BONUS!!! BIG RASCALS WRITING CHALLENGE - Woodland Creature Mythical Tale!

Come join us as we put our writing skills to the test! Big Rascals Writing Challenge is a BONUS segment that we will be doing monthly along with our Book Club Podcast. 

We are all aspiring writers and need all the practice and help we can get. Please let us know what you think. Leave a comment and give us feedback. 

Feel free to join the challenge with your own short story as well. The next Prompt will be a Greek Mythology Short Story. Send it to bigrascals.podcast@gmail.com and we will pick one to read for our next episode.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Alright, welcome everybody. This is uh Big Rascals Writing Challenge. So this time around, we're gonna do a writing challenge. Um based off our the book we just read, Red Wall. Um we're the challenge, I guess, or the prompt is we are writing a mythical tale from the point of view of like a woodland creature.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

So like the woodland creatures are gathered around and telling campfire stories, old talk. Legends. Legends. Yeah. Okay, good. I thought it was that. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05 0:53

What do you mean you thought you're the one who made the gory dang prompt? Well, it was actually great, but oh, I just restated it. I actually just copied and pasted what you said. I knew it sounded familiar.

SPEAKER_03 1:07

I was like, I thought we I thought we already treaded this in our text room. I was like, what? I thought we already decided this.

unknown 1:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

So cool. You gotta go first. Cool. All right, yep. Oh man, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

So whoa. Yep. So I can see because oh my gosh, uh when I was like typing this up, I was like Were you like changing community when he pulls out the little list?

SPEAKER_05 1:38

Or not the list, the cheat cheat. It's a little cheaty. Yes, fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Alrighty. Yeah, read with that mental image. Okay. Little preface. Uh this is a a story for some uh um deer folk.

SPEAKER_03 1:59

Ah deer. I'm sure Basil would like that. It's very noble. Stag dogs what?

