The strike sent Gabby stumbling into the tree. She tripped on its roots, falling to the ground. Pain pulsed through her skull as her vision blurred. Every throb of pain threatened to drag her into unconsciousness. Through the haze, she forced herself to look at her assaints.

  Two goblins were standing over her. Green skin stretched over lean muscles. Their faces, with long crooked noses and sharp teeth, were twisted into sadistic grins.

  “Hit again!” Said the one who hadn't hit Gabby, waving his arms wildly. “Make her go night-night!”

  “Chief want mate alive,” the other replied. Raising his club in case she moved.

  Gabby felt nauseous—whether it was the attack or being referred to as the chief’s mate, she couldn’t tell.

  The smaller, unarmed goblin shoved the rger one aside. Irritation fshed in the bigger goblin’s eyes, for a moment he considered crushing the smaller goblin’s head with his weapon instead.

  The annoying one didn't notice the gre sent his way. He moved closer to Gabby, and with the distance shortened, Gabby realized she recognized these two goblins.

  They were both of her old tribe. The tall one with the club-like branch was one of the tribe’s stronger warriors. He was nowhere near the chief in terms of strength, granted, no one was. But he had enough muscles and respect to be a regur part of the chief’s hunting groups.

  The shorter, more obnoxious one was one of the younger goblins, just like Gabby. She had always disliked him. He would constantly taunt and harass everyone, usually Gabby and the other female goblins. She was also pretty sure he held the esteemed position of the goblin she had kicked the most in the crotch. She found it to be the best way to fend off his unwanted advances.

  “Why chief care anyway?” asked Annoying, grabbing a handful of Gabby's hair, wrenching her head up from the ground. “She has human face. Tribe has prettier females.”

  “Don’t know. If want anger chief, ask him,” Branch replied. The threat hung in the air as Annoying leered at her. It was clear he didn't want to hand her over to the chief without getting a taste of her first.

  “She has slime on her body,” Annoying remarked, studying Tara’s form wrapped around Gabby. “Too weak to fight slime?” He poked her living slime bikini.

  Gabby’s anger was overflowing. She hated this. She hated feeling weak. She hated being looked down upon. She hated being under anyone's control. That was why she had left the tribe, and she refused to go back.

  Her dizziness was repced with seething fury. Her vision narrowed to a single point within her reach.

  The smaller goblin didn't realize what was happening until Gabby's hand closed around his throat.

  The look of surprise in his eyes was priceless. Annoying cwed at her grip, struggling to breathe.

  With trembling legs, Gabby stood. She took great pleasure in watching him shrink as her frame—which had been shorter st time they saw each other—now towered over him. Seeing his eyes almost pop out of his skull was very cathartic.

  “Khck! …E…elp!” he choked out.

  Branch lunged. His club arced towards her head, with a wide, obvious swing. Gabby released Annoying and jumped back.

  The smaller goblin dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, clutching his throat as he grasped for air.

  Branch didn't even gnce at him. The older goblin simply leapt over his companion in pursuit of her.

  Gabby was in a terrible position. If Branch had been unarmed, she’d totally have beat him in a fight. But the other goblin was cheating by swinging his stupid weapon everywhere, not allowing Gabby to close the distance.

  A gust of air brushed her face as the club missed her nose by an inch. Gabby was expertly dodging every single strike.

  “Stop running!” Branch snarled, swinging for her neck.

  “Am not!” Gabby snapped back. Taking another few steps back. It wasn't her fault that backing away repeatedly was the best way of avoiding his attacks.

  The other goblin huffed in frustration. But their dance continued: He swung, she tactically retreated.

  Unfortunately for Gabby this meant she was going to lose. She needed to turn the fight around. It was only a question of time before Branch nded a blow, and when that happened she was fucked.

  Her [Telepathy] might be helpful here—if she had access to his mind she could probably turn the tide. Gabby focused, readying her mind to invade his.

  The moment she struck, her mind did a flip. Pain shot through her head where she’d been struck earlier. The tendril of thoughts slipped through her grasp like a slippery fish.

  Another jolt of pain followed in Gabby's arm as Branch made use of the opening. His club smashing into her wrist.

  Gabby staggered back. She couldn't tell if it was broken, but a rge darkened bruise was already forming.

  Her body felt sluggish. The world spun around her as she fought to stay conscious.

  Branch didn’t wait. He raised his weapon for a finishing blow. The fight was going to end.

  With no options, Gabby threw herself at Branch. Digging her cws into his back.

  He tried to swing, but she’d gotten too close. By the time Branch realised, her teeth were already sinking into his neck.

  A hoarse cry escaped his throat as Gabby ripped it out. A torrent of blood spurted from the deep cerations that she created.

  Previously, Branch had been confident, now he was panicking like a cornered animal. It was immensely satisfying to see him knocked down a few pegs. No doubt coming to terms with the fact that she was the better warrior.

  She licked the blood around her lips, savoring the taste of victory.

  The goblin dropped his weapon and fled. Trying to escape into the forest. But he didn't make it far before colpsing. A pool of blood quickly formed around his body.

  Gabby smiled, but she couldn't celebrate now. She needed to—

  Another wave of nausea washed over her. The world was doing flips around her. Pain throbbed through her body.

  Her legs buckled.

  And then everything went bck.

  DegenerateDude