Back At The Barnyard

Flute had her followers carry the women back to the barn. Stick carried his mother on a sleigh. "Don't worry, mom; I'll keep you safe from them." He tells her in an attempt to comfort her. The town was nearly empty. Most of the goblins were waiting at the gate for the wolf meat. The barn's reinforcement was left unfinished due to the snow, but it makes for a better fortress than the tent roof building the slaves stayed in. "Flute, are there any two by fours we can use to block the windows?"

"You mean wood planks. Yes, we have many." She responded. Flute calls on two of her followers to get nails and hammers from the armory. "Wood can block windows for short time, but chief and followers are strong. chief break window and door easy."

"I know, which is why I have these," Stick pulls out three stinkbombs from his coat. "I'm going to lay down traps with these bombs. This should deter most of the attackers. My only concern now is the chief. Flute, how strong is he?"

Flute looked at Stick with eyes filled with excitement. "Flute knows chief super strong. I see chief fight many times. Flute remembers when chief and Flute were small. Chief protect me." Flute's excitement suddenly turned solemn. "Flute liked Cala to be chief. Then, then that!" Flute's story was suddenly interrupted.

"Excuse me? Flute, Meek found wood back of barn." Said a goblin carrying an armful of wooden planks.

"Good."

They just passed the brothers' cottage on their way to the barn when Stick thought of an idea, " Meek, can you also get some ropes? And shovels too. Oh, and do you guys have flowers or anything that smells good by any chance. I have a plan."

"Whatever plan is, Flute will help you." She turned to Meek, "Gather all caretakers. Flute and Stick have orders.

Flute ordered some of her followers to block all doors and windows with wooden planks. Meanwhile, Stick and other goblins built a two-meter wall made out of snow surrounding the barn. After creating the wall, a two-meter moat was dug up behind the walls. In the bottom of the ditch, Stick rigged his traps. Stick tied a rope around the top of the stinkbomb. He tied the end of the same rope on a wooden pole he struck to the ground. The end with the bomb connects to another wooden pole placed three meters away from the other pole. The rope was hanging off the ground for at least one meter high, and the trap itself is in front of the barn's entrance. Stick built three more on the sides of the barn, while the back was left untouched because there were no exits or entrance.

It took an hour and a half for the goblins to finish their preparations. Flute ordered her caretakers to form a defensive formation outside the barn, but Stick insisted they remain inside. He didn't want to involve them anymore in this fight. Pin gave him the perfume he requested. He poured the ointment on a rag and tied it around his face to mask his nose. Finally, he threw a wooden sickle with a rope attached over the roof. He tugged on the rope to see if it hooked onto something. He was going to use the rope to climb up and down. After his preparations, Stick did some stretches before climbing up the barn to stand guard on the roof.

Cloud limbed up the snow wall, calling out to Stick while he was doing his stretches. Stick quickly rushed to Cloud's direction when he noticed Could was getting ready to jump down, "Cloud doesn't jump down, I rigged a trap in the ditch." Cloud falls on his back before jumping off the wall.

"Whew, that was close." Cloud sighed. He climbed back up the wall and stayed there to talk to Stick. "Where is Flute?"

"She's inside. Did the chief send you here, Cloud?"

"Yeah, he wanted to tell you that he will give your brothers ten more minutes before coming here."

"Ok," Stick looked back at the barn. He clenched his fist and took a deep breath. He was ready as he can be.

"Stick, may I ask you a question?" Stick nodded back at Cloud, "Why are you doing this? The chief is the strongest goblin there is. These snow walls will do nothing against him. He would just slash through it or leap over it."

"I have to try, for my brothers and mothers' sake. Besides, the situation is not that hopeless. Those stink bombs you gave me, that all I need."

"I don't think my stinkbombs are that strong. I was only exaggerating its powers when I told you it could make a Timber Wolf feint. The chief would only see it as a minor inconven..."

"Cloud!" Stick yelled, "I know how strong your stinkbombs are. I've seen, smelled, and used it on a Timber Wolf. I know exactly how strong they are, and I can tell you right now, they are not weak. And don't you ever say those things again! Cala wanted you to be his retainers because of how strong your weapons are. So don't forget that." Cloud smiled back at Stick. "And besides, I did some reading and experimenting while watching over Sun. Seeing you work got me thinking of ideas."

Cloud did not know what reading meant, but he did understand that Stick is determined to protect the slaves and his mother against anyone, including Cala. Could only pray for the brothers' safety. He returned to his post after chatting.

It has been three hours since the brothers left. The clouds got darker since then. It means snowfall is coming, and the tribe has grown tired of waiting. Even if the brothers kill a wolf, it will not suffice as food for the entire tribe. Cala smiled while staring at the forest on top of his wooden tower. He believes those nuisances are dead, and that its time to kill the slaves and feed the tribe.

Dawn climbed down the tower an hour ago. She waited for Rock's return. She didn't understand why she was concerned about his safety, but she waited regardless. But as the seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours, Dawn began to lose hope. Rock was not coming back for her, just like Sum. Only this time, she thought Rock is not coming back for good.

Stick sat on top of the roof. He watched as Cala and his retainers march towards the barn. Olhos stopped the march in front of the snow wall. "What's the meaning of this?" Cala yelled. "You there! You must be the runt of the halflings. Did you make this wall?"

"What do you mean? That wall was there when we got here!" Stick answered back. "The ones in charge of fixing and improving the barn must have built it."

"Where the hell is Flute? She needs to come out of here and give me the slave."

"Flute is inside with the slaves. She said she'd only give the slaves if one of you come inside and take them."

"Olhos, tell your followers to get in there and get my slaves out!" Cala snarled as he gave out his command.

Olhos motion his hand to the barn, "All heard chief. Move!" Olhos yelled.

A massive swarm of goblins climbed over the wall. The first goblins that arrived on top of the wall stood still after looking down at the ditch. It was a big drop, but what worried the goblins were the long rope traveling through the moat. They sense a trap. One of the goblins tried to climb back the other way and warn the others, "Guys, Peele see,"

"Shut up. Key needs get top of wall!" Key pushed Peele out of the way. Peele stumbles backward until finally, he fell down the ditch. The rest of the goblins followed once they saw Peele stand back up unharmed. Stick smiled as the goblins jumped down one after the other. None of them saw the stinkbomb fly into the air.

The bomb landed on top of one of the goblin's head, shattering into pieces. The goblin was covered in the foul stench, and the smell quickly expanded to the rest of the ditch, engulfing the goblins inside. The goblins were crying, coughing, and some of them could not see. They screamed in agony as they stumble to and on each other inside the trench. Stick stood on top of his barn with a smile behind his mask.

Olhos' face was burning red from embarrassment. He could believe what was happening. He ordered his followers to go around to sides, but those two were rigged with traps. The goblins that got over the wall were in no condition to fight. Meanwhile, Cala's face was red because of anger.

He had enough of the screaming goblins. He raised his sword towards the sky. Blue came out of his forearm and traveled up the beveled groove of the sword. After a few seconds, the sword was covered in a blueish aura. He struck down to the ground, creating a blue gust of wind that traveled to the wall of snow. The wind slashed through the wall, creating an opening. Cala entered through it. Stick slide down and stood in front of the barn doors. He, his club, and wooden sickle are the only thing that stands between Cala and his mother.