Dimwater's Demons by Sam Ferguson

continued, quoting from the last sentence in the foreword. “The garunda is a rare creature. It’s elusive and savage, and this tale actually is one of the best texts to understanding the monster even today.” She snuggled into Leatherback’s shoulder. “All right, here we go,” she said.
    “Ravenel fidgeted with his bow and glanced around the room to the eyes that now were fixed upon him. ‘I fear there has been a mistake,’ Ravenel said as he crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I am a simple hunter.’ His fingers tapped on his bow as he looked around the room once more.
    Princess Lirian, who had summoned him to her court, nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, I know, that’ Lirian replied with another nod of her head that seemed to make her golden hair dance softly about her face. ‘From what I hear, you are also among the best archers to live in our land.’ She looked up from the table then and her gaze met that of his deep blue eyes. ‘Your valor in the Battle of Detean is legendary,’ she added.
    “‘Even so, I have been living a life of peace in the forests since then. This creature you describe to me is strange, and I have never encountered such, nor do I wish to,’ Ravenel announced.”
    Leatherback let out a throaty growl. “Coward,” he said.
    Kyra shook her head and lowered the book to look into the dragon’s fierce eye. “Hold on until you hear the whole story,” she said. “You might change your mind.”
    Leatherback snorted and a wisp of smoke snaked out from his nostrils to dance upon the light breeze that found its way through the rustling aspen leaves around them.
    “Where was I?” Kyra asked herself as she looked back to the book. She ran her finger down the page until she located where she had left off. “Ah, yes. Here we go. Lirian shook her head. ‘In the Battle of Detean, you fought against the Khattuun, the great lion people from the east. You slew them by the score, and saved the day for all of our tribe. The other tribe leaders and city kings of our alliance each sent thank offerings to our tribe as a testament to your great acts. I would say you do know more about this beast than you admit.’
    “Ravenel bowed his head reverently before replying. ‘My apologies, milady, but the Khattuun are a great and proud race. They are like lions, and also like men. True it may be that they are fearsome warriors, and among the most feared on the battlefield, but they are much easier to understand than this beast you ask me to slay.’
    ‘“I understand,” Lirian agreed softly. She stood from her ivory throne and motioned for everyone except for Ravenel to exit the room. The large hunter watched as the others filtered out of the room, each murmuring and whispering. After they were all gone and the guards closed the doors, Lirian moved in closer to Ravenel. ‘The foul garunda beasts that have attacked our fair city of Kilistyrin, are more dangerous than normal beasts of prey,’ she admitted. ‘However, they do somewhat resemble the fierce mountain cats that roam along the great mountains in the east, though these creatures are much larger. The primary cause for concern is that their presence is only a prelude to the appearance of a much more sinister creature.’
    ‘“A demon of some sort?’ Ravenel guessed.” Kyra paused here and nudged Leatherback with her foot. “This is where it gets interesting, so keep listening.”
    Leatherback didn’t say anything, but his blue eye fixed itself on the back of the book as he waited for the story to unfold.
    Kyra cleared her throat and resumed reading from the book. “Lirian shook her head. ‘A shade,’ she said simply.”
    Leatherback growled again, this time in an angry tone. Kyra didn’t bother to pause the story however. Now that she had him hooked, she continued on without stopping.
    “Ravenel sucked in a breath and backed away. ‘You expect me to slay a shade?’ he asked incredulously. ‘It would be easier to best a Khattuun with my