Chapter 2
Zerrick and Clisko ran to the edge of the forest. The trees towered above their heads like skyscrapers letting in few rays of sunlight. It was the western part of the forest that led to the Vast Plains; the eastern forest lead to the beach. It was quieter than usual, at least to Zerrick it was. The midsummer weather bleached the earth, bringing it to the fullest green and bursts of color from the newly bloomed blossem. But today, it seemed that something had sucked the life out of it. No birds singing, no squirrels chattering...just wind. Zerrick's eyes narrowed, he scanned the area.
"So....what's- -" Clisko began casually, breaking the utter silence.
"Shhh...." Zerrick whispered harshly. The two walked in silence for a while.
"Hey Zee, look!" Clisko whispered as loud as he could. Zerrick's head jerk towards the direction Clisko's finger was pointing at. Five sheep lay dead, their once white wool drenched in blood. Zerrick walked over and kneeled next to the pile. He dipped a finger into the blood and examined it, his face solemn. Clisko, on the other hand, look disgusted.
"It's fresh," Zerrick finally said. "It left a slight trail heading north. Looks like a vicious one looking at the mess it made here."
"Oh THAT's lovely," Clisko rolled his eyes.
"You up for it?" Zerrick raised a brow.
"Of course," Clisko sighed, "would I ever leave you to fight a monster by yourself and get all the glory, Zee?"
"No, of course not," Zerrick said. "What are friends for?"
They followed the trail of blood which led deep into the heart of the forest and to another mess the monster had left. This time, it had killed a pack of some smaller monsters roaming around the area. The blood trail turned in another direction. Zerrick looked up to see a small clearing leading into a cave.
"Looks like he found a home," Clisko said looking towards the cave.
"Come on," Zerrick muttered, "let's get this over with."
They walked into the opening and peered into the cave.
"Looks like no one's home...." Clisko trailed away. No sooner had he said that, a huge monster leaped out and roared a roar that made the ground shake. It was wolf-like, standing at least eight feet tall. It snarled showing off its sharp, yellow, five-inch fangs which drool hung from and flexing its enormous claws. Its red flaming eyes and darted towards them.
Zerrick pulled out his sword to the ready stance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clisko pull out his two swords ready to strike. "Steady," Zerrick said. He looked at the monster straight in the eye. Every filthy hair on its neck stood on end and it growled even louder. They stared each other down, waiting for the first move. The beast pounce, but Zerrick and Clisko were quick. They darted on either side of him. Zerrick slashed at the back causing the beast to howl in fury and pain. It quickly turned around quickly and snapped its deadly jaws at Zerrick who rolled out of the way just in time. As he sprang up, the monster had already begun to pounce, he couldn't escape those claws this time. Clisko jumped in front of him and under the monster and thrusted his twin swords into the monsters stomach and quickly pulled them out. It fell and collapsed on the ground. Clisko sighed, letting his shoulders drooped and wiping the dripping sweat off his face. He walked closer to check on it.
"No need to thank me, Zee," Clisko panted kneeling next to it. Zerrick eyed the beast....was it still moving or was it just him? Zerrick saw the chest rise and fall...again, its chest rose and fell....it was still breathing....it was still alive!
"Clisk- -" The monster quickly raised a claw. Clisko tried to make a dash for it, but it was too late.
"Shit!" Clisko cursed loudly. The monster, catching its breath again, started getting up to its feet, ready to take another shot at Clisko. It was Zerrick's turn to save Clisko now. He ran in and swung his mighty sword slicing the beast's head neatly. They froze as the head fell with a thud. Clisko stood up.
"You ok?" Zerrick asked. Clisko's arm was bleeding heavily. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and tied on Clisko's arm.
"Thanks," Clisko said. The two of them were covered in dirt, sweat, and blood.
"No prob, you saved me in the first place," Zerrick reminded him.
"True, true," Clisko laughed. He looked at the head. "Should we keep it as a trophy?"
"Let's leave it here, it's already starting to stink," Zerrick glanced at it, "of course, you can take it if you want to smell all the way home."
They laughed and relaxed. It had been a long day and they deserved a break. Zerrick went over and wiped the blood off his sword on the dead monster's matted fur. Clisko followed the same manner.
"Ready to go home for a victory party?" Clisko asked.
"Of course," Zerrick laughed. He looked up into the blue sky and sighed deeply. Not a bad way to end your day, he thought. Suddenly, a enormous flying beast flew over their head. It was dragon, streaching farther than he could see from wing to wing. Strong gusts of wind blew as it flapped its wings, wind strong enough to bend a few trees.
"What the hell is that?!" Clisko yelled as both of them leaped and stretched on the ground. It passed overhead and from behind it, Zerrick could see someone riding on it...then he realized.....
"Clisko! It's heading towards the village!!"
"Shit! Not again!"
"Come on!" Zerrick yelled furiously. Maybe he had said spoken too soon....
