Thus Tarn, the young warrior from Northern Oresetes, employed by Baron Ludro finds company with Mekos, of the house of Kabzan. A chief of the Niah tribes. Tarn muses that maybe he has gotten himself into something more then he could chew alone and is glad he has met up with Mekos. By the looks a good swordsman. By hell or high water they will see this through or die trying.
Sleek walls too high to climb with no crevice or nook for finger or foot to find surround the warriors. They wonder in a maze of trees, brush and all kinds of fauna growing in disarray. Night approaches, they decide to make camp and take up their predicament in the morn. Tarn decides it's better for Mekos to rest first and he will take up watch a few hours. Into the night, Tarn thinks he sees a pair of glowing yellow eyes, but when he looked harder the eyes were gone. He thought he heard the wailing of women. Rumbles in the distance and twigs snapping nearby. "Truly a place to drive a man mad. Even the wind plays with my imagination." Tarn muses to himself.
Before the break of light the two comrades move towards what they believe to be another main building with a possible way out. An extension of stone adjoining the garden. And thus they wave on through this deadly maze. Never quite sure what manner of creatures the Klanaties may have in store here.
Up ahead in the trail. Tarn stops a moment, curious. He's never seen tracks such as these before. Huge, deep fresh tracks. He continues on following the fresh tracks. "There are beasts about and where there's beasts there's water. "Mekos, I thirst a deep thirst. How I would skin a hundred snow apes for a drink."
Tarn says it hoarsely. "Then lets get to that water!" Answers Mekos.
Just when ahead around the bend they see a nightmare come to life. A remnant of a dying race. A race already ancient before men took to walking upright. A monster out of time and out of place. "Only madmen would transport such a creature across the tundra to this accursed garden!" Said Mekos. Suddenly the huge cat with dripping teeth charges at Mekos who was standing a short distance behind Tarn. A fearsome beast for sure, truly awesome in size. Mekos is not at all reluctant to kill such a rare specimen. In fact, right about now he would enjoy killing it because the creature has managed to give Mekos a few good deep cuts. The cat snaps at Tarn with sharp teeth and two huge fangs again and again but misses. This time it comes too close to his sword arm. Mekos feeds it with cold Kabzan steel. A grave error for the beast snaps the steal like you would a toothpick. "Well, beast ... are you Shurran? Are you the death god?" The beast makes its reply by swatting the tribesman with its huge powerful paw. The shock of the blow has momentarily robbed Mekos of his senses. He will need time to recover but he will not get that luxury. As the cat charges the seeming unconscious warrior.
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