unknown 2:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

This was fun. Alright. Uh it is called Tale of the Still Ones. Gather round those of the antler and hear a tale. This is a tale of warning, so listen well. Do you remember Elm Nose? No. That is because he was taken by the still ones. Elmnose was like you and me, except for his sense of smell. He could smell a bush of ripe berries farther away than anyone else. He could smell a pack of fanged ones before they started their hunt. You figured it would be safe to stay with Elm Nose. You would always have food and danger could be avoided before it was present. But Elm Nose had one flaw. That same nose of his gave him an insatiable curiosity. He would always say that's a new smell and start to wander off through the trees. At first we would follow him. The temptation of ripe blackberries was too much. Dewtail and sumachorn was especially close to Elm Nose. They have not you have not heard of them? Well, that makes sense. They were taken too. Best the particular day they both followed Elm Nose to a new smell. I waited where we had already found some clover. The sun was high in the sky when they left. When they returned it was reaching the hilltops. I could hear them approaching from around an aspen grove. Dewtail spoke upon reaching me. Oh Briarhorn, you missed a wonderful feast. There was food looking like broken twigs piled around a tree. It tasted of blackberries and grass. That sounds like a feast. I missed out, I said. But where is Sumachorn? Both Dewtail and Elm Nose swung around calling for sumachorn. There was no answer. Dewtail explained how she last saw him behind her as they made their way back to the herd. Perhaps he stepped away for a drink. The food was very rich. Sumachorn never appeared over the next couple days, and the herd was ready to move. The weather was cooling, and as was tradition, we followed the stream through the valley to where the trees thinned and the grasses rose high by the great meadow. It is normal to lose a member of the herd during our journey, but it was always known who and how they were killed. It usually came upon ignoring warnings from Elmnose or lingering too long by a stream. To lose someone who was so close to Elmnose was a surprise. The only explanation was Sumachorn had left the herd. Days passed, and as we continued our journey, it had been two sunrises after a time of rain. Elmnose again said, There's that new smell. I was not going to miss out on this feast. I had just dropped my antlers and was feeling extra hungry, so I followed Elmnos and I regret I did. As we got close, I could even smell it myself. It was wonderful. My hooves floated over the ground, I could feel the smell carrying me towards its source. It was a circular clearing in the trees where a large pine tree had fallen. The food was at the base of the surrounding trees, and as Dew Tail had said, the taste was exquisite. We all ate till our bellies were about to burst, and the sun was touching the hilltops. Elm Nose called out, Over here, I see Sumachorn. Past some thick briars, Elm Nose stood at the edge of another clearing, and across it right at the edge of the trees stood Stumachorn. It looked like Sumachorn. It was his antlers and his smell, but he was not moving. Even we when we called to him, he would not look towards us. Dewtail, shrunk and frightened, said, Do you think he senses danger? Is that why he does not move? Elmose said, I do not smell anything, just the food that remains back there. I spoke then, perhaps he will respond in the morning. You remember Grassback ate those mushrooms. We could not understand him for days. Elmnose suggested we stay the night and eat at sunrise, join the herd the next day. We all agreed and slept in the briars. That night I could hear Dew Tail get up and move out of the briars. I thought perhaps she was off to get a drink. The food had been very rich. That morning Dewtail was gone. Elmnose and I went to eat that strange food and wait for Dewtail. She had finished eating or we had finished eating, and Dewtail still had not shown. I still smell her nearby, but she does not smell right, said Elm Elm Nose. Her smell is coming from the same direction as Sumachorn. I wish we had never gone to look. There just hooves away from the still form of Sumachorn was Dewtail, her head, her neck, her insides, but the rest was gone. Us of the Antler understand the loss and death. The savage creatures of the woods are always hunting us, but never before had we seen such butchering. There stood Sumachorn, still as can be. We ran back to the herd, the others asking of our distress. We could not share anything. Then we were still unbelieving of what we saw. More days passed, some rains came, and we began to near the great meadow at the edge of the valley, when Elm Nose had approached me. Briarhorn, I smell Dewtail, he said. I stared for a moment and then said, Elmnos, we left Dewtail's remains up the valley. She could not be down here. That's the thing, I smell her. But she smells, Elm Nose paused. She smells whole. Maybe we should ignore it, I said, but that was fruitless with Elm Nose, for he had to know what the smell was, and I followed. We walked for some time towards the slope of the valley where the sun was travelling to, when Elm Nose stopped. She's in that clearing just past the briars, he said. We slowed and crept hoof by hoof around the briar bush, and there she was, elegant and whole, head high. She looked beautiful standing there as the sun's as the falling sun's light fell through the trees across her back. She did not move. We both called to her and nothing. Elmnose crept past the briars, into the clearing, his head turning back and forth, his nostrils flaring, taking in all the scents around him. He continued towards Dewtale. I stayed, terrified, my hoof shaking. Elm Nose was hooves away s was a hooves step away from Dewtail, when Fang Twak something impacted him on the side near his neck. He stumbled, fell next to the still form of Dewtail. I could see then a straight black stick protruding from Elmnos. What happened then terrified me more than anything I have ever seen. Part of the bush at the edge of the clearing stood up and walked towards Elm Nose. I ran and ran, fear fueling every muscle in my body to move me away from that scene of death. Listen you of the antler, and listen well. I tell you this tale, so you may know. Do not trust the mysterious food found around the trees. If a friend has disappeared, do not go looking for them, and especially what is most important, do not approach the still ones ever. Your life could depend on it.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Jeez, Jeff. You uh tr saying something here about hunters? Trying to get a message across.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

You're making me feel bad.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

Like Bambi. Cool and sad. Yeah. Bambi's mom died.

SPEAKER_04 9:42

I like the name the still ones. The still ones. Sounds scary.

SPEAKER_05 9:46

But that's exactly what hunters do.

SPEAKER_01 9:48

Yeah. They sit and wait. Yeah, I really. I thought you made it really seem like the point of view point of view of a deer, for sure. I think that was really great. For sure. Yeah. Nicely done.

SPEAKER_04 10:03

I like how you made it a scary story.

SPEAKER_05 10:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:08

Cool, man. Good job. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

I liked it. Thanks, guys.

SPEAKER_03 10:13

How do you want to? Me? Alright. Yes, sir. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 10:20

So I don't know. Does a crow count as a woodland creature? Certainly. The crows do make an appearance in Salamandastron.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

I was thinking about doing a crow story, then I'm like, ah, Derek's gonna do one.

SPEAKER_03 10:34

You know me too well, Jeff.

