Dragaunus roared in Frustration. "WHAT," He Shouted, "POSSESSED YOU TO PICK *THIS* PARTICULAR SPOT?!"
"We're suitably far away from your feathered foes...You said a safe distance," Said Puck, "You never said a safe *place*."
"I think we can hold them off," Said Siege as a suit of armor threw itself at him attacking him. The Suit of Armor made a slash for his head, very narrowly missing. "Then again... maybe not."
"That's it," Said Chameleon as the second suit made another slash at him, "I'm Gone."
"I think that would be wise," Said Wraith who was all ready making his way out of the hollow hill that Puck had transported him to. Inside the hill, precisely where Puck had landed them was a man sleeping on a huge pillar slab, guarded by two suits of armor.
"Why this place?" Growled Dragaunus as he dragged Puck out after him.
"I was... inspired," Smiled Puck.
"The Question is, my lord, *where* do we go now?" Asked Wraith.
"Any places is better than with those two metal bodyguards," Said Siege.
"Let's go you lunk heads, we have to keep moving or those wretched ducks will catch up to us," Said Dragaunus.
Mean while, Duke and Mallory were scouting out the landscape.
"The Island seems all most empty... from what we've seen so far, I wouldn't surprised if we're the only ones on this rock," Said Duke. "No town, no villages... nothing...."
"But, there're signs that this place has been influenced by some sort of people," Said Mallory. "Maybe they're just not here any longer."
"I'm sure that Puck guy could fill us in, if we could find him," Said Duke.
"Hm, Easier aid than done," Replied Mallory, "Besides, the others are working on that. Let's see if we can find anyone around here."
"I don't think we'll find many people..." Said Duke. He ventured a little farther up the path through the forest then peered through the trees. What he saw made him go rigid.
"What is it, Duke?" Mallory asked.
"I stand corrected," Duke replied. Mallory came up next to him and peered through the trees, seeing what he saw.
A little ways a head them was a huge palace.
"I wonder if anyone lives there," Said Mallory.
"Yeah, Sweet heart, I'll bet *she* does," Duke said, pointing to a grey haired old lady in a medieval looking dress as she came about the corner of the castle. Mallory and Duke ducked back in behind the bushes and greenery so as not to be spotted.
"Well, At least we know that there's at least one other person on this island," Mallory said. "Duke, we better get going. It's all most sunset."
"Yeah," Said Duke, peering through a small hole in the branches, "Woah! What the!?"
"What is it?" asked Mallory when he pulled back alarmed, all most not believing what he'd just seen.
"Those... Those statues... On the castle..." Duke stared wide-eyed, blinking several time.
"Yeah," Said Mallory, "What about them?"
"They Just came to life!" Duke exclaimed in a hoarse whisper.
"What?" Mallory did a double take.
"Here," Duke Whispered, "See for yourself."
Mallory quickly glanced through the bushes to see what once looked to be just gargoyles on an old castle now moving, living, flesh and blood creatures. She drew back.
"Sweet mother of ducks," Duke breathed, "Let's get out of here, Mal."
With that, the two of them drew back and fled silently.
Back at the meeting place, Wildwing, and Nosedive were waiting for the rest of their team.
"You suppose Tanya and Grin had better luck tracking down Dragaunus than we did?" Nosedive asked.
"No," Said Tanya, walking up to them with Grin, "We didn't. I hope Duke and Mallory found a place for us to stay the night, cause we're gonna be here for a while."
"At least it's off season," Said Nosedive. A few seconds later, Duke and Mallory came running up to the group.
"Mallory, Duke, did you find a place where we can stay for the night?" Wildwing asked the out of breath pair.
"Other than a few caves, not really," Said Duke, "There was a palace a little ways from here, at least one human lives there... But we didn't really stay to chat because we didn't know how She or the stone monsters that came to life at sunset would react to two strangers, especially if the strangers where a pair of ducks."
"Stone monsters that come to life at sunset? This Island *is* strange," Wildwing shook his head.
"The energies are strong here," Said Grin.
"Where are the caves you mentioned?" Asked Wildwing.
"They're not too far," Said Mallory.
"Yeah, we should be able to find them before it gets too late," Added Duke as he and Mallory began to lead the team to the caves.
