Grievance and Guidance

In the forests of the Rose region of the DSRRed stood a swampy stretch where the animals lived in a harmonious state. The animals sustained themselves, often cooperating, forming a complex set of symbiotic relationships that must be experienced first hand to be understood. However, in the murky swamps, despite all the cooperation, there was a creature which degraded the otherwise tranquil environment with its tricky ways. The Corapal was trusted in the community, for it lived with the other animals, bringing back food, carrying materials to help birds build nests, but it did more than just that. It looked like a normal animal, a dog-sized creature that resembled a bat. Overall, it was dark, usually reported as being brown, but sometimes black. Its feet were talons, useful for grabbing objects, which animals in the region struggled with, and maintaining balance on branches. It was also very distinguishable by the red highlights on its wings.

One warm, dry afternoon, the Corapal sat on a tree, and it saw Azter the crocodile in the swamp without its friend Linnik the unicu, a white rodent that is similar to a rabbit. Normally Linnik rests on Azter throughout the day, fending off bugs and deterring other creatures from the same area of the swamp, as its white fur upon the dark background of the swamp makes Azter and Linnik stand out. However, upon seeing Azter alone, the Corapal decided to take advantage of the situation. The Corapal said, “There is a prize inland, leave this bog and walk south into the forest.  If you are the first one there, your wealth will soar.” Upon hearing this, Azter took off into the forest.

After a few minutes, Linnik came to the swamp and saw that Azter is nowhere to be found. Linnik found the Corapal and asked where Azter is. The Corapal said, “Why, don’t you see him over there?” while gesturing to a dark log with his wing. Linnik hesitated, not quite sure if the log was Azter. The Corapal then pushed further, “You don’t even remember what Azter looks like, how do you sit on him every day?” Linnik hopped on over to the log. However, the log was not very stable. With Linnik’s weight, it could not stay upright. The log rolled, and the unicu, with its poor coordination and weight distribution got wet in the bog. It could not swim after the log tipped it into the water, and it drowned. Once Linnik was dead, then the Corapal picked him up, as his plan was not done yet.

The Corapal flew south into the forest, carrying Linnik in its talons. It flew ahead of Azter in the dark woody swamp. When it wasn't facing Azter, its red highlights that made it stand out were hidden. Its quarry, Linnik, was visible in the Corapal's talons as it flew close to the ground. Linnik appeared to bounce along the ground, ahead of Azter but slightly faster. Azter followed Linnik, trying to catch up with him after not seeing him at the swamp. As they continued heading southbound, the evening came, and it got darker. As they reached the end of the forest, it was nearly pitch black. Into the vast prairie, the Corapal led and Azter followed. Down they went further, through the flowering spring plains of central Red through the night. Into the morning, they continued, the sun barely beginning to rise, providing enough light for a gray hue and allowing the Corapal to continue to look like the environment. Over the mountains, and through valleys they continued.

Azter was beginning to tire, hundreds of miles from his home, that he'd left the night before. The sun was beginning to rise. He would not last much longer, but he kept following Linnik, trying to figure out where he was going. As they reached the tundras of Red’s Blood regions, the morning came into full swing. The light shone and reflected off of the snow. Clearly, the black wings and body with talons around Linnik’s body were not part of Linnik. Azter sees the Corapal, and he is exhausted. He sees his friend Linnik, dead in the grasp of the Corapal. The Corapal says, “What a mighty far way we are from the forests we call home. It would be a shame to have to walk all that way, fatigued with no food. Luckily I know how to fly. I suppose for a small fee of a very large sum of money, I could fly you back too.” Azter had no choice but to accept, and he flew back, carried by the Corapal back to the forest, where he had lost his friend Linnik and a lot of money. However, once the Corapal flew away with the money, Azter’s wealth truly did soar.