Menka and the Belligo: Part One

by chromefox

I missed the train, I missed the plane, and my day couldn't have possibly gotten any worse. Waiting four hours in the Warden's shack will make any person or NeoPet irritable, as I discovered. I was going back to my home in Neopia Central, but, of course, there were those Haunted Woods in the way.

"I win again," said my Gelert, Shanter. My mind was wandering and causing me to lose these precious staring contests. After a long pause, he said, "We're never going to get out of here."

"You're probably right. The rain's not letting up."

"I don't see why we can't just walk the woods. I mean, they aren't that long."

Maybe it was the boredom kicking in, but I was starting to agree with him.

"Yeah," I said. "That forest's probably crawling with Faeries!"

"I bet that's why they don't want us in there!"

"We'll show them! We'll walk the forest!"

"Yeah!"

Obviously, we'd both gone nuts. Storming up to the Warden, I declared, "My NeoPet and I will walk across the Haunted Woods!" The Warden adjusted her glasses. "That was a joke, right?" she asked in a monotone voice.

"Nope."

"Yeah, kid, and I'm going to cover myself in barbecue sauce and go romping into the Snowager's Cave."

"Good luck," piped Shanter. That seemed to perturb her.

"Ms...?"

"Menka."

"Ms. Menka," started the Warden. "There are numerous ferocious beasts that dwell in the Haunted Woods."

"Yeah, so Shanter'll fight 'em off!" Eyeing Shanter, she explained, "There's a particular monster that Shanter cannot fight off. It is the Belligo." Shanter burst out laughing.

"The Belligo," continued the Warden, "is an enormous roundish winged monster with fangs and claws. It has an enormous appetite for Neopets and...humans." Before I could speak, Shanter raised is chest and bared his teeth, making gurgling sounds and drooling. In a low, inarticulate voice, he moaned, "IIIIIIIIII'MMM THE BEEEEELLLLLIIIIGGGGOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! GLURGGAAAHHH~!"

The Warden rolled her eyes in displeasure. "You can go if you wish, but there's a chance you and your salivating pet may get eaten."

"Well, that's a risk we're willing to take," I said with bravado. "Right, Shanter?"

"GLUUUUUURGHHHHGGAAAAA!!!!" Shanter replied.

"Then go."

Shanter and I left out the door. Carrying only a back pack filled with two healing potions, a flashlight, and a bottle of water, I lead us into the woods. The rain was still pouring hard, and the thin, dead, twisted trees did little to block it out. It was about 6:00 PM now. Both of us were hungry, but it would be 11:00 before we reached the end of the woods. Noises bustled from all around us; scattering in the trees, the crunch of walking on leaves, the rain... but by 7:00 it was dead silence. Finally, Shanter, who hadn't spoken since we'd left, complained, "I'm hungry."

"Chew on your tongue," I replied, annoyed.

"But that hurts. My teeth are sharp."

"Then, go pick a Negg."

"Where?"

"I don't know! In those bushes!"

To be continued...