Creatures Caves

This is a story I began last year:

Chapter One: The Wounded Ettin
The wind whistled gently through the dense forest of trees as Tawny the Fallow Norn and his friend Russet played happily in the clearing. ?Tawny, isn?t it about time we got back home? My mother says I need to be back when the huge glowing sphere in the sky begins to descend.? said Russet eagerly. ?You can go buddy, I?ll stay here for a while and look at the stars.? replied Tawny. ?Okay then, just make sure you don?t leave it too late.? said Russet, hurrying back towards the village.

Tawny enjoyed looking up at the stars. Before his father had died he had taught his son that each and every star in the sky was the soul of one of his ancestors. Tawny kept this secret from Russet, who didn?t seem to be as sentimental and would most likely laugh at the thought.

As Tawny lay there, he suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes behind him. Looking closer, he could see the shadow of a somewhat aggrieved Ettin writhing in pain. ?Arrrgh! Ouch!? wailed the Ettin in the moonlight. ?What the heck has happened to you?? curiously asked Tawny. ?*Ouch* I was walking back to the Ettin Terrarium when I got my foot caught in a Grendel trap. I think it?s broken.? ?That must be agony! I?ll take you back to my house. Mum?s good with medicine.? said Tawny helpfully. ?My name is Sandy by the way. I was collecting food for the rest of the Ettins, you see. The Grendels have stolen almost all of our supplies, and we need to stock up for the test of instinct.? said Sandy. ?Test of instinct? What?s that? asked Tawny, carrying the sick Ettin towards the village. ?The test of instinct is a test that the hand does every so often to ensure only the fittest creatures survive. The Grendels are trying to kill most of the Ettins off to stop us from passing on our best traits. They believe they are the superior race and that we are mere slaves? replied Sandy.

Eventually Tawny reached the village. It was now midnight, and his mother was absolutely furious with him. However, when he introduced Sandy, his mother praised him for being a good Samaritan, and decided not to punish him. ?Right Sandy love, let me look at that leg of yours.? said Tawny?s mother, Hazel. ?Ouch, that looks nasty. I?ll have to put a splint on it, but first I?ll give you some pain killer to take away the pain. Tawny watched closely as Hazel put a splint onto Sandy?s leg and wrapped it up in a large leaf. Finally, she gave him some medicine to encourage the healing process. ?Right Sandy, I?ll make you a bed near the fire to keep you warm. Tawny, I think it?s time for bed now, good night! ?Good night mum!? said Tawny, heading up the ladders to his bed.

Tawny lay in his bed, wondering about the Test of instinct and if such a thing would happen in his lifetime. He also wondered if the Grendels would ever try and somehow kill off the Norns. As he lay, he soon dozed off to sleep, ready for a new day of adventure.

Chapter Two: The Hate Begins
When Tawny awoke the next morning Sandy was already up and about. He had eaten a few Woodpigeon eggs, some apples and a carrot and was feeling much better. ?Hey Tawny, do you want me to make you some carrot soup for breakfast?? said Hazel. ?Yes please mum!? said Tawny happily.

Tawny, Sandy and Hazel chatted over breakfast until there was a loud knock at the door. When Tawny opened it Russet was standing outside. ?Hey Tawny, wanna come out and play? Hey, by the way who?s that Ettin?? ?This is Sandy.? replied Tawny. ?I found him last night with a broken foot, so I took him back here and mum helped ease his pain and put a splint on his leg. ?That?s very kind of you Tawny, especially since the majority of the Norn Terrarium are against Ettins.? replied Russet. ?Why? Ettins are harmless creatures, they?d never do anything to hurt anyone! Why are they suddenly all being hated? Said Tawny in a rather irritated tone. ?Apparently its because everyone is blaming the lack of food on the Ettins. Before, I saw this group of Grenorns staging a gathering near the big oak tree. They were saying all sorts of cruel stuff about them! Some of the Norns even decided to listen to them too, and keep saying that they?ll drive all of the Ettins out of the Norn Terrarium.? ?I?ll have none of this garbage! I?m going over there and showing those Norns what bigots these Grenorns really are!? ?No Sandy, you shouldn?t go. I?ll go instead.? replied Tawny. ?Oh?okay then, but don?t listen to them Tawny, what they are all saying is a load of garbage.? said Tawny?s mother.

When Tawny and Russet reached the Grenorns, they could hear all sorts of abusive language being shouted about Ettins. ?These creatures make me sick Russet. Why can?t they just get along like the rest of us?? said Tawny. Suddenly one of the Grenorns pointed at him, ?Have you seen one of these filthy desert workers recently young Norn?? ?You?re nothing more than just a bunch of racists!? screamed Russet. ?Racists? We?re not racists, we?re just sick of these Shee slaves stealing all of our gadgets and food supplies! If the hand was wise enough, it would eradicate these filthy creatures once and for all!

