When Bearclaw Irontooth and his companions reached the trailhead at the bottom of the valley they saw a large group of soldiers, all clad in yellow and blue uniforms. Also visible in the forest clearing were riding horses and four additional horses hitched to an elaborate carriage. Elana’s two acolytes were amongst the soldiers tending their pack horses. A particularly tall and strong looking officer stepped away from the group and strode towards the questers as soon as he took note of their arrival.
“Lord Irontooth! I am glad to see you!” greeted the immaculate officer, resplendent in his breastplate and blue feathered helmet. “We had originally planned to seek you out at Greyhenge but our scouts informed me of your imminent arrival. I was sent by our Kaiser to request your assistance in dealing with a dangerous matter affecting the citizenry of Sudenland. Are you available?”
“Of course Captain Kendrich,” answered Bearclaw, “I am proud to always be ready to serve the Empire in a time of need. What is the nature of the assistance you require?”
“Bad business, Sir Irontooth! These are dangerous times that we live in! The farmers of this region have reported several incidents involving a beast attacking their livestock. Dozens of sheep and cattle have been taken or killed in the past week, and two farmers injured defending their animals from the attacks. The local troops have been found wanting, and unable to meet the challenges posed by this beast,” explained the officer, as he cast his gaze disapprovingly towards some of the assembled soldiers. “The episode has come to the attention of Willhelm Fredrick himself, and he has dispatched us to deal with this monster.”
Has the ‘beast’ been identified, Captain Kendrich?” inquired Bearclaw. “Are the citizens in agreement as to the nature of the ‘monster’?
“Indeed, Lord Irontooth,” answered the Captain. “The rumors ran the gamut of possible perpetrators, but the inquiries we have made today leave no doubt in my mind. The beast is certainly a Mountain Chimaera! The local councillor claims the last sighting of such a beast was more than 80 years ago! Yet here he is. Maybe this monster has flown down from the Norgelands?”
That is a possibility, officer Kendrich, but there are others,” replied Irontooth. “How can you be sure of the identification?”
“One of my soldiers saw the creature just this morning,” informed the Captain.
“Would you be so kind as to produce the witness?” requested the Wizard.”I would like to ask him a question of my own.”
“Jenkins! Get over here! Your presence is required!” shouted Captain Kenrich while he gestured toward the soldiers with his outstretched arm.
One of the youngest soldiers responded and made his way towards the Captain. He flashed a quick salute and a brief, “Yes Sir!”
“Lord Irontooth wishes to hear the details of your encounter with the Chimaera, Jenkins.”
“Of course, Sir!” responded the young man. “I was walking the fields with a farmer in the valley below us, inspecting the damage done by the beast. From above us we heard a roar, and both of us saw the monster swoop down from the cliffs above his field. Big as an ox he was! Wings as wide as a house! Coulda killed us if he’d wanted to, I reckon, but he took another sheep instead. Pick it clean off the grass and just kept flyin! Flew right back up to the cliffs and et the animal while we watched! A fearsome beast, if ever I saw one.”
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“Could you describe the beast in more detail, son?” requested Wizard Irontooth. “Exactly what did he have for a head?”
“That’s just it, Wizard Sir!” responded the soldier. “He had three heads! The central head was that of a lion! It was the lion head that roared! But he had two more. The one on the left was that of a goat. The one on the right was the head of a serpent! It was a devil crafted monster if you ask me!” stated the young man.
“Ah! Thank you son, your information has been most helpful,” responded Bearclaw. The Wizard of Animalia turned to officer Kendrich and continued, “It is as you say. We are dealing with a Chimaera. My companions and I will work with you to rid the community of this threat.”
“Thank you, Sir Irontooth! There is just one more detail. Our Kaiser wishes us to capture the beast alive and intact. That is why we have brought our Royal cage carriage with us,” replied the Captain, gesturing towards the cage on wheels. “Willhelm Fredrick wishes to display the monster in the Royal Zoo and has a notion that he can train the beast to bear him into battle!”
