"I will then tell you of the Kraaqi-of the history of my people and our ways. I will speak of the worlds where we have dwelled as one for times untold. And I will tell you of our harmony with the land, sky and water."

"Sounds like a long evening," Jaric whispered to Becky.

"Shsssh ," Becky admonished quickly.

"We will tell of our conquests and our endless war with the unholy Hrono."

Becky sighed as her eye caught Kyle's.

"Then you will tell of us your people, your worlds, and your ways," Rok finished.

Kyle turned and whispered. "This will be easier than I thought. We'll incorporate our message into our tale of the human race."

"Yes," Becky agreed. "We'll tell them how the T'kaan destroyed our kind, wiping out all humanity, except us."

"That should stir up their righteous indignation," Jaric added.

"And then we'll tell them the T'kaan are coming here, to do the same thing," Becky said.

Kyle nodded. "Yeah, and then the hard part-telling them that their only hope is for the Kraaqi and Hrono to fight together with the Mewiis."

Three heads shook solemnly.

"Are you ready?" Rok asked, ignoring their unheard whispers.

"Yes," Kyle answered.

Jaric grabbed Kyle's arm. "Hey, Big K. Let me take the lead on this one. This is way too easy for you.

Take a break for once."

Kyle looked at him and smiled. With a wave he motioned for Jaric to step forward.

"What are we gonna' eat," Jaric smiled. "You know, I'm hungry now that I think about it."

The Band of warriors began laughing.

"We eat the food of warriors tonight," Rok said.

Jaric stopped suddenly. "And exactly what is that?"

"The tail of a Rathar."

Jaric contemplated a moment. "Okay. Sounds good so far." Rok laughed out loud and the other warriors joined him in a hearty round of laughter.

Jaric looked at Kyle and Becky, and they all added their voices in the merriment, albeit with some hesitation.

As the sounds died away, Rok grabbed Jaric firmly by the arm and began taking him toward a lake that was off to the side of the camp.

Jaric looked back at the camp. "Aren't we gonna' eat first?"

"No." Rok laughed. "First we must take some Rathar tails."

Jaric felt his heart begin to sink as Rok's grip pulled him towards the lake. Jaric looked back to Kyle and Becky who were following with the others. "Uh, I'm beginning to wonder about this little ceremony."

"So are we," Kyle grinned. "I'm glad you're taking the lead on this one."

Jaric looked back to the lake with an apprehensive expression. "Maybe I ought to ask you what a Rathar is?"

Rok began laughing again. "I will show you."

Within a few minutes, they were on a small hill overlooking the blue waters below. As Jaric's gaze followed that of Rok, he felt his stomach tighten.

"They look an awful lot like crocodiles," Kyle said matter-of-factly. "Except for the horns and the talons."

Jaric swallowed.

Rok pointed at one of the twelve foot beasts below them. It was sunning itself with the warm afternoon light across its scaly hide. The long snout contained rows of teeth that protruded ominously from its mouth, while each of its six legs, three on each side, there extended a set of wicked talons from each toe.

At the back of their heads two horn-spiked ears rose.

"Rathars are deadly in the water. But out of it, they are vulnerable. As this one is." Rok smiled.

"Could've fooled me," Jaric said as his eyes took in the beasts below.

There were about a dozen of the animals, all of them lying very still beside the blue waters of the lake, obviously in a state of semi-stupor. A few were larger than the first specimen Rok had pointed out, while the rest were slightly smaller. As they watched, one opened its huge mouth and bellowed its roar. The others didn't move as they slept on.

"Oh boy," Jaric said cheerlessly.

"What weapons do we use?" Kyle asked with enthusiasm.

Rok's expression became puzzled. "None." He chuckled with amus.e.m.e.nt. "We are warriors."

Kyle raised his eyebrows in surprise. But he nodded in agreement.

Two of the large creatures below suddenly lashed at each other, snapping and hissing with great fury.

Hunks of mud and gra.s.s were flung into the air like a sudden brown blizzard. In another moment it was over, the two beasts again settled down into their semi-comatose state.

"How do we do it?" Kyle asked again.

A gleam came into Rok's eyes. "You must come upon them stealthily. Quietly. And leap upon their back."

"Oh boy," Jaric repeated.

"You're kidding," Becky half-shouted.

Rok looked at her in surprise. "No, I do not joke."

Kyle crossed his arms, still gazing at the huge creatures below. "Tell us more."

"What?" Becky said in disbelief. "Are you..."

Kyle held up his hand. "Let Rok speak."

Rok smiled. "If you take your hand and cover the front of their small snout, they cannot open it. As so."

Rok demonstrated with his hands around an invisible Rathar's snout. "It puts them in a state of confusion.

Remember, their strength is only in the biting, not the opening of their jaws. A warrior can hold their jaws shut with ease."

