Feeling Sheepish Prose in The Centurion's Riddle | World Anvil

Feeling Sheepish

On this night, we fall slowly into the wild landscapes of a distant planet, known to many, but visited by a seldom few... Safarae, a jungle planet hovering in the Vast, know for its gargantuan beasts, peculiar flora, and mysterious jungle tribes. We focus in on the center, where the weather is warmer, and skyscraper-tall trees erupt out of the ground. Pulling closer, and closer, until one of the trees shivers, and then comes crashing towards the ground.   Following it, we see a massive, scaly back running beneath the canopy, pushing trees aside as if they were matchsticks. It's hunting something -- that is for certain -- but we see no prey. Nothing that would sate a Taradex appetite... Wait. There! A miniscule figure, barely larger than a Human hand, dashing about the jungle as the Taradex swats it down. A blue streak in all that green, barely perceptible in the shadows.   Cornelius: "Cheep!" (Oh shit!)   Another tree slammed down in the Shape Squirrel's path, nearly crushing him, narrowly avoided by an acrobatic twist in mid-air. Spreading his gliders, Cornelius soared up on the resulting blast of air, meeting his opponent's eyes. He was about as large as one of its scales...   Cornelius: "Cheep, cheep!" (Fuck off!)   The Taradex took made no reply, charging straight forward, and opening its horrifying jaws to bite. Instead of running, Cornelius became a metal spike, letting gravity pull him down, and punched through the Kaiju's cheek. The creature barely registered the pain, the wound being so small, and clumsily about-faced, swatting down trees with its long tail as it turned. By the time it righted itself, Cornelius was already soaring down another path in the jungle, through a thicker band of flora.   His pursuer could care less. It hammered down barrier after barrier, using the bony ridges on its skull to break apart creeping vines. Within a minute it had caught up, and Cornelius banked hard to avoid another bone-shattering bite. It was a desperate manuever, and so he didn't catch the wall of vines just outside his peripheral vision. Cornelius crashed hard, tangled up in a natural net, changing shape and form as quickly as he could.   But the Taradex was already too close. It lifted its head, throat heating, as small flames began to boil up between its teeth. It was going to breath again... Cornelius was mid-shape, and couldn't react in time.   Cornelius: "Cheep!" (Isra!)   As the flame came roiling down, Cornelius wondered if he would survive again, by becoming ash and then reborn. He thought of Isra, and hoped she was okay.   Then he closed his eyes.   A portal opened, and flame coated the Taradex, as it spread its fiery breath all over itself. Before it could get its bearings, an explosion surrounded its head, burning its eyes, followed by a warping in reality. It howled, silencing the jungle around it for miles, and shook its head. When it looked back to the nest of vines, there was a smooth cut down the middle, and the Shape Squirrel was gone.   It's prey had escaped.   The Taradex snarled, eyes gleaming with hatred and hunger, and looked left and right, hoping to catch some sign of the little thing. Unfortunately for the Taradex, it had forgotten to look up.   The canopy of the jungle was ripped open, light flooding into the shadows, and a flying beast three times the Taradex's size soared down, piercing the Taradex with its talons. From the undergrowth, Isra and Cornelius smirked, watching as the Dragon carried its dinner away. Once both creatures were gone, they looked at each other, and Cornelius jumped, spreading his arms for a little hug.   Cornelius: "Cheep." (Thank the jungle gods, that was fucking awful. Where have you been? Do you have food? I missed you so much!)
Isra: "I missed you too."

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