Stone 7

**Chapter 7**

The yellow-eyed thing *“laughed a low cackle,”* which pretty much establishes that it is another screeling. Kahlan briefly debates whether to run back to Richard or away from him (what??), but then she hears *“the distinctive ring of the Sword of Truth being drawn in anger.”* Apparently swords sounds different if you draw them in anger, as opposed to, say, boredom. Or happiness. Or...whatever. \~/

Richard and the screeling (*introducing Richard and the Screelings!*) start hacking and clawing at each other. They break apart and the Mud People shoot the screeling full of arrows, none of which harm it.

Kahlan recognizes the screeling, and she and Richard start leading it away from the Mud People (why it follows them instead of the people shooting it full of arrows, I don't know). They have some rather pointless banter about Richard spanking Kahlan (*“If we get out of this alive, I will let you”* \~/) and Richard's headache mysteriously disappearing.

Richard suddenly gets all macho and orders Kahlan to go hide behind the useless hunters. When she refuses, he shoves her. Nice guy. Anyway, Richard stabs the screeling, which tries to climb up the sword-blade to kill him. He flings it off, and Kahlan feels the Blood Rage bubbling up, and she blasts it with blue lightning just as Richard whacks it again. This Combo-Strike is apparently enough to overcome the screeling's damage reduction, and it blows up real good.

With the battle over, my hero Chandelier appears to quite correctly point out that Richard and Kahlan have brought trouble. The healer shows up and gives Richard some Generic Leaves for his headache. She then departs, since she's an NPC and therefore not important.

Richard asks Kahlan what the heck that thing was, and she says it was a screeling. However, it turns out she doesn't know what a screeling is. One wonders where the name came from then. Anyway, after a pointless discussion about wizards getting drunk, we learn that Kahlan's vast knowledge of screelings came from a song some drunken wizards taught her when she was a child.

Yes. She based her actions on a song sung by four drunken wizards. I kid you not. \~/

And here, for your reading enjoyment, is the Drunken Wizards' Screeling Song.

*The screelings are loose and the Keeper may win.*

*His assassins have come to rip off your skin.*

*Golden eyes will see you if you try to run.*

*The screelings will get you and laugh like it's fun.*

*Walk away slow or they'll tear you apart,*

*and laugh all day long as they rip out your heart.*

*Golden eyes will see you if you try to stand still.*

*The screelings will get you, for the Keeper they kill.*

*Hack 'em up, chop 'em up, cut 'em to bits,*

*or else they will get you while laughing in fits.*

*If the screelings don't get you the Keeper will try,*

*to reach out and touch you, your skin he will fry.*

*Your mind he will flail, your soul he will take.*

*You'll sleep with the dead for your life you'll forsake.*

*You'll die with the Keeper till the end of time.*

*He hates that you live, your life is the crime.*

*The screelings might get you; it says so in text.*

*If screelings don't get you the Keeper is next,*

*lest he whose born true can fight for life's bond.*

*And the one that is marked; he's the pebble in the pond.*

So...yeah. I think I'm just going to take a drink and call it done. \~/

Richard and Kahlan have some more chatter, and the chapter ends.

Drinks: 8

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