Something was wrong.

Even the air didn't smell right in his sensitive, goblin nostrils. The stink of death from the undead opponents, the ever-present smell of food from the grandstands where the halflings hawked their deep-fried morsels to the cheering, rowdy fans, and the earthy fragrance of grass and dirt were the same as always, but something was wrong on this day. He'd felt it when he woke up, and even lining up to play hadn't set his heart at ease.

Nevertheless, there was a play, and the coach motioned frantically from the sidelines to direct the action. The ball had been fumbled on pickup by the ghoul in the opposition backfield, and as chief aerobat of the goblin team, it was his job to swoop in for a surprise--and perhaps game-winning--touchdown.

Rya, the senior troll of the two, lumbered over to him to hurl him downfield. He paused for a second, obviously unsure of what to do, and Chucked jabbed a sharp elbow into the lumbering halfwit's thigh to remind him of what they were doing.

This would be glorious! Chucked heard the cheers of the crowd as Rya picked him up and prepared to send him into the sky. He loved flying as much as he loved life itself. The leather harness which held his wings in place felt just as they always did, and in his mind he revisited past triumphs and indignities that he had had the privilege of being a part of. Two hat-tricks, and a few games where he'd run through the legs of the opponents to pick up the ball and score. He was truly the first among equals in the team, and had a sizable stash of golden trinkets in his tent.

And yet. That tingle of dread wouldn't quite leave him alone.

Rya pulled his arm back and wound up for the throw. Soon the fresh air would carry him over the line of scrimmage and give him the much-desired shot at the ball!

Rya froze mid-motion and just held Chucked in place. He turned his head to look at his teammate, and when he met the troll's yellow eyes the fear returned.

All recognition, all rationality was gone from the troll's gaze, replaced by a vicious leer and something else. His mouth was opening, showing the dirty, rotting teeth inside, and a rivulet of drool was running out of the corner of the hulk's mouth.

Panicking, Chucked tried to wriggle free, even as Rya grasped him ever harder and drew him closer to the stinking maw.

The last thing he saw was the green of the bloodbowl pitch which had been his second home and the only thing that made him special, and the last he heard was the standing ovation of the crowd as their cheering rose to a fever pitch. It sounded like... laughter.

Then, all was black.

------------------------

Goodbye, Chucked Yeager! You will be missed! First time I have a troll eat a goblin, and he has to pick the best one I've got!

https://fumbbl.com/p/player?player_id=12605086