Greetings

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

Dawn danced across the Meadow where the Knights of Service had prepared the training ground.

Thousands filled the field. On the ground, mammals and reptiles, amphibians and crawling insects, all in high spirits, called to friends, shouting victory to come. In the surrounding trees, fliers with feathered or gossamer wings twittered and tweeted, flittered and buzzed, vibrating the air with an electric hum.

The Lieutenant leaped to a highpoint. Silence fell.

“Thank you,” he called to the recruits. “Thank you all for choosing to serve your families, your friends, your Freelands!”

Cheers filled the Meadow and rose to the sky. Hope lived in every heart.

The Lieutenant made eye contact with many of the them as he spoke. “We’re here to teach you how to fight as soldiers — how to work with other tribes to keep your homeland safe for all. The enemy already knows how to fight, and make no mistake, they’re ruthless and cunning. But they’re greedy. They want what isn’t theirs, while you want only to protect what’s yours as a freeborn Freelander. We will win because we fight for honor and love.”

The crowd roared its agreement.

“When our victory comes, it will come because each of you grabs it with your life and rips it from the enemy’s hands. It will be hard. It will be ugly. War is the harshest master, and some of you won’t come home except in song and story. But your families and friends will always remember your valiant fight. The Freelands will never forget your sacrifice. To honor! To victory!”

Shouts of, “Victory! Honor!” echoed in their ears.

The Lieutenant waited only moments, then yelled over them all, “Let’s get to work!”

To be continued. . .

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

Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story... View all posts by Sue Ranscht