justice

Chapter Fourteen

"Do you think Tee will be alright?" asked Nellie. They were treading through a field of volcanic sand, and it had been a few hours since they had stuffed their packs with food and bid farewell to Kampung Gunung Berapi. They were still a few miles from the Druid Docks, but they were making good time.

"Yeah, he'll be fine. You saw how tough he was! Sitting up, fighting sedation! He will be a-ok."

"Good. Very good," answered Nellie. Just saw Nellies hunched shoulders and gave her hand a squeeze.

"You really do love him, don't you?" asked Just. Nellie nodded, and Just gave her hand another squeeze. "Well, you can have him. I don't think the Maiden of Five Clans should be dating someone as lowly as a host god."

Nellie laughed at this, and the two continued on.

"What do you think the Druid Docks will be like?" Just wondered aloud.

"Forget those! I am wondering what a baby raksasa will look like!" said Nellie. Just laughed.

"I heartily agree. Do you think it will have little horns or something? Ooh, or a-"

"Raksasa binky?" finished Nellie.

"Yeah! Something like that! But not like, a big one..." Nellie clamped a hand over Justs' mouth and pointed ahead of them. A few yards away was what appeared to be a huge, raksasa-size binky.

"Speak of the devil," whispered Nellie timidly.

"What the-," said Just. She never got to finish her exclamation. She was cut off by a dull roar.

"Oh no!" said Nellie. "I think that is a juvenile raksasa!"

The two crouched down, both sorely wishing they had a rock they could hide behind. Emerging from behind the binky was, indeed, a tiny raksasa.

It was only eight feet tall, tiny for a raksasa. It had a mane of green hair surrounding its face, which was topped by one wicked-looking horn. It had three eyes, set in a triangle, above a long, pig-like snout filled with sharp teeth. Below the shaggy mane, there was the body of a bear, complete with fur and claws. Huge green feathery wings sprouted from its shoulder blades.

"Oh man," said Nellie. Just nodded.

"What do you think our odds are against that thing?" asked Just.

"I think we may be about to find out!" whispered Nellie. The raksasa was lumbering towards them.

Just and Nellie scuttled on their knees backward. But the raksasa could see them and was coming closer. Nellie and Just got up and started running, but stopped short when they heard a voice.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the voice sounded scratchy, like the sound of a truck driving over gravel.

"Is that the raksasa? I did not know those could talk!" said Just.

"Argh! Curse my stereotypical raksasas-are-mute branding! Come here, kids. It's ok. I wont attack you unless you attack me first."

After nodding to each other, Nellie and Just turned and walked carefully towards the raksasa. Just could feel Lemmy humming against her skin.

"What are your names?" asked the raksasa. He sat down, cross-legged, and patted the ground across from him. The force made the ground shake, and Just and Nellie were thrown to the ground.

"Oh! Terribly sorry, kids! I sometimes forget my own strength!" Nellie and Just picked themselves up and sat down in front of the raksasa.

"My name is Toodles. What are your names, children?"