Fren was scared. All of the adults except for Nanny Grah were shouting and looked very angry. The little red mountain norn huddled behind the black grendel.
"People! May I remind you that we are in a meeting, not a shouting contest!" general Flib shouted above the din.
"We have to do something about those grendels on the island before they over run Albia!" one male fox (White haired) norn said.
"If we leave them to their own devices, who knows what would happen!" an angry blue female forest norn said.
"We can never forgive Oozle for what he did to Naydeane!" Router, Aaron's aunt screamed.
"All we know is if Oozle's involved, trouble for us will not be far behind!" a chocolate colored ron/horse norn mix said. Everyone else growled in agreement.
"Then, I take it, that you believe that battle is the only option?" General Flib said a little down trodden. He did not like to rush into a fight without serious consideration, everyone else was burning for a fight, they weren't thinking beyond violence. That could spell trouble, Flib thought. He hadn't been nominated general for nothing.
"Let us vote on our course of action. All those in favor of declaring war signify by the right hand. Those opposed, signify by the left hand." Flib said. Flib couldn't vote, he was the officator. Only two left hands were raised, those of a black grendel and the general's own daughter......


"Well, wadda'ya say, kid?" the alcoholic grendel said, "Are you up to taking over Albia?" And paying back that hand and those misrable norns too, he silently added.
"Well........."
"You aren't turning chicken, are you? What would your harem think? What would your kids think? Do you want them thinking that their Dad is a coward?" Oozle said.
"NO! I'll do it!" Umaumaarg said a little too quickly.
"There's a good boy. Well, let's go look at the "troops", shall we?" Oozle asked, refering to Umaumaarg's offspring.
The grendels went down the lift to the "bubble room". There were over ten grendels there who were sons or daughters of Umaumaarg and a few grandkids. (In and out of the shell.) Oozle was bewildered. What was this orange guy on? He reproduced like a rabbit! The numbers here were enough to challenge the norns with more on the way.
A purple female, who was bouncing a baby on her knee, glared at Oozle. Urgle didn't trust this new comer, he smelled of trouble and booze, not a grendel she wanted near her offspring! For the world, she didn't know why her mate hadn't already killed this invader, or at least roughed him up a bit! Fig, (the red female) on the other hand, was flirting with this new guy. She knew Umaumaarg didn't like it, so she kept it up. She loved to "ruffle his feathers". Fig winked flirtatously at Oozle. She could practically see steam come out of her mate's ears.


"Okay, everyone, we will start our attack at dawn, when the grendels are likely to be sleeping off a hangover." Sid said, pointing at various places on the map. "Squad one, lead by Aaron, will arrive by the paddle boat. Squad two, lead by General Flib, will come in the submarine. These two groups will secure the premises for the other four groups. When all of the groups have arrived, except for the calvary," Sid nodded in the direction of Annabel, Tam and about five ron norns, "we will attack. Remember the only target to kill is Oozle, do not harm any others unless they mean you harm!" With, that everyone but Aaron and Annabel went home to get some sleep before the attack.
"Aaron, I know what you are thinking, don't do it!" Annabel said, fear in her voice.
"You don't understand, Annabel, I HAVE to do this! You don't know this monster like I do. He is pure evil, he won't be unprepared when we start the attack. He will be waiting with some awful surprize up his sleeve. If I go now, the attack might stand a chance. But only if I go NOW....." Aaron said.
Tears ran down Annabel's cheeks. "What makes you think that this attack has such a small chance of success? Why can't you stay here with Fren and I? Why?"
"I just..... I just know, that's all."
With that, Aaron kissed Annabel on the cheek and sadly ruffled Fren's white moehawk. "You take care of Mom, you hear? We'll go on your Journey when I get back." he said before he left.
You will be avenged soon, Naydeane, Aaron said silently to himself as he went off toward the island. Oozle would soon learn what price he would have to pay for messing with the Purple Mountain clan.
"It doesn't look good at all, does it?" Grah said to Goddess as she watched Aaron leave from the roof of the temple.
"It certainly doesn't." Goddess replied.
"Why aren't you stopping him? We both know full well that this will very likely result in disaster." Grah said.
"Because," Goddess said, "some things one has to do on one's own terms."

***********************************************************************
What has Aaron gotten himself into? What does Oozle "have up his sleeve"?
Is this war ill fated? Stay tuned for: A NORN'S TALE: PART 7!
Back