Snargle,
You're running down a long hill in a jungle on the Fessywith island nation somewhere near the Remnants. Your cousin Tifftiff Taroo is running right behind you, "Faster, Snargle! Faster!" Branches and undergrowth impede your travel, is not exactly an animal path you started down, but it's better than standing still.
KA-THOOM
KA-THOOM
The heavy iron-shod footsteps of the lumbering warbeast behind you sound as it crushes underbrush and small trees. The dogs are baying, but trained well enough to stay far away from the warbeast, the Gigadon. You know at some point you'll hit a river.
How far down is the river, Snargle?
What did Tifftiff steal from the Imps and why?
What do you do?
Comments
Snargle is young, and fresh from the creche. As Snargle runs toward the river, not ten minutes away if the hounds or the Gigadon don't catch up, Snargle mouths the ancient words. The medicine Tifftiff took is necessary, for both Tifftiff's mother and Snargle's. The fever rages through the village. Snargle wishes that Snargle could fly.
Off, to the left, you see another path, a shortcut, and take it. The gigadon continues lumbering ahead, just enough underbrush obscured its vision.
KA-THOOM
KA-THOOM
KA-THOOM
ka-thoom
ka-thoom
"Are we safe?" Tifftiff pants into your ear, still clutching your shoulders. "Are we going home?"
"Snargle and Tifftiff might be safe-ish for the moment. Get down, though. You go straight home with the medicine. Snargle will make sure the dogs and the Gigadon don't follow. Go!"
Tifftiff scrambles down, looks at you, nods. "Give us the the meds. We will get them home. We will protect it. Will Snargle be safe?"
"Tifftiff, Snargle is slippery as one of those nasty eels Tifftiff's mother likes to eat when she's about to lay a clutch of eggs. Snargle will be safe." Or, Snargle will be a snack for a Gigadon. Snargle hands Tifftiff the meds.
Tifftiff takes the meds, putting the bottles in a rucksack. Before your cousin lopes off, there a moment where Tifftiff watches you, then nod. "Yes. Yes, Snargle be safe." Then, Tifftiff scoots along the path and winds towards home, working slowly so you can distract the gigadon and the dogs.
How did you do it, Snargle?
Did you ever get back to the village?
When the Gigadon KA-THOOM!s closer, and Snargle can hear the baying of the dogs, Snargle grows very large, to catch their attention, and runs down to the river. Once at the bank, Snargle finds a likely piece of wood, a sturdy little branch about two inches thick and a few feet long, holds onto it, then jumps in and gets very small, holding onto the stick and letting the current sweep stick and Snargle downstream.
The Imps have Snargle's face cataloged now, for sure, and the stupid dogs know Snargle's scent all too well. As the stick rushes past the village, Snargle raises a hand to wave, but does not stop. That was the last Snargle saw of home.