Gube.
Gube woke to the most peculiar of sensations…
Her strangely fluid and crystal thoughts, a queer and apparent deviation from an otherwise sluggish and, at times, frustrating norm.
She wasn't really able to pin the odd feeling down, her expression pensive as the goblin rose from the dirt floor, blinking both sleepily and confusedly as she did so.
She wasn't in pain, didn't feel nauseous or crampy…
Her eyes weren't burning with exhaustion, and, all things considered, she could even say she felt rather, ummm, well, good.
In fact, the more she really thought about it, the more she came to realize that the strange experience she'd come into had, bizarrely enough, more to do with what wasn't there…
No headache from dehydration, no sunken eyes weary from exhaustion, no bruises, cuts, or abrasions across her—hmmm—her skin. Of which, she might add, was no longer green.
The goblin's mind hiccuped as she stared at her hand, observing the rather lustrous and smooth flesh across her arm and beyond.
So pristine and, dare she say, 'pretty' in a manner so utterly beyond what she had ever seen…
It was perhaps a touch oddly coloured, given how grey and purple it looked, but it wasn't like she felt sickly or injured, in fact, she wasn't discomforted or clammy at all.
Just—clean?
Gube couldn't even feel any hairs on herself as she brushed fingers along an arm's length, though she hesitated from touching too firmly as she caught sight of the black talons that had replaced her nails.
They were long and vicious-looking claws, so exquisite and polished as to resemble real worked metal. The kind that those who liked to hunt her own peoples so often marched into the forests with, their gleaming arms of shining silver, gold, and green held in hand. Each typically biting too deep for even the best medicine to heal…
She continued her inspection with thoughtful reverence as she gradually rediscovered herself, following the toned and worked lines of her abdomen, the supple contour of her own waist, the weight hanging from her chest, her graceful legs and clawed toes…
She was different, of that much Gube was certain.
Yet, for all the changes she could see, everything all combined just felt too surreal without the proper way to articulate herself, at least, not in any greater manner than she'd previously known.
If she were forced to put words on it? They would be less feral and more… well, something else.
She hadn't had enough contact with the terrifying and dangerous races that lived beyond the Blackwood to really compare herself to anything but goblins. Her homeland's savage inhabitants made it nigh inhospitable for any not born to its wilderness to travel through it, yet Gube had heard stories…
And, in such tales of wonder and fright, existed people who were thought to be so perfect as to appear ethereal and god-like.
Possessing of themselves an appearance that, without truly understanding what it meant, felt a strangely appropriate fit for how she might describe what she could see.
Perhaps the deviation was not entirely surprising given what she'd recalled before passing out…
Unbelievably, her prayers were, in an altogether unexpected twist of fate, actually answered by 'something' that had slipped through the veil…
And it had chosen Gube, out of all others in the tribe.
Out of the likes of Strong-arm and Rattles!
Of legends like Swift-spear and—no—sadly, those were really all that were left… all who were of 'worth' to the tribe anyways…
The rest were just, ugh, not all children exactly, but scarcely old enough to have had their first or second brood at the tit.
Not that the chances for that had been overly abundant, frustrating as it was.
And of course, there were those too old to fight who'd been less a strain on the tribe going forward, and more the only ones who knew the secrets of elders.
Yes, there was an odd smattering of those like herself, or once like herself. Fighters that had survived the raids, survived the constant attacks, yet if she'd been chosen, if she'd been—changed, then, did that mean she had powers like the Blacktree warriors had?
H-hopefully not the same given how crazed they became when fighting, but maybe something equally as dangerous?
Gube clenched her clawed fist, feeling the strength within her hand, a power that hadn't ever been there before, rising to the challenge as it flowed from a bottomless well.
Confident and unwavering, even as it promised to give far more than she was yet willing to test.
She felt her tongue slide across smooth and dangerously sharp teeth, gaze narrowing as the jagged mess of her memories, the same that had existed before her transformation, had been completely and utterly replaced.
And, it had been so by a complete set of razor-like protrusions that promised the ability to rip and shred through anything she might put them to work against.
Her body felt light and powerful, muscles coiled like a wound cord, ready to burst into action at her slightest inclination!
Even her hair was different, so beautiful and wavy, a waterfall of cascading root light curling into large, thick, gleaming arcs and long crescents of glittering silver, the strands bouncing as she twisted her head to and fro…
'Changed' didn't even seem to be the half of it as, deciding she needed to rise and find a stream or puddle to gaze into, Gube nearly blanched as the inexplicable shift in her perception wrought upon her a brief fit of vertigo!
The young goblin woman stabilized naturally on her feet to keep her poise in a way that was likely impossible before, especially with all the wounds and injuries she'd sustained over these long years.
Her instincts regulated her posture, muscles moving as though they'd been by her side for all her days, her body managing to steady herself as she peered about the dark room and fought back against her swimming sight.
As the disorientation faded, Gube noted that she was seeing the world quite clearly amidst what she knew to be a gloomy interior, her sight dull and unsaturated by colour as it was, yet so detailed and defined that it took yet another moment for Gube to understand that the cave really was totally dark.
There wasn't so much as a single fire blazing within, yet she was seeing clearly as though it were bright as any day!
Granted, the white and gray palette of shading was a touch—abnormal, with what subtle notes of colour to be present only managing to bleed into the world with soft saturation near the cave's mouth.
However, while Gube had always possessed a small semblance of nocturnal vision, just as all goblin-kind did—this…
Well, this was something different.
Far too detailed and crisp to be anything but magic.
Excitement began to bloom in her stomach like fluttering butterflies scattering within her! She had to see it, had to know the extent of the changes that had transpired! Gube was more than exhilarated, now practically giddy and grinning from ear to ear.
Slowly, taking care to move without being heard, her feet crossed the cave with all the grace of a silent stalking feline in the woods, not so much as a whisper emerging in her passing as she stepped over her scattered kin like a calculating predator.
Gube made her way beyond the entrance of their new home, crawling on hands and knees as she got her first breath of fresh air beyond the cavern, the pale orange glow of a new day just starting to bathe the world in its morning radiance.
"Who d-dat…" Came the challenging cry of a familiar voice, which rapidly trailed away as Gube turned to peer at the young goblin warrior who had noticed her departure.
He was on his hands and knees, fingers filthy with grime and dirt, a worm hanging out of his mouth that was quickly slurped down as he lurched to his feet!
The man's beady red eyes widened with each passing second, jaw slackening, tongue—weirdly enough, slipping from his mouth to just sag in bewildered disbelief.
"It, Gube," Gube replied, frowning as her speech didn't seem wholly correct… After a moment, she tried to adjust as she continued, deciding a brief explanation might be called for, "Prayed for god last night. Gube was chosen! Gube is different."
W-well, it still wasn't sounding exactly how she wanted, not nearly so graceful as the flowing words danced in her own head, which, when she thought about it, was also yet another odd deviation from the norm, if not an entirely welcome one.
Having her own voice in her mind, narrating her with its silken glide of thought was a wonderfully novel experience!
"You no Gube. Sharp-knee know Gube." The goblin challenged, his body language accenting his words so all those privy to what to look for would understand that he had 'known' the individual in question, which, in this case, was herself, in a once intimate manner.
Just a little bit of condescension, a sprinkle of ire, a dash of bitterness, and a whole lot of skepticism.
Not unexpected, of course, as she'd tossed that useless sack from her sleeping spot the day after they'd coupled. Gube having hated how the other goblin's farts had smelled so—eggy...
And how bad he had been during their coupling.
She'd had more than her fair share of nights spent trying to do her duty and conceive more warriors for the clan, but hadn't ever been successful to date. A positive in her books when it came to Sharp-knee, since thatone had sort of been a desperate 'give-it-a-chance' proposition.
Yet, she had no doubt that any spawn she'd conceived with the coward would be of a regrettable sharp-knee stock rather than any impressive brats that would grow to be exceptional like Strong-arm, even if the late chieftains son was a piss-poor replacement to his own father.
Still, it wasn't like she was lying here. Thus, she simply spoke again, trying to hammer in her point. "Am Gube," she reiterated, folding her arms at her chest and causing the flesh there to balloon and wobble with tantalizing jiggles…
A result that, quite honestly, she hadn't necessarily intended.
She'd sort of forgotten how naked and how, well, large she was in that particular region… almost absurdly big, in all honesty.
But it was nevertheless a lascivious occurrence that she noted with a growing indulgent glee, watching with smug satisfaction as her bosom captivated the attention of the two guards.
Even the usually unflappable and stoic 'Swift-spear' seemed unable to truly manage his desires. The veteran warrior, the clan's last real talent with the spear, appeared so entirely entranced by her extraordinary endowment that she all but laughed, bouncing herself with immodest and fiendish delight, luxuriating in their hypnotized stares.
Then, she was chuckling as the two goblins visibly stiffened below the waist.
"You like changes?" She asked, purring while cocking a hip and grinning so wide she thought her face might split.
