The Lengthening Shadow

At the place in question, Cape Bucktooth, the inhabitants had a problem. First of all, here is some information about the Cape. It wasn’t really a cape, it was a lake, made by beavers. The descendants of those beavers lived there now. The lake used to be a river, but the beavers blocked it up. The water rose, and it became a lake. But now, the beavers were trapped in their own dam by a vile adder king. Karakssass. He and his reptilian forces had slain some and imprisoned the others in their own dam. The survivors were two Verdancers, a carpenter, seventeen normal beavers, and the chieftain. Twenty-one in all. The wizards had tried every mind trick they had on the two cobra door sentries, but their minds were reinforced by Karakssass. The carpenter had made a hole and tried to swim out, but the piranhas and groupers of the adder king were constantly patrolling the lake. The chieftain had tried to talk sense into Karakssass, but to no avail. There was absolutely no way they were getting out. The chieftain, Jebbleheim, or Jeb for short, was an optimist.

“Come on, people. Cheer up, why all the long faces. Someone will come and save us sooner or later. Stop frowning, the sun always comes out after a rainstorm. Think of the silver lining on the cloud. At least we’re not dead.”

Tradd, one of the Verdancers, frowned. “So many of our friends are. What’s your idea, Jeb?”

The beaver leader smiled and winked. “The plan, dear Traddy, is to make a boat!”

The Verdancer looked skeptical. “Won’t the piranhas chew a hole in it? Won’t the groupers smash it to bits? I really don’t think that this is going to work.” Jeb’s smile wavered. “You’re right, Tradd. Maybe we should think of something else.”

Two hours later, ten more plans had been tried. They had all failed. The reptilian guards were either too strong, too smart, or too fast. The sentries had been doubled by Karakssass, and he had posted some outside his lodging in case of an assassination attempt. The beavers were in despair. What could they do? The best idea was to wait for someone to rescue them. Reblet and Roblot, the young twins, had proposed that they could make wings and fly out. This idea was rejected as ‘totally impossible’ by Jeb and Tradd.

“Beavers don’t fly, young ’uns. It’s a fact of life.”

Another suggestion was that they hypnotize the guards at the main entrance. The three who were trying it came home with marks from a severe beating from the two gila sentries. Jeb slumped. “That won’t work.” In the light of that incident, Karakssass doubled the sentries at the gate. One day, though, Roblot saw three figures heading a large army toward the cape. He jumped up and cheered.

“Hooray! We’re saved!”

The beavers broke into applause. Finally, their salvation had come.