Sora watched them go, his head tilted in confusion. He had no idea what had just happened, but he couldn’t help but feel a little amused. The goblins’ antics had been so ridiculous that he almost felt bad for them.

  Shaking his head, Sora landed back by the fire, his meal now slightly cold but still edible. He sat down, his golden eyes scanning the forest for any signs of more goblins, but the clearing was quiet once more.

  As he ate, the the corners of his face curl. For the first time in a long while, he felt a flicker of lightness in his chest. The world was still dangerous, and his journey was far from over, but moments like these reminded him that not everything was doom and gloom.

  With a full stomach and a small sense of amusement, Sora finished his meal and prepared to move on. The forest was vast, and there was still much to explore. But for now, he allowed himself a moment of peace, the memory of the goblins’ failed plan bringing a rare smile to his face as he eats.

  The trio of goblins—Snaggle, Grizzle, and Nibbles—were nothing if not persistent. After their initial failed attempt to capture the "shiny bird thing," they regrouped in a nearby thicket, their tiny brains buzzing with new ideas. They were determined to catch Sora, no matter how many ridiculous plans it took. And so, as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, the goblins launched a series of increasingly absurd schemes, each one more disastrous than the last.

  Plan #1: The Pitfall Trap

  “We dig hole!” Snaggle declared, his crooked nose twitching with excitement. “Bird thing fall in. We catch it!”

  Nibbles nodded, chewing on his fingernails. “Yes, yes. Dig hole. Cover with leaves. Bird thing no see.”

  Grizzle grunted, already swinging his club at the ground. “Fine. But you two dig. I watch.”

  The goblins spent the next hour digging a pit in the middle of the forest path. Snaggle and Nibbles worked tirelessly, their tiny hands flinging dirt everywhere, while Grizzle stood guard, his scowl deepening with every passing minute.

  Finally, the pit was ready. The goblins covered it with leaves and branches, then hid behind a nearby tree to wait.

  Sora, blissfully unaware, wandered down the path, his golden feathers glinting in the sunlight. The goblins held their breath as he approached the trap.

  But just as Sora was about to step on the leaves, he paused, his sharp eyes spotting the uneven ground. With a curious tilt of his head, he spread his wings and glided over the pit, landing safely on the other side.

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  The goblins groaned in unison.

  “Stupid bird thing!” Grizzle growled, kicking the tree in frustration.

  “Maybe… bigger hole next time?” Nibbles suggested, his twitching eye betraying his uncertainty.

  Plan #2: The Decoy Feast

  “We make food!” Snaggle announced, his eyes gleaming with inspiration. “Bird thing hungry. It come to food. We catch it!”

  Nibbles nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Food good. But… what food?”

  The goblins rummaged through their meager supplies, eventually settling on a moldy piece of bread, a half-eaten apple, and a suspicious-looking mushroom. They arranged the "feast" in the middle of a clearing, then hid in the bushes to wait.

  Sora, drawn by the smell of food, approached cautiously. He tilted his head, his golden eyes narrowing as he inspected the offering. The moldy bread and questionable mushroom didn’t exactly look appetizing.

  Just as the goblins were about to pounce, Sora picked up the apple, took a single bite, and then dropped it, clearly unimpressed. He spread his wings and flew away, leaving the goblins staring at their failed feast.

  “Stupid bird thing!” Grizzle growled, stomping on the bread. “Why it no like food?”

  “Maybe… better food next time?” Nibbles suggested, though he didn’t sound convinced.

  Plan #3: The Fake Fight

  “We fight!” Snaggle declared, puffing out his chest. “Bird thing see us fight. It come watch. We catch it!”

  Nibbles frowned. “But… we no fight for real, right?”

  Grizzle grinned, cracking his knuckles. “I fight for real. You two weak.”

  The goblins staged a dramatic "fight" in the middle of a clearing, complete with exaggerated punches, fake screams, and Snaggle accidentally hitting Nibbles in the face with a stick.

  Sora, perched in a nearby tree, watched the spectacle with mild curiosity. The goblins’ antics were so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but let out a soft chirp of amusement.

  Encouraged by the sound, the goblins redoubled their efforts, their "fight" becoming even more over-the-top. But just as they were about to "accidentally" fall into a pile of leaves (where they had hidden a net), Sora spread his wings and flew away, clearly unimpressed.

  “Stupid bird thing!” Grizzle growled, throwing his club on the ground. “Why it no stay?”

  “Maybe… better acting next time?” Nibbles suggested, rubbing the bump on his head.

  Plan #4: The Disguise

  “We dress up!” Snaggle declared, his crooked nose twitching with excitement. “Bird thing no see us. We sneak up. Catch it!”

  Nibbles nodded, though his twitching eye betrayed his skepticism. “Yes, yes. Disguise good. But… what we dress as?”

  The goblins spent the next hour gathering leaves, sticks, and mud to create their "disguises." Snaggle covered himself in leaves, declaring himself a "tree." Grizzle smeared mud on his face and claimed to be a "rock." Nibbles, unsure what to do, simply wrapped himself in his cloak and hoped for the best.

  The trio crept toward Sora, who was sitting by a stream, his golden feathers glinting in the sunlight. Snaggle, trying to mimic a tree, swayed awkwardly from side to side. Grizzle, attempting to be a rock, crouched low and stayed perfectly still—until he sneezed, sending mud flying everywhere. Nibbles, tangled in his cloak, tripped over a root and tumbled into the stream with a loud splash.

  Sora turned, his golden eyes narrowing as he spotted the goblins. He let out a soft chirp, clearly unimpressed, before spreading his wings and flying away.

  “Stupid bird thing!” Grizzle growled, wiping mud from his face. “Why it no fall for disguise?”

  “Maybe… better disguise next time?” Nibbles suggested, wringing out his cloak.

  Plan #5: The Final Attempt

  As the sun dipped below the horizon, the goblins sat in a circle, their energy spent and their spirits low.

  “Maybe… bird thing too smart,” Snaggle muttered, his crooked nose drooping.

  Grizzle grunted, his scowl deepening. “Or maybe we just stupid.”

  Nibbles, chewing on his fingernails, nodded. “Yes. Probably stupid.”

  The trio sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the forest filling the air. Finally, Snaggle stood up, his eyes gleaming with determination.

  “One more try,” he declared. “We catch bird thing. Or… we go home.”

  The goblins nodded in agreement, their tiny brains buzzing with one last, desperate plan.

  As dusk settled over the forest, Sora perched in a tree, his golden feathers glowing faintly in the fading light. He had no idea what the goblins were up to, but he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of amusement at their antics. For all their ridiculousness, they had provided a strange sort of entertainment.

  The forest echoed with the sounds of their failure, a fitting end to a day filled with shenanigans.