Eyes in the Shadows
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 23538
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The cottonwoods reflected the warm, orange glow of the late summer sun as
it loomed low over the western horizon. Beside the prestine, crystal
waters of a stream that cut through the sea of grass there lurked a
stealthy figure in the shadows of the underbrush, near the strand of
trees. He quietly regarded the strange scene that was playing out before
his eyes. What had started out as a lazy late afternoon fishing venture
had turned into an unexpected encounter with a monster! Now, he had never
actually seen a harpy before, but he knew enough to tell that the winged
creature that had limped it's way over to the sandy creek bed below was
noneother than just that. It was said they rarely ventured beyond the
savage Dolomite Range and it's foothills, so this was a rare encounter
indeed. He cursed under his breath, loathing the fact he hadn't brought a
bow
along! From this vantage point he had a perfect shot at the fatigued
monster where it now lay, sprawled facedown in the
mud. Pitiful...almost. Just then he heard familiar voices and ducked further into the brush. From around a bend two farmers appeared; a stout man carrying a spade and a short, wiry woman carrying a basket, casually talking amongst themselves and oblivious of the monster that lay but a few yards ahead, directly in their path. The stealthy figure knew the two by name, Benjamin and Mary, and he hated them both equally. Once, not long ago, they had caught him stealing in their fields and the man Benjamin had shot him in the gut with a heavy crossbow. After that he had proceded to beat him within an inch of his life with the very same spade he carried now. Again he cursed the fact that he hadn't brought his bow, this time even more vehemently. What a catch they would have made along with the harpy! To the disappointment of the man in the shadows, the harpy did not reel around and attack the farmers when they stumbled upon it. Instead...a conversation ensued!? The monsters could actually speak!? The idiot Benjamin had his spade in postion to crush the monster's head with one easy stroke and instead he had strayed his hand and spared it's miserable life! He hadn't shown such restraint and mercy to starving tresspassers in his fields! It was a well known fact that all harpies were in league with the terrible dragon! This was an outrage! As the monster was bound up and carried away by the two farmers, the stealthy figure bounded off in the opposite direction. The alarm had to be raised in this wild corner of the world where only vigilante 'justice' ruled. Benjamin and Mary were harbouring spies of the dragon - and they must pay the price! He would have his vengeance on the greedy idiot and his hag!
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Ib
2/10/2003 3:15:03 AM
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