If nothing else, this was at least a confirmation that whatever happened was upon a scale that went beyond even what she herself had imagined, reinforcing her desire to actually see herself as she now was.
When the goblins both nodded, she chuckled, finding her voice to almost tinkle like falling rain. "You want—touch?" She asked again, words dripping with visceral and stimulating desire, Gube swaying her lower half with all the seductive instinct she possessed.
For his part, Swift-spear seemed capable of barely corralling his lip-biting cravings, shuddering as he visibly shook himself to escape her allure, or rather, fight against the urge to take her up on the offer made right then and there, but only just.
Sharp-knee, however, wasn't so in control of his emotions, practically drooling as he shakingly reached out with a hand, the other starting to stroke his tiny little cock, letting his big spear drop by the wayside, fingers practically vibrating with anticipation!
Gube waited until she could almost feel the shit under the miserable cretin's nails before sneering at the goblin, swatting away his shivering hand with haughty condescension.
"Well, no have! Gube special now, too special to be touched by filthy coward!"
Sharp-knee paused, blinking twice as he stared at the vision of carnal fantasy before him, starting to shake with rage a moment later as he swore, accidentally biting his tongue with a hiss before pointing at her accusingly!
"Gube responsibility to tribe!" He countered, lust and anger and confusion all mixing to create a cocktail of basement-dwelling rage in the creature's dim head, one that had him wholly uncertain about what was currently socially acceptable.
"No responsibility. Not to goblin. Blessed by god now. Also, Sharp-knee terrible at mating."
The creature squawked! The noise lost between a squeal of righteous indignation and rage-filled blue-balled desperation.
He tensed, preparing to lunge at the much taller and sensuous being of divinity who merely grinned at his response. Her laughing and amused eyes filled with all the mirth she'd expected to coax from the spineless moron.
In truth, Gube had been goading the idiot.
Entirely expecting the simpleton to dpreciselyly as he did, confident he'd be entirely liable to lash out in the very same manner, and that he'd have done so regardless of her physical changes.
He was honestly something of an easy read and easier tease.
Frankly, Gube had just wanted a little bit of fun at his expense, given how he'd abandoned her during the raid. Taking one of the tribe's only remaining weapons of value as he'd fled into the night at the first sign of danger…
This was the least he deserved.
She'd killed three invaders with her tiny knives, three!
Momma-gobba's wrinklytits only knew how many she'd have felled if only she had been faster to the spear.
Instead, Sharp-knee had gotten to it first, then promptly ran without even putting it to use…
She was entirely justified in her anger with the man. And yeah, Gube did intend to hurt him over it! Both emotionally and physically as she kicked his ass and took the spear for herself, maybe breaking his hand so he couldn't ever wield it again.
Thus, as the other goblin lunged and she wound back a leg far faster than she had any right, Gube let loose to punt the leaping goblin for everything she was worth right in his most delicate of parts!
A few things happened at that moment, which soon led to an awkward situation.
For one, her kick was far too fast, and, ignoring the strength behind it, instead of slamming her foot into the other goblin's crotch with ball-shattering intent, her leg stretched upwards with a flexibility that was eyebulgingly impressive as it was unexpected.
Her toes, taloned as they were, punctured into the soft space between Sharp-knee's throat and chin as he dove, piercing through the lower half of his jaw and bisecting his tongue within, her entire foot lodging itself inside the unfortunate creature's mouth from an altogether new orifice.
Second was the horrific 'snap' of Sharp-knee's breaking neck, all the momentum, all the power and weight and force, all things Gube never accounted for before but, in retrospect, would one day make sense, and even now, she was beginning to contemplate on some baser level, all of it came to a head in a rather abrupt halt.
A jerking full-stop of velocity, of which, the tiny creature's bones just weren't prepared to endure.
Within fractions of a moment, the scene which had a distant but observant god cackling with morbid glee at the ridiculousness of it all, saw the newly reinvented Gube, her stature several heads above her victim, balancing on one leg while the other was extended up above her head like some super-cheerleader of death!
Holding, on her extended foot, the limp and swaying form of her ex—well, something or other, who was, in an entirely odd twist of fate, dangling lifelessly from her now bloody leg.
For several bewildering moments, Gube just held him there, like some macabre banner that swung from a hook… Her eyes wide as could be, mouth parted in shock, lips ever so softly trembling as though they weren't sure if they should be speaking.
The spell, of course, wasn't long for the world, and once her mind clunked back into gear, the ensuing chaos was immediate.
