C. T. Suddeth

Lord of the Caves Part 21

As Oh-see-rah opened his mouth to warn everyone, the huge net hit him. He fell.

Oo-tah-nah screamed. Someone else went “Oomph.”

“Use your knives,” said Oh-see-rah, flat on his belly. “Let’s cut our way out.”

“No, you don’t,” said a high-pitched voice.

Oh-see-rah gazed at the tiny men with tiny spear throwers surrounding them. Men without clothes. More men than he could count with his fingers and toes.

“You Wee Folk are in trouble,” yelled Oo-tah-nah. “You just netted the Lord of the Caves.”

A tiny grey-haired man lowered his throwing spear. “Oo-tah-nah? Why are you with the giants?” His voice squeaked.

“We come here to help you get rid of the Terrible Thunderers,” she said. “And you dare treat the Lord of the Caves like this?”

“Raise the net!” hollered the little man.

The net rose until Oh-see-rah could stand. The wee man facing him didn’t even come up to his waist.

“Chief of the Wee Folk,” whispered Oo-tah-nah.

The man bowed, making him appear impossibly tiny, like a baby. “I apologize. We are terrified of the Terrible Thunderers.”

Oh-see-rah grinned. “Do we look like Terrible Thunderers? We came here to rescue you.”

“It ate my son.” The Chief looked up, tears on his cheeks.

“Lol-non’s older brother,” Oo-tah-nah said.

“Where are the monsters now?” Oh-see-rah asked.

The Chief threw his hands up. “They’re close. They keep sniffing around the doorway to our hollow.”

Oh-see-rah squatted beside him. “I need a cliff to drive it over.”

The Chief laughed. “Even someone your size could never frighten a Terrible Thunderer.”

“I’m going to lure him over the edge.” Oh-see-rah prayed that he knew what he was doing. “I need a guide who can show me a high cliff.”

The Chief nodded. “My youngest son.” He snapped his fingers.

A baby-sized boy joined them. The Chief told him what he’d have to do.

“My honor,” squeaked the tiny boy.

“Is he old enough?” Oh-see-rah whispered to Oo-tah-nah.

“He’s older than you think.”

Oh-see-rah put the Boy on his shoulders, his little legs around Oh-see-rah’s neck.

“It’s like climbing a tree,” squealed the Boy.

“Big people, follow me.” Oh-see-rah marched out of the hollow as a horde of Wee Folk looked on.

With the Boy’s directions, they traveled past the hollow into a section of the Dell Oh-see-rah didn’t recognize. The wee boy showed them a high cliff, with a small ledge just out of sight.

“Here’s the plan,” said Oh-see-rah. “We’re going to stand in front of the cliff. When the Terrible Thunderers charge, you all hide in the blackberry thickets we just passed.”

Hah-nah-pah winced. “How about you?”

“I’ll roll onto the ledge and hope they stampede over.” Oh-see-rah handed the boy to her. “If I fail, you two men shoot a couple spears to give Oo-ta-nah a chance to run with the tiny boy. Then you two run.”

The four stood along the cliff’s edge and screamed wordlessly. Even the tiny boy joining in. Birds flew up and scattered. Squirrels chattered and leapt from branch to branch.

The pounding of T-Rex feet shook the earth as a rumble arose.

“Go,” said Oh-see-rah.

The others fled into the blackberry patch. The thorns wouldn’t slow down an enraged T-Rex for more than a few moments.

A head appeared above the trees. LLLOOOAAANNN!

Oh-see-rah motioned for the others to stay low. Snakes slithered away as the entire forest folk chattered a warning.

A T-Rex foot appeared. LLLOOOAAANNN!

Oh-see-rah willed himself to stand his ground without fleeing for his life. He scooted a little closer to the edge, so he could dive out of the way at the last instant.

The T-Rex, bad eye and all, focused on Oh-see-rah and sped up until it was moving faster than an eagle could fly.

A few paces away, the T-Rex’s huge mouth opened. LLLOOOAAANNN!

Oh-see-rah wanted to dive, but he had to wait till the last instant. The others yelled at him to jump.

As he prepared to jump, the T-Rex lunged.

Oh-see-rah’s foot slipped.

TO BE CONTINUED

Copyright 2021 Charles Suddeth