Buffy and the Goblin Raid

"They're coming."

The words were whispered, but they carried over the soft sound of the rain to his ears as if they had been shouted.

Gorkem stopped, and looked at the scout closely. The man was nervous, but for a Goblin he was actually pretty good at hiding it. He could be out here all day in this weather and not even wipe away a single drop of water from his face. Gorkem was just glad he was here instead of one of those idiots who insisted on riding about on those oversized lizards like evil knights in old tales. That would have ruined their surprise attack right there.

"How many?" Gorkem asked the scout. "Are they ahead of us or behind?"

"Ahead," the scout answered, "but only by a few minutes." His eyes narrowed as he looked off into the distance. "I can see them now."

"Good," Gorkem said, trying to keep his voice calm although he had trouble keeping his own eyes from widening in excitement at what was about to happen. "On our signal then." He looked towards his team, ten strong with himself included and five waiting back at camp. "Don't forget the plan!" he reminded them, making sure to stare at each Goblin one by one before turning back to look at the distant cabin where she lived. They were less than half a mile away now, and in the dark it was hard to make out any details more than vague shapes and colors, so it was hard to tell if she was there or not. But tonight she would return home anyway - with them! The thought made him smile as he watched from beneath his hood as the raiding party drew closer and closer to their target until finally... The whole group stopped in unison just as they reached an open grassy spot between the trees surrounding Buffy's cabin. Her home was actually built between two large pines that grew together like a doorway with her cabin nestled directly between them on a little hill surrounded by other pines that hid it from view unless you were looking directly up into their branches or knew where to look for it once you knew where to find it. And they did! Or rather they had done their homework when they decided which cabin she would be staying at during her vacation season as part of their research back at HQ before deciding on this particular location for this raid. And it would pay off now! With her inside... All alone... Without any way of escape! Their strategy had worked perfectly! Tomorrow morning this place would be theirs! They'd take everything she owned... Including her life! Of course that part wasn't allowed, but Gorkem couldn't help but secretly hope one of them might get carried away after whatever plundering took place and decide that since she'd seen him she might as well join him too; especially since this particular human female would almost definitely be considered attractive by most Goblins standards with her long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes like jewels in tall towers!