SPEAKER_04 10:39

Alright. In the middle of the dense woods next to Lake Lemuria, where the sky shines colours in the night on a whim, is a large oak encircled by five pines. This is Crowstrom, the fortress of the Crow Clan, and the house and house to and house to their force, the mobbing murder. The greatest of these crows is Valravin, son of Silverbolt, master of the murder. Almost the size of a raven and black feathers that shined with an enviable sheen, he was a sight to behold. Under his leadership, the murder was able to drive out any owls that dared to roost in their kingdom. He was one of the few crows who dared to fly and perch atop the backs of eagles mid-sore and pester them until they left his domain. His horde of shiny objects was the greatest among all nests in oak and truly the desire of all curious corvids. Every great thing done in Crostrom had been done by Valervin. Had had to be done by Valervin. There was no recent song that didn't feature his exploits. His mate, Beath, was the cleverest of crows. Though lacking in her husband's strength, she made up for an ingenuity and deceit. She was able to mimic almost any other bird or even the mewling howl of a wolf pup. With this skill alone she was able to ward off many a predator at the base of a base of their tree. When one hears a wolf pup, there is usually a pack nearby. And through her use in tool making, the murder was able to enjoy fish from the lake whenever they pleased. With Valervan and Beath at the heart of the Croostrum fortress, the large oak stood as a mighty edifice, with the five pine trees acting as guard towers, with the growing murder making nests in each. Anyone who dared to climb these trees would be met with the greatest of opposition. It was this notion of challenge that entertained and brought Talvito the Terrible, the most diabolical and savage wildcat in all of the forest. A cat so sneaky and crafty he was known to snatch low flying falcons from the sky. Once his claws hooked into his prey, there was never any escape. With these claws he began to silently ascend to the nests of Crowstrom. Like a panic bell, a smothered out caw of a crow's life being snuffed out triggered the rest on the alert. Telvedo had made a kill and was already down the tree with a young crow in his jaws. Hateful caws echoed from every direction, wings began to unfurl in every branch.

SPEAKER_06 13:18

Leave to me! Leave to me!

SPEAKER_04 13:20

I avenge cohort beath Beath to me commanded Valravin. Many officer crows grumbled at the lack of action they knew they would get. Down to the forest the two magnificent crows soared with hate and bloodless, bloodless screeching from their beaks. Telvito dropped his prize and pounced in their direction. Like choreographed sequences, Valravin and Beath dodged and weaved. They began one of their favorite techniques. While one distracted the cat with false attacks and hurtful insults, the other would swoop in like clockwork to relentlessly peck to his backside. While all this was happening, the audience of the murder cawed jubilantly. Such revelry had never been seen before. It was quite disorienting for Telved, and yet he was a fast learner. He began to feign his own assaults, on one only to turn around as quick as lightning and slash at the other. A crow's dodge reflexes what they owe most of their survivability to, and it was on full display here. Telvito was always short just an inch to hitting his target. Two swoops, two swoops, Beath called to her husband. Yes, yes, yes, Valraven agreed. As smoothly as a calligrapher's pen, the two climbed high into the air and then stooped down in opposite directions, and then double back doubled back to and careened towards Selvito. In between two crow missiles, Telvedo had to act fast. He leaped onto the trunk of the great oak, and out of the and out of the way. With foresight and no sign of worry, the two crazed Corvette turned together and impaled their beaks into the cat like a shot with two syringes. The villainous cat yowled and began to scurry around the tree like a squirrel.

SPEAKER_06 15:06

Valorvin and Beath began to cheer Locking Tavern, walking flea tavern, no smart, no smart.