“ I was afraid that you were going to say that,” responded Bearclaw.
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The soldiers formed up and led Bearclaw and his companions to the farmstead home of Marcel and Elisabeth Baumgartner. Captain Kendrich informed Lord Irontooth that the Baumgartner’s had endured the heaviest losses from the Chimaera’s attacks on livestock, having lost 13 sheep and four prized dairy cows. Theirs were the fields which Sergeant Jenkins had been touring when the identity of the monster had been confirmed.
It was fairly late in the afternoon and Bearclaw Irontooth, Saturin, Elana, Mage Adelar and James headed out to the Baumgartner’s back forty to survey the situation. All of the farm animals appeared nervous and skittish. Several dogs barked ferociously at the strangers, unwilling to be calmed even by Marcel himself. The sheep too seemed nervous, bolting away from the visitors and keeping to the opposite end of the paddock, turning their heads nervously as they attempted to keep one eye pointed upwards.
Bearclaw, Saturin, Elana, Lord Adelar and Captain Kendrich conferred for about an hour, as the sun set on the scenic farmstead. A plan of action was agreed upon and Bearclaw assumed his bear form, then ambled off into the forest. The rest walked back down the hill where they found a camp set up for themselves and the soldiers for the night, which surrounded the home of the Baumgartner’s. Elisabeth Baumgartner had worked with the army cook to prepare a large meal for everyone, and encouraged James, Saturin and Elana to grab a plate and enjoy the food. The smells of the meals being prepared on open fires were incredibly enticing. James was starving. Elisabeth told Elana that this would be the first night in the past two weeks that she could feel that her children were safe from the threat of the Chimaera.
The meal was excellent, composed almost entirely of food grown on their farm. Potatoes, greens, onions, carrots, squash, three kinds of roasted meats and a first rate baked apple crumble dessert, with homemade ice cream. ‘I wonder where they got the ice?’ thought James. He surveyed what he could see of the farm as the sun began to set for the evening. The tops of the Grey Mountains shone in the orange yellow last light of day, especially where the rays struck the snow covered peaks. A cool refreshing breeze blew down from the mountains. As the soldiers finished their meals, everyone cooperated with the clean up and a few of the younger soldiers entertained the Baumgartner’s children, obviously up well past their usual bedtimes. ‘This land really is amazing,’ thought James, as he compared this life to the one he was used to back in England. Despite the current threat of the monstrous Chimaera, the Baumgartner’s and their neighbors had a wonderful life here. The farm, set against the base of the Grey Mountains with almost anything a family could need. It was an example of self sufficiency that James had never seen in his own world.
The equipment borne by the soldiery was a stark contrast compared to the simple life of the Baumgartner farming family. The yellow and blue uniforms were shockingly visible, and many of the soldiers also wore breastplates and helmets. There seemed to be two groups, one unit bearing long two spears for weapons, and round black metal shields for defence. Spears and shields seemed a useful way of keeping a monster at a safe distance. The other soldiers carried crossbows, with elaborately carved wooden limbs and stocks. The men were of varied ages and body sizes, but all were incredibly fit. Most wore simple black leather boots but a few intrepid combatants sported bare feet, calloused and tanned. The camp equipment consisted of canvas tents with wooden and metal poles. Of particular interest to James was the enormous cage cart, whose apparent purpose was to transport the soon to be captured beast. A steel cage, mounted on an elaborate wooden carriage, bearing insignias of the royal family. Four huge brown and white horses drew the cart. In the food preparation tent, tin pots and iron grates were used to cook the meals over open fires. The soldiers disposed of the bones left over from their meals into the red coals of the cooking fires. Sparks flew and wood crackled with each addition to the blazes.
James was exhausted from the activities of the day and the meal and rest were exactly what he required. The tent that had been set up for him was adequate and his bedroll sufficient to provide the comfort necessary for a good night’s sleep. What would tomorrow bring?