When they got there however, they were less than pleasantly surprised...
There was a small cluster of caves deeper into the forest. Near the caves as a small, glittering stream. Lush trees and greenery surrounded the cleared the caves were in.
"Come on," Said Duke, "They're just up this way... oh, for the love of...."
"What is it?" Asked Tanya. The rest of the ducks caught up with Duke and came face to face with Dragaunus, his Minions and a very amused Puck.
"You have *got* to be putting me on!" Exclaimed Nosedive.
"I thought you said you knew caves where we would be safe!" Dragaunus roared, grabbing Puck by the chains and hoisting them up to where their faces were level.
"I said I knew of some caves," Said Puck, "I never said you'd be safe."
Dragaunus roared in frustration. "You KNEW the Ducks were going to be here, Didn't you?!"
"No, I didn't. It's not *my* fault they just happened on the same caves we did," Said Puck.
"Come on," Said Wildwing, pulling out his puck launcher, "Let's get them."
"Oh no," Said Wraith, "Not again."
"Puck!" Said Dragaunus, "Are there any other caves on this island?"
"Oh, Sure," Puck cheerfully responded, looking around.
"AWAY from the Ducks?"
"Yes," Responded Puck.
"Take us there... And before you trick me again, by 'US' I mean You, Siege, Wraith, Chameleon and Me," Said Dragaunus.
"As you wish," Puck Grinned, a Gleam in his eye. Once again, Puck, Dragaunus and his henchmen disappeared.
"Wonder where they went, now?" Said Tanya.
"The way Dragaunus' Karma seems to be running, it's probably not a good place," Said Grin.
"Hey, But the caves are free," Said Nosedive.
"Next question, is there anything to eat around here?" Asked Wildwing.
"There some Orchards not far from here," Responded Mallory.
"Great," Said Wildwing, "You and Duke go grab what you can. We'll wait here."
"You Got it," Said Duke as he and Mallory left.
A ways away from them, Puck, Dragaunus and his Henchmen reached their destination.
"NO!" Cried Dragaunus as two suits of armor standing near a stone slab with a sleeping man on it came to life and ran at them. They were in the same place Puck had transported them Earlier when Dragaunus had ordered Puck to take them a safe distance away from the Ducks.
"You asked for another cave..." Said Puck, "I figured, Cave, Hollow Hill, same difference, right?"
"YOU DUNDER HEAD!" Roared Dragaunus as he grabbed Puck by the chains and drug him out of the cave behind him.
"Is it me," Said Chameleon, "Or is this guy more trouble than he's worth?"
Mean while, Duke and Mallory hid in the forests just outside of the palace, and the orchard.
"All right," Said Mallory, "The Million dollar question... HOW do we get the food without being spotted."
"That," Responded Duke, "Is Where I come in."
"And what do I do?" Asked Mallory, raising an eyebrow, "Just sit here on my tail feathers and wait for you to get the food?"
"I'm gonna need some help," Duke said.
"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Duke, I'm not exactly experienced in the art of thievery," Mallory quipped.
"Gotta be a first time for everything, Sweetheart," responded Duke, "We're going to have to stay in the thicker parts of the orchard, and hope that they're not too observant to see us."
"Okay," Said Mallory, "You do have a way of keeping us from being seen, I presume."
"Always. I can get into the threes to get to the food with out being seen. I just need you on the ground. There's a tree over there near some bushes. You hide in the bushes and I'll get the food down to you, then we both high tail it back to the caves," Duke explained.
"Sounds all right," Said Mallory, mulling the plan over in her mind.
"Oh, Glad you approved," Replied Duke, "Let's go."
Duke silently rushed to the tree that he had pointed out to Mallory, Mallory herself right behind him. Once there, Mallory ducked into the bushes and Duke fired his line and caught a Branch, then climbed up the tree. He began to grab the fruit from the tree and toss it down to Mallory. Once they had a sufficient amount, Duke jumped down from the tree and the both of them made a clean get away.
"Good work," Duke said as they headed back for the caves.
"Yeah," Said Mallory, smiling at him, "I guess we do make a pretty good team."
"You can say that again, sweetheart."
