The traveller's horse clopped wearily down the road. The sun was fading from his sight as dusk's auburn rays graced the autumn sky. The horse's head hung low, as did the traveller's. and both seemed to be concentrating on only the next step rather than where the road was taking them. The horse stopped and the traveller roused himself.

Harwin always let his horse set the pace and pick the camp. He looked about; this was as good a place as the horse had ever chosen, so he didn't argue. He rolled from the saddle gracefully and with thrifty conservation of movement, unbuckled the saddle and tossed it onto the grass. The horse glanced at the man with half-interest, and Harwin looked back at the horse. Its sagging back was silhouetted against the gray sky, and its eyes, bulbous, ugly and unapologetic, were turned directly toward the man.

Harwin silently wondered to himself, 'Why do I keep you, old horse?" The horse probably knew what Harwin was thinking, because it snorted and turned to watch the sun as it set.

Harwin had been a wandering man most of his adult life, and the man who taught him almost everything had given him this horse. Long ago, he said to Harwin, "Son, this horse might be old, but he knows the trails. If your in Ladnum and want to get to Farwon or Trakdag, he'll gitya there quicker and safer than a two-year old. That's 'cause he knows where to go and where not to go." Harwin looked at the camp again; he didn't remember the horse ever picking a bad campsite.

Harwin turned to gather firewood for the cold night that was fast approaching. As he gathered firewood, he started to whistle but a wind gusted up and blew it out like a candle. Two goblins sat not 50 yards away in the shadows.

Blimey and Argh eyed the man. Blimey said, "He doesn't look like a fighter."

Argh shrugged and whispered. "Maybe he's a wizard?"

"Nope, he ain't no wizard," Blimey replied.

"Oh yeah?! How do you know?" Argh countered.

"Coz he doesn't gots no pointy hat," Blimey said. Argh squinted; he always squinted when he thought hard. Then he scratched his head; he always scratched his head after he finished thinking hard. "Well, if he ain't no wizard, and he ain't no fighter, I says we kill him."

Blimey said, "I'm hungry, but we gots to make a plan, 'cause we only gots one sword."

Argh said, "Yeah, here's the plan. I lays here and looks out for a ambush an' you runs out there and stabs him until he's dead."

Blimey stammered, "Me? This goblin ain't running out theres alone!"

"All right, all right you coward," Argh said.

"Coward!? You're a lame-brain with stupid plans," Blimey said.

"Shut up and listen to Plan B," Argh said. "I ain't never let you down before and I ain't gonna this time..."

"What about that time," Blimey interrupted, "the ogre caught us and we almost..."

"Almost!" Argh stressed and continued. "We're here ain't we?... Well, as I was sayin', I takes the sword and you charges him as a decoy. Then when he chases you I stab him!"

"It'll never work."

"Why come?" shouted Argh.

"Why come what?" Blimey argued. "I didn't say nuthin!"

"It'll never work," Harwin repeated, and continued, "because my horse knows that you're here and he'll kill you both before you get out of the bushes."

Blimey and Argh looked at each other. Argh squinted and Blimey yelled, "Oh yeah?!"

Harwin walked off to rejoin his fire and horse. He didn't look back, but he sensed their hesitation. He said loudly in their direction, "Besides, if you kill me you'll get none of the soup that I'm making."

Blimey said to Argh, "I'm hungry."

Argh said, "Here's the plan: we eat his soup the we kill him." Blimey agreed. They stood up and walked over to the fire.

Harwin wore a long leather trenchcoat that concealed the scabbard of a longsword, and on his head he wore a black leather hat. He ignored the goblins and squatted to tend the fire. As he did, his trenchcoat hem lay about his feet and his hat, as always, was pulled down low on his brow, hiding most of his face. Without looking up, Harwin said, "Over by where you were hiding there are some scallions. Pull some for me."

Argh and Blimey were stunned at first. Argh remembered smelling wild onions, but he had thought that was just another rancid facet of Blimey's breath.

Harwin looked at Argh and shouted at him, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Just as humans yearn for love, goblins yearn for a bully. When they cannot find one in their own ranks, they look to hobgoblins or others. Argh, stupid as he was, immediately reacted on these instincts bred into him, and dashed off on Harwin's errand.

Harwin lowered his head to hide a smile that snaked across his face and pretended to look after the fire. Harwin grabbed a brass kettle then, and tossed it to Blimey. "Go to the stream and get us some water for a soup."

As he left, Argh returned and Harwin took the scallions that he had gathered. Harwin sent him after some wild carrots and Argh rushed off.

Soon the fire was roaring around a kettle full of water, and Harwin began to add the gathered vegetables. "Excellent," Harwin said as he smelled the aroma. He they dug into one of his saddlebags and pulled out some salt, some soft butter, and his secret spice.

Argh said, 'What's yer horse's name?"

Harwin didn't look up. As he silently measured the salt and butter, he thought back to when the old man gave him that horse. Back the, Harwin was still somewhat green and had asked the old timer, "What's his name?" Harwin still remembered the old man's answer and he repeated it to Argh almost word for word.

"I don't know the horse's name. See, the way I figure it, if I was a horse, I wouldn't mind working, long as I got the respect I deserved. So, I try to respect this horse and even listen to him. He's told me a lot of stuff, but he still hasn't told me his name."

Harwin dropped the butter and spun in a pinch o' salt. The horse stamped and the chomped at his hit. Harwin threw in his secret spice and the last of the vegetables. Harwin then gently stirred the brew and steam from it rose; its aroma swelled and swirled into the night air. The old timer had always taught Harwin to make use of the things that the trail provided and the local vegetables seemed excellent. The goblins were almost child-like now and Harwin said, "Thank you, gentlemen."

Ugly as he was, Argh beamed innocently and Blimey enthusiastically said, "Smells delicious! What kind of soup is it going to be?"

Harwin looked up at his droopy horse and the horse looked back knowingly. Harwin smiled and as lie calmly stirred the soup, he said, 'Tonight, goblin soup."