Ambush in Eagle's Pass

***Ambush in Eagle's Pass*** (*Italian:* L'agguato al passo dell'Aquila) is the seventeenth episode of the animated series, *The Legend of Sleeping Beauty*.

## Synopsis

In Maya's castle, the top lieutenants of Tanatos, Barbarian, Magic and Sterminio are called to make their reports by their respective bosses. The lieutenants do not know what to say to their chiefs' questions, nor do they remember anything. They maintain that they never left their camps and never went anywhere. The five evil leaders start accusing each other of being traitors so that now a new battle begins. Maya stops them, and, using her magic, personally questions the lieutenants after hypnotizing them thereby discovering the truth.

In the meantime, back in the enchanted forest, the animals take care of the sleeping princess and all the other inhabitants of the castle. Following King Brion's orders, the animals cut the ivy that was wrapping itself around both the castle and its inhabitants, and clean the streets and homes so that everything will remain as it was when the curse froze the kingdom. Rakhal and his troops continue on their long and dangerous march. Rakhal is riding out in front, and the five knights of nature are riding next to him for protection. Maya, not wishing to trust an attack from the hordes, decides to use the evil forces of nature which are then loyal to her. Rakhal and his followers proceed to go along a road indicated on Myellin's map toward a place called Eagle Pass.

The nature around them is rather savage, arid and rocky. Then, strange types of thorny cacti and low thorn bushes with very long thorns suddenly seem to come to life! The bushes seem to walk across the land, getting bigger and expanding. The cacti start shooting their spines while some of the bushes form up to become large rolling balls that come at the dinosaurs of Rakhal's army. Other thorn bushes form barriers to divide the dinosaurs into small groups. The pterodactyls call out the alarm from above. Rakhal and the five knights of nature turn and see that all the others are in difficulty because of the unexpected attack by the plants.

After a very short meeting, the knights of fire and air go into action. Air Knight starts blowing and so blocking the the rolling balls, and the Fire Knight throws out flames that burn up the thorn bushes, but even so, the plants' actions seem unstoppable. Rakhal's army is practically forced to flee, but jus then, the Fire Knight opens a way through the thorn bushes. The army tries to defend itself as it moves about. They slice through the bushes with their swords, but the bushes regenerate.

At long last, they reach Eagle Pass, which is a mountain with three large interconnecting tunnels through the top that reach over to the other side. Rakhal is a bit worried about taking his army into one of those tunnels, each of which seems to be an ideal place for an ambush, but this is the only route he can take. Not having any choice, they enter and the attack the plants’ ends. As if by magic, the plants cannot enter the three tunnels and the spines of the cacti bounce off an invisible barrier. Finally Rakhal and his companions feel safe. They proceed to rest.

## Characters

### **Main**

* Prince Rakhal
* Sir Braveheart
* Micr, Piath, Proth, Argy and Frick
* Sluggard
* The Elemental Knights
* General Rodad and his Pterodactyls

### **Supporting**

* Cordall
* Myellin
* Chaca
* King Brion

### **Villains**

* Maya
* Sterminio
* Tanatos
* Barbarian
* Magic