《The Jungle Kingdom》


 The Emperor Rises

    The moon shone bright over the swamp at the edge of the jungle. The stars glimmered coldly in the night sky. Crickets chirped. A bright blue parrot fluttered down carrying a scroll in its bill. It alighted on a piece of driftwood by the swamp and a bright, green girl slithered out of the mud to meet it. She was a swamp girl. Femurids was the proper title for her people. They could walk on two legs, and also fold their arms and legs together then slither across solid ground. The seal on the scroll showed the swamp girl''s name, ''Mintani.''


    Another green girl slithered out of the swamp. The silver moonlight shone off her nose and cheeks. The lank green tendrils that Femurids had for hair hung limply around her shoulders. "What have you got there, Minty?"


    Minty showed her friend the scroll. "Hey Phradni. It''s a message from King Gabriel."


    Phradni flicked a strand of her lank hair away from her green face. "Ahhh, yes. You two have been pen-pals ever since he visited our swamp. That was when he was just the Prince."


    Minty smiled, feeling warm and fuzzy inside. "Yes. We''d had human visitors before, but never such a perfect specimen of human beauty. I''d never seen anyone so dreamy. His auburn hair, blue-green eyes, like opals, his freckled nose and his royal profile¡­"


    "Heard it before," said Phradni.


    Minty held the scroll to her chest. "He''s so kind and sensitive. When he visited eight years ago, he talked to me ¨C just a regular swamp girl ¨C and he said it was sweet how inquisitive I was. I begged him to write and he kept his promise to do it. We''ve been writing letters ever since. I know that I love him."


    Phradni rubbed her green cheek. "You think you love him because of your letters?"


    Minty grinned and unraveled the scroll. "Eight years of letters. We tell each other about our lives in the palace and in the swamp. I told him about fishing, hut building and the Sun Shrine. He told me about Royal politics. I remember how I was so sad when he married the Queen. I actually thought he might marry me someday."


    Phradni smirked. "You''d take him to live in the swamp. Bit of a change from a palace."


    Minty sighed. "I know a Prince would not want to marry a swamp girl. He married well, and he has a beautiful son now too."


    Minty was reading the scroll and as she did so, she felt a stab of anxiety. "Bad news. A rebellion has begun, led by some nutter nicknamed ''Mad Eyes.'' He has crazy ideas about leveling part of the jungle and draining all the swamps. The Dracons have joined forces with the rebels." The Dracons were giant, flesh eating lizards from another part of the jungle.


    Phradni''s black eyes went wide. "Are we like, in real danger? The humans would turn against us?"


    "Only the rebels, obviously," snapped Minty. "The humans loyal to our King are all good, like he is."


    There was a piercing cry high above them and a bright purple shape fluttered down. It was Ciaww, the king''s monkey-bird. Shaped like a monkey, but with wings and a big and the ability to speak.


    He fluttered down to alight on a log beside the swamp girls. "Awooga! Emergency!" he cawed. "I''ve had to fly on an empty stomach."


    "That''s an emergency?" said Phradni, her rubbery green features forming a sneer.


    "No. Ciaww''s always thinking with his stomach. Aren''t you, feathered friend?" said Minty. She reached into the swamp and grabbed a tiny mudskipper and held it out. Ciaww snapped it up and swallowed before opening his beak again to speak.


    "I bring tidings of an emergency. The King is doomed."


    Minty felt a chill to her stomach. "What! What do you mean? Explain now!"


    Ciaww flexed his wings. "It''s the rebels. Serious business. They''ve overthrown the King. A squad of trident men and Dracons took over the palace and they''ve taken the Royal Family a prisoner. Their leader calls himself the Emperor now. We''re in an Empire. Not a Kingdom anymore. King Gabi said only you can save him, Minty."


    I breathe hard to calm myself. I know what I must do. "I have to try."


    "That''s suicide," said Phradni. "Don''t you know how dangerous Dracons and evil humans are?"


    "There may be a way. In the Sun Shrine. I''m going to get the Sun Jewel. Ciaww, come with me."


    Minty swam across the swamp, Ciaww flying low over the surface. They reached the island on which the Sun Shrine had been carved into the living rock. There was a hole in the wall under the water that Minty could swim through, but there were also Guard Frogs on patrol at the entrance. "Please distract them," she murmured to Ciaww. "All you have to do is tell them what they''re supposed to be doing. Frogs are pretty simple."


