Story © Belic & K'gra 2002

((Author’s note: Dialogue that appears in {brackets} indicates telepathic, inaudible communication.))

The usual bustle of the kitchens had been silenced long ago, and the powerful gauntlet of night closed around the Furry Forest. A bear bard sits in the Main Hall, his back to the darkened kitchen entrance, playing for a group of attentive young furs. Blackness is all that shows in every doorway and corner, save for the glowing lantern off to one side, illuminating where the creatures gather...

"Can we have our snack now?" a young, round-faced cub asked when Belic had finished leading them through a lighthearted, sing-along ballad.

The enormously fat bruin cleared his throat nervously and looked away, having already eaten all the furs’ snacks. "Uhhhhh...how about a story first?"

The children stirred with anticipation as they voiced their approval.

"Tell us a scary one!" a young, bold voice called out.

"Yeah! We’re not afraid!" cried another.

Belic chuckled to himself as he leveled an ominous stare at the last speaker. "You will be. You will be...."

Sliding off the stone hearth with a grunt, the big Kodiak waddled over to fetch the lantern, dimming the flame and positioning the light so it washed over half his face and left the other concealed in dark shadows.

"Many years ago, when this forest was young, something happened in these very kitchens..." he gestured behind him dramatically, "...something so -ghastly- that all the bards were sworn to keep this tale a secret. The Masterbards before sought to hide it from every animal for fear that the terrifying truth would leave these woods an empty shell, where no one dare set paw. I can only tell you now because the current Master wants you to know! So you’ll know when to venture out of your warm dens at night...and when to stay hidden under the blankets. When to merely walk down a passageway...and when to run for your very lives! When to stand as quiet as stone...and when to SCREAM!" Everyone jumped with fright as he roared the last word.

"But enough of that. I don’t think you’ll ever have to concern yourself with such horrors..." Belic smiled reassuringly before abruptly cocking his head, as if listening for something. Then the Bear-Knight turned a grave face back to his audience. "But I could be wrong....

"There once was a kitchen worker named Zarin. He was a quiet raccoon who performed his duties within these very kitchens, without uttering so much as a single word. Whenever anyone would assign him a task, he only nodded in silence. Some said he could not speak. That he was mute. While others believed he was just a solitary soul who did not have much use for conversation. Zarin quietly went about his work, and, over time, the other kitchen help learned not to pay much attention to his shadowy presence. But they should have. For Zarin was not content to just fetch and clean for the rest of the forest. He wanted more. Much more.

"Now, as a member of the kitchen staff, he had free reign of the Stores and could come and go as he pleased. He also knew the storage rooms contained rare and valuable herbs, spices, and medicines--things to benefit all the Furry Forest, but items that only the cooks and healers of the land could obtain. 'If I take some of the rarest supplies and sell them to the heeyumans, I'd have enough money to live like a king!' he thought.

"But it would not be that easy. Just beyond Stores, a dragon sentinel was posted to protect the precious materials inside. The helpers kept it well fed with leftovers, and, in return, the creature performed its valuable service...."

"Kind of like you, Belic?" a youngster giggled, knowing how the kitchen staff kept the giant bear full of freshly baked treats in exchange for the valuable service of his Knight and bard skills.

The grizzly absently scratched his mammoth paunch and tried to think of how he was -not- like the hungry beast in the story. And failed. "Well...kind of," he blushed. "B-but as I was saying....

"Every skin of wine and mote of spice passed before the dragon's eyes, his unwavering gaze scrutinizing everyone and everything. To those who were familiar to him and true of purpose, the beast warbled with approval. But, to strangers or those who sought what was not rightfully theirs, it grew enraged and would protect the Forest's precious Stores with its very life!"

{Kind of like K’gra protects her french fries?} the voice of Tama, Belic’s Guardian spirit, echoed in his mind.

Biting his lower lip, the bard turned his head aside and shook with mirth.

{Shush, you!} he responded playfully, trying to gather himself enough to continue.

