Chapter 15: Concerning the Habits of Goadskulls and Chahats

There are many denizens that loathe to live outside of Elcon’s forests, the goadskulls are among those numbers.

As for what a goadskull is? A white shadow in the woods, a bloodline of peerless hunters and witches. Goadskulls have four limbs, and stand upright as one of Elcon’s regular sized creatures. Their limbs and body are thin and willowy. They possess only two triangular toes, and their legs are reverse jointed, like those of a grasshopper. The jump of a goadskull is a fearsome thing, indeed there are many goadskulls that, wearing metal greaves on their legs and sabatons on their feet, attack solely by jumping on their foes!

Their forearms are thicker than their upper arms and their hands only have two triangular fingers along with a triangular thumb. It is, however, their head that gives them their name! A round white ball with a crest that juts out into sharp horns! Normally their mouth cannot be seen, but when opened one can see sharp fangs and mighty molars! Their eyes are quite large ovals, and have two colours. Two noseslits rest close to their bony crest.

When in the presence of evil, the head of the goadskull twists upside down, making it look like a skull!

These forest-dwellers have one other attribute for which they are known. Their eyes, the two colours of their eyes correspond to two materials that exist in Elcon. These materials are called their birth materials. Many goadskulls differ in terms of their eye colours, and so differ in terms of their birth materials.

But what, is the significance of this connection?

A goadskull will be adept at using objects made of their birth materials, but with things that are not, they will be unbearably clumsy. The rarer the birth materials the more mystic the skill of a goadskull will be!

Now, you might think that with this quirk, goadskulls might become great craftsmen, but while there are some good craftsmen among the goadskulls, the majority of goadskulls will roam away from their home-forests on material raids! These raids are serious business, a hunt though.

A hunt is for fun and food. Goadskulls will pick a creature, preferably one that will run away, and they’ll give chase! Naturally they’ll have a feast after catching the unfortunate being, and the feast tends to be made up of whatever they catch as they chase after their prize prey!

While more civil Goadskulls won’t eat fellow denizens of Elcon, they’ll still give a good chase, and it is wiser not to stick around to see if the goadskulls are the evil kind or not.

“Quick, pack up and move out!” Ulex commanded.

Everyone busied themselves, and soon everyone was ready.

“Nobody forgot anything?”

“I’ve got my bones” Waufronk confirmed.

“I don’t really have much to clear up” Eadam said glumly.

“i’m safe and sound on Ulex’s head, lets gogogogo” Kepo chanted, hopping up and down.

“All chompers are present and accounted for Mr. McHeft”

“I has cat” Spongy Snaps confirmed.

Ulex smiled and bobbed his body.

“Good, that’s everything, even the cat. Let’s move out before the hunters get here!”

As Ulex strode to the tree alcove opening, he paused.

“Wait, cat?”

Everyone’s gazes turned to Spongy Snaps who gave a good natured goofy grin in response. There, on his head, was a fuzzy purple ball. Its four legs were stubby but its claws were long. It had a pair of big and sly cat’s eyes. Its tail unlike its body was as midnight, dark and shimmering with the light of stars. This tail was long, strong and prehensile. Atop the head of this creature was a messy bowler hat of woven grasses.

“a cat!” Kepo exclaimed.

“Chahahaha” the creature nervously laughed.

“It is no cat, it is a chahat!” Waufronk shouted.

The chahat was spooked and with a wave of its tail, it slipped out of where it was. It then appeared behind Spongy Snaps’ shoulder, quivering while giving nervous laughter.

Gheel’s single eye frowned.

“This is a rare chahat, that tail. Most don’t have a tail like that, it allows it to teleport! It is probably the goadskulls’ prey. Though if I could feed that tail to a chomper…”

Gheel drooled a bit, and the chahat let out a distressed yowl.

“Leave Chacha alone!” Spongy Snaps rebuked.

“He’s already named it!” Waufronk cried in despair.

“toss it out, quick” Kepo said, callous soul that she was.

“It will be troublesome to attract the attention of the hunters” Gheel mused.

“You’re determined to keep it Spongy?” Ulex asked, eyeing the cunning feline.

Chacha teleported into Spongy’s hands and gave the most insincere pitiful look that it could do.

“She came for help. Spongy help”

Ulex sighed.

“Well, we just better hope that we can shake the hunters off”

They exited the alcove.

“Oiya! Look lads, the prize has found itself some bodyguards, looks like we’ll get a good bash out of this lot!” a voice cried with joy.

The hunters weren’t about to be shaken off. The hunters, were right outside.