Uglog breathed heavily as he carried a large basket of corn up the mountain's
side. The slippery white snow beneath his hooves gave away sometimes, and made
him fall, but his gripping was good enough to keep him from tumbling all the
way down Mount Blob.
Uglog was a Moehog, and he was also a slave for King Blob. Everyday, he and
other Moehog-slaves would have to climb up and down the mountain, delivering
delicious vegetables from their garden, such as corn, carrots, and of course,
asparagus, which was the King's favourite.
The yellow Moehog held the basket tightly in his mouth as he continued his
way up the path. Before him was a red Moehog, named Mork, and he was carrying
a basket of bright orange carrots. He was walking just as slowly.
"Move along!" cried a harsh Skeith guard. The huge NeoPet shoved Mork up the
hillside, almost making him stumble, but he kept his footing. Seeing this, Uglog
went a bit faster and fearfully eyed the Skeith guard.
"What are you looking at?" snapped the green Skeith, and bared his white teeth.
The Moehog, afraid of getting shoved, ran as fast as his stubby legs could run.
They were almost to the summit of Mount Blob. They could see the faint outline
of the big, red Skeith. He was huge. King Blob was the biggest Skeith that ever
lived. He was as wide as six Elephantes, and as tall as twenty Grarrls. His
blubbery sides covered the entire top. He was so fat, that King Blob was hardly
able to move from his throne on the mountain.
But King Blob had immense power. He could squash a Moehog with his finger,
and threatened the entire Moehog village that if they did not feed him, he would
send his squad of Skeith guards down to raid them of their belongings...
and their lives!
So the Moehogs dared not to argue, and since the day that King Blob climbed
up his mountain and threatened them, they had grown and carried food for him.
Finally, Uglog was at the top. He felt the hot breath of King Blob breath
on him. Quietly, he set the basket before the Skeith, and began to hurry away
back down the mountain. Uglog could hear the Skeith gobbled up the basket and
its contents with one gulp, and gave a rude burp.
A few moments later, Mork caught up to Uglog.
"Wouldn't it be funny," snickered Mork, "if we gave King Blob some Bloaty
Belly Tablets? Then he would...."
"Shush!" snapped Uglog back. "Don't be rude! Anyway, if we ever pulled a prank
like that, the Skeith guards would knock us down silly!"
Mork gave a sad sigh. "You are right. I miss the good old days of freedom.
Freedom from the Skeith guards, and King Blob." Uglog shrugged. "We will have
to make the best of it. There is no way we can face King Blob alone, and his
friends, the Skeith guards, outnumber us. I think it is best if we just move
along and not complain."
"I won't stand for it!" growled Mork! "Someday, we will all leave our village,
and create another one far away!"
Uglog nodded, but went down the mountainside without another word.
***
King Blob watched the Moehogs slowly climb up the hill. He was talking to the
captain of the Skeith guards, Ponk, a big blue Skeith.
"Fellow Skeith," said King Blob to Ponk, without glancing at him. "What were
you going to say to me?"
Ponk shuffled a bit, then spoke quietly to the King.
"Well, your Highness," started Ponk. "I was thinking... should we really
get the Moehogs to get food for you? I mean, I think it is kind of cruel to
force them to do so."
King Blob glared down at Ponk. "Would you rather be getting the food for me?"
he growled, then shaped a claw into a fist. "Would you rather be feeling the
wrath of my claws?"
Ponk knew he made a mistake, and shook his head, stepping back slightly.
King Blob continued: "I brought my people here so they could enjoy the luxuries
of doing nothing! Remember all the work at the old kingdom? The labour of food
gathering? The hunting? The continuous hunger for Neopoints? Then I heard of
the Moehogs, the weakling NeoPets! They dare not fight. So, in the benefit for
all the Skeiths, we moved here, and now you are complaining to me that this
is cruel?"
Ponk shook his head rapidly. "No, sir! You are all knowing, and very wise.
You were smart to lead us here!"
"Good," smiled the red Skeith. "Now, go off and have a carrot. I am getting
sick of those. And enjoy the sunlight! What a beautiful day to do nothing!"
The day had ended and stars were starting to appear in the black sky. All
the Moehogs were back at their homes, weary and tired of the day's work, and
very hungry. All they had were rotting vegetables, which were not fit for King
Blob. Uglog was eating over Mork's house, and they shared a rotting cabbage
together, but did not eat much.
"Mork," said Uglog to his friend. "What if we Moehogs were to rebel?" With
a fork and a knife, Mork cut a slice of the cabbage, and put it into his mouth.
He swallowed quickly, so that the taste would not stay on his tongue.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if we were to gang up with the Skeith guards, maybe we could overthrow
King Blob!" said Uglog.
Mork laughed. "What do you mean? The Skeiths would never gang up with us.
They are totally loyal to their lord. Who would not love a leader who would
let them lie about while other NeoPets did the work."
"Some Skeiths might be tired of lying about," said Uglog. "They are not inhumane.
They are fellow citizens, such as us. Maybe some see that this is slavery, and
that we need our freedom."
"Possibly," grumbled Mork, and he stuffed another leaf of cabbage into his
mouth. "But the chances of finding a Skeith who did not like King Blob is like
one in a million."
Uglog, however, was not totally sure of that. Skeiths are lazy by nature,
but Uglog swore that some Skeiths had a pitiful look when they saw the Moehogs
carry the goods uphill. Maybe... just maybe... he could persuade just
one of the Skeiths to help them, and maybe more would join, and then there would
be a perfect mob for a rebellion!
Uglog decided he would search tomorrow.
To be continued... | 
