Scooby Doo: Monster Menagerie

Chapter 2: Detective Freak

The bog was filled with a loud silence. Almost nothing was stirring, and even the gentle breeze of the wind made no sound to the environment around it. Very little light was able to push through the dark, overcast of clouds above. One could only assume that it wouldn't be very long before the sky allowed the clouds to release the rain inside. Not that there was anything that could benefit from the rain, as pretty much all of the surrounding vegetation had long since been dead. Fungal life seemed to thrive, but even then it was quite scarce, growing in between the bacteria ridden bog and nutrient deficient soil. Any animal life that dared to try to live in the bog was soon sucked into the quicksand, their reactions too slow to save their own lives.

In the distance, but not too far away, a stone fence surrounded a large, yet old, mansion. The metal gate remained shut, rusted from being out in the rain for many years. The fence itself was in danger of falling apart, eroded and cracked in numerous areas. Strangely, however, it did not seem to budge after years of use. A shingle of wood was nailed to the fence, the words hand painted on. As for the mansion, it was surrounded by a moat, filled with rather murky water. The contents of the moat were hidden, although for most, it was probably better that way. The drawbridge remained down, held together by massive chains, which were also rusted.

A somewhat stout woman stood on the drawbridge, clad in a simple salmon pink dress, with dark red heels. She also wore a sort of collar, which was also a dark red, little skull broaches adorning either side on her shoulders. She kept a red headband on, as if to keep her messy black hair away from her face. Her face seemed a bit worn, due to age, but she managed to hold a small, yet genuine, grin.

After a while, the woman finally broke the stiff silence, closing her eyes and breathing in a deep inhale. She held it for a few seconds before exhaling, sighing peacefully.

"Such a pleasant day. I do hope that the days to come will be like this," She hummed to herself. "With any luck, I'll be able to have our old coach back before the girls return for the year. It would be quite lovely to give them a surprise."

She turned inside towards the mansion, as if shifting her attention to an unseen entity. "Come, Matches. I suggest you come out here, too. The air will do you some good."

Soon, a grumbling, green... creature, hobbled from the foyer and outside, moving somewhat slowly. It was the size of a komodo dragon, yet took on the former term more literally. Webbed front feet, clawed back feet, an arrow shaped tail, horns, and scruffy dark green hair formed over it's head like moss. It was no doubt a mythical creature, and one that did not like having it's sleep disturbed. Despite having been cooped up most of the time, the large scaled creature didn't seem to mind it's alone time.

Once it managed it's way next to the woman's side, it immediately plopped right next to her feet, mumbling to itself and curling up, wishing to continue it's slumber. She looked down at him, shaking her head in amusement.

"Oh, you lazy dragon," The woman chuckled to herself, staring out into the bog once more. Her face seemed to sullen, just a little. Her smile remained, even if thoughts began to form in her mind. She began to speak aloud once more.

"...it's strange to say, but with how still and peaceful things have been, it almost feels like... the eye of the storm. As if preparing for something."

The dragon gave a snort, snoozing obliviously. The woman's expression livened up once more, as if mentally brushing her previous intrusions away.

"If he considers my offer, it will become much easier to stay alert, I believe. A helping hand is always needed, no matter what." With that, the woman turned to walk back inside her mansion, tilting her head back at her strange pet as she did. "Matches, don't forget to shut the door once you wake up."