SPEAKER_04 15:13

They were high on this moment of sweet revenge. They were now swooping, pecking, retreating, and repeating lazily as if this was all a chore. Rap breath, too slow, taunted Valorvan. Pussycat too soft, jeered Beath. But a cornered cat is nothing to be comfortable with. With speed that even surprised Telvedo, he leaped off of the oak and swatted down Beath. She careened down and collided with the root of a tree, a loud crack announcing her union with the ground. One second. One second of absolute silence was all the cat got for his lucky shot. Every crow on every branch and every tree began cawing menacingly like they had just come out of hell. Muster the bomb! Muster the mum! Valravin commanded. The sky began to darken, to blot out the sunlight for Telvedo as it filled with the adult crows flying above him. His round yellow eyes gazed in fear at the sight. From the feathered blackness, nearly unseen, came Valravin right at his face. Talons latched onto the cat's cheeks and wings beat his ears. Telvedo let out a terrified and agonizing yell that could even be heard despite the crow's mobbing cause as one of his eyes was pulled out from its socket by Valrivan's impressive beak. Valravin stood on the forest grass now with the cat's eye set by his foot, with the cloud of his murder above, and he, the King Crow himself, standing imposing as ever, shoulders hunched, he breathed out the most terrifying caw ever uttered. Like a dragon breathing fire he spewed. This being the sight Telvedo's one eye saw, he ran out of there quicker than the flap of a wing. Telvito the terrible was now Telvito the terrified. Victory was won. Velrevin would then wear the cat's eye around his neck as a reminder of his victory. He would fly and strut in a way that all would be able to chance a glance at it, but Beath had not been so lucky. A funeral was held for the young crow who died in Telvedo's jaws. Beath was thankfully alive, but her beak was sorely damaged. The top part of it broke off, leaving it a jagged stump on her face. She could no longer pick up for herself and now only let out deflated cause. Sorrow seemed her song. Velrevin had to feed her, feed her himself by picking up food in his own beak and inserting it into hers. He never ceased to care for her, but she had lost her confidence and cunning. Despite all of the victory ballads sung of her bravery, all she could think of was her foolishness in the endeavor, and what pride she had lost. Losing your beak as a crow was like losing your teeth and fingers at the same time. Valravin desired her to be happy once more, but how? How could he help her regain this sense of identity she once possessed? His counsel once spoke of a white raven who knew of magic things. Magic might have meant unexplainable solutions for his unsolvable problem. The white raven was known to be a ghost that followed the wolf pack. With the sound of howls in the distance, Valravin knew where he had to go. Leaving his best servants to take care of Beath, he soared with great haste to find the white raven. The wolves had just made a kill and were feasting on the carcass of a moose. The white raven sat perched on a ribbone, tearing off flesh with its beak. Valravin perched next to him. Let me know if I'm going too long, guys. I kind of went a little crazy with this riding prompt. Do you go for it? Valravin perched right perched next to him. Valraven passed for a small raven to the wolves, so they thought nothing of it. Other ravens joined their hunts from time to time. What made this one different? You know of magics? Valaven bluntly asked the white raven. The white raven looked perturbed. Yes, I do, it replied with a beak full of meat. Tell me where to find magics, Valravin commanded. Why should I? The sagely bird retorted. You have problem, not I. Your problem, not concern me. This is for mate, Valravan Valravin stated, a hint of humility in his voice. So Great Valravin does care for more than himself. The ghostly bird looked like an apparition with the grey sky behind him. Go to mountainside, Pied Lake. In there you meet Great Beast. Great beast is the one who makes colours in the sky. Great beast has magics. Without a word of thanks, Valravin flew off to the mountainside. The white raven grumbled while reaching down for another bite of moose. Only cares for himself, Great Beast eat him. Good riddance. The cave was ominous, like a yawning mouth on the side of the mountain. Valvin stealed himself and let his feathers smooth out before seeing this great beast. One must look presentable for such things, don't you know? With feigned confidence, Valravin swaggered in. It seemed dark, like a patch of midnight on black velvet, but the more he ventured inside there seemed to be a golden glow. The glow became clear when Valravin saw piles of glittering gold, sparkling sapphires, and dazzling diamonds. Pink shinies, pink shinies, Valravin crowed as he wondered yeah, as he wondered which piece of treasure he should take first. Surely one of the diamonds would put Beath in a cheerier mood. Don't even think about touching a single gem feathered vermin, growled a low voice that seemed to skate across the cave floor and slide up the walls. Valravin flapped up and back. From behind a mountain of gold looked to be a giant serpent with gold scales like a fish. It swayed from side to side. Valrevin watched it closely in case it was aiming to strike. Then imagine his surprise when a face with the same scales, tusk smooth horns, and sword like teeth emerged emerged from the pile of diamonds nearest to him.

SPEAKER_06 21:12

Ya monster Valvin cried.