    Minty waited under the water while Ciaww addressed the frogs. "You''re not to allow anyone to enter the shrine."


    "Not to allow anyone to leave the shrine *croak*" replied the Guard Frog.


    "No!" snapped Ciaww. "You''re not to allow anyone to enter!"


    "Wait. Can anyone leave with us?" croaked the Guard Frog.


    While they were bickering, Minty swam through the hole in the wall of the shrine and surfaced in a cavern cut into the living rock. The walls shone with bio-luminescence. On a stone plinth, there was a necklace with a glowing yellow gemstone. Little green spiders, jewel-bright, scuttled around the necklace in an unbroken circle. Quickly, Minty stretched out her rubbery green arm and seized the necklace. The spiders scuttled towards her, so she dived back under water and swam out of the shrine.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Ciaww was still distracting the simple Guard Frogs.


    "Wait, are you saying I have to guard him?" exclaimed one of the frogs, pointing at his fellow who had no interest in the dispute. On the contrary, he was eyeing a tasty fly, which he then caught with his long, sticky tongue.


    "No, all you have to do is guard the shrine," squawked Ciaww, ruffling his feathers. Minty waved at him and he shook his feathery head and flew up into the air to follow Minty.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    00O00


    The Royal Palace was an elegant building made of a unique blue sandstone. Now that the Royals were overthrown, it had become tainted by the evil of its new ruler ¨C Emperor Akklax, nicknamed ''Mad Eyes.''


    Flanked by hissing Dracons, the Emperor loomed over the Royals who were chained in a bare stone cell.


    "Your decrepit house has fallen!" he sneered. "Now you will bow before your Emperor."


    Queen Thea stood up as much as she could, her chains clanking. Her face flushed as red as her hair as she glared at Mad Eyes. "We will never bow before you, you vile pretender!"


    Mad Eyes struck her hard across the face with his gauntleted hand, splitting her lip. Little Prince Alfie whimpered and his father hugged him. "Better do as he says, dear," said the King timidly.


    "I will not bow before this lunatic!" snapped Thea, her blue eyes flashing.


    "Very well then¡­" said Mad Eyes smirking. He walloped King Gabi across the cheek instead.


    "Stop that! Alright¡­" Thea bowed quickly.


    "See that you remember who your Emperor is. If you can''t, I may decide you''re not worth ransoming to your relatives and instead feed the prince to the Dracons. They''re always hungry." Mad Eyes smirked as Thea turned white and with a swish of his cape, he turned and left the cell to meet up with his lieutenants.


    Mad Eyes second and third in command were the Dracon, Lessh Frilldur, and the trident warrior Brutus Bloodcut.


    Lessh was a giant even among his own kind. A great brown lizard with fishy eyes, vicious slashing claws and sharp, carnivore''s teeth. Brutus was armed with a trident and a weighted net, like all his fellow trident men.


    "Perimeter secure, there will be no insurgency around the palace today," said Brutus, saluting with his trident.


    "There had better not be, or it''ll be your head."


    A faint frown line appeared between Brutus'' brows. "Also, the ruffian gangs who assisted us in the rebellion are demanding their share of power."


    Mad Eyes gave a twisted smile. "That can be sorted. Lessh!"


    "Yaar, mightinesssss?" The lizard''s forked tongue flickered as he spoke in a hissing parody of a human voice. The more intelligent of the Dracons all had the power of speech.


    "The ruffians should be gifted the Royal merchant ships which they can turn into pirate vessels. As pirates, they can raid the defenseless coastal regions of the Western Isles. Just as we discussed."


    "Yaar, mightinessss."


    "And how has it gone with poisoning the frog swamp?" demanded Mad Eyes.


    "It isss done. We dumped the barrel into the swamp and they all died and the sswamp went black. As you ssaid."


    "Good work, my strong right hand. Or should I say, my strong right set of vicious claws?" The Emperor gave a twisted smile. "But I''ve no doubt the swamp of the slimy green vermin, the Femurids, will give us more trouble. We will have to attack them with greater force."


    Brutus'' frown deepened.


    Mad Eyes clapped his hands together. "Anyhow¡­ Follow, both of you. You will both see why you should fear your new ruler."


    Mad Eyes led them to the Royal Treasure vault. The vault was a bare, stone room, lit by flickering torches. There were mounds of gold, piles of silver, little chests of jewels¡­ Suddenly, there was a terrible hissing and Brutus gave a start and Lessh''s blunt head jerked uneasily from side to side.


