Tag: Teddy

What Next?

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

Elliot 244
Image credit: ThinkStock / S.T. Ranscht

Beyond the torchlight outside the Bower, King Arnie, Princess Cassandra, and Knights Barry and Trevor stood beside Randall’s body.

The King bowed his head. “This never should have happened.”

His legs quivering, Barry asked, “Do ya want us ta hunt dat Assassin down, yer Greatness? We can pick up da trail where he killed Randall, can’t we Trev?”

“I’m sure we can,” Trevor agreed. “Just say the word, Sir.”

Continue reading “What Next?”

Shooting Star Signs

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

Elliot 242
Photo credit: Quetsavia

Lying awake beneath the shimmering sky long after Darwin’s family had retreated to the shadowy corners of their web, Teddy wasn’t sure he was still glad his father had gone to the war, even just overnight. It was okay for Trevor and Barry — they were Knights, not dads. They didn’t have anybody counting on them for hugs and stories and tucking in at bedtime.

I hope Daddy didn’t think he wouldn’t be brave if he stayed home, Teddy fretted to himself. I hope he knows he’s the bravest Dad in Bog — in the whole world!

Continue reading “Shooting Star Signs”

Hero

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

Elliot 241
Photo credit: Dave Morrow

Breathing raggedly, Randall lay with his eyes closed, wrapped in waiting. King Arnie entered the Bower before Cyrus could announce him.

“Cassandra, my dear,” he whispered, “may I speak with your patient?”

A smile glimmering in her eyes, she kissed her father’s cheek. “Of course.”

Trevor stepped back, bowing, and the King took Randall’s hand.

“My friend,” he implored, “why are you here? I thought I left you safe at home with your son.”

Continue reading “Hero”

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…

Elliot 240
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.”

Continue reading “Promise Me”

Untold Tail

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

Elliot 237
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

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

Elliot 235
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.

Continue reading “Last Flight Out”

Special Delivery

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

Elliot 230
Photo credit: Frans Lanting

Teddy had given up trying to fly as soon as Janesse vanished beyond the trees. “Daddy, is Prince Elliot going to the war?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Why?”

“King Arnie needs him there.”

“Is he scared?”

“Probably. At least a little.”

Darwin stopped jumping and scrunched his face in puzzlement. “He can’t be scared. My mom says everybody in the war is brave.”

“She’s right,” Randall confirmed. “But she knows wars are scary and everyone who goes is scared but they go anyway. That’s how she knows they’re brave.”

“Why would they go if they’re scared?” his son asked. “They might get hurt.”

“They might get dead, too,” Darwin said gleefully, “but everybody would know they were cowards if they didn’t go.”

Continue reading “Special Delivery”

Flying Janesse

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

Elliot 228
Photo credit: Congok

Spending his last few minutes in Bog reviewing the responsibilities his deputy would shoulder, Elliot was confident nothing would suffer under Randall’s watchful eye.

“Do you have someone in mind to send with the shipment, sir?” the frog asked.

“No, I’ll leave that to you.”

Their faces a matched set of solemnity, Darwin and Teddy marched in step up the path.

“Halt!” Teddy cried. “Knight Trevor reporting with news, sir.”

“Hey,” Darwin objected, “you were Trevor last time. It’s my turn!”

“All right, but he’s my daddy, so I still get to say the news.”

“Okay,” Darwin agreed leaping with all eight legs splayed, over a knee-high rock in his best imitation of an airborne frog.

“What’s your news, Master Knight?” Randall asked.

Brow furrowed in concentration, Teddy saluted. “The Prince’s Flyer is here, sir!”

Continue reading “Flying Janesse”

Maneuvers

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

Elliot 227
Image credit: TutKnow.ru / amwo / S.T. Ranscht

Winded by her emergency run to Bog, Chloe had a powerful thirst.

Approaching a young frog playing stick-battle with an aggressive young spider among stacks of folded webbing, she caught her breath to ask, “Sweetie, can you tell me where Prince Elliot is?”

The spider used the distraction to smack his stick against his opponent’s belly. “Ha!” he crowed. “That means I killed you! I’m the greatest Knight in the Kingdom!”

“Hey, calm down, Darwin, we’re not supposed to hurt each other.” Rubbing his stomach, Teddy turned to the Runner. “I don’t know, but my daddy does. Do you want me to go get him?” Continue reading “Maneuvers”

A Way Forward

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

Elliot 174
Photo credit: Igor Siwanowicz

In the dark of night, two of Bog’s border guards escorted Randall and Teddy to King Arnie as soon as they entered the Kingdom.

“I’m pleased to see you have your son,” the King greeted him. “Are you all right, young man?”

Teddy stared at the King’s feet and nodded while clinging to his father’s leg.

King Arnie knelt and looked into the little frog’s eyes. “If someone had taken me away from my father when I was your age, I would have been really scared. I’m sure I would have cried.”

Teddy looked at the ground and shook his head. “They would get angry if you cried and they would put you in a black room with no lights all by yourself and they would tell you you had to stay there forever because your daddy was never coming back.”

Continue reading “A Way Forward”