every moment lasted hours." Ever since that night with Kono Amelia felt like her senses had been heightened. To exert her new abilities in battle was nothing short of exhilarating. Kono looked at Amelia with soft eyes and spoke with a reassuring tone.

"It wasn't quick, you've been tracking and outwitting them for days now. We were on the right side of this ambush because we thought everything through, took absolute control. Remember that and you won't end up like them." Kono loaded another bolt into her crossbow before returning it to its holder. "And if you're having any moral conundrums right now, I can say in my long life I've never met a good goblin. They're evil destructive little creatures that build nothing and desecrate everything within their small reach. Best to put them down first, before they get a chance to hurt someone."

Amelia looked up at Kono. She's mistaken my calm satisfaction for trauma. Perhaps it would be best if I played the role she's set for me. I don't even know how to react to this... pleasure I feel right now.

"It's just sad is all." Amelia's voice was soft and small. "That there are creatures who can only hurt and destroy. I guess some are born with a kind of inescapable proclivity for evil."

Kono looked ahead at something Amelia could not see, her voice was distant.

"Some."

Amelia followed along behind her companion with renewed confidence. At the moment of the kills before she felt nothing, then afterwards she felt a kind of eerie sorrow. Now all she felt was elation, thinking about how her arrows cleanly struck flesh filled her chest with excitement and satisfaction. She let me take the first shot, she trusted me! Oh no I think I just skipped a little, I hope she didn't notice. They had hardly walked a minute before Amelia piqued up with her next question.

"Ok, question number two. How did you get that armor?"

Kono kept a steady pace. "I earned it for being... productive."

"Productive?"

"Efficient I should say. Doing things like this, but instead of hunting goblins I was fighting a war."

"The Matriarch Wars, right? You fought in big battles?"

"No, there were no battles, direct large-scale confrontation isn't really our style. My missions were mostly recon, sabotage, assassination..." The drow looked back at Amelia and poked the back of her head with a wry smile. Amelia rubbed the hole in her helmet gingerly.

Kono continued with a light chuckle. "My mistress gave me commands and I followed them, and as a reward for my good service, she bestowed me with this armor."

"So you're um, like a knight?" Amelia wasn't quite comfortable with the term, Kono hardly acted like the chivalrous knights from her books.

"Something like that. There are tiers of power amongst my people, and those several steps above you might take you in as an adjudicator: an extension of their will. Adjudicators are given the armor of their matriarch to represent them."

Amelia was a little surprised, she couldn't imagine Kono serving anyone. "Seems like a big expense for something you barely ever use."

"Think about it Amelia, you've seen your lord and his bannermen prancing about in their armor all the time. How often do they actually trade blows in it? Armor is more than just protection, it's a symbol of the wealth of whatever patron you represent. You'll see them engraved with their lord's colors and sigils of lions or griffons or whatever's fashionable at the time. Our symbol is sex, so our armor is designed to represent that. Without the hauberk, drow plate is quite stunning to see paraded about."

Amelia gave Kono another look over, she was right. If that chainmail wasn't covering her there would be quite a few places to trap a lustful eye. Amelia readjusted the ever so slightly too big helm on her head. I wonder what I would look like adorned that way. How many eyes would be glued to me?

"And your third question?"

Amelia looked startled, she hoped Kono didn't notice her checking her out. "Oh my third? You said I got three questions, you never said when or what I could ask"

Kono smiled at the girl. "Underestimated your guile once again Amelia. My first mistake of the day."

Amelia giggled a little to herself, then scrunched up her nose. "What is that wretched smell?"

Kono tilted her head back to smell the air. "That is the smell of a goldmine."

A goldmine? Hardly, that smells like wretched shit.

Kono squatted down to get a better look at the filth. Amelia pinched her nose while the drow poked and prodded with a small twig. "It's fresh, looks like our mage friend even managed to potty train them."

Kono looked out at the small clearing they had found; the once floral place was packed end to end with piles of dung. "I think I'm starting to enjoy this hunt." The drow moved off to inspect more droppings, Amelia could barely stand the stench of it all. She warily tip-toed behind the experienced ranger, carefully stepping over the various droppings.

"Pay attention Amelia, the enemy has given us an abundance of information." Kono stopped at a pile she found particularly interesting, Amelia only found it particularly disgusting. Kono turned to speak to Amelia, the drow's usual calm expression was replaced with a foreign look of bubbling whimsy.

"You see, goblin's love nothing more than to fester in their own stench. It's even said that the chieftain is decided by whose shit is the most..." Kono paused to think for a moment.

"Pungent?" Amelia offered, her voice nasally from her pinched nose.

"No it's not about the volume of the stench, but more the sharpness of it. Who's stink sticks out from the crowd so to speak. Goblin cunning in a nutshell!"

Amelia grimaced, she'd rather not think about food right now. Kono stood up and offered Amelia her place.

"But their current leader has no interest in goblin culture, so she made them poop out here, giving us every opportunity to learn from it. For instance we could count the number of fresh piles, then come back the next day, recount them, and gain good knowledge about their numbers." Amelia hesitantly squatted in Kono's position, the drow continued lecturing excitedly.

"Or we could examine the contents, find out their diets, learn where and what they eat. Admittedly not very useful information when we're hunting goblins, but very useful if it were some kind of large beast we wanted to catch in a trap. No, what is useful here, is right in this particular pile." Kono crouched down joyfully next to Amelia, looking at the pile and back to the girl with a knowing smile. "Can you tell Amelia? There's something very important here."

Amelia did her best to steel her constitution before looking closely at what was in front of her. Is she toying with me? It's just a pile of poop. A very big pile I guess... with impressive circumference. Wait a minute. Amelia spoke up, her nose was still plugged but she began to feel the excitement. "The um, turds are bigger. Bigger than the other goblins, and uhh, probably bigger than a drow's would be."