    A bright silver snake with a gold diamond pattern slithered out of a crack in the corner. Its markings showed it to be highly poisonous! The trident man and the lizard edged to the door in fright.


    "Stay!" Commanded Mad Eyes, glaring at them. He knelt down and fixed his glare of his dark eyes on the snake. "Oh frightful guardian of my wealth, be silent and still," he crooned. The snake reared and swayed its head, returning the evil man''s glare. Mad Eyes swayed his head, not breaking his gaze. Lessh and Brutus watched transfixed. Finally, the snake coiled up and its eyes filmed over in sleep.


    "There! Did you ever see such power? Do either of you have such a gift with poisonous snakes?"


    "No, my liege."


    "No, mightinesss."


    "I have appointed this dreadful guardian to guard my wealth. It could take either of you out with a single bite, but it is no match for me. Let this sight burn forever in your memories. I am deadlier than any serpent and all should fear me."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    00O00


    Minty and Ciaww pressed on throughout the night to reach the frog swamp, which they had to cross to reach the palace. Minty could slither very fast across the ground, although she could walk on two legs when she was not in so great a hurry. From a distance, she could sense something wrong¡­ a foul smell of decay¡­ not of vibrant life, like a swamp should smell¡­


    She rose to her feet. The first, faint streaks of dawn had appeared on the horizon. She saw that the surface of the swamp was black, oily and lifeless. She staggered. "N-No¡­ it''s all dead¡­"


    "Contaminated by the evil Emperor," said Ciaww gravely. "His depravity knows no limits."


    Salty tears rolled down Minty''s cheeks. "Those poor, poor frogs." She knew she had to pull herself together. She could not leave the Royal Family in the Emperor''s clutches. "There''s no way to swim across¡­"


    Suddenly, she became aware of to points of glimmering scarlet in the oily surface of the swamp. They were fixed on her like eyes. Then they disappeared. "There''s some kind of evil presence here... could the pollution the Emperor put into the swamp somehow be sentient?"


    "Hope not," squawked Ciaww. "Regular pollution would be bad enough."


    "We cannot cross on the surface, but there are tunnels under the swamp," said Minty. She led Ciaww into a dark cave which opened into a passage that led steeply downwards into the caverns beneath the swamp. There was contamination here, too. An oily river trickled pass the stone ledge they stood upon. The only light was from the Sun Jewel around Minty''s neck. A thin tendril of pollution arose from the oily river.


    "That''s no friendly handshake!" burbled Ciaww.


    Minty crouched and held the Sun Jewel up to the oily tendril and it dissolved.


    "Don''t be afraid, Ciaww," she said, stroking his head. They crept along the fetid passageway until it opened out into a cavern that was lit by an eerie light all of its own. They both stopped short in amazement. There was a tiny rocky island in a lake of black sludge and on it stood a figure they could both recognize. The King!


    Minty blinked. "Your Highness?"


    Ciaww squawked. "How did you get down here, your Majesty?"


    "Minty! At last!" He spoke, but his voice sounded hollow and echoey. Minty was getting a giddy, unreal feeling as if she were dreaming.


    "Did the Emperor put you down here? Don''t worry. We can get across. Please Ciaww, you have to fly me. I can''t swim through that muck."


    Ciaww dug his talons into her green arms. She gritted her teeth, but Femurids are resilient and the wounds would soon heal. The monkey-bird beat his wings and flew her across the pollution lake. On the little island was a rough rocky pillar that they could now see led up through a hole in the cavern ceiling.


    Minty bowed low. "Your Highness¡­ Gabi¡­ I was worried sick."


    He ignored her. "Come¡­ there is an evil presence here¡­ the pollution is alive and sentient. It is coming back. Follow." He scrambled up the pillar with astonishing agility. Superhuman agility in fact. Agility that rivaled Minty''s own. Ciaww flew after them as they slithered up into the next cavern.


    Gabi turned to Minty. "The Sun Jewel. Give it to your sovereign, slimy creature!"


    Slimy creature?! The truth dawned on Minty. "You''re not the King. You''re an impostor!"


    The impostor''s eyes glowed red and his form dissolved into an oily smoke that formed the outline of a demon ¨C the evil sentience of the Pollution.


    "There''s no stopping my poison!" growled the specter. "Now you will die!"

 Mad Eyes Is Watching You!

