Chapter 45

     Deep in the rainforest of Larylia, a seaside kingdom a plan is being hatched. Thanks to the order of the Gentle Tower, an organization dedicated to creating animal hybrids to serve the occupants of Larylia. Like all things wrought by human hands, the Order survived long enough to lose control of their creations. Unlike most humans, the Order continued their horrid experiments in a secret location. 

  All of this went through Auerlia's mind as she watched Zinjo gather up flowers and other items with an unsavory smell. A soldier volunteered a helmet to help brew vile concoction over a flame. Aurelia held her nose, against the paint peeling odor, "I'll assume there is a point to this vile brew your making?"

   Zinjo grinned and threw some berries into the helmet, "Back home we use stink beetles to confuse the senses of snakes and lizards, we use a special stone to, extract the poison of such animals, and use them for hunting. It is my hope these abominations have similar senses." He used a stick to stir the mottled brown liquid, tendrils of acrid steam twisted and turned above the unholy elixir. Unfortunately, it will dull our sense of smell too and we must rely on our eyes and ears."

  Tiberius and his men covered their mouths and noses with thick linen, "How can you stand next to that thing," He fanned the air in front of him with a hand and pinched his nose closed. 

   "It is almost ready, do you have the nuts and sap I asked for?" Zinjo asked as he rolled a leaf up. He used afore claw to pierce the fist-sized nut and he took the rolled-up leaf and used it as a funnel for the tear-inducing liquid.

   "You've done this a few times?" Aurelia watched with admiration. She envisioned him at a workbench with their children around the Zinjo. They'd watch him and soak up the knowledge passed down to him by his father. The entire image left Aurelia wet with excitement. 

   "Hmmm," Zinjo nodded, "When I was being groomed to replace my father as chief, he insisted I learn as many jobs as possible."

   "Why is that?"

   "Respect is hard fought for in lion society. By doing the work of others I understood the struggles of day-to-day life. My father believed it was key to being an effective leader."

  Zinjo used the sap to seal the nuts closed. He gave each of the men a pair of the foul grenades, "Do not put absolute faith in these. I know it works on normal lizards, it is hard to say how these beasts will react."

   Aurelia held hers tight in her grip, the nuts themselves had stringy tufts of fibrous hairs, but remained hollow on the inside, "Do you have these back on Kiazangi?"

  "We use them for many different things, the same with the sap." he cleared his throat, "Since the plan was my idea, I will be the first to test the effectiveness of my potion." He turned to Aurelia, "Care to join me."

    Tiberius stood before his men and marched back and forth, "Okay men, this is it. Our goal is to take out the big one. Use your stink bombs sparingly and heed what Zinjo told you." He took two men to be in the vanguard with him, and the others were meant to clear 

*** 

  The small band of warriors split into two groups, each group would have a werelion leader. Zinjo took some of the more experienced warriors with him, While Aurelia and Tiberius stayed with the greener members of the guard. 

  "Before we go any further I'd like to say, thanks," Tiberius drew his sword and motioned his men to follow. The air came alive with the sound of leaves being crunched underfoot, and twigs breaking. 

   "Anything that raises the profile of Shadowdfen. My mother did nothing to advance our kingdom when I was growing up. I always saw my homeland as a kingdom with great potential." Aurelia sniffed the air. A hint of rotten eggs and grass seemed almost delightful next to the horrid stench Zinjo created. 

   Aurelia's caught the smell of the ichor secreted by wretched creations, and held up her fist, while the other hand pressed a finger to her lips. "I can smell one or two up in the trees. Do you have any bows and arrows?"

   Tiberius turned to his men, "Henshaw, you were selected for the marksman program, do you still have good aim?" 

   The baby-faced guard smiled and prepared an arrow, "What did you have in mind?"

   As it turned out not only did Zinjo's brew smelled bad, but caught fire rather easily as well. "I hope you were all paying attention to how he made that, It could come in handy later on."

   Henshaw aimed and fired at the tree top, The stink bomb failed to move the creatures from their lofty perches. "I don't think their sense of smell is their weakness, and they aren't afraid of fire, how do we get them to move?"

   "Ouch," Aurelia shouted as she accidentally cut herself open from leaning on a tree too hard. 

   A bright-eyed recruit held up his hand, "You know captain, my father used to be a sailor and that dorsal fin reminds me of a fish he encountered on one of his many voyages. Anyway, he said the accursed denizens of the ocean could smell blood in the water."

   Aurelia looked at the pool of Crimson in her hand, and let it fall on the ground, "It's better than any other theory we have."

   Hisses and sharp growls came from above and closer to the group, "Looks like blood makes them move," Aurelia shouted, "Now lets see what Zinjo's potion is made of," Aurelia gripped the Parasol blade and held her ground. Her other hand clutched the odd nut. 

  A small group of horned beasts rushed forward. Aurelia had faith in Zinjo's plan and shattered a stink bomb in front of them, The beasts wound up goring each other as they slammed together. Aurelia drew her blade and shouted, "Now."

  Tiberius and his men emerged from the underbrush with victorious shouts. It took very little time for the small group to subdue their tormentors. He grinned wolfishly at Aurelia, "I have half a mind to recruit you to protect my town."

   "You flatter me Captain, but this mission is far from over," Aurelia's ears perked up, the growls and hisses were much deeper. The footfalls, a little heavier, and the smell just a little more rotten, despite the stink bomb.

   "Get ready, I think we provoked the big one," Aurelia clutched her remaining stink bomb and prepare to open the cut on her hand.

   "Okay men Lancer formation," Tiberius raised his blade skyward. The guardsmen, each took up a spear and prepared to face what they assumed was the leader. Until the ground rumbled, and a twisted dragon-like creature emerged from the swamp. "Looks like we found the leader, now what?"

  "We pull back and live to fight another day," Aurelia said in a sullen tone.