SPEAKER_04 21:16

Is this the extent of your bravery, O proud king crow? Boomed the beast. Or should I just call you what you are? A fearful pile of feathers who has more pride than should be condoned. Just look at you. Hardly a snack. The beast rose up, revealing legs like tree stumps with toes that ended in spear point, spear point claws and leathery folds upon his back. Treasure fell like a waterfall making a raucous and tingling boom. You know me? Valrivin asked. Of course, bellowed the beast. I know all that live underneath my aurora in the sky. That must have been the skylights that happened on most pleasant nights. When the wolves sang to the moon. But tell me why I should not eat you and fly down to that puny tree of yours and eat your loyal subjects too. Speak. I don't have all day. I come for magics, Valriven squeaked, out squeaked out, picturing the tree being ripped out like a weed by this titan of a creature. Do you not have enough down there in your pathetic treetop fowl? Need magics to fix mate's peak, the Crow King repo explained. The beast gave a skeptical look. You tell me you come here on behalf of another? Valravin popped his head up and down. Give me your greatest treasure, and then I will consider it, stated the beast. Like an arrow off a bowstring, Valravin shot out of the cave into Croostrom. Such pretty feathers for a crow, the beast remarked to himself as he saw the impressive crow lord fly off. Valravin returned with a diamond from his horde. It was the shiniest thing he possessed, and was the envy of every crow in Crowstrom. But when he placed it down in front of the beast and saw how minuscule it was amongst the scattered diamonds in the scaly monster's horde, he began to feel less sure of himself. The beast squinted at it for less than a second.

SPEAKER_06 23:19

Pathetic.

SPEAKER_04 23:20

I do not accept, he snorted.

SPEAKER_06 23:24

But best I have Valrivin whined.

SPEAKER_04 23:27

Those feathers on your wings look lovely, the beast calmly suggested. Valrivin hesitated. Did this giant creature want his pinion feathers? He always made sure they looked glossy by sitting on anthills and letting the ants spray their acid on them before he ate them. Not many crows knew that this was the secret to making your feathers dazzle. After indulging himself one last look of them, Valrivan began to pluck them out one by one. He laid them out purposefully in front of the scaled behemoth. Valravin shrank a little. Without his prized feathers he felt like a snail out of its shell. Surprise briefly coated the giant's face. Much better, he said gently, but I am still not convinced. The emerald orb eyes of the magic monster trailed downward only a little and fixed upon Telvedo's eye around Valravin's neck. Valravin noticed. What could he want with that? He already took away Valravin's stunning feathers and ability to fly away home. What could he want with his with his trophy and his gi and his greatest triumph? Of his greatest triumph? Was this all just a ploy to entertain the beast and embarrass him more than he already has? He thought of stamping out of there with whatever dignity he had left. Then he remembered Beath. Her feathers seemed more grey than black after her injury. She no longer sang her clever songs and for for every cause she cr and for every co caw she crowed came out deflated and dejected. He remembered the sorrow in her eyes when she was being fed piece by piece by his beak. He didn't want to see that again. Valravin slowly took off his necklace and rolled it reverently right next to the claws of the great beast as a priest kneels in front of the altar. The beast stooped his large head down and hooked the necklace on one of his horns. I have decided. What you decide? Valravin asked eagerly, but respectfully. I have decided not to eat you or your kin, the beast nonchalantly said. That's it? Was this beast hard of concentration? Was he not as wise as he seemed and just one giant trickster? Having felt duped Valravin erupted into a tirade of demands.

SPEAKER_06 25:42

You use magics, you heal beath now, now, now we have deal.

SPEAKER_04 25:48

After several minutes of this and many ruffled feathers, Valravin began to hop over to him in a predatory way, well, as predatory as one could be without feathery feathers on his wings.

SPEAKER_06 25:59

I take your eye, it be my new trophy. Maybe it hold magic for beath, declared Valravin.

