HOME | DD

Description

Someone was stalking through the forest. His skin was green for the most part, except for his upper arms, hands, and a large band on his tail, which were grey. He had horns that protruded from the sides of his head and curved up toward the front of his long, but blunt face. Sharp fangs were visible even though his mouth was closed. His fingers and toes were tipped with talons. Fleshy spikes ran the length of his spine, and at the tip of his tail were two bright red-orange poison barbs. He was a Tarkan, and his name was Ranyx Dryton.

Armed with a crossbow, Ranyx walked through the forest on his toes, being careful not to make any noise. He had already shot two pheasants, which were now hanging on his back. But Ranyx was looking for something bigger to fill his cooler. He stopped and sniffed the air. His blue eyes narrowed and darted around, looking for any movement. Finally, he spotted a Chixa grazing in a clearing about fifty yards away. Ranyx slowly crept closer, and positioned himself behind some thick bushes some ten feet away from the Chixa. The Chixa looked up and sniffed, then went back to eating. Ranyx carefully loaded his crossbow and took aim. The Chixa looked around nervously. Ranyx held his breath. He was just about to pull the trigger when from out of nowhere an arrow whizzed straight into the Chixa's heart. Ranyx gasped and crouched down lower. As he peered through the leaves, two figures emerged from the forest. They were big, red, and scaly, with straight-back horns and long, pointed faces. Drazirians.

One went over to claim the Chixa. Ranyx looked over and was enraged when he saw what the other one was carrying. There was no mistaking the bright blue feathers of the Torrek, the Tarkan's most honored and sacred bird. And these dirty Drazirians were hunting it like common game. Ranyx was burning to burst through the bushes and attack, but managed to restrain himself. It wouldn't do any good now.

Ranyx waited for the Drazirians to leave, and waited another five minutes afterward just to be safe. He set off for home, still angry about what he had witnessed. There had been reports on the radio of Drazirians crossing the Drask Mountains into Tarka for the past few weeks, with more being sighted each time, but Ranyx never thought that they would come this far into Tarka, so close to his home. He stormed through the forest, no longer caring if he disturbed the peace. The images of the poachers continued the flash in his mind, making him angrier. When he arrived home, he threw open the door, stomped inside, and unceremoniously tossed the pheasants and his crossbow on the table. He headed for the stairs.

“Ranyx, what are you doing back so early?” Ranyx jumped. He hadn't noticed his mother, Luanna, a yellow Tarkan, in the kitchen making lunch.

“What's wrong?” she asked. Ranyx paced as he told her what happened.

“There were two Drazirians, right here in Huntington forest! They stole my chixa, but that's not the worst part.”

He stopped, and looked his mother straight in the eyes.

“They shot a Torrek, Mom.” She gasped. “I know,” Ranyx sighed, “And I couldn't do anything.” He turned and headed for the stairs again. Luanna said, “Uh, Ranyx?”

He turned back and mumbled, “What?”

“You forgot to close the door.”

Description

Someone was stalking through the forest. His skin was green for the most part, except for his upper arms, hands, and a large band on his tail, which were grey. He had horns that protruded from the sides of his head and curved up toward the front of his long, but blunt face. Sharp fangs were visible even though his mouth was closed. His fingers and toes were tipped with talons. Fleshy spikes ran the length of his spine, and at the tip of his tail were two bright red-orange poison barbs. He was a Tarkan, and his name was Ranyx Dryton.

Armed with a crossbow, Ranyx walked through the forest on his toes, being careful not to make any noise. He had already shot two pheasants, which were now hanging on his back. But Ranyx was looking for something bigger to fill his cooler. He stopped and sniffed the air. His blue eyes narrowed and darted around, looking for any movement. Finally, he spotted a Chixa grazing in a clearing about fifty yards away. Ranyx slowly crept closer, and positioned himself behind some thick bushes some ten feet away from the Chixa. The Chixa looked up and sniffed, then went back to eating. Ranyx carefully loaded his crossbow and took aim. The Chixa looked around nervously. Ranyx held his breath. He was just about to pull the trigger when from out of nowhere an arrow whizzed straight into the Chixa's heart. Ranyx gasped and crouched down lower. As he peered through the leaves, two figures emerged from the forest. They were big, red, and scaly, with straight-back horns and long, pointed faces. Drazirians.

One went over to claim the Chixa. Ranyx looked over and was enraged when he saw what the other one was carrying. There was no mistaking the bright blue feathers of the Torrek, the Tarkan's most honored and sacred bird. And these dirty Drazirians were hunting it like common game. Ranyx was burning to burst through the bushes and attack, but managed to restrain himself. It wouldn't do any good now.

Ranyx waited for the Drazirians to leave, and waited another five minutes afterward just to be safe. He set off for home, still angry about what he had witnessed. There had been reports on the radio of Drazirians crossing the Drask Mountains into Tarka for the past few weeks, with more being sighted each time, but Ranyx never thought that they would come this far into Tarka, so close to his home. He stormed through the forest, no longer caring if he disturbed the peace. The images of the poachers continued the flash in his mind, making him angrier. When he arrived home, he threw open the door, stomped inside, and unceremoniously tossed the pheasants and his crossbow on the table. He headed for the stairs.

“Ranyx, what are you doing back so early?” Ranyx jumped. He hadn't noticed his mother, Luanna, a yellow Tarkan, in the kitchen making lunch.

“What's wrong?” she asked. Ranyx paced as he told her what happened.

“There were two Drazirians, right here in Huntington forest! They stole my chixa, but that's not the worst part.”

He stopped, and looked his mother straight in the eyes.

“They shot a Torrek, Mom.” She gasped. “I know,” Ranyx sighed, “And I couldn't do anything.” He turned and headed for the stairs again. Luanna said, “Uh, Ranyx?”

He turned back and mumbled, “What?”

“You forgot to close the door.”