DWARF IN A HOLE

Waspig’s tusks low to the ground, the dwarf could not escape noticing its fresh coat of red. All around him, his creatures from Pistol to Cath stood poised and angry, air blasting out one set of nostrils right after another. The dwarf’s breathing slowed. He had felt afraid before, but the atmosphere that choked him by way of his turned army set sweat on intense downward trajectories, blobs of salt pelting the sandy rock below his shoeless feet. This is when he noticed the dripping wet dog, its stature so stout, defiant against his army. He looked back up to as well find an outlier in the swinesects: the albino had retreated to the shadows, peering with interest. No other defectors could be identified. Knowing full well what his fingers would prod, he still drew his quivering hand up to the shroom that bloomed from his bald head, desperate he wouldn’t. Was Funguayou aware of the trouble it caused?

The dwarf’s eyes shot fast around the canyon bathed in afternoon light. He could no longer escape via the now sealed cavern--only left or right. Indeed, the dwarf would not dare attempt a vertical climb no matter how high or low his athletics (for he could not even remember), well confident his slow pace would lead to a quick death. The concept of succumbing to his creatures so soon after saving them summoned nervous twitching all over. The dwarf scrubbed at his head, massive fingers furrowing folds of skin so anxiously he became aware his nails dug blood. The dozen unsympathetic gazes that met his passing eyes set a chitter in his teeth. He foresaw no church pantry.

Waspig leapt forward, hopping and swinging high. The dwarf breaking his pose, he took a rammed Pistol to the legs and crumpled forward. Bringing his face off the ground, he reached both hands out and stashed the coyoke under his form, that which received numerous blows from Bathiel and Blissey. Wobbling back and forth, the dwarf forced out a blind roll and splashed into the river, dog slipping from his hands. Coughing, the dwarf watched with wide eyes Waspig dash forwards the shivering critter between he and his first tamed. His maw shot open and his lungs roared, a screech in the negative blasting out from the dwarf between the tall rock walls.

“ENTERTAINMENT SKILL XP GAINED”

“ENTERTAINMENT SKILL INCREASED TO 2”

The sudden sound tripping up his pet, the dwarf splashed over to the pup and attempted to once again protect it--but its slickness defeated his hands, the dog popping up out of the air and back onto land. As it whipped its slick body, so did Waspig, and the latter resumed its charge. The dwarf’s voice spent, only a croak escaped, his stubby legs sloshing through the creek clumsily and hurriedly. As the swinesect closed in on the mudkip, so too did the albino close in on Waspig, delivering a swift kick to its rump sailing it into the river along with the dwarf. Overcome with relief at the intervention and anger over his own pet’s defiance, the dwarf crashed down atop Waspig. The two wrestled in the water while further action embroiled Joshua against its kin.

Wings whipping water up into the air, Waspig blasted out from the creek with dwarf attached, arms wound tight around its tusks, the power of voice returning to a terrified owner. The two shot all throughout the canyon, Waspig’s trajectory haphazard and obviously uncompensated for the additional weight. The dwarf winced as the back of his head slammed into roots, but his attachment remained resolute. So disoriented from the flight, it took the dwarf several seconds before he realized the two had traveled far beyond the confines of the trench and back up into the green of the forest, multitudes of jeweled insects rushing around the wild disturbance in their neighborhood. It was not long before the two crashed against a towering tree, Waspig’s headfirst slam stunning the creature into dazed submission. Slipping off his ride, the dwarf immediately set about chastising, a series of firm negatives flying out from the dwarf’s vicious lungs and against his embarrassed Waspig. Beaten into obeyance, its visible anger having completely waned, its head lowered. In this moment, the dwarf realized what had occurred, the feedback looping of one angered bugsect influencing another at sight of the growing shroom, and in turn creating a neverending coursing of anger throughout each and every animal until broiling over into an assault. Alone, the dwarf had control. But against a mob--hopeless. The dwarf counted his blessings in the form of the albino and mudkip.

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SKILL INCREASED TO 12”

Realizing the no doubt continuing violence within the depths of the ravine, the dwarf turned to return to the cliff’s edge. As he did, Waspig followed, and the dwarf spun around and forced out his palm, an angered shout as cement. Waspig eyes shot large with surprise, and the beast sat its hind legs down with both hooves forward as fast as it politely could. The dwarf nodded. He turned back to the ravine, made an educated guess as to the location of the river in the abyss, and dove.

“BASE JUMPING SKILL XP GAINED”

“BASE JUMPING SKILL INCREASED TO 2”

Sailing through the air, wind screeching right alongside, his sudden voice seemed to command attention of the chasm itself. But then all became very quiet before a momentous splash stunned paused ongoing brawl back down below. Surfacing, the dwarf watched Joshua receive a powerful blow from Mustard--but it merely shrugged and continued its defense, dripping dog cowering against rock. As the creatures realized the dwarf and his mushroom had returned, many targets hifted at once. Surprised, the dwarf dove back beneath the water as the milky form of Bathiel and Pistol soared overhead. But out of breath, he was forced to return to the melee and receive a nasty blow from Blissey, the dwarf’s form sailing against the waterfall. Crumpling against shallow rocks, it took the dwarf several moments to realize an available option. He set himself upon the stashed, netted meat behind the cascading water and freed it of its raw contents, polluting the river with the flesh of the fallen. Rope freed, he exited the river and dashed over to Joshua, hurriedly draping his prize across the slick mudkip. Suddenly slinging the creature over his shoulder, the dwarf took off away from and along the water and into the unexplored, his feet kicking up sand and dirt and nearly a loose wheel. He and the dog sprinted round the curving rock walls with, unfortunately--confirming via quick glance--tailers hot behind. The albino could not be counted among them, and the dwarf thanked it silently in between steps for its aid. To think another timeline had seen it charred and blackened.

