Duel - 1

The rains have ceased. Over several weeks the lonely mountain valley had been swallowing the constant downpour and now it looked very much like a small, flat marsh, pick-pocked by eroded monoliths and rippled mud. A rather thick fog clogged the skies above, bathing the area with the pale corpse-light of the morning sun, and nothing moved except the occasional handful of tall grass against the wind.

It certainly seemed like a bleak image, but the dridder thought differently. This was the land she had been born in, where she had grown up. It was the only life she knew. There were stories that said it used to be far more glamorous and befitting of her kind, but did that really matter? She enjoyed the little peasant life they had, and this whole place was always so quiet, far away from the trouble in those jungles below. Let the elders stick to their dead traditions. Life at the Web Fells was where it was at


“Kaubi! You might want to see this!”

It was her boyfriend, gesturing at her from the other corner of the valley. Gracefully she skittered down the plant-encrusted cairn, creaking spider limbs squelching across the mud and wet grass in his direction. What could have he seen?

She was already wishing she hadn’t thought on that. Before the dridders stood a huge mound of what looked like excrement, all piled up on the wet grass. Everything about it was truly disgusting, from the semi-solid texture coated in foul mucus to the coloration, which appeared as combinations of white and black and brown and red in several grimy shades. And then there was the buzzing. The entire thing was practically squirming with maggots and flies and dung beetles and myriads of other vermin, all of them feasting and wallowing and darting in every possible inch of the repulsive pile, filling the air with an uncomfortable droning noise.

“Eugh…..” the female groaned, covering her mouth with one hand “That….is one big pile of shit”

The male appeared only slightly unfazed, and he was standing in place with his arms crossed, closely examining the find “Lots of blood in there. Grizzle….undigested bones as well. Guess this explains the missing herds. Whatever did this sure doesn’t like its veggies”

“Why isn’t it...you know, stinking to high heaven?”

“Well it HAS been raining a lot” he added, rubbing his chin “I’d say it’s been around for a week. Or two, hard to say”

The female tilted her head, that feeling of uneasiness only growing in her. She began pacing around, surrounding the pile of scat in half a circle. “Think it’s one of the lizard-bloods? As far as I know their land is pretty close”

“Yes, but his high in the Fells? I don’t know about that…” he answered, contemplating still “’Sides, just look at the size of this thing! When have you seen a lizard-blood that….” And suddenly he’d become very still, as realization hit him “U-Unless….”

She had already frozen in place at his words, her face changing from confusion to surprise, and finally terror. Her hands slowly rising to her head “Oh no…..you mean….oh god. Oh god no! No no no!!! The Outlaw!! The Outlaw is HERE!!!!”

“We don’t know that!!” He suddenly yelled, trying to pacify her but clearly just as distressed “Those feces are old! He might have already leaved! He could be far away from us!” For a moment he turned his head to the side, and then covered his face with his hand “Dear God, what if he isn’t…what if he….”

“What do we do??” The female asked again, nearly hysterical this time, her fingers digging into her hair apparently without noticing “What do we do, what do we do, WHAT DO WE DO??”

He pointed at the opposite direction with a shaky arm, exasperation evident in his voice “The town! We have to go back and tell them! We have to be prepared! Hurry!!”

In half a heartbeat they were dashing through the swampy valley, a wet drum-beat as their thin legs hit mud and pool and slippery rock. It almost seemed like they were competing with each other in their nimble haste. They had to warn everyone, there was no time to waste! The survival of everyone might be at stake here!

And only after they had already vanished in the fog-choked mountain horizon did other two figures reveal themselves. Squamataurs, hunched and clinging against the raw grey rock with scaled limbs and hooked claws. Faces crossed with twisted smiles.

“Ho ho! Told ye we did good followin’ these gits! We got ourselves an Outlaw!”

“Should we tell the guv then, partnah?”

“Of course we should!! Boss Enkedu is gonna be reeeally giddy when he finds out, heh heh….”