The two Norns walked away from the crowd of Norns angrily. Why were Norns being brainwashed into believing this nonsense? It suddenly soon struck Tawny ?Russet, the reason these Grenorns are filling peoples? heads with this propaganda is so that they can kill off all of the Ettins! They are working for the Grendels! Sandy mentioned to me yesterday about the Test of Instinct. The Grendels have been framing the poor Ettins by stealing their food and also some of the Norns? food. Because the Ettins have no food, they?ve been coming in the Norn Terrarium occasionally to stock up on supplies, but the Grenorns have been totally exaggerated this and are accusing them of stealing! If neither Norns or Ettins have enough food, we?ll starve! ?So that?s why? we need to put an end to this once and for all!? shouted Russet angrily. Tawny agreed, and the two Norns set off for home to tell Hazel about their plan.

When the two Norns arrived, Sandy had already gone. ?Sandy was feeling much better, so I let him walk back home to the Ettin Desert? said Hazel. Big mistake.

As Sandy walked through the Norn Terrarium, he was called names, kicked, punched and had mud thrown at him. When he reached the door to the main corridor, he broke down and cried. He hadn?t done anything wrong at all! Why were they picking on him?

Tawny and Russet found Sandy sat on the ground, crying. ?What happened Sandy?? asked Russet. ?Oh, those despicable Grenorns and their mob, they battered me, called me names and threw garbage at me. ?That?s it, I?m going to put an end to this!? roared Tawny furiously.

Chapter Three: Making a Stand
Tawny approached the massive crowd of Norns furiously. He clambered his way through to one of the Grenorns and pinned it up against the wall. ?You scumbag! How dare you and this mob of disgusting pond life attack my friend!? screamed Tawny. ?The Ettin? Heck no, we didn?t do anything to him!? ?Liar!? shouted Tawny. He punched the Grenorn in the ribs, followed by a shocked cry from the mob. ?You disgust me. You say Ettins are bad? Look at yourself! Snapped Tawny, slowly turning to face the crowd. ?Look everyone, I know Ettins may not be the cutest of creatures, but come on, they take care of the ship for us!? Tawny exclaimed, only to be booed by the majority of Norns. ?That?s a load of dung! Ettins are constantly stealing from us. Why should we care?? shouted one member of the crowd. ?Because that?s what being a Norn is about!? shouted Tawny, dodging a mud pie being thrown at him.

Shortly afterward Tawny, Russet and Sandy left the mob and headed home. Whilst they were walking, Russet got a mud-pie thrown at his head, which resulted in him turning to face the mob and pulled an carried out an obscene gesture. Eventually they reached home and let it all out to Hazel. ?That is disgusting. I can?t believe what those brainwashed morons did to you Sandy? said Hazel. ?Feel free to stay here as long as you wish.? ?Thank you so much Hazel, you are very kind? said Sandy, brushing the mud off himself.?

When the four creatures sat down for lunch, a few hours late, Hazel could hear a loud thudding noise, followed by numerous laughter outside the door. ?What the heck is going on out there?? she said worryingly. ?As Tawny turned to look out of the window, the sight he saw sickened him ?You won?t believe this mum, but the Norns who were in that mob are all gathered around the door to the house writing something!? ?I shall have none of this!? screamed Hazel.

When Hazel opened the door, she was greeted by a huge mob of Ettin-haters. On the door they had written in big, red letters, ?ETTIN LOVERS?. ?Where?s your little Ettin friend then?? sneered a Grenorn who had just managed to squeeze his way through the crowd. ?Why do you want him?? snapped Hazel. ?I don?t know, just so we can bash the little freak till he?s purple and then throw him in an airlock full of wasps. Sniggered the Grenorn ?You evil beast! Get out of my sight now, you little monster!? screamed Hazel. ?Let us in now!? screamed the angry mob.

As Hazel was punched and slapped protecting her house from the angry mov, Russet, Tawny and Sandy went into the larder and picked up a few carrots. ?Have this instead!? screamed Tawny, rushing to the door, ready to throw the carrot. When he threw the carrot, it went straight into the Grenorn?s eye and caused him to scream in agony. ?You little? I?m gonna kill you!? screamed the Grenorn, pushing his way through the door.

As the Grenorn approached Tawny, Russet rushed in front of the Grenorn. ?Don?t you dare hurt him!? Get out of my way now, twerp!? roared the Grenorn, slapping Russet in the face. As Sandy emerged from the larder, he could see the brawl between the Grenorn and the two Norns. Furiously, he grabbed a large stick he had found and gave the Grenorn a huge smack around the head, knocking it out.

Shortly after the angry mob had disappeared from the front of the house, carrying the unconscious Grenorn with them. ?Mum, are you alright?? asked Tawny. ?Yeah, just a bit battered and bruised. Those creatures are such bullies! I?m really sorry you have to put up with this.? said Sandy. ?It?s not your fault bud.? said Tawny affectionately.

?I guess there?s only one way to stop this madness Tawny; you?ll have to go and seek the advice of the Hand.? said Hazel.