“ATHLETICS SKILL INCREASED TO 20”

Sprinting, dog bouncing behind him in his bag, the dwarf skidded to a sudden halt and dove right as the ravine split in two, river continuing. Not capable of turning back, his dash continued until his feet could not be forced any further, and so he collapsed atop soft grass. Cheeks tickled by blades, the dwarf’s face rose to survey how far he’d come: still well within the ravine with no end in sight, river now absent. Greenery dominated the section in particular, masses of vines hung clumped off trees and rock lining, grass waging its patient war against exposed sediment. The dwarf’s eyes scanned for a possibility of cavernous escape, but it would not be. He turned to his loot, squirming dog it was, and freed it from its cage. It sprinted remorselessly away and around the bend. The dwarf’s vision lingered at its last seen spot until his weary eyes rested--as did his form. He breathed in. Why couldn’t he ever really rest? He breathed out. But at least the dog was saved. And to his surprise, hot breaths woke the dwarf from his nap in the sun--it had returned. Weakly, he smiled and reached to allow the coyoke a sniffing. Satisfied, the creature dove its head beneath the dwarf’s large palm and purred as best a dog could. The moment slipped from the dwarf’s fingers as the distant rumbling of hooves spurred him to his feet. He at first reached back out for the critter, but the dwarf had a feeling he’d not successfully wrestle it back into rope nor would it aid their relationship--so he simply burst into a run and delighted at the dog keeping pace. The dwarf decided on “Speedy”.

“ATHLETICS SKILL INCREASED TO 21”

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SKILL INCREASED TO 13”

Speedy, shooting ahead, led the dwarf through thicker and thicker foliage as grass climbed up the beaten slope. It occurred to the dwarf, finally turning around, that he was looking downward--indeed, he and his new companion had traveled far, though the walls on either side continued towering. So up they marched through rising twists and thick blocking trees, past sloped roots and thickets, until the dwarf and his dog emerged fully out from the abyss and into the woods. With the sounds of advancing hogs, of which their endurance the dwarf could not help admiring, he wasted no moment and kicked his aching legs back into action, now following the cliff edge back towards the direction of, eventually, Waspig. The lungs exercised as both engine and music began to shrivel, the dwarf felt, his weak emissions outshined by the youthful heavy breaths of the galloping Speedy.

“ATHLETICS SKILL INCREASED TO 22”

Still the dwarf could not chance another look behind until the pair came upon a rushing river--one of the many sources of that which flowed in the ravine. He could ascertain only two pursuers: Cath and Bathiel, almonds fast into view, wild locks sailing through the wind. The fast pup once more reverted to a cowering, and so the dwarf stood firm. As the two hogsects came close into view, their stingers preparing for flight. Worn and ragged, the dwarf wrung his lungs and demanded another performance: out came a blast disorienting the paths of both jagged points.

“ENTERTAINMENT SKILL INCREASED TO 3”

Disturbed, neither creature could summon the resolve to continue their fight. The dwarf stomped forward with confidence expressing loudly his disapproval. Both Bathiel and Cath whined in response, lowering. And so the dwarf gently scratched beneath their chins, rubbing the sides of their pink faces and bringing them in for a tight embrace. Conquered, their violent air clearly dissipated, and they rose and approached the dwarf and Speedy asking for forgiveness in their dozens of eyes.

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SKILL INCREASED TO 14”

It was not long before the dwarf noticed the incoming Pistol, its awkward, lanky body bounding ahead as best it could. The dwarf stepped forward separating the tamed and the to-be. He attempted another scream but emitted only dust. Panicked, he twisted round and leapt at the rushing water cupping as much as he could swallow. Lubricated, the dwarf returned to the battlefield just as Pistol closed in, and to this he re-applied his voice sending the creature skirting against sand in submission. So too did the dwarf forgive. Then came Blissey. Then came Mustard. Both tuskless, their bent heads bounded regardless of potency towards he who had freed them. He rewet his throat and finished the re-taming of his flock.

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SKILL INCREASED TO 15”

“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SKILL INCREASED TO 16”

Crossing the river, the dwarf--animals just behind--returned to Waspig who he found surprisingly engaged in play with Joshua. How the latter ascended, the dwarf would never know, but at his appearance--at first sight of the shroom--Waspig growled once more. The dwarf fired back discouragingly. Straightening up, Waspig then shifted its position to welcome the returning party of its siblings. Though still hurt over the loss of the chef, the dwarf beamed a wide smile in appreciation of the resolved conflict. It waned somewhat as his fingers confirmed the fungus atop him stood steady. And then the dwarf huffed, crossing his arms, thinking how the party would return home. Speedy, meanwhile, drew up to the albino hog and once more stained its fur, its wet head nuzzled into Joshua’s. But he could see no discomfort. So he smiled once more.

The river. Of course. It became obvious to the dwarf his means of escape. And so, creatures following one after another, he and his flock fled upwards out of the forest and away from the thick tanglings of wood. Before long the path demanded short climbs of which the dwarf managed and his pets flew over (save Speedy who, with Joshua, maneuvered through other means).

“ATHLETICS SKILL INCREASED TO 23”

Before long the massive shattered egg rising up out the mouth of the waterfall came into view and, with it, the steeple and its own adjacent shell. Forwards with nine others behind, the dwarf approached the blank book by the end of singed carpet.

“SAVING... SAVED.”