Monarchy's Plight

Chapter 21

Goon looked up at the sky and waited. His shadow shot out ahead of him. "Guess the coast is clear then," he mumbled. The shadow jumped around, excited. Goon smiled, "What are you so happy about?"

He didn't need to ask. He was excited too. It had been two years since Alisa had taken down the shadow wyvern queen, and though she had offered him a way home, he'd decided to stay after all. As long as he could stay in the tundra, that is.

He'd trekked out on his own after that, and had found a few carno companions to stay at his side. They were with him now. Goon jerked his head forward. "Come on," he said to them before following after the shadow. It led him through the slopes of the snow biome until they reached the end of their wooded area ans came upon a clearing. Ahead, Goon could make out the shapes of two figures attacking a mammoth. He turned to the carnos, "You know what to do," he said with a nod.

As soon as the mammoth's body hit the ground, Goon and the carnos charged from the treeline, roaring and baring their teeth. Goon's roar sent the figures running backwards for a moment before one of them shouted to the other. They both ran and pounced on Goon, digging their claws into his back.

"Ow, ow! Alisa, it's me!" he shouted.

"I know exactly who you are," she hissed.

The carnos collapsed in laughter. Alisa and Diana jumped off of his back, not amused. "What's the matter with you, scaring us like that? I thought we were about to have to fight for our lives."

He laughed, "Well I missed you guys too. One of my crew spotted you, and I couldn't resist coming to say hello."

Diana looked at the carnos skeptically. "I thought they had bad eyesight," she whispered.

Goon shook his head, "Not them." The shadow shot past him, dancing around Alisa and Diana in the form of a snake. "He missed you too."

Alisa smiled down at the shadow then looked back up at Goon. "So were you just planning to leave now or are you going to help us take this back to our cave," she said jerking her head to the mammoth carcass.

Goon grinned. "Nah, you look like you can handle it," he said before nodding to his carnos to help him drag the carcass. "But we are going to expect payment. How about you let us share this with you?"

"Deal," Alisa said before jumping on top of the mammoth's body and motioning for Diana to follow. "Now mush."

~CL1