"Cover their mouth," Kyle repeated.

"But beware," Rok warned.

Jaric and Becky held their breath while Kyle looked on impa.s.sively.

"They have two special fangs inside their mouth. A single bite is fatal." Rok crossed his ma.s.sive arms.

"And do not let them get their claws on you. For if they do, they will never let go. They will drag you into the water and drown you."

Jaric and Becky continued to hold their breath.

"Also, beware of their tail..." Rok began.

"Why?" Jaric interrupted. "If they fart in your face, it'll kill you?" He asked sarcastically.

Rok rubbed his face in thought. "No. But that is not pleasant either." Rok drew in a deep breath. "No, they use their tail as a weapon, to strike at you once you have gripped their mouth. You must watch for that first movement, and grab it before it recoils to strike a second time."

"And..." Kyle prompted. "You twist the end quickly with your free hand, the tip will snap off. You then need to jump quickly as the Rathar will freeze for several seconds. When the pain reaches its brain, it will react. At that point, the Rathar will be none too happy, to say the least." Rok smiled widely.

Jaric and Becky stared at Rok in dead silence. Only Kyle nodded, clenching his fists with antic.i.p.ation.

"Thus, you have your meal." Rok raised his hands, palms upwards, indicating how easy it all was.

"Suddenly, I'm not very hungry," Jaric said with great sincerity.

Kyle patted Jaric's shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy. This one's on me. I've got to try this thing one time."

Kyle turned to make his way to the lake's edge.

"Tradition says that the Leader makes the first hunt," Rok said.

Kyle stopped, and then with a broad wave of his right hand, beckoned Rok to take the lead.

Rok stepped forward at an enthusiastic pace. As he reached the tall gra.s.s that led to the lake's edge, he bent forward so that his head alone was visible.

"Tradition says, the wisest take the rear," Jaric whispered to Becky as the others pushed ahead.

"Got it," Becky concurred.

Becky and Jaric followed until the group came to the edge of waist-high gra.s.s-from here on there was no more cover to the lake's edge. At the lead, Rok motioned for all to be still.

Now, he crept forward alone.

Rok moved quickly from the edge of the gra.s.s to a large boulder. From behind that, he carefully picked his victim.

Nearly ten paces from where he hid, a large male Rathar snoozed peacefully. Rok had picked the largest of the bunch as his victim.

Turning back, Rok nodded at them and pointed.

"I can't watch." Jaric covered one eye.

Rok crept past the boulder, carefully making his way out into the open toward the huge Rathar. He had almost made it to the Rathar when he stopped in mid-stride. The huge beast had raised its hind leg and suddenly began scratching itself. This lasted for almost a full minute, and then as quickly as it had started the beast was back in full repose.

Rok remained frozen, still five paces away from it. With a flash of movement, he took two steps and leapt for the Rather.

He landed square on the beast's great shoulders, both his hands grabbing for the end of the snout.

The Rathar's reaction was immediate It jumped to its six feet and stood frozen while its head twisted backwards. Surprisingly, the huge beast was dead silent as it searched with its tongue and razor teeth to find the tormentor on its back and pull it inside the opened maw.

But Rok was just as fast. As the head turned, he clamped one hand above and another below the snout, shutting the mouth and its bared fangs that had begun searching for him. With a quick adjustment, he now had one hand firmly holding the end of the snout shut.

Rok twisted his body and leaned to one side with his left arm stretched upward, as if he were ready to ride a bucking Brahma bull at some rodeo.

Just in time.

The Rathar had arched its long body and sent the tail forward with lightning swiftness to knock the enemy off its back. The tail snapped just before his face.

With his left hand Rok grabbed the end of the great tail and in one motion twisted the end of the thick tail.

The onlookers heard a distinct snapping sound.

Even as the beast roared in pain, Rok leaped off and was racing headlong past the boulder and back into the tall gra.s.s carrying his trophy before him. In a few more seconds, he was on one knee beside Kyle, breathing hard as he tried to catch his breath.

Back at the lake the huge Rather, now minus the tip of his tail, quickly crawled into the water and disappeared. The other Rathars continued their slumber as if nothing had occurred.

"See, it is simple." Rok held up a foot long section of the Rathar's tail. As they watched, it twitched with unnerving motions.

"Must be fairly stupid animals," Jaric commented in a whisper to Becky.

"Strong and stupid, sounds like the males of another species I know," Becky giggled.

Jaric frowned at her.

Kyle chuckled along with Rok as he silently nodded agreement. Before Rok's low laughter faded away, he was off.

Kyle crept quickly to the same boulder from which Rok had begun his hunt. He peered over the top edge, viewing the dozen or so Rathars still lounging at the lake's edge. Smiling, Kyle picked the biggest one left, almost as large as the one Rok had taken.