Daniel's Early Days Ch. 3

Daniel’s heart leapt into his throat. Taking a few clumsy steps backwards, he tripped and fell. Without taking his eyes off the strange, squat creature, he quickly scrambled back up. The laughter, if you could call it that, got louder at that.
“Scared ya, huh?” it asked shaking slightly in mirth. “Looks like you’re in for a rude awakening, then,” it shook its head. It peered up at Daniel with beady eyes from under a ragged brown cap of some kind, and tilted its misshapen face to the side. “Might wanna toughen up a bit before exploring these woods,” he added.
At that dig, Daniel bristled. “I am tough,” he declared puffing his chest out, and took a few brave steps closer to the smug creature in front of him.
At closer inspection, the thing he mistook for a tree stump more closely resembled a garden gnome. His mother’s gardens were rarely without one. Only, this creature was bigger, wider, and most definitely uglier. Its skin was a dark shade of brown and appeared leathery. The dark hair sticking out of its hat looked unwashed and clumped in dreads. The prickly eyebrows met in the middle, forming one bushy brow, making the hooded eyes underneath appear even smaller. Its bulbous nose was long, it didn’t stick out a lot, but it took up most of its face, and didn’t end until it ran into its dark lips. It was the weirdest, ugliest thing Daniel had ever seen. Nevertheless, he was trying very hard to play it cool, and not stare.
“Aye, clearly,” the creature replied looking amused. Its large, almost black lips were curled grotesquely in what Daniel figured was supposed to be smile, revealing long yellow teeth. He wasn’t sure what this foul looking creature was, but he was determined to find out.
He was about to demand an answer, but something stopped him. Daniel was raised to be polite. You catch more bees with honey, his grandmother always insisted. So, he figured introductions should come first.
“I’m Daniel,” he announced. “What’s your name?”
“Proper for a young boy,” it cackled. “Rather polite for a wizard,” it added looking Daniel over. Daniel squirmed under the scrutiny, he had the distinct feeling that he was being sized up by this creature. “You may call me Kobo,” it said with a small flourish of its hand, and a slight bend at the waist.
Awkwardly, Daniel gave a small bow in return, careful not to take his eyes off of it. However, tact was not something that came easily to young boys, and he was burning with curiosity. “I don’t mean to be rude, but what exactly are you, Kobo?” he asked as gently as he could manage.
At that, there was a louder grating sound that almost sounded like barking. “Very good,” Kobo growled in amusement. “Enough with the niceties, and onto the heart of the matter; I am a hobgoblin, not to be confused with your garden variety goblin. There not as nice or pretty as me,” Kobo added.
If that was the case, Daniel did not want to meet a regular goblin. “How come I’ve never seen you before?” Daniel wanted to know.
“Wasn’t invited,” Kobo shrugged dismissively. “Perhaps, you would invite me over,” Kobo slyly suggested with a strange light in his shaded eyes.
Daniel bit his tongue, literally. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, and stopped Daniel from answering. His mother was constantly telling him to listen to his instincts and to pay attention to the signs. He figured the signs were only something his mother and grandmother could see, but now he understood. Biting his tongue, for no particular reason, was a sign.
Besides, his father had all kinds of creatures around, so why not this one? There must be a reason. This hobgoblin was trying to trick him into inviting him over. The question was, why?
“I…I can’t,” Daniel lied.
“Can’t or won’t?” Kobo asked, taking a menacing step forward.
“Can’t,” he answered promptly. “My father has rules,” he added.
“Ah yes, your father,” Kobo echoed looking thoughtful. “One of his rules is not to enter the forest though, isn’t it?” he inquired shrewdly.
“Well, yes,” Daniel admitted.
“Well then, you better hurry back. Your father will return any minute. You don’t want him to catch you breaking the rules. Besides, if he knows you found a way around his wards, then he will find a way to put a stop to it. Then, how will you come back and visit me?”
At the thought of getting caught, Daniel’s heart started to pound. He quickly turned to go back, when a thought occurred to him. “How do you know about my dad’s rules?” he demanded.
“Why, I’ve been watching you a long time, boy,” he smiled impishly. Daniel assumed it was supposed to a friendly gesture, but it was more unpleasant than anything. “Better hurry now,” he shooed at Daniel.
The thought of being watched by this creature made Daniel’s heart freeze in his chest. Swiftly, he turned on his heel. With that nauseating smile burned into his memory, he rushed back toward the light in his own yard.
“Come back soon,” Kobo called, laughing harshly.