Chapter 11
Meanwhile Back in the Labyrinth…
Maggie ran down the path in the peach orchard. After a while, she stopped to catch her breath and started walking. "I wonder how long this path is…" she thought.
Cluck, Cluck. Maggie looked straight ahead to see black chicken a few feet away. "Esmeralda?" she whispered to herself before creeping up behind it. The chicken kept pecking at the ground, then stopped. It turned around to see Maggie but ignored her and started scratching at the path. Cluck, Cluck.
Maggie readied herself to pounce and catch the creature. The chicken turned around again and started walking away before pecking at the ground again. Maggie got ready and mentally counted to three before…
Cluck, Cluck, Bok, Cluck! went the chicken as it struggled to get out of her arms. "Oh quit struggling, Esmeralda. You know Nibgit is really worried about you? We've been on the lookout for you all this time and now that I've caught you I'm not letting you get away again!"
The chicken kept struggling and started to peck at her fingers. "Ow!" Maggie exclaimed as the little cut started oozing a spot of blood. "Esmeralda! Stop it!" Maggie practically yelled as the chicken almost immediately became calm. "Great, now I can talk to chickens…" Maggie thought as she started to walk down the path carrying the animal.
"Well you never know. Maybe Hunter's into that…" the inner voice said. "Oh just shut up!" Maggie said back. She was just glad that Hunter didn't see what had happened.
Maggie carried the clucking chicken for some time before she saw a familiar little goblin walking ahead with its back toward Maggie. "Hey!" Maggie called. Nibgit turned around. "Maggie!" the little goblin said as the two ran up to each other. "Boy am I glad to see you…" Nibgit said before she noticed the chicken Maggie was carrying. "Maggie, who's that?"
Maggie looked down at the black chicken. "I found your chick…." That's when Maggie noticed Nibgit carrying a brown chicken in her little arms. "Nibgit, don't tell me that I picked up the wrong chicken." The little goblin started laughing. "Maggie, I told ya that Esmeralda is brown, not black!" she said as she started laughing even harder.
"Then whose is this?" Maggie asked as she put down the black chicken, which seemed to look up and give an angry glance at Maggie. "Probably belongs to a farm around 'ere", Nibgit replied as they watched the chicken wander off, "Not everyone lives in da Goblin City." Maggie never thought about that; this place really wasn't what it seemed.
"Come on, we should get going. We're not that far from da city now." Nibgit said as they started walking. "We better hurry. We only have six hours left." Maggie explained as they started to pick up the pace. "You know, how did you get here?" Maggie asked.
"I fell through this trap door back 'ere in da forest, came out of this cave, and found myself not too far from 'ere. I've been to this orchard before so I knew that I wasn't that far from da city. I was walking towards da path when I saw Esmeralda pecking at some fallen peaches. So I caught 'er and I was just goin' to turn back to look for ya." the little goblin explained.
"You were going to turn back and look for me? But what about the Goblin City? Don't you have to get home?" Maggie said turning to Nibgit. The goblin looked up at Maggie with big eyes. "And leave you? What kind of friend would I be?"
"You…you consider me a friend?" Maggie said with disbelief. Nibgit nodded. "Oh Nibgit! You're my friend too!" Maggie said as she bent down to hug her. Nibgit returned the hug but accidentally let go of Esmeralda.
"Esmeralda! Come back!" Nibgit said as she and Maggie started running after the chicken. However, Esmeralda didn't venture too far since the chicken ran into the arms of a dwarf. In fact, the same dwarf who…
"Hoggle! You're okay!" Maggie exclaimed as she and Nibgit caught up to him. "Maggie!" he said as he handed the chicken back to Nibgit. "Thanks!" Nibgit said happily, petting Esmeralda. Hoggle looked at the goblin. "Who's this? She, ah, ain't workin' fer the king is she?" he asked suspiciously. "The ki…what? No!" Nibgit said as she held onto Esmeralda tightly.
"Hoggle, this is my friend, Nibgit. She's been traveling with me this entire time. We just lost each other at some points in the labyrinth. How did you get here?" Maggie said. "I've been 'ere long enough to know short cuts", Hoggle explained, "Besides, I figured you'd be nearly at the castle by now." Maggie's eyes grew wide. "The castle! We have to hurry! Let's go!" she said as she started to hurry down the path with Hoggle, Nibgit, and Esmeralda close behind.