Ahhhh! It's 1 in the morning now! But I finished, yay! (well, this chapter anyways) Please r/r! (since I stayed up so late just to write it)
Zerrick and Clisko ran to the edge of the forest. The trees towered above their heads like skyscrapers letting in few rays of sunlight. It was the western part of the forest that led to the Vast Plains; the eastern forest lead to the beach. It was quieter than usual, at least to Zerrick it was. The midsummer weather bleached the earth, bringing it to the fullest green and bursts of color from the newly bloomed blossem. But today, it seemed that something had sucked the life out of it. No birds singing, no squirrels chattering...just wind. Zerrick's eyes narrowed, he scanned the area.
"So....what's- -" Clisko began casually, breaking the utter silence.
"Shhh...." Zerrick whispered harshly. The two walked in silence for a while.
"Hey Zee, look!" Clisko whispered as loud as he could. Zerrick's head jerk towards the direction Clisko's finger was pointing at. Five sheep lay dead, their once white wool drenched in blood. Zerrick walked over and kneeled next to the pile. He dipped a finger into the blood and examined it, his face solemn. Clisko, on the other hand, look disgusted.
"It's fresh," Zerrick finally said. "It left a slight trail heading north. Looks like a vicious one looking at the mess it made here."
"Oh THAT's lovely," Clisko rolled his eyes.
"You up for it?" Zerrick raised a brow.
"Of course," Clisko sighed, "would I ever leave you to fight a monster by yourself and get all the glory, Zee?"
"No, of course not," Zerrick said. "What are friends for?"
They followed the trail of blood which led deep into the heart of the forest and to another mess the monster had left. This time, it had killed a pack of some smaller monsters roaming around the area. The blood trail turned in another direction. Zerrick looked up to see a small clearing leading into a cave.
"Looks like he found a home," Clisko said looking towards the cave.
"Come on," Zerrick muttered, "let's get this over with."
They walked into the opening and peered into the cave.
"Looks like no one's home...." Clisko trailed away. No sooner had he said that, a huge monster leaped out and roared a roar that made the ground shake. It was wolf-like, standing at least eight feet tall. It snarled showing off its sharp, yellow, five-inch fangs which drool hung from and flexing its enormous claws. Its red flaming eyes and darted towards them.
Zerrick pulled out his sword to the ready stance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clisko pull out his two swords ready to strike. "Steady," Zerrick said. He looked at the monster straight in the eye. Every filthy hair on its neck stood on end and it growled even louder. They stared each other down, waiting for the first move. The beast pounce, but Zerrick and Clisko were quick. They darted on either side of him. Zerrick slashed at the back causing the beast to howl in fury and pain. It quickly turned around quickly and snapped its deadly jaws at Zerrick who rolled out of the way just in time. As he sprang up, the monster had already begun to pounce, he couldn't escape those claws this time. Clisko jumped in front of him and under the monster and thrusted his twin swords into the monsters stomach and quickly pulled them out. It fell and collapsed on the ground. Clisko sighed, letting his shoulders drooped and wiping the dripping sweat off his face. He walked closer to check on it.
"No need to thank me, Zee," Clisko panted kneeling next to it. Zerrick eyed the beast....was it still moving or was it just him? Zerrick saw the chest rise and fall...again, its chest rose and fell....it was still breathing....it was still alive!
"Clisk- -" The monster quickly raised a claw. Clisko tried to make a dash for it, but it was too late.
"Shit!" Clisko cursed loudly. The monster, catching its breath again, started getting up to its feet, ready to take another shot at Clisko. It was Zerrick's turn to save Clisko now. He ran in and swung his mighty sword slicing the beast's head neatly. They froze as the head fell with a thud. Clisko stood up.
"You ok?" Zerrick asked. Clisko's arm was bleeding heavily. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and tied on Clisko's arm.
"Thanks," Clisko said. The two of them were covered in dirt, sweat, and blood.
"No prob, you saved me in the first place," Zerrick reminded him.
"True, true," Clisko laughed. He looked at the head. "Should we keep it as a trophy?"
"Let's leave it here, it's already starting to stink," Zerrick glanced at it, "of course, you can take it if you want to smell all the way home."
They laughed and relaxed. It had been a long day and they deserved a break. Zerrick went over and wiped the blood off his sword on the dead monster's matted fur. Clisko followed the same manner.
"Ready to go home for a victory party?" Clisko asked.
"Of course," Zerrick laughed. He looked up into the blue sky and sighed deeply. Not a bad way to end your day, he thought. Suddenly, a enormous flying beast flew over their head. It was dragon, streaching farther than he could see from wing to wing. Strong gusts of wind blew as it flapped its wings, wind strong enough to bend a few trees.
"What the hell is that?!" Clisko yelled as both of them leaped and stretched on the ground. It passed overhead and from behind it, Zerrick could see someone riding on it...then he realized.....
"Clisko! It's heading towards the village!!"
"Shit! Not again!"
"Come on!" Zerrick yelled furiously. Maybe he had said spoken too soon....
Ahhhh! It's 1 in the morning now! But I finished, yay! (well, this chapter anyways) Please r/r! (since I stayed up so late just to write it)