    Minty knew what she had to do. She held up the Sun Jewel and concentrated. A flash of blinding light blazed towards the pollution-fiend and it roared and dissolved into smoke, fleeing down the tunnel. She exhaled in relief, her outbreath making a whistling sound. ¡°It¡¯s like the Sun Jewel read my mind.¡±


    ¡°Great. Now we just have to get out¡­¡± whined Ciaww. He spread his wings and rose to the rocky ceiling.


    ¡°Please stay close. I¡¯m the one who spends some of the time in a swamp or burrowing in the ground,¡± urged Minty. ¡°I can find the way out.¡± She slithered along the surface of the tunnel. Suddenly there was the glare of light down a tunnel to the left, but Minty could sense something was wrong.


    Ciaww squawked and flew away into the light. Towards a trap of some kind. Minty slithered along after him. The shimmering lights of a mirage surrounded them. The illusion of sunshine, water and melon trees.


    Ciaww plucked a melon. ¡°Made it. And just in time for lunch.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Minty knocked the melon onto the ground and it split open. It wasn¡¯t a melon at all. It was full of oil. ¡°See. An illusion.¡±


    The mirage around them flickered and dissipated. They were in another rocky cavern. Ciaww squawked in displeasure.


    The hollow laughter of the pollution fiend echoed in their minds. ¡°Surrender! It¡¯s only a matter of time!¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± Minty slithered out of the cavern. ¡°Please will you just follow me, Ciaww? Don¡¯t fly off again. I can still find a way out.¡± She sensed water nearby and headed for it, arriving at an oily pool.


    ¡°There is water here¡­ I wonder¡­¡± She held the Sun Jewel to the surface of the pool and the light shone on the surface. The film of oil withdrew, revealing that the pool was indeed water and at a distance, there was the surface of a lake with the sun shining above. It was weird. It was like the lake was topsy turvy and they were looking at down though it, to the sky below.


    Minty wrapped a slimy arm round Ciaww. ¡°Hold your breath.¡±


    She dragged the monkey-bird into the water and immediately felt a sensation of rushing upwards. They were in the lake! She swam furiously to the surface and their heads broke the water. They were in the lake that adjoined the Frog Marsh. As yet, the lake was still free from pollution. Ciaww immediately started gibbering complaints about her getting him wet, but she knew they had to flee. She swam to the shore. Behind them, the dark shadow of the pollution monster loomed, getting closer.


    Minty put on an extra spurt and then dragged the bedraggled monkey-bird onto the surface and turned to face the monster. The smoky shadow loomed above them. Minty concentrated, willing the Sun Jewel to reflect the sun and blaze brighter than it could underground. She closed her eyes tight (she had two eyelids) as the little orb blazed white. Then she hurled it at the pollution monster as it glided towards them.


    She opened her eyes. Blazing lights were flashing in the shadowy smoke of the fiend as it roared and hissed and struggled. Then smoke and lights compressed together and imploded with a clap like thunder. The monster of pollution was no more. Ciaww clapped his wings and cheered. Of course, Minty had now lost the Sun Jewel and would have to rely purely on her wits for the rest of the journey.


    <hr>


    00O00


    At the bluestone palace, the Emperor had assumed new robes of office and sported a new haircut and beard trim.


    ¡°The robe of Emperor suits me perfectly. I was born to be Emperor. I¡¯ve always known it. Haven¡¯t you, Bloodcut?¡±


    Brutus nodded. ¡°Erm. Yes, your Excellency. Always.¡±


    The Emperor glared and turned on him, drawing his ornate dagger and holding it up to his throat. ¡°How could you have always known it, when we¡¯ve only known each other for two years, since you joined my original pirate crew? I have ways of dealing with liars.¡±


    Alarmed, Brutus stammered. ¡°I ¨C I meant always since I met you.¡±


    Mad Eyes sheathed his dagger and another trident man, Cassius ¡®Cutthroat¡¯ Clayton entered. ¡°Your subjects are ready, Excellency. They are waiting for you to address the crowd.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Mad Eyes clapped his hand together. ¡°Wait¡­ his eyes narrowed. Is that a button missing from your uniform, Clayton?¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss. I¡¯ll get another one.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough!¡± said Mad Eyes. ¡°My Trident men will dress like men¡­ or not at all. Take off your clothes.¡±


    Cassius was bewildered. ¡°Sir! You can¡¯t make me¡­¡±


    Mad Eyes drew his dagger again. ¡°Your clothes¡­ or your life.¡±


    Brutus watched grimly as Cassius took off his uniform, leaving just his helmet, underwear and boots.


