Ol' Flint the Crow

Monkey's Plea

Samuel waved his long sword in front of Monkey's face as Flint had instructed him to do. Meanwhile, the bird dug the tip of his rapier into the lock of Ribbs's cage. The bird was having a difficult time picking at the lock, and he was almost out of patience. Mumbling curses under his breath, Flint could not seem to make any progress in rescuing his frog friend.

"Any time now, Flint!" huffed Ribbs.

Flint shot his eye at the frog and hissed, "One more croak out of you, and I'll just let you rot in there... Gods! What's with this stupid thing?!"

Interested in the bird's lock picking skills, Samuel looked over his shoulder and asked the crow, "Where did you learn that?"

"It's a long story," Flint exhaled as he swirled out his sore wings. "A quick summary is I learned it when I joined a gang of sewer rats. However, I'm still not perfect at it, but I manage... Aaaannnddd.... there we are!"

Just then, the lock clicked opened. With a triumphant smirk, Flint swung his rapier over his head and laughed merrily. "Good, now all we have to do is find Miss Bleak and Pollywiggle. After that, it's just a simple matter of finishing off the Blood Bather, then away we go to Planker's Creek."

"Flint!" whined Samuel. His weapon hug down to his feet at the thought of Flint still bent on killing the woman. "Please! We don't have to kill her. Can't we just leave?"

"Samuel, Samuel..." groaned Flint as he helped Ribbs out of the cage. "Why do you have to be so merciful all the time?"

Now out of his prison, the frog and wiggled his webbed feet about. Facing the minstrel Ribbs suddenly flung his hand out and hollered.

Wondering what the frog was trying to warn him about, Samuel turned around but was immediately greeted to a furry fist to his jaw. The minstrel fell on the ground in a heap. His long sword catapulted across the other side of the room and almost lopped off the frog's head as it flew. Dazed, Samuel was seized by the neck and was dragged closer to the fire pit.

Taking up a branding poker, glowing bright orange, Monkey threatened to burn a hole through the human if the other to animals did not stand back.

"You will not kill my Mistress!" screeched the monkey, causing Samuel's eardrum to shrivel.

Flint's rapier wobbled in his wing as he stared Monkey down. His eye flashed back and forth to Samuel and the steaming weapon the monkey held. Taking only one step back, the crow yelped, "Let him go, ape! I'll kill you if you lay a finger on him!"

"Whether I live or I die, it does not matter to me!" Monkey's eyes shot out of their sockets like crazy. "But as long as I have breath in my lungs, you will not kill my Lady!"

While he gasped from the monkey's iron hold, Samuel could feel his heart pounding in his chest. The worm inside him was draining the life out of him. Samuel felt himself slowly losing consciousness. His breathing became more sporadic. And with the pendant destroyed, the pain pulsing through Samuel's body became greater the more he struggled.

Wanting to aid his friend, the bird, Ribbs took hold of Samuel's sword that had fallen by his side. He aimed the blade at Monkey and stood beside Flint. Both animals, with fire in their eyes, were ready to plunge their weapons into the ape in unison. Although, the frog was all too prepared to kill the monkey then and there, Flint hesitated. He gazed at the heavy-breathing minstrel in concern.

"Let's end this, Flint!" Ribbs shouted impatiently. "This ape's ain't no match for us both! What are we waitin' fer!"

When Flint saw Monkey digging the fire poker towards the minstrel's neck, the bird squawked at the frog, "No! Stop!" He then attempted to coerce with the enraged ape. "Your lady is a follower of the Gok, the cult that tortures and murders animals! She's a villain! Can't you see that, ape?"