SPEAKER_04 26:06

A death sentence you would be putting on yourself, haughty pigeon, the beast roared with snakes of smoke now coming out of his nostrils and faint embers beginning to glow in his jaws. Valravin didn't even break stride and began climbing the tallest treasure pile. Even in the face of death you persist, the beast stated, It appears I have I have had a flawed view of you, Valvin. Come. Before Valvin could process what the beast told him, the beast grasped him gently in his claws and thundered out of the cave. The leathery folds on the scaly giant's back turned out to be large bat like wings, and they began to soar through the night sky above Lake Lemuria. The sky began to slither with soft hues of greens, purples, and pinks. The magics, Valravin thought. Wolves began to howl and sing as if they were praising the sky. With gentleness the great beast landed by the lake shore and put Valvin down. He then presented him with the eye of Telvedo. Have your mate eat this. I have enchanted it to heal whatever aids her. May the last meal you feed her be the one that makes her whole. He then had Valravan hop onto his head and with incredible stealth, no doubt magic played a part in that. He set Valravin back into his nest. Keep thinking of others before yourself, Crow King, the beast whispered and then disappeared into the night, and without waking a single crow. The next morning Beath showed relief and joy to have her mate back despite her disability. She was surprised to see him without feathers on his wings, but he refused to explain anything until she ate his trophy. She wouldn't until he began she wouldn't do it until he began pleading with humility that was thought to be impossible within him. With his beak, Valravin set the eye down her gullet, and she remarked how delicious it tasted. As she caught her remark, she felt the familiar and oh so missed clack of her beak lip of her beak tips. The magics had worked. The sky filled with crows cawing, hooting, and hollering in jubilation. Their queen had been restored. Valravin, with no choice of his own, had to witness the sight from his nest. He was now a humbled crow, a reverend Corvid, and a wise bird. Due to not being able to fly himself, he had to delegate. He utilized the murder council more appropriately and began entrusting them with important tasks. With this change in leadership style, Crowstrom began to garner respect from other tribes. Certain brigades were allowed to hunt with the wolves and ravens. Wolverines and bears even allowed crows to aid them in their searches. Moles began saluting them and protecting the base of their trees. Beath remarked to her mate after much of these changes passed, you met the great beast of the sky colors for me? Valravin waited a moment before answering. His feathers seemed to be a tinge of silver, as he admitted. Yes. I see I am not big important as I thought. That's on it.

SPEAKER_03 29:12

Sorry it was so long, sweet. I got a little carried away with this one. That's awesome. Love it, man.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

As uh always, Derek, your descriptions are fantastic. Thank you. I love the curious Corvids and Tel what was it? Tel the cat's name. Telvito? Telvito the Terrified.

SPEAKER_04 29:31

Actually, uh little fun fact. I'm sure any Tolkien fans reading this will know that was the name in of a cat that Sauron was in one of the earlier versions of Paranel, but Sauron ended up being a werewolf in the later versions. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:53

That's a lot of fun. Really cool. Great. Uh it definitely has a lot of aesthetic to a uh kind of an old legend of uh like a St. George and the Dragon style. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 30:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:07

I did have uh a whole little side thing with the white raven asking making him do something. I was like, no, that's gonna be too long.

SPEAKER_00 30:16

It's great when you can just you just feel like you can fill up so much.

SPEAKER_04 30:21

The old hermit requesting something for in return for knowledge kind of thing. Yeah, but yeah, I was way too long. I think that was seven pages, so I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_01 30:32

I had a long one last time, so yeah. So the monster was a dragon, right? Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 30:38

Yeah. I thought it was a bear.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Yeah. Yeah, pretty predictable of me, but yeah. I had fun with this. Crows and dragon dick is in his element. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:51

I had fun with this. Cool. That's awesome, man. Good job. Alright, I'll go. Um I knew you were gonna do crows. I didn't think you were gonna do ravens. So I did raven. Okay. Okay. But mine is very different than yours, your guys's, I think. But um Alright, let's see. The old raven Thuru shifted his black feathers in the branches of the great tree. He looked down upon the woodland clearing, and the campfire reflected off his keen eyes. They were clouded silver with age. The wind rustled through the pines as he clicked his beak once. Young ones, gather round, he croaked. Get close and hold each other tight. You have heard of predators and hunters, but there is an older danger still, a creature our ancestors feared long before my feathers turned grey. Thuru paused for dramatic effect, and even through the darkness he could see by the whites of their eyes that he had the little creature's undivided attention. In the deep dark places below lives a creature called the hollow, a serpent creature. Ah but not but serpent is not quite right. No no. It is blacker than cave water, colder than ice, and a body so twisted as if made of shadows themselves. A little squeak came from the smallest chipmunk, and Thuru chortled. Now now there is no need to worry as long as you are virtuous, for they say the hollow does not hunt the trustworthy, it does not hunt the honest, it hunts those that lie. Thuru lowered his voice. The hollow has not eyes nor mouth, only ears hidden beneath folds of darkness, so it listens, but it cannot hear everything. It only hears lies. The wind grew still. Telling one lie may not be enough for the hollow to find you, but it will catch your scent. You might be able to get away with two, maybe three lies, but with every lie the hollow grows closer and closer. Then snap all the little ones jumped and screamed. Roto the fox had snuck up behind the little creatures and snapped a large dry branch. He cackled with glee and saluted Thuru. Hey, complained the little ones. Still chuckling, Thuru continued. Thank you to Roto here for showing us just how easy it would be for the hollow to sneak up on you. For the hollow is much more fruitive and cunning. It waits under roots, beneath leaves, inside hollow logs, just before it strikes. They say the forest will grow very quiet. No wind blows, no bird sings, no bugs buzz. Then you will hear a scratching sound, as if scales were dragging across dead leaves. By then it will be too late. The hollow will strike with precision and quickness. Now hold on, interrupted Beanie the rabbit, one of the older of the young critters. You said the hollow doesn't have a mouth. How can it strike? You are right, continued Thuru. The hollow does not bite. It cannot bite. In fact, it won't kill you at all. It does something much worse. When it strikes, it'll wrap around you and constrict you. Once you open your mouth to try to breathe, because you will try, the hollow will enter your body through your mouth. It will take all your lies. It will take your voice, and some say if you have too many lies, it will take your soul. Okay, Beanie's mother, Panna said in annoyance, walking up to the gathered little ones. Thuru, we have to take them home after this. Will you please not scare them too much? Let him finish the story, Roto called out in mock protest. I will, said Panna with a smile. I just want my kids to be able to sleep tonight. Thuru's eyes gleamed and he ruffled his feathers. It's important that we all know the truth, but Panna is right. There is no need to frighten the young ones further. Besides, there is not much left to say, so we might as well call it a night. There were collective moans and groans that came from the little ones. Once again, Beanie raised his paw and asked, Did you ever see the hollow? The old raven stared into the dark woods beyond the trees. For a long moment he said nothing. Slowly he leaned down and croaked out. That's a story for another time. Thuru shook out his feathers, rearing to take off. Good night, young ones, he said as he flew away. Remember, always be mindful of what you say. Like a shadow in the night, Thuru was gone, leaving the little creatures with an uneasy feeling. After that night, at least for a while, not one of the young creatures told a lie.

