Toadstool Pigeon

Glad you could join us for the next cautious episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Smugly enjoying the stupidity of her former jailer, Duggla the Crone waited beneath the red toadstool. Time passed, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and still she waited. But now she muttered, too.

“Why should I sit here like a lackey? Nobody has the right to treat me this way. I should just leave.” But curiosity held her in place until a velvety voice called her name.

“Madam Duggla! Thanks for waiting. I apologize and I beg your pardon, but I was unavoidably detained.”

She pursed her lips and squinted at the red-tinged pointy end of his curvy tail. “Things come up,” she allowed. “Who are you?”

“My name’s not important; I’m just the messenger. I represent the leader of a coalition of Stingers who would like very much to join forces with you.”

“A coalition?”

“Yes indeed! From both the day and night dwellers, we have assembled a wide array of fliers, crawlers, and creepers — I believe there might even be some swimmers. You swim, don’t you?”

“Is that what you need me for? Swimming?”

“No, no, dear Madam! We need your mind.”

“My mind?”

“Specifically, your knowledge of the inner workings of the Kingdom of Bog.”

“And why would I share that with your ‘coalition’?”

“Perhaps my employer has been misinformed. He understood you had left King Arnie’s service with less honor and recognition than your many years of faithfulness deserved, and you might be amenable to channeling your loyalties in a more… rewarding direction.”

“Who is this ‘employer’ of yours?”

“Would you like to meet him? He would love to meet you!”

“Yeah, sure. But I’m not agreeing to anything unless the rewards are… rewarding enough.”

“Of course you’re not! Would you be so kind as to follow me? It’s not far.”

She was hard pressed to keep up with the all the scuttling.

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .