Thank you, thank you so much for these kind reviews. I don't think I thanked enough at the beginning of chapter 2. I am so encouraged. I have been writing for myself for years and so this is very exciting.  I do hope you will figure out what everything is. If you don't I will have to do a bit of revision ;-) Chapter III

Now my path is not clear to me. Which way do I go? Do I dare the axeboy's way again? If I do, I can go down to the Firething's cave and travel to the Blacklands in the deep. If I go on top of the mountains I will not meet anyone, I am thinking. Not many things come this way. But when the mountains come to an end... Maybe I cannot get back down to the Trollway. I don't think the maggots know the beast is dead just yet. If they don't know then I am safe in its hole.

I wonder if the Beast is good to eat.

                                                            oOo

Now, this is a wonderful thing. The claw of the Beast. This one on the ground still makes water come out of the cold and look, it tears the rock like my hand tears the ground. And there are many claws.

"Ai." It is hard to pull out the claws. I have to be slow. I am afraid of the claws. I could kill myself upon it. Maybe if I cut off its foot with the claw…

Oh, that was bad. That was bad. The blood boiled out like mountain spew. The fumes, they choke me. Must drink the cold. Must get away.

                                                            oOo

Now as I look at the Firething from up here I can see how huge it is. How did any of us live while it dwelt with us. It could kill a great many at one swing. It had the lash too. I can see it. It lies underneath its body. Black. Like the crust of mountain spew. I wonder if I can touch it?

I know what I could do. I could wind the lash around one end of the foot. Then I could carry the foot like I carry my stick. The lash is like soft iron but the claw can rend it. Now I have a slasher. My old hitting stick looks small by its side.

How much can I carry. I must take out all the claws and hurry – No. I must go slow. The claws can still kill me - I think this is true.

                                                            OOo

Now I think I can do another thing. The other end of the lash. Thick as my head but empty for a little way down. I can cut it off and wrap it around me. On my back. My bed can hold it too me. I can carry the claws and my old stick. I can go.

I have fit three more claws in my holder. It is hot against me but I can endure it. Maybe I can use the little Skything's bed. No, I will not disturb her son.