SPEAKER_04 36:46

I think you encapsulated the prompt best of telling a story to woodling creatures like around a fire.

SPEAKER_03 36:55

That was very good. Where'd you come up with the name Thuru Thuru?

SPEAKER_01 36:58

Um honestly, I was driving to work and I saw a street sign that said through. It was like through such a great thing. Right? That's great. I came up with all the creatures have a like a double letter. So U R U Roto R T O type thing. I don't know. I just thought that was Beanie I and I Panna A.

SPEAKER_05 37:29

Okay. Huh. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

That was really fun.

SPEAKER_04 37:33

Definitely one of the lovely German fairy tales to get their kids to act properly. That's what it seemed like.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

That was just that's what I thought of. It's like, what can I I want like a like a story that that parents tell to scare their kids. You know.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Both of you went for a scary story. That's funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

That was a lot of fun. I love, I love seeing the difference and similarities we got in the things, and just and uh I mean we I think each have different strengths, and there's a lot of uh I mean they they all just come out really well. I think it is great abilities here. You both did super good.

SPEAKER_01 38:16

Yeah, we definitely have different writing styles and techniques, that's for sure. Oh yeah. It's fun to see. Oh yeah. But you know, let us know. We uh we're being very vulnerable, just so you know.

SPEAKER_04 38:32

Yes, we know that there are flaws in it, and that's we would love to hear critique. And like we said at the end of our last episode, what kind of woodland animal would you choose? What how would you have told it? We would love to, and in fact, you know, challenge yourself, dude as a fun writing exercise. Writing is like a muscle, you gotta work it out.

SPEAKER_01 38:51

Yep. Oh, yeah. Yeah, this is helping me in so many ways for sure. Like, I I I don't know if I've improved, I feel like I have. At least writing is I'm starting to understand it a little more doing this.

SPEAKER_00 39:05

So exactly. I think it it's a muscle exercise, like Derek's saying. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:12

So yeah. Awesome. Well, thanks for thanks for joining us for this bonus segment. Um, yeah, like like we said in our episode, our next writing prompt is going to be like um Greek mythical themed. Um, so yeah, kind of like a Greek god, demigod type of story than life.

SPEAKER_04 39:41

Having to use all facets of their strength and knowledge and skill.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

Yeah. So if you want to come along with this writing challenge and want to do your own, send it to bigrascals.podcast at gmail.com. And if there's more than one, we'll pick one and read it in our next episode. So yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:06

Yep, we would love to see what you got. Thank you for joining us, though.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

Oh yeah. All right. We don't have an outro for this one, so catch y'all later. Bye.