"Crap! Crap, crap, crap!" She swore, looking to Swift-spear for his response and, indeed, hopefully, even his advice as she delicately held her grisly trophy in the air, leg still extended like a murderous ballerina...
Hot crimson fluids were already trickling down her ankles and leg, her stability, thankfully, rather quite steady and assured as any climbing goat. "Swift-spear…" She tried again, eyes filled with panic! "What do?"
For his part, the older warrior ultimately shrugged, the primitive violence of it all finally allowing the salted killer to return to himself. The enchantment of her strange appearance finally being broken by a return to what some might call a kind of 'normalcy' among their kind.
"Try... kicking off?" He offered, somewhat bluntly.
Still, Gube nodded along to the warrior's suggestion; as advice went, it was actually fairly decent.
Practical and to the point as any could hope for.
Still, she carefully lowered her leg, feeling lean muscles with so much potential power in them, hardly straining for the effort, and her body gracefully shifted to counterbalance the weight.
Then, Gube cautiously bent her knee and shifted her hips until she was confident she could dislodge her excess cargo without sending herself sprawling.
Sharp-knee might not have been the biggest goblin, but he still weighed enough for her body to warn her of trying something it couldn't reasonably handle.
She kicked with her leg a handful of seconds later, tongue jutting from her mouth with mindful concentration as Sharp-knee's body was sent hurtling a near meter away! Both goblins watching as the corpse tumbled and rolled and bent in on itself, none of which had been her intent!
Slowly, with a beguiling degree of fluidity and elastane grace, Gube returned her foot back to the dirt, muscles naturally shifting and flexing to accommodate her designs…
After doing so, the young woman stared down at the remaining hot crimson slickness and wiggled her toes as she felt it work its way between them, mind still processing at a somewhat chugging and disjointed pace.
That had been an odd experience, to be sure.
And when she peered towards Swift-spear, she found the man eyeing her with a sort of cautious uncertainty. His hand now gripping the haft of his spear ever so tightly enough that Gube could clearly see he was more than a little on edge.
Ponderously, she briefly considered who would win, if things would come to blows between them.
Not that she wanted to kill the old man, but, for sporting purposes, she was earnestly curious who'd get the better of whom.
The aged codger was fast and skilled with the spear; of that, there wasn't any question, but Gube rather suspected she might just be a little quicker, or, if she was being genuine about things, a lot quicker, strictly based on present events.
And, when it came to a question of who was more lethal in close quarters? Well, he might have that spear of his, but Gube had both the leverage and the claws.
A fact she was reminded of when blinking down at her foot again. The natural weapons were even longer on her fingers, almost like small knives in of themselves…
"Accident," she tried after a moment, smiling somewhat sheepishly as she did so.
Swift-spear nodded, appearing to agree. "Impressive though… couldn't even follow leg."
"Really?" Gube asked, perking up and almost preening with the praise!
Swift-spear was no laughing matter when it came to brawling. He'd even trained her—along with many of the other young warriors when they still had enough weapons to go around, and Gube specifically remembered getting her hide tanned by the old veteran, the then indomitable warrior moving like lightning to her eyes.
"Is true, scary. New god did that?" He asked, gesturing with hands and ears, fingers towards her, ears twitching with a sort of nervous energy denoting that he still didn't really trust her not to suddenly attack.
"Think so. What else could?"
Swift-spear merely nodded, another silent agreement as he licked his lips, not with lust, though it was there, but instead with apprehension.
"I think going to forest… look for food. Mind if I take spear and—meat?"
The older goblin paused, glancing down at the dead pile of Sharp-knee, who now was, by the strictest of goblin definitions, 'meat'.
Though they didn't usually partake in cannibalistic tendencies, desperation was desperation.
That said, nobody had quite fallen to such dire straits as eating their own, not yet, at least. The forest was plentiful when one knew where to look.
"Sharp-knee—fine. Dead anyway, doubt any will miss, coward. Spear is, mhm, complicated…"
"You try and stop me?" Gube pressed, confidence blazing, the girl raising a thin, silvery eyebrow at Swift-spear, who, after a moment's thought, shrugged.
A perfectly neutral non-answer that was clear to them both!
Though if she needed any more from the warrior, his tentative step away from her, thus giving the woman even more proximity to the fallen weapon when compared to himself, was a clear enough nod of approval as any Gube had ever gotten.
Kneeling down to take the comparatively crude weapon from particularin watching deity's perspective, Gube hefted the spear, appreciating its familiar feel, if not its now unimpressive weight in her palm.
Then, she took Sharp-knee by the ankle and dragged him off towards the treeline, ignoring the trail of blood that his body left in its wake.