`ele and the gryph (part 6)

[rone]

Kim has pointed out that insisting on calling this story "crap" is, at this point, false modesty.  Y'all like it, so it can't be crap, or else i'm calling your taste into question.  So i'll just give it a crappy title instead (but i'll keep the tag because i don't want to bother changing the tags on the other parts...).

---

The log cabin turned out to merely be the foyer to a wide patio, which was encircled by a thicket that looked carefully tended.  We walked across the area towards a large table that was fashioned from half a segment of a very old tree.  Seated behind it on a large, crudely carved stump was a greying humanoid with slightly pointed ears who pored over papers and made notes.  As we approached the table, i heard him grumbling, "Blasted dire beavers.  It's going to take a week to break those dams down..."  He looked up.  "Ah.  Feren.  How—"  He suddenly noticed me.  "Feren, who is this and why have you brought him, not only to our compound, but to my very office?  Did i not impress upon you the urgency of keeping our location secure?"

"Uncle N'Jeet—"

"Nightshade, boy!" he roared.  "I've told you not to mention our kinship except in private!  You could be taken hostage and used against us!"  N'Jeet irately stood straight.  "Sit down and be silent!"  He fixed his stare at me.  "You!  Tell me right now what you're doing here!"

I held my arms up and tried to look unimpressed.  "Look, pops, i don't want any trouble.  No need to turn into a bear and maul me, OK?  The kid," i pointed at Feren, who looked like he was about to cry, "will probably tell you what you need to know if you just let him talk, OK?"  I grabbed a stool fashioned out of a short length of tree trunk.  "Mind if i sit?  Thanks."  I sat down.

N'Jeet gave me a look like i'd addressed him in a foreign language; slowly, he processed what i'd said and calmed down.  He exhaled and turned to Feren.  "I'm sorry, Feren.  I, ah, i overreacted."

Feren sniffed.  "It's OK, Un— um, Master Druid.  I forgot about bringing him in here, it's just that, well.  You see, he burned down a keep—"

I bristled.  "Hey, hey, i did NOT.  Teraad did that—"

"SILENCE."  I felt his bellow in my bones.  The gryphon's scream was a light breeze compared to this.  He regarded us quietly, then turned to Feren.  "Tell me what happened." He wagged a finger at the boy.  "And no embellishing."

Feren swallowed.  "Yessir.  There's a Category One fire in grid E-11.  A keep collapsed in a fiery explosion."

"How long ago did this happen?"

Feren looked at me.  I cleared my throat and said, "About four days ago."

"Four days!"  The elder druid started getting red in the face again.  He turned to Feren.  "Why didn't you send an avian messenger here?"

"I..." Feren blushed.  "I forgot."

"Forgot?!"

"I, i was distracted!  I found Mwaele and his gryphon and they were both hurt and i had to try to patch them up and when i saw the fire i knew i had to tell you right away and i forgot to whistle for an avian messenger..." Feren started sobbing wetly.

N'Jeet groaned and held his head.  Without turning to me, he said, "Ser Mwaele, what happened in that keep?"

Comments

[palecur.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I like how you're turning the original fragment into a coherent narrative. And now it's time for the Flashback! Excellent.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

This writing-in-small-pieces approach seems to be working wonders. It helps that i know where this will end, but the events seem to be fractalizing. It's good fun.

[baljemmett.livejournal.com]

Man, I wish I could write coherently. You've got me hooked, at any rate.

[talus21.livejournal.com]

Well feel free to call my taste into question. As long as you don't stop the story. I am addicted.

Can't wait to find out what happens next.