mind drifted to the range. If he couldn’t practice with his bow he would practice with his mind. Breathe. Raise bow. Draw. Aim. Out. In. Release. Bullseye . He went over and over it in his mind.
As he was about to mentally release another arrow he was torn from his trance by a terrified scream. Lifting his eyes, he saw a great, dark shape descending on the courtyard. In the commotion of the celebration, everyone had failed to notice the Jabberwocky until it was in their midst.
The earth shuddered as the Jabberwocky crashed to the ground, landing on four Elites and a Fellow a mere twenty paces from the king. Citizens fled in every direction as practiced soldiers drew weapons while moving to place themselves between the creature and their king. Even from a distance of thirty paces, Ollie smelled the Jabberwocky’s stench, like rancid oil.
As the soldiers prepared to move in, the Jabberwocky scanned the crowd as if looking for someone in particular. It seemed to be inspecting the assembly with both its fiery eyes and flat nostrils. It locked onto the king and the plaza erupted in a flurry of action.
The soldiers attacked in unison, but were only able to land superficial blows. At the same time the Jabberwocky speedily bounded toward the king.
How does such an ungainly beast move so fast? Ollie wondered as he nocked an arrow. The soldiers who attempted to keep the beast from the king were thrown aside or crushed by the creature’s hasty approach.
Ollie took aim and let fly, but his arrow glanced harmlessly off the Jabberwocky’s chest. The monster loomed over the petrified king. While readying another arrow, this one aimed at its curvy neck, he saw the Jabberwocky pause to inhale King Barash’s scent. Ollie drew back again and his arrow flew true, lodging in the creature’s outstretched neck just under the head. The monster’s threatening growl turned sharp in pain for a moment, but it was not long distracted by the arrow or the infrequent soldiers who got past the thrashing tail. It didn’t seem to mind the minor wounds inflicted by the soldiers’ weapons and none could get close enough to strike deeply.
The Jabberwocky opened its terrible maw, bit down on the blue-clad king, and lifted him as effortlessly as a girl picking up a baby doll. It slammed the king to the stone courtyard, and his body bounced, lifeless. Lowering its head, it inspected the unmoving corpse.
While its snake-like tail kept the encroaching soldiers at bay, the Jabberwocky’s attention stayed on the king, barely flinching when Ollie sunk another arrow into its neck. After a short time inspecting the king’s body, the Jabberwocky’s eyes opened in an expression of shock. With a powerful bellow, it turned its fury on the attacking soldiers. Tail whipping, claws gouging, and jaws biting—any soldier within reach was thrown violently to the side or left lifeless on the ground.
Ollie changed tactics and aimed for one of the creature’s too-small wings. They were relatively still as the Jabberwocky used its other appendages for the deadly assault. Aiming for the intersection of two of the supporting bands of cartilage, Ollie focused on remaining calm. His arrow passed through the glutinous wing and tore a chunk of waxy flesh as it exited. That got the Jabberwocky’s attention. It grasped a fully armored corpse in its claws and hurled it in Ollie’s direction.
The throw was on target. Ollie was knocked down and pinned to the ground by the dead Elite. Severe pain shot through his left leg. From his pinned position, Ollie lifted his head and saw a light blue uniformed leg emerging at an angle from under the heavy soldier.
I wonder whose leg that is.
Movement had died down around the Jabberwocky, but it continued to scan the crowd. When there were no more soldiers within striking distance, it took flight, barely wounded.
Intense pain dragged Ollie into unconsciousness, but not before he witnessed the Jabberwocky’s unsteady flight.
I
As he was about to mentally release another arrow he was torn from his trance by a terrified scream. Lifting his eyes, he saw a great, dark shape descending on the courtyard. In the commotion of the celebration, everyone had failed to notice the Jabberwocky until it was in their midst.
The earth shuddered as the Jabberwocky crashed to the ground, landing on four Elites and a Fellow a mere twenty paces from the king. Citizens fled in every direction as practiced soldiers drew weapons while moving to place themselves between the creature and their king. Even from a distance of thirty paces, Ollie smelled the Jabberwocky’s stench, like rancid oil.
As the soldiers prepared to move in, the Jabberwocky scanned the crowd as if looking for someone in particular. It seemed to be inspecting the assembly with both its fiery eyes and flat nostrils. It locked onto the king and the plaza erupted in a flurry of action.
The soldiers attacked in unison, but were only able to land superficial blows. At the same time the Jabberwocky speedily bounded toward the king.
How does such an ungainly beast move so fast? Ollie wondered as he nocked an arrow. The soldiers who attempted to keep the beast from the king were thrown aside or crushed by the creature’s hasty approach.
Ollie took aim and let fly, but his arrow glanced harmlessly off the Jabberwocky’s chest. The monster loomed over the petrified king. While readying another arrow, this one aimed at its curvy neck, he saw the Jabberwocky pause to inhale King Barash’s scent. Ollie drew back again and his arrow flew true, lodging in the creature’s outstretched neck just under the head. The monster’s threatening growl turned sharp in pain for a moment, but it was not long distracted by the arrow or the infrequent soldiers who got past the thrashing tail. It didn’t seem to mind the minor wounds inflicted by the soldiers’ weapons and none could get close enough to strike deeply.
The Jabberwocky opened its terrible maw, bit down on the blue-clad king, and lifted him as effortlessly as a girl picking up a baby doll. It slammed the king to the stone courtyard, and his body bounced, lifeless. Lowering its head, it inspected the unmoving corpse.
While its snake-like tail kept the encroaching soldiers at bay, the Jabberwocky’s attention stayed on the king, barely flinching when Ollie sunk another arrow into its neck. After a short time inspecting the king’s body, the Jabberwocky’s eyes opened in an expression of shock. With a powerful bellow, it turned its fury on the attacking soldiers. Tail whipping, claws gouging, and jaws biting—any soldier within reach was thrown violently to the side or left lifeless on the ground.
Ollie changed tactics and aimed for one of the creature’s too-small wings. They were relatively still as the Jabberwocky used its other appendages for the deadly assault. Aiming for the intersection of two of the supporting bands of cartilage, Ollie focused on remaining calm. His arrow passed through the glutinous wing and tore a chunk of waxy flesh as it exited. That got the Jabberwocky’s attention. It grasped a fully armored corpse in its claws and hurled it in Ollie’s direction.
The throw was on target. Ollie was knocked down and pinned to the ground by the dead Elite. Severe pain shot through his left leg. From his pinned position, Ollie lifted his head and saw a light blue uniformed leg emerging at an angle from under the heavy soldier.
I wonder whose leg that is.
Movement had died down around the Jabberwocky, but it continued to scan the crowd. When there were no more soldiers within striking distance, it took flight, barely wounded.
Intense pain dragged Ollie into unconsciousness, but not before he witnessed the Jabberwocky’s unsteady flight.
I
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