"One evening, after the final meal had finished, Zarin headed for the Stores to gather the first haul of valuables. The passageway was empty and silent as he entered. 'Good,' he said to himself. 'This will be easier than I thought.' Once inside, he stuffed his bag with the most rare medicines and spices he could find, his eyes sparkling with the thought of the silver and gold they would fetch. After tying the sack shut, he started for the exit.

"As he slowly pulled the door open, a pair of fiery red eyes stared back at him from the shadows. The dragon growled and slowly emerged, its head swaying back and forth. Zarin started to tremble as the beast approached. Forgetting his plans, he retreated into Stores and threw the sack behind a row of barrels. Then, without ever turning his back to the creature, he slowly crept away towards the safety of the kitchens.

"'That blasted creature!' he cursed silently. 'It's the only thing that stands between me and my fortune. But not for long,' he vowed.

"In the days following, Zarin eagerly volunteered to fix the watchdragon's meals. On top of the leftover meats it was usually served, he would pile on the beast's favorite snack, sweet rolls. But these particular rolls were covered with a powder the raccoon had bought from a shifty member of a passing supply caravan. It was tasteless and would, in the words of the seller, 'put an end to all your troubles...whoever they might be.'

"By the end of the week, the sentinel was so weak from the poison it could barely move. Late one night, when the Main Hall was deserted, the kitchen worker crept in and peered around the corner at the sickly beast, chuckling to himself. 'After this night, you'll bother me no more.'

"The creature watched the evil raccoon approach. It wanted to cry out. To attack! But the poison had robbed the beast of all its strength. Helpless, the sentinel watched as Zarin drew his sword, raised it high, and sliced through its neck with one mighty blow! The dragon’s head slowly rolled onto its side and came to rest with a thump..." Belic brought his paw down hard upon the table, a booming thud echoing through the hall, "...its eyes staring off lifelessly.

"With great effort, Zarin dragged the beast's still form out to a steep cliff beyond the boundaries of the forest. Then, with a mighty heave, he shoved the carcass over the edge and watched it disappear into the darkness below.

"Now nothing stood in his way.

"Over the next few nights, without much worry, he stole many things from Stores. On the third evening, as he stood at one of the cutting tables, placing a bundle of spices into his sack, he thought he heard the scraping of boots coming from the passageway behind him. Fearing it was the Head Cook or another kitchen worker, he slipped the bag under the table and started to absently wipe the surface. Working late. That would explain his presence in the kitchen.

"The sound grew closer...and closer...and -closer-. And then stopped."

The bard paused and let an eerie silence sink into his listeners. The young furs’ eyes stared, unblinking, and no one dared breathe.

"He could sense someone standing just behind him. Waiting. Zarin heard the pounding of a heart in his ears. Whether it belonged to the stranger's chest or his own, he did not know. When he finally turned, the silent kitchen worker, who no one had ever heard utter a single word, opened his mouth and for the first time, made a sound. A deafening scream echoed through every tree and rock in the Furry Forest as the raccoon turned around to see the dragon! The beast's claws wrapped around the animal and dragged him mercilessly through the passageway leading out of the hall. Screaming and pleading, Zarin was taken to the very cliff he'd brought the dead creature a few nights before.

"'Dead! You're dead! You're not real! I killed you! I killed you!' he cried.

"The dragon’s neck swung around to look at the creature clutched in its claws, a ghostly void hovering where its head once was. Rearing up onto its hind legs, the beast emitted a blood-curdling shriek and launched its headless body, still clutching Zarin, off the cliff and plummeted to the rocks below."

Belic let his voice fall to a raspy whisper. "Some say at night, when the wind whips over the cliffs, you can still hear the kitchen worker screaming. And some animals, when they are alone in this very hall, have heard the scraping of claws behind them...and turned to see a headless dragon...watching them."

The grizzly looked over the heads of the young furs and stared off into the darkness for a moment before his eyes grew wide with horror. "It can't be!"

