The Strange Lizard

I'm not exactly sure how I got into this situation.

I like this tavern because it's quiet.

While that may sound bad for business, it's to be expected. We're located in the settlement of Tonta, which is too small to even be called a town.

Tonta is located on a well-travelled road between the kingdoms of Grahts and Sarnel, which is how it stays afloat. But it's close enough to Grahts that anyone travelling between the two isn't likely to use the settlement as anything but a pitstop on their journey; those travelling to Sarnel would stay at a town further down the road, and those travelling to Grahts would just tough out the rest of the journey.

So despite being a tavern, Rufus gets most of his business during the day. There's rarely any visitors this late.

It's especially empty tonight, but somehow it was noisier than usual, despite the only people here being myself, Roxy (another regular), and a little lizard kid.

From what I can tell, the lizard ran away from home, and Rufus is being stubborn about giving him a room.

Yup, that's Rufus alright.

I get it, ok? I wouldn't want to endorse the kid's adventure either. But that's completely besides the point. You're focusing too much on that, Rufus, and not the fact that it's literally night out. If you kick him out, he'll only have two options: sleep outside, or venture home in pitch darkness. Neither of which is a good situation for a little kid to be in.

...and now the kid's throwing a tantrum and crying. Come on Rufus. Look at the bigger picture here.

I wanted a quiet night to myself, but it looks like I'm going to have to intervene.

Roxy makes a clumsy pass at the kid, but immediately gets shoved off. Hah. Seeing her twitch on the floor is pretty funny.

I still haven't figure out what her motivations are, or why she hangs out at this tavern every night. But she just tried seducing a little kid so it can't be anything good.

I don't want to sound racist or anything, but I don't trust demons.

After the Demon Wars, they were officially recognized as a species within the alliance.

But still.

There's no way she's up to anything good.

I've somehow invited that little kid for dinner.

And boy. For someone with such a small body, he sure can eat. He's eating like he's been starved for days.

"So, ah... Lintel?"

"Jush call me Lint!" he says through mouthfuls of chicken.

"Lint?"

"Mmhmm," he says, finally swallowing. "All my friends call me Lint!"

"Ahaha... alright, Lint... How old are you again?"

Proudly, Lintel holds up his claws - four on one hand, three on the other.

"Seven!"

This takes me aback, but then I remember that Drah'kin grow faster than humans.

"So... in human years... you'd be about... 13? 14?"

He just shrugs, and goes back to his food.

Still, even if he's 14 in human years... he seems smaller than I would have expected for someone of that age. I tell him that, but it puts a depressed-looking expression on his face.

"Yeah... I think they called me a runt, or something like that? I dunno what that means really."

I guess Drah'kin can have runts in their clutches. This is the first I'm learning about something like that.

"You know, Lint... I know that Rufus can be a little hard to talk to sometimes, but he's right. You're really young, too young to be going on adventures. You know that you'll have to fight monsters, right? Do you even know how to fight?"

"Mmhmm! Sis taught me."

"Your sister, eh? Well, don't you think that she'd be worried about you? And what about your mom, or d-"

"I have no mom or dad."

Huh? Wait, what's with this tonal shift?

Up until now, the kid has been pretty happy. Sad sometimes, but mostly happy.

But now all of that expression is gone.

He's just staring at me, blankly.

"You mean, they died, or..."

"I've never had parents."

Something about his gaze chills me to the bone. It's not gaze of sadness, or anger. It's a blank, vacant, dead stare.

This little kid is setting off my fight or flight response. Somehow, I feel shaken; threatened.

"Haahhh, what the hell is this?!"

"Huhh?"

Roxy bangs on the table, and Lintel jumps, as if out of a daze. The oppressive atmosphere immediately lifts, and I release a breath I didn't realise I was holding.