Month: January 2018

Promise Me

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

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Photo credit: Paul Starosta

The Knights lay Randall on a moss mat in the Bower.

Barry rubbed at the blood on one of his arms. “What can we do ta help?”

Wetting a bit of sponge in a small bowl of water, Cassandra cleaned blood and dirt from one of the many gashes on Randall’s chest. “Could you bring more water?” Cassandra asked. “And silk — I don’t have enough to stitch up all these wounds.”

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Casualties

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Image credit: SD Zoo/Aussietrev/wallup.net/S.T. Ranscht

Bog’s army had arrived in time to help push General Hai’s troops back across Fen’s border, at least for the night. Now, at the end of a day filled with conferences, bad news, and tough decisions, Queen Lilian heard the same remorse in King Arnie’s apology that she’d expressed to Vernon earlier.

“No one saw it coming, Arnie.” she said. “What’s important is that Bog’s army is here now, and Commander Torlex has taken the Arids’ Alliance Army across the northwestern corner of Fen to cut through the enemy.”

“Torlex is a cagey one,” King Arnie confided. “He’s hinted he has a secret attack plan that’s going to take the General by surprise, but only his army knows what it is.”

“Do you trust him?” Lilian asked.

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Rattled

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Photo credit: Tim Lyons

Having dug a shallow burrow in the Bower’s floor, Miranda tucked her little ones inside. “I’m just going to watch them sleep for a few minutes,” she told the Princess. “It’s the only time they’re all quiet. Then we can sit outside and have a bit of nectar.” But moments later, exhausted from bearing the weight of parenthood alone, she, too, succumbed to seductive slumber.

Princess Cassandra smiled. Soon that will be me. She stepped into the pale starlight alone.

“Good evening, Cyrus,” she greeted the young bee standing guard outside her door.

“Good evening, your Elegance.” The flap of feathered wings brought him to attention. “Who goes there?” 

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Not the Only One

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Photo credit: RWS

As Barry and Trevor lifted Randall between them, a screeching alarm ripped across the sky which instantly filled with the raucous cries of every Flyer within earshot. Captain Avery of the Dark of Night Aero Squadron streaked from the woods, dropping to the ground when he saw the two Knights.

“Another one?” he asked. “The Eastern Guard is dead, too. An apparent Stinger attack.”

“Randall isn’t dead,” Trevor explained, “but we don’t know where to find Fen’s Healer.”

Taking a closer look at the prostrate frog, the owl said, “Take him to Princess Cassandra. Straight west, just beyond the Hive. I’d transport him myself, but I have to see the Queen.” He swept his wings out scooping gales of air to lift himself into the sky.

“I know where she lives,” Barry said. “Let’s go.”

To be continued. . .

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

Untold Tail

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Photo credit: Electric Tree Frog Photography

Barry hopped to catch up with Trevor. “Hey, where youse goin’?”

Grinning at his best friend, Trevor kept moving, “On my way to the Field. The Lieutenant asked for a volunteer to pick up any webbing that’s left, and I heard Teddy’s dad is issuing it, so I answered the call. I thought I’d send back a little souvenir for the kid.” He held up a scorpion tail with its stinger dangling at the end.

Barry’s eyes went wide. “Youse got dat today?” Continue reading “Untold Tail”

Last Flight Out

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Photo credit: Thomas Marent

Randall’s first flight made such an impression, he decided his flight home would be his last flight ever. He’d survived all the jostling only by tying his ankles to the cargo net and hanging on for dear life. Teddy might be enchanted because Trevor can ‘fly’, he thought, but that’s just leaping with style. When I tell him about this, he’s going to know what flying is really like.

Maybe his relief to be on the ground enhanced his senses to make Fen seem soul-sustainingly green and rich with everything that made life worth living. Or maybe it really was. He understood why the General wanted it, but the world would be a less hopeful place if the winds of war contaminated Fen’s light zephyrs with the stench of death.

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Back Channel Communications

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Photo credit: wisawa222

Holding up both arms, the Assassin moved into the open and stopped well away from the Prince. “As you can see, I also am un-armed. Or un-clawed, to be more precise, thanks to your dear friend Randall. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you? He ran off before I could thank him properly.” Elliot said nothing. “No?” Anthony asked. “Ah well, if it’s meant to be… So, Elliot the Faithful. How good to see you again.”

Neither of them moved.

“What do you want, Anthony?”

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