The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 9

Hi guys. Here's one way the story could go. It was contributed by Kagoma, one of you who is becoming an awesome writer. Remember that Day 8 ended with a serious standoff between Growler the tiger and Pricilla, one of the King's best royal soldiers. Kagoma sent in this idea: "The first one to strike was the tiger. When the tiger swung, the ape flew at him with all her weight. In doing so, she pulled the tiger down and got a bad cut -- but not serious." 

A fight to the finish? Let's see what happens. Welcome to Day 9 . . . 

Princess Kazooba stepped between her new friend, Growler, and Pricilla, who she knew was here risking her life to protect her princess. Kazooba really did not want a fight to break out, but Growler and Pricilla were circling and deadly serious. "Guys! Stop!" she said, "Things don't have to be this way."

Seeds lay in the bottom of Pricilla's pack, trying to overcome his queasy stomach. He could tell from the sound of things, that his friend, Pricilla, was about to get into a serious fight with someone named Growler. But he also heard something else that no one was paying attention to. Almost beyond hearing, Seeds was aware of a high-pitched buzzing that was getting closer every second. "I can't just lay here," he thought. "This is really bad."

Seeds leaped from Pricilla's pack, screaming in a surprisingly loud voice for an apple core, "Everybody down! Now! Down! Do it!"

Trained to react to commands, Pricilla was the first to follow the order. A split second later, Kazooba followed Pricilla and lay flat on the ground. Growler was still standing, trying to get over his surprise: "An old apple core that talks? Gives commands? What the. . . ?"

The buzzing was no longer difficult to hear and no longer far off. Suddenly, the sound was hideously loud and all around them. Growler took one swing at the cloud that circled his head and then dropped, like a bag of books. He took cover where he could. The surprises just kept coming.

While everyone else hugged the ground and wished they could get lower, Seeds was standing in their midst, totally focused on the swirling cloud. Without a moment to spare, he began to spin faster and faster--faster than the eye could really follow. He began to spit little brown seeds from deep in his core--thousands of them. From a funny-looking apple core with suspenders, Seeds had become a deadly weapon, at least to the swarm that attacked him and his friends. His torrent of seeds put up an impenetrable wall of fire. The maddening members of the swarm began to fall like crumbs from a smashed cookie. They collapsed in the air and bounced once or twice as they hit the ground. In seconds, the luckier members of the swarm flew off. The unlucky ones were on their backs with their barbed legs stuck up in the air.

Pricilla and Growler were the first to recover and jump up. This time they were back to back, Growler with his claws extended and Pricilla holding a menacing sword at the ready. Their argument was forgotten. All each thought about was protecting the princess.

The danger had passed. Seeds had saved the group from a very unpleasant end. Kazooba rose last and slapped her leggings, brushing dust and leaves from them. They all looked at one another with a sense of wonder that no one was hurt. Princess Kazooba was the first to speak, "What was that?"

"The minions of Silvercurst, the Dark Elf," shuttered Seeds. "Take a closer look and remember what you see the next time you hear that sound."

The ground was littered with bodies about four inches long. Each had six, jointed and barbed legs and a long tail. Four wings on each casualty lay still. Dragoon Flies. Each had a horrible face with huge eyes and gapping mouths filled with needle sharp teeth. They each wore a dull black helmet and carried a quiver of darts.

"Be careful of the darts," said Seeds, "They are tipped with poison for which there is no cure. Watch where you step. We should leave this place as fast as we can."

Far away, the green-scaled face of Silvercurst stared into his magic waters. His fists were trembling with fury. "Next time. Next time," he said, "You won't escape so easily."