Scope the area.

Two figures stand close, right in front of Linzeri. They have red, scaly skin and tiny slender bodies, like bipedal lizards, even a little bit shorter than goblins. They dress in scraps of leather and hide, and arm themselves with daggers, or sticks with short blades tied crudely to the ends. They may be primal, though they're clearly inventive enough to have crafted these pieces of equipment themselves. Linzeri also doesn't seem afraid, so she certainly knew they'd be here. Still, they look at first like they're going to strike, which leads your hand down to your weapon.

Before they do, they stop suddenly.

Both creatures drop to their knees and bow. "The queen has returned!" they both say one after another.

"I said this before, but... excuse me?" you ask.

Linzeri shrugs as she turns a gaze over her shoulder. "This is where I've been as of late. They consider me their queen, which is only understandable. They're kobolds. Crafty little lizards, though they tend to follow whoever is in power."

You stare back at her for a quiet moment. "And what exactly happened to the last one in power?"

She looks back to the kobolds. "This here is Kyle, and you will treat him the same as you treat me. No questions. Now, take us to the fire. It's dark and cold."

The two stand up and nod before escorting you forwards.

However, you press further. "You didn't answer me."

She brushes a hand through her hair. "I merely met with the kobold chieftain, and we came to an understanding."

"An understanding."

"Their bodies aren't all that strong. When my foot was pushing down hard between his legs, he couldn't help but relinquish control of his tribe to me."

"Is the joke that he did it because he enjoyed it, and not because he was afraid?"

"Not everything is a joke, you know," she says, followed by a contradictory laugh.

The main chamber is far brighter. Several kobolds dance around a bonfire, while some play crude percussion instruments like a tambourine or bongos. It isn't that strange to find groups of monsters living far out in the wilderness like this, though you haven't seen kobolds before. They must live entirely out in caves in the mountains, in the darker places in the world.

As you stand before the fire, Linzeri steps over to rest directly beside you, though without any words.

"So, did you have another reason to being me here?" you ask.

"No. I simply wanted you to see what I've been up to." Then after a sigh, she slips her fingers into the tiny pockets of her shorts. "And why is that so strange? You were spending time with many of the other girls, doing all manner of things. Did you question them too?"

You look her over. Then, with a smile, you brush your hand over the back of her wrist. "It's actually really nice here," you whisper. Then with a chuckle you add, "Sorry you're now dealing with the struggle girls back on Earth have to deal with all the time."

"And what's that?"

You slip a finger, barely able to fit, into her pocket to join her hand. "Useless pockets on clothing."

As she opens her lips to respond beside the warm, flickering glow of the fire, you're both rudely interrupted by one of the kobolds. This one holds an extra long spear with a dagger tied by rope to the tip, and he promptly slams the blunt end down against the stone floor. "Queen, please come see what we caught!" he exclaims.

Suddenly, Linzeri appears frustrated, but she takes a deep breath. "What is it?"

"A gnome, a gnome! We saved her for you."

Linzeri looks to you before turning back to the kobolds. "Take us to her immediately."