Spurb Zeta

Deolif bristled, the young green-blooded troll sensing something amiss in the quiet forest around him. The nearby trees swayed despite the lack of wind, a low creaking starting to his right and slowly passing overhead before something crashed on his left. The loud thump echoed a moment, stirring a cloud of dust to hide the shape as he cautiously crept closer.

The shape moved, claws and teeth bared in an instant as the shape became clear. It was another troll, about his age maybe a little younger, and she was covered in bright yellow blood. Her eyes glowed as the snarled warning increased but she hardly seemed in shape to back her threat. One leg was curled close to her chest as she settled into a half crouch and blood still dripped from a deep scratch across her left shoulder.

Deolif paused to study her before speaking, trying to sound semi-friendly as he took in the poor creature bristling before him. “Hey…uh, are you okay there?”

She spat towards him, her teeth clicking together in a gesture he couldn’t comprehend and her claws flexing slowly. She seemed to be sizing him up the way her eyes tracked his every movement but after another moment of this tense standoff she finally relaxed. Her rigid stance loosened slowly, and she settled more on all fours, one hand braced against the dirt and the other covering her bleeding wound. Her eyes softened as well, and she clicked her teeth again, the sound somewhat more inviting this time.

“I could…help with that if you need?” He tried to approach again but a sharp hiss put a stop to that.

Her eyes narrowed at him, that strange clicking starting up again as she scanned the forest around them before letting her gaze settle again. She still seemed skittish, though maybe she was warming up to him, and he couldn’t really blame her. The bright yellow blood still seeping between her tight fingers wasn’t exactly natural.

“Do you uh…talk?”

That earned another hiss, but she seemed to be processing the question, her hand slowly unclenching from her shoulder and she didn’t protest this time when he stepped forward to examine the wound.

“My hive isn’t too far, I could get it properly wrapped there. If that’s alright?” He pulled a wad of cloth from his sylladex and placed it over the wound.

Her bloody hand returned to her shoulder, pressing the cloth in place as she ducked her head. “O…kay…” The sounds were choppy, not quite proper words though they got the point across. “G…o… with… who?”

“I’m Deolif,” He stood slowly, supporting her now as she tried to put pressure on her bad leg, “We’ll get you fixed up in no time.”