Suddenly, an eerie howling rose behind them and echoed through the hall.

As one, all the young faces glanced toward the source of the sound and then clambered to their paws, flowing in one mass until they surged like a wave over, around, and under the Bear-Knight, who found himself wrapped completely in the terrified children's arms.

{How'd I do?} Tama asked.

{A...little...too well,} Belic responded, his thoughts broken as he concentrated on just finding room to breathe.

After much coaxing and calming, the bear bard was finally able to peel off most of the children, though they still stayed close to him, their eyes darting nervously around the empty cavern.

"Snack time," the bruin announced happily as he saw a kitchen worker enter carrying a platter of freshly baked treats for the cubs, kits, and pups. He rubbed his chubby paws together in anticipation. "Mmmm, sweet rolls! Someone must have made them for us. And, look, there's an extra layer of some sort of powdered sweetener on top!"

Hmmm. Odd how they seemed to have lost their appetite for sweetrolls, the knight chuckled to himself. The only child to step forward was the heavy, round-faced black bear cub, mumbling something about 'needing strength to fight off the ghost' as he filled his mouth.

Soon, a few of the Forest's mothers arrived and started taking the youngsters off to the Furry Forest’s traditional Halloween sleepover.

"Thank you, Sir Belic," a smiling female puma cub called out. "Give K’gra and Tolstoy a hug for me. And please be careful in here by yourself."

"I will," the Kodiak laughed as the last of the group disappeared around the corner. "Oh, I'll be careful all right. Careful not to let any of these sweetrolls see the light of day," he grinned, licking his chops as he eyed the heaping, scarcely-touched platter.

He lifted three rolls off the tray and stuffed them in his maw, groaning with delight as the thick frosting and sweet pastry melted on his tongue. As the obese bear continued to gorge himself, he heard a slight scraping sound coming from the kitchens behind him. A scratching that was getting closer...and closer...and closer....

Pausing in mid-chew, he glanced over his shoulder, peering into the pitch-black kitchens, but could see nothing. Yet he could still hear the scraping, a sound that was becoming louder and deeper--a trudging step.

The fur on the back of his neck rose and his heart started to pound. It was just a story, wasn't it? Wasn't it?

A scream ripped through the silence of the kitchens, a long, ghastly, frightening keening.

Before the sound was halfway done, the grizzly found himself lumbering frantically for the stairs.

The sweetrolls! he remembered suddenly, sliding to a halt and spinning around. Panting with fear, the gluttonous bruin darted for the platter on the end of the table, snatched it up, then bolted out the doors and into the forest, not stopping until he was safely inside his den, the door slammed shut behind him.

K’gra sagged against the doorway to the kitchens, trying to find her breath around her silent laughter. 'Oh, that was very good, kitty,' she thought to herself. 'Next time, though, spend some time warming up. You're not going to be able to speak at all tomorrow.'

The young leopard went to the nighthearth and served herself a cup of hot chocolate to soothe her now sore throat. As she sat, sipping the creamy liquid, she thought about the story Belic had told the children. 'He's an excellent storyteller. The tale was scary to begin with but the tones he used,' she shivered at the thought, 'were just absolutely horrific!! I'm glad he didn't tell that one while I was still living alone. I'd have never gotten a wink of sleep!'

A long scraping sound scritched across the stone floor in the kitchen. Turning quickly, K’gra thought she saw a dimly luminescent figure crossing the doorway. Eyes wide and fur on edge, she raced back to the den.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

After a sound night's sleep, Belic walked with K’gra back to the kitchens so they could help begin the morning's meal. As they entered the dining hall, an older female wolf, who had chaperoned the sleepover, came stumbling up to them, her fur rumpled and bags under her eyes. "Belic! What did you -tell- those children? I had no less than twenty of them in my chamber last night, all crowded around my bed, talking about ‘headless dragons’, ‘poisoned sweet rolls’, and other nonsense. None of us slept at all!"