The Orphan and the Thief

Chapter 8: One Clump Elfin Gold

The encounter with the ogre invigorated them; being nearly eaten alive had its perks. They set off briskly, the little narrow trail winding them up and down Dunthur's hilly landscape, though they took care to first peer around corners in case more ogres crouched in waiting. Toad silently hoped that Cutter had witnessed the ogre dash away from them, or better yet, he hoped the beast had run straight into the thug.

They came upon a lopsided, weathered sign that was barely dangling from the gnarled tree trunk it had been nailed to.

"What's that say?" asked Toad, squinting at the sign.

"Caves of Dunthur: Enter at Your Own Peril," Melena read.

"Sounds like they're right up our alley," Toad joked with a cocky grin. Joe, once again returned to his place at Toad's hip, let out an odd snort, but otherwise remained mute.

"So, we're gonna go in, find this gold and get out," said Toad businesslike.

"That's the idea."

Something in Melena's voice made Toad pause.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, it's just ... " Melena looked unusually uncomfortable. "They are dangerous, the caves."

"So," Toad scoffed. "We just handled an ogre! What's more dangerous than that?"

Joe again made his strangled grunt.

"Well" — and now Melena really wasn't looking at him — "they're caves, Toad. I've read that they're quite ... complicated."

Toad stared at her, finally realizing fully for the first time that they would be going underground, down who knew how many tunnels, down who knew how deep.

"You gotta plan though, right?" he asked quickly.

"I've got a plan," Melena nodded, though she still refused to meet his eye.

Toad sighed in relief. "Good. What is it?"

"Remember our way."

"Re-remember our way?" Toad repeated in disbelief.

"Remember our way," said Melena with a firm nod, and it struck Toad that she was probably trying to convince herself more so than him. "Come on. This must be one of the openings."

A hole just large enough for them to crawl through gaped open at the foot of the slope a little off the path. Scraggly, yellow grass half-covered the opening from view.

"How d'you know it ain't a rabbit hole?" asked Toad.

"It's too big."

"Then maybe it belongs to a badger. I hear they ain't too nice."

Melena looked suddenly anxious.

"How do you know if it belongs to a badger?" she asked him, worried.

Toad shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen one."

Hazel spared Toad from Melena's rolling eyes by swooping down and strolling straight into the hole, her long green tail disappearing into the darkness.

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere standing here," said Melena, sounding more like herself. She squared her shoulders, readjusted her knapsack more securely on her back, got onto her hands and knees and followed Hazel. Toad was about to do the same when Joe suddenly spoke, making him stop.

"Leave me here, Master Toad!"

Toad looked down at the mug, eyebrows raised. "What? Why?"

"I — I do not wish to go further," said Joe. His marble eyes were fixed upon the dark entrance with something close to terror.