    Mad Eyes nodded. ¡°That¡¯s better. From now on, you will carry out your duties dressed like that.¡±


    Brutus found this troubling in the extreme. Mad Eyes had gone totally mad with power!


    <hr>


    00O00


    On a platform surrounded by trident men and Dracons, Mad Eyes delivered his speech to the people of the Sapphire City State that lay by the jungle:


    ¡°Citizens, the monarchy was too soft. Now that I¡¯m Emperor, that will change! I will make the rules and you will obey them ¨C or be eliminated. In order to encourage obedience, a curfew is in force tonight. Anyone found on the streets after nightfall, will be stabbed by a trident or eaten by a Dracon! I am the law now! The Living Law!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A strong force of Dracons and trident men controlled the crowd.


    There were mutters among the masses. An unkempt, burly man murmured his discontent: ¡°The Emperor¡¯s crazy, he¡¯s¡­¡±


    A trident man walloped him over the head with his trident. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that, citizen.¡±


    A Dracon leered at the crowd, showing off its fangs, like a crocodile¡¯s. ¡°Why no cheersss¡­? Would you like to be eaten?¡±


    A hasty cheer went up from the crowd. ¡°H-Hail, Mad Eyes! Long live the Emperor!¡± The Emperor is the Living Law!¡±


    And so, as night fell, the tyrant¡¯s grip squeezed tighter. Screams of terror echoed through the city streets as Dracons caught those who broke the curfew. Sounds of crunching bones could be heard for miles around. The trident men put up posters which bore the slogan: ¡°<u>Mad Eyes watches you!</u>¡±


    <hr>


    00O00


    From her cell window in the highest tower of the Queen Thea looked out over the city. She turned pale, her freckles really showing. ¡°This day will live in infamy. Our poor, poor Kingdom. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s terrible.¡±an


    ¡°Come away from the window, dear,¡± suggested King Gabi. He really didn¡¯t want her to be more agitated than she already was.


    At that moment, a Dracon leered through the bars in the cell door. He hissed at Prince Alfie, his forked tongue flickering. ¡°Little Princccceling¡­ you will tasste nicce.¡±


    Gabi hugged Alfie to him as he whimpered, so that he couldn¡¯t see the dreadful lizard. Thea snarled and launched herself at the door. ¡°You dare threaten my son, you foul beast!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll crunch your bonessss,¡± hissed the Dracon.


    The trident man guarding the cell door knocked the lizard on the head with the handle of his trident. ¡°No, you won¡¯t. The Emperor will turn you into a pair of crocodile skin shoes if you chomp the prisoners without his say so.¡±


    The Dracon hissed, but made no reply. Thea breathed heavily, her breasts rising and falling. Gabi was worried about her. The stress was clearly taking its toll.


    <hr>


    00O00


    Minty slithered through the dense jungle, being sure to stay slow enough for Ciaww to keep up. They had been travelling through the jungle for days, and Ciaww was getting grumpy. Minty wondered whether, from a distance, she would look like a huge green slug, going at this slow speed. They had to go through the mushroom grove if they were to take the quickest route to the Sapphire City. The monkey-bird was complaining that he was hungry again.


    ¡°OK, let¡¯s forage,¡± said Minty.


    They found a clearing with a tree laden with star shaped melons.


    Ciaww grabbed one and tore at the rind with his beak. ¡°At last. Lunch!¡±


    Suddenly, a booming voice resounded around the clearing. ¡°INTRUDERS!¡±


    A massive shape tumbled from the trees, a monster with huge bird feet, a dragon¡¯s body and bulging from-like eyes. Ciaww squawked in fright and tumbled from the tree.


    The voice rang out again. ¡°Get out now! I am the Bog Monster! I can stomp on any number of lizards and bad guys!¡±


    Minty gathered Ciaww up in her arms and whispered. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? That thing¡¯s a fake. It¡¯s a huge puppet. Someone¡¯s working it in the trees. They¡¯re pulling strings somehow.¡±


    ¡°How could I have known? I¡¯ve not got your senses.¡± Ciaww sounded indignant. He flew up into the trees. Now that Minty thought about it, there must be someone nearby on the ground, speaking through a hollow log to make their voice reverberate. Ciaww gave an ear-splitting squawk which was followed by high pitched cries. Human voices.


