It's morning. The sun is still rising. A sparrow stirs in its nest, slowly awakening to greet the day. With a soft twitter, it takes flight. The door to Jasminnee's home creaks open and Sevarint walks out, a sack of rations hanging from his neck. He turns to the doorway, where Jas stands.
"Thanks for everything, Jas. You can come with me if you like. You could be great, too!"
Jas stoutly shook her head. "A hermit like me? Nah... I'm happy to just stay at home. As far as I'm concerned, I can be great in my own world without romping across the globe. Come back and visit me when you're famous!"
Sevarint grinned. "You bet I will, Jas. See ya soon!" He turned, then bounded forward, the tall grass bending out of his way. He didn't look back.
Jas stood at the door, waving. "The poor child... I just hope he survives." Silently, she walked into her home, shutting the door behind her.
Sevarint stopped running to look around. The grass was still as tall as ever, but now large rocks and the occasional tree dotted the landscape. Nothing really interesting to be seen for miles. "Who'd have thought that the world would be so dull, yet so big? Seems like kinda a waste to me..." He pondered aloud to himself as he walked through the deserted flatlands.
The sound of a dead twig breaking interrupted his thoughts. He froze, ears poised and alert. Something was out there!
Two Scorchios emerged from the grass. They spread out, flanking Sevarint. One Scorchio stared Sevarint down in front of him; the other was poised behind Sevarint. He gulped nervously. "Eh heh... Good morning... I'm Sevarint, and I was just passing through when-"
One of the Scorchios snarled at Sevarint, spouting a tiny ball of fire. "Shaddup, you. Me 'n Poskrat-" He pointed at the other Scorchio. "-don't wanna hear nuttin' from the likes of you."
"Yeah." Poskrat nodded.
"So, whatcha got in that bag for ole uncle Raggal?" The Scorchio gestured at himself, slowly advancing on Sevarint. "Maybe some cash or valuables?"
The fur on Sevarint's neck stood on end. He bared his fangs aggresively. "For my so-called uncle, I've got nothing but a knuckle sandwich! I'm not scared of you, or your little friend!"
"Oh hoh... A fiesty little tyke, aren't ye? We'll see how brave yew are once we're through with yeh!" Raggal, obviously the leader, motioned for Poskrat to attack Sevarint from behind. Poskrat nodded and slowly began creeping up on the Kougra. "Show us what you've got, kitty cat!"
Sevarint pounced. Raggal nimbly leapt to the side, striking Sevarint on the back as he passed. Sevarint fell, but quickly got to his feet. He crouched, glaring at his foe. Raggal breathed a sudden burst of flame at Sevarint. He barely had time to sidestep before the deadly attack whooshed by. Ignoring his now-burnt shoulder, Sevarint circled with Raggal matching his every step. Both lept at each other. In midair, Sevarint twisted, bringing himself above his enemy. The scrochio didn't even have time to look up before Sevarint buried his teeth into the back of Raggal's neck. Both landed on the ground with a thump. Poskrat decided he'd better strike soon or else he'd find himself partnerless. Sevarint clung onto his victim as Raggal thrashed about. The Kougra couldn't kill him like this, his teeth weren't big enough to do any serious damage... even so, it hurt like the dickens. "Poskrat you twit! Git over here and slay the bugger already!!" He roared.
Warned by Raggal's shout, Sevarint turned his head, painfully dragging Raggal with him. Poskrat stood before him, claws poised for an awful blow.
Sevarint reacted purely by instinct. He raised Raggal in front of him as a shield. There was an awful scream, and Sevarint dropped Raggal in shock. "Did you just... kill him? Oh Faeries above, he's dead!" Sevarint panicked, backing away from Poskrat.
"I...I didn't mean ta do it... he got in the way... it was an accident..." Poskrat stared at his tainted claws numbly, then glared upwards at Sevarint, a sly smirk slowly forming on his face. "No... You killed him. I tried to stop you, but it was too late. You then attacked me, so I slew you in self-defense! The coppers'll hafta believe me... no witnesses! Hehehe...None!" Poskrat lept at Sevarint, already bloodied claws aiming to claim another victim.
Sevarint reared up and backward onto his hind legs by reflex. The Scorchio's claws slashed across his chest, wounding, but not killing him. Sevarint fell back and rolled sideways, slamming his shoulder roughly into Poskrat's side as he pounced. Winded, Poskrat toppled over. Sevarint lept onto his stomach, clawing at his face. He brought his hands up to block the blows, catching one of the Kougra's paws in his. Poskrat was about to twist it and lame the green cub when Sevarint dug his claws into Poskrat's palms. Roaring in pain, he let go.
Sevarint didn't want to kill Poskrat. But he knew Poskrat killed Raggal, and he would slay him just as easily. He had only one option: run. He sprang through the grass, sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him.
Poskrat lay there until he regained his breath, then slowly got up and looked around. He knew the Kougra was gone, it wouldn't have hung around here for long. Poskrat spied Sevarint's tracks through the tall grass; it was cracked and crushed where his foe had ran. "You can't run OR hide from me, little one..." Poskrat muttered aloud as he set off after Sevarint, trodding scornfully on Raggal's dead carcass as he went.
