9Chapter One: I am what I am?
Musing very silently to himself Nibbler guessed that he had been sitting here for approximately three days well three feedings because he would be damned to the third circle of hell, you know the one where they force you to watch bad mimes and worse bards playing THAT thrice damned song for all eternity, before he would admit to that slush being worthy of the title of food!
Nibbler had then come to the conclusion that the air around him wasn't really filled with so much a bad smell more of a world-consuming-blocking-out-the-rest-of-existence stench that could only be extinguished by the extraction of his now critically damaged nose and perhaps a slight scorching with dragon fire just to be sure.
After he had decided upon the proper cure for the smell he once more he silently gave thanks that mortals had a pathetically underdeveloped sense of smell and added to the inability to see through even this mild darkness seemed to be the only thing saving what little sanity he may still posses.
After a moment more he started to analyze the darkness around him deciding that it wasn't even complete darkness as some light came through the cracks under that beastly filth encrusted door. In his humble opinion dungeons should be blanketed in total darkness and maybe added with some small insects or foul smelling mammals scurrying around and perhaps even dripping water somewhere near by but totally unreachable… No. Wait. rats would mean extra food for guests.
The thought made him giggle uncontrollably and kick out his legs before he could stop himself. "Please blessed cripple gods no…" was as far as his silent prayer got before he heard the chains of his newfound companions rattle as he woke. "Don't be him. Don't be him. Don't be him. Don't be hi-"
"Der what so funny, funny man-elf" Nibbler nearly screamed as he heard that voice it was that fool with his idiotic voice, the idea that he had woken him was enough for Nibbler to want to chew off his own tongue in frustration.
"Nothing at all. Nothing remotely funny here. Go back to sleep. I was merely contemplating the design of our current accommodations that's all. Nothing worthy of discussion or debate so just go on back to sleep and that snoring thing you're so good at."
"Me not do snore thing!" Bellowed the hulking chained shape opposite him "Me tell man-elf no using big'um words!"
"Fine Tarr. But could you please be a good nutcase and not wake up the ba-" Too slow too slow always too slow to little to late and never enough fool! "-rd…. ah good morrow to you bard" The violent coughing fit always announced the awakening of the bard.
"No big'um words!" howled Tarr as loud as possible all the while struggling vainly like a trapped animal
"Morrow is hardly a… err…. Big-Um word but if you like I'll not use it" Fool fool fool! It was nice when they were sleeping! Nice and quite!
Tarr seemed to take that as an appropriate apology and just started growling quietly to himself. There was just something about Tarr's voice that terrified Nibbler and it wasn't that it was deep or menacing in fact it was the sort of voice that you would expect from an elderly school teacher but the things he said and in the way he said them reminded him of a Slayer. As impossible as the idea was, seeing as all the Slayers were quite dead and rather dismembered 70 years earlier, he couldn't shake it the notion and having a Slayer around would be more then slightly useful if they could only get out of these chains.
Tarr wasn't mortal, Nibbler was sure on this fact by the cursing alone, if he was to guess Nibbler would have said dwarf but that didn't matter because a far more important fact remained that Nibbler the Elf was currently mortal.
Nibbler had always said that there was nothing inherently wrong in being mortal except for the fact the he wasn't one or at least shouldn't be! He mused to himself that he was positively an Elf, the name alone proves it, he remembers being an Elf not mortal... thinking hurt. He needed time and quite and most of all peace.
While Nibbler was contemplating peace and quite since Tarr was only moaning to himself the bard decided that he had finished his habitual coughing fit and to Nibbler's total lack of surprise started singing "Six O'clock already? I was just in the middle of a dream." it was the kind of singing that you might get if you were to combine an avalanche with a volcano and tossed in a couple of Morris dancing hill giants.
"Hey how sing-song bard know time?" Nibbler changed his mind at that moment and decided that Tarr wasn't a dwarf but rather some form of fungus as they must share the same standard of intellect.
"After three days you should know he can only sing and not talk like us, well like me as you tend to growl far more then talk" Tarr's only response was a low growl "we need to get out of here and soon! Do either of you know how we got here to begin with?" Fool, the way has been made. "Did... Did you hear that? Tarr I don't suppose that could have possibly been you?"
"Hear this? Hear that? Tarr hear crazy elf-man, man-elf crazy talk, much talk, big talk, long talk, when Tarr free Tarr jump up, jump down, jump on crazy you till crazy you less crazy, you see"
"Listen to me you incoherent and deranged individual IF we were free you would do neither jumping or smashing or any other verb that your tiny intellect could conceive of! Now I do hope those big words aren't too much for you to handle" Fool, the light comes.
Before Nibbler could hear whatever foolishness Tarr would come up with in response the door to their dank little cell was unceremoniously kicked in and the very air around him seemed to explode with all the pain and beauty that natural sunlight brings to those trapped in the dark.
Note: Well I tired to get the sentences shorter... if you've any questions feel free to put them in reviews and I will try and answer them at the start of the next chapter, sorry this one is a little short.