    Minty slithered quickly between the trees and found two little human boys by a hollow log, clutching each other and trembling. Ciaww was rolling on the ground, pointing at them and laughing. ¡°You should have seen them jump out of their skins! Hilarious!¡±


    Minty glared. ¡°Ciaww, you bully.¡± She wrapped her slimy green arms around the boys and murmured in her best soothing voice. ¡°It¡¯s OK, nothing to worry about.¡±


    Ciaww stuck his beak in the air. ¡°Huh. They started it with their shenanigans. But whatever. Blame the monkey-birds, we¡¯re easy targets¡­¡±


    One of the little boys was red headed, his little face covered in freckles. The other was blond. The red headed boy touched Minty¡¯s bare arm. ¡°You¡¯re cold and green and damp. And you¡¯ve got a gown made of leaves? Why?¡±


    She smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m a Femurid girl. We¡¯re swamp people. My skin¡¯s damp, because I spend part of my life in water, and another part burrowing in mud. We¡¯re good at making clothes out of leaves for when we have to be away from the swamp for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we all really want to know the details,¡± snapped Ciaww.


    ¡°The King always did,¡± said Minty with a happy sigh.


    ¡°You know the King? Is he alive?¡± demanded the red headed boy.


    ¡°I very much hope so,¡± said Minty, her voice quivering. ¡°I¡¯m going to rescue him. Ermm¡­¡± she was flustered for a moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you both tell me your names?¡±


    The blond boy blushed and shook his head, but the red headed one spoke for them both. ¡°I¡¯m Chip and he¡¯s Tripp. We live with Vilbia, up in the cave. She¡¯s got a green face, but it¡¯s just her face. The Bog Monster puppet is her idea.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Well how about you take us to meet her? She shouldn¡¯t be putting you up to doing stuff like that.¡±


    Chip nodded. ¡°We know the secret path to the cave. Only I can take you.¡±


    ¡°You must be very clever,¡± said Minty, ruffling his ruddy hair.


    Chip puffed up at that, while Ciaww rolled his eyes. Chip led them through a narrow winding path to a cliff face. ¡°The cave¡¯s there.¡± Chip pointed up.


    Minty nodded. ¡°I see it.¡± She gripped the rocky cliff face and then slithered up. The boys stared. She twisted her head round one hundred and eighty degrees and smiled down at them.


    ¡°She slithers up the cliff. Freaky, eh?¡± chirped Ciaww.


    ¡°She¡¯s cool!¡± said Chip.


    Minty waved and blew a kiss at him. She waited for the boys to catch up, scrambling up the mountain path. Ciaww alighted beside her. There was a leafy curtain in front of the cave and Minty pushed it aside.


    ¡°Vilbia, we¡¯re home!¡± called Chip. ¡°We¡¯ve got visitors!¡±


    The cave was full of small human children. A human lady was crawling around on her hands and knees with two little kids on her back. She turned her head to frown at them, and Minty saw that her face was covered in a smooth and shiny green material. She was wearing a mask. Minty wondered why.


    ¡°Hello!¡± said Minty, waving her long fingers and grinning. ¡°Sorry to barge in. I¡¯m Minty, from the Femurid Swamp.¡±


    ¡°We demand to know¡­ what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± squawked Ciaww, extending his wings to make himself look big. ¡°What¡¯re you doing, making your brats scare travellers with that Bog Monster.¡±


    ¡°This is Ciaww, and he doesn¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± said Minty, extending her hands.


    Vilbia got to her feet and clasped Minty¡¯s hands. They were soft and dry. Normal human hands.


    ¡°What happened to your face? Why¡¯s it green and rubbery? You¡¯re no swamp creature,¡± said Ciaww.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. My mask hides my disfigurement. I don¡¯t have anything contagious.¡± said Vilbia softly.


    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± said Ciaww.


    ¡°Ciaww!¡± Minty glared at him.


    ¡°Charming bird,¡± said Vilbia, her green masked face forming a wry smile. Her features moved like a human lady¡¯s too. Minty knew her own features moved more slowly when her expression changed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if the Bog Monster trick frightened you. These are dark times. The old Bog Monster does frighten the dim witted Dracons. The Emperor¡¯s reach has grown long. I¡¯m keeping danger away from my kids OK? This is the Jungle Orphanage.¡±


    At that moment, there was a terrible hissing noise and the leafy curtain was pushed aside. The blunt head of a Dracon appeared, its forked tongue flickering. It turned its head to fix its glassy eyes on them. ¡°At lasssst. Food! A whole buffet!¡±