"Thanks for everything, Jas. You can come with me if you like. You could be great, too!"
Jas stoutly shook her head. "A hermit like me? Nah... I'm happy to just stay at home. As far as I'm concerned, I can be great in my own world without romping across the globe. Come back and visit me when you're famous!"
Sevarint grinned. "You bet I will, Jas. See ya soon!" He turned, then bounded forward, the tall grass bending out of his way. He didn't look back.
Jas stood at the door, waving. "The poor child... I just hope he survives." Silently, she walked into her home, shutting the door behind her.
Sevarint stopped running to look around. The grass was still as tall as ever, but now large rocks and the occasional tree dotted the landscape. Nothing really interesting to be seen for miles. "Who'd have thought that the world would be so dull, yet so big? Seems like kinda a waste to me..." He pondered aloud to himself as he walked through the deserted flatlands.
The sound of a dead twig breaking interrupted his thoughts. He froze, ears poised and alert. Something was out there!
Two Scorchios emerged from the grass. They spread out, flanking Sevarint. One Scorchio stared Sevarint down in front of him; the other was poised behind Sevarint. He gulped nervously. "Eh heh... Good morning... I'm Sevarint, and I was just passing through when-"
One of the Scorchios snarled at Sevarint, spouting a tiny ball of fire. "Shaddup, you. Me 'n Poskrat-" He pointed at the other Scorchio. "-don't wanna hear nuttin' from the likes of you."
"Yeah." Poskrat nodded.
"So, whatcha got in that bag for ole uncle Raggal?" The Scorchio gestured at himself, slowly advancing on Sevarint. "Maybe some cash or valuables?"
The fur on Sevarint's neck stood on end. He bared his fangs aggresively. "For my so-called uncle, I've got nothing but a knuckle sandwich! I'm not scared of you, or your little friend!"
"Oh hoh... A fiesty little tyke, aren't ye? We'll see how brave yew are once we're through with yeh!" Raggal, obviously the leader, motioned for Poskrat to attack Sevarint from behind. Poskrat nodded and slowly began creeping up on the Kougra. "Show us what you've got, kitty cat!"
Sevarint pounced. Raggal nimbly leapt to the side, striking Sevarint on the back as he passed. Sevarint fell, but quickly got to his feet. He crouched, glaring at his foe. Raggal breathed a sudden burst of flame at Sevarint. He barely had time to sidestep before the deadly attack whooshed by. Ignoring his now-burnt shoulder, Sevarint circled with Raggal matching his every step. Both lept at each other. In midair, Sevarint twisted, bringing himself above his enemy. The scrochio didn't even have time to look up before Sevarint buried his teeth into the back of Raggal's neck. Both landed on the ground with a thump. Poskrat decided he'd better strike soon or else he'd find himself partnerless. Sevarint clung onto his victim as Raggal thrashed about. The Kougra couldn't kill him like this, his teeth weren't big enough to do any serious damage... even so, it hurt like the dickens. "Poskrat you twit! Git over here and slay the bugger already!!" He roared.
Warned by Raggal's shout, Sevarint turned his head, painfully dragging Raggal with him. Poskrat stood before him, claws poised for an awful blow.
Sevarint reacted purely by instinct. He raised Raggal in front of him as a shield. There was an awful scream, and Sevarint dropped Raggal in shock. "Did you just... kill him? Oh Faeries above, he's dead!" Sevarint panicked, backing away from Poskrat.
"I...I didn't mean ta do it... he got in the way... it was an accident..." Poskrat stared at his tainted claws numbly, then glared upwards at Sevarint, a sly smirk slowly forming on his face. "No... You killed him. I tried to stop you, but it was too late. You then attacked me, so I slew you in self-defense! The coppers'll hafta believe me... no witnesses! Hehehe...None!" Poskrat lept at Sevarint, already bloodied claws aiming to claim another victim.
Sevarint reared up and backward onto his hind legs by reflex. The Scorchio's claws slashed across his chest, wounding, but not killing him. Sevarint fell back and rolled sideways, slamming his shoulder roughly into Poskrat's side as he pounced. Winded, Poskrat toppled over. Sevarint lept onto his stomach, clawing at his face. He brought his hands up to block the blows, catching one of the Kougra's paws in his. Poskrat was about to twist it and lame the green cub when Sevarint dug his claws into Poskrat's palms. Roaring in pain, he let go.
Sevarint didn't want to kill Poskrat. But he knew Poskrat killed Raggal, and he would slay him just as easily. He had only one option: run. He sprang through the grass, sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him.
Poskrat lay there until he regained his breath, then slowly got up and looked around. He knew the Kougra was gone, it wouldn't have hung around here for long. Poskrat spied Sevarint's tracks through the tall grass; it was cracked and crushed where his foe had ran. "You can't run OR hide from me, little one..." Poskrat muttered aloud as he set off after Sevarint, trodding scornfully on Raggal's dead carcass as he went.