The Fifth Academy - Fantasy Direction / #Wattys2018

Chapter twelve. The beauty and the beast

By Jason, flashback

A white, overfed skravin was strolling through the King's garden. The cute fluffy animal wasn't only stuffed with food but also had lapped up half of the goblet containing strong red wine. Thus the skravin's pace wasn't steady enough and he paved his way right through the best King's flowerbeds, crushing colored dahlias and slender hyacinths. The impudent little drunken animal would be immediately scolded, washed and brushed by the Royal gardener himself, if it wasn't a pitch night. The full silver moon was illuminating the garden with the soft milk light, making it even more beautiful and mystic in the same time.

Changed by the soft magic of the moon, the lovely princess of the night, the garden became so breathtakingly gorgeous, that even the little naughty skravin was moved by its magnificence. Here and there fiery phoenixes were burning with the sad melodic signings, silver unicorns and deer with golden antlers were walking majestically among gorgeous trees and flowerbeds.

Nobody paid attention to the cheerfully whistling skravin, even dancing garden elves didn't give him the second glance. That perfectly suited Rocky – he was on the secret important mission of his big and dangerous master.

"And bastard-boy would be our hero, who wrecked his life for saving Earth," squeaked the skravin words from the famous orc's legend-song, his green glowing eyes were carefully looking around while the keen nose was sniffing every inch of the silver-lit grass. "He would break the greatest demon and gentle softness of his lady's heart."

Rocky lifted his head with big sloppy ears and looked at the beautiful starry sky. Why, oh, why it should happen precisely today? The ugliest things always happen in the most beautiful times!

"Oh, ugh!" snorted Rocky with disgust, he had just stumbled on something big, warm and quite soft. It was laying on his path, blocking his way. The skravin sniffled again and muttered under his long nose. "Why does even trash in Luxard smell of the drunken Firesteels? Ugh! Rubbish! However, it's a perfect place for leaving my mark. Let this silly talking butterfly know whose territory it is!"

Rocky scratched behind his ear and lifted his hind paw vertically up. He was completely ready to put his best skravin's mark on the newly found rubbish heap. However, this shameful crime had never happened. Thank goodness!

"What the hell are you doing?" Revolted I, with the angriest sleepy voice, my fist was aiming between the glowing-green round eyes.

"Jason? I... I was trying to wake you up!" Rocky justified in the squeaky voice, he wasn't glad to see me at all.

"Waking me up? By pissing at me?" I asked with indignation and started to stand up. The last events rushed into my throbbing head – Amadeus, Diana and Max. I hoped beyond all hopes that the last two were unharmed. I decided to teach the boorish skravin a lesson and said. "Are you aware about severe punishment for insulting the Firesteel's solder? You will be made into a nice fur hat for the attempt of pissing on me!"

"I wasn't! I don't even want to go to the toilet!" Argued Rocky, slowly moving back. I immediately guessed what he was trying to do and caught him by the cat's fluffy tail.

"Help! Eating alive! Somebody! HELP!" cried Rocky, twisting in my hand and attempting to bite it with the rows of the sharp little teeth.

I briskly dropped him down because... he really had started pissing.

"Turn away! Don't look at me!" loudly protested the embarrassed animal. "You have no manners, idiot!"

"What's going on there?" came the familiar voice from the darkness.