The very next morning the Wardens of Oakwood were ready to go. They had their briefing the night before and it was simple. They were to line up just beyond the edge of the Settlement, facing the Marsh and the expected path of the approaching Shapes. Each was armed with his special Ginny Kit, consisting of a Short sword, Pike, Shield, and Helmet. The feature that made these non-regulations was the fact that they had been soaked in a solution, the recipe of which had been handed down through Ginny’s family from generation to generation, and the purpose of which was to render them invisible when wielded a certain way. Ginny didn’t think it’d help very much to have mentioned that some of this stuff was a little experimental. No, they just needed to believe.

‘A word before we get started, lads. Sam wasn’t going to leave his group totally in the dark. There was one thing he could tell them, at least some of it.

‘Don’t be alarmed if you think you see a large wolf again. It’s on our side. Okay, that’s all. Now, eyes peeled, we’re dealing with some nasty sneaky things, don’t expect them to play fair or to follow any rules.’

‘Suits me fine.’ Drawled Archid, who had his own rules anyway.

‘Another thing, stand perfectly still until they are virtually upon you, they won’t see you until you move, that’s the thing about the gear we’ve been given, okay? Only when I give the order do you strike. Got that?’ 

‘Yo!’

‘Good.’

At that moment it started. It began as a distant low rumble, gradually getting louder before being added to by a cacophony of Ear piercing shrieking and blood curdling screams all announcing the arrival of the hordes. A black mass coming towards them at a walking pace to start with before breaking into a run. It wasn’t long before they were almost upon them which is when the Wardens, on Sam’s command, revealed themselves. The initial surprise of seeing the well armed Wardens suddenly appear was enough to momentarily check their stride and throw the shapes just enough for the former to be able to dispatch a few before they had time to rally. When they did rally a blast of freezing air hit them having the effect of freezing them solid and once frozen, to crack up and then disappear. The shapes were now utterly confused and became less of a coordinated attack and more a rabble, the attack broken, they clearly didn’t know what to do. The terrifying unearthly howl and then growl gave them no choice but to run in blind panic. It was back, that thing they hated and feared the most, the giant werewolf. Those shapes that weren’t fleeing were flying in the air, tossed about by the fury of the wolf and the slashing swords, thrusting pikes and swinging shields of the four Wardens. If the Shapes weren't fleeing, or flying  they were freezing solid. The frenzy was over in a matter of minutes, the only ones left standing were Sam, Rock-son-of-Hud, Syd and Archid, who was totting up his tally with pride. He hadn’t had this much excitement, this much fun, in ages. He was a bit odd was Archid but he was a good lad. 

‘Is everybody alright?’

‘Yo!’ Came the confident reply.

Sam looked around him, at the carnage. He and his team were standing in the middle of a heap of dead shapes which, after a matter of minutes, began to vanish. In a short while there was nothing to be seen of what had taken place. He and his team were standing on their own at the edge of the marsh.

‘Wolf’s gone again, Chief.’ Said Syd.

‘Yeah,’ was Sam’s only comment.

‘We were lucky the weather changed so dramatically, freezing those creatures.’

‘Yeah, that was a stroke of luck, wasn’t it?’ Responded a smiling Sam.

At the far northern end of the Stink Marsh, where it ended and firmer ground began, another scene of conflict was evidenced by a large patch of scorched ground, all that was left of the presence that had occupied the area earlier. The new occupants, standing talking, were two dragons, Big Red and Arthur.

‘What do you weckon, Arthur?’

‘Yeah, not bad, Idris, though Ginny did say that we won’t have gotten rid of the evil thing for good, it could return but we sure gave it a bloody nose, if it had one that is.’

‘We sure did, didn’t we. We work well together .’

‘Yeah, we do. One more sweep around I reckon, just to make certain and then we’d better report back.’

‘Woger that.’

The Warden’s Station house was buzzing with excited chatter augmented by the sound of a boiling kettle someone had forgotten about.

‘Either make a brew someone or switch that damn kettle off before it boils itself dry.’

‘Got it Chief,’ responded Syd.

‘Well, I’m proud of you all, I am. You acquitted yourselves well. Proud to have stood with you. If it were up to me there’d be a monument in the market square in your honour. But, it aint up to me so you just get a well done.’

‘Can I come in?’

‘Ah, Ginny, come on in, take a seat. Archid, give Ginny your seat, there’s a good lad.

‘I just wanted to say thank you all for a wonderful show from a truly brave bunch indeed. I think it’ll be a long time before we see the likes of them again but I must say that we will need to be quite vigilant because they could return given the right circumstances. But for now, you have all earned a special thank you from the entire Settlement of Oakwood on Sea and as a treat I have brought you all some of my home made liquid refreshment, which I am sure your gallant leader will personally vouch for.’

‘Oh yes, that I will. And, may I say on behalf of the lads and myself a heartfelt thank you for all your efforts in making this campaign the success it was.’

‘Thank you Sam, thank you all. What made it all work though, was teamwork. Now, fill your glasses. A toast to the Wardens and the Settlement of Oakwood on Sea.’

‘And, absent friends,’ added Sam.

‘Cheers.!’

‘Someone at the door.’

‘I’ll get it.’

‘Thanks Syd.’

‘Arthur!? Come in lad, grab a glass, this’ll put some colour into your cheeks.’

The very next morning the Wardens of Oakwood were ready to go. They had their briefing the night before and it was simple. They were to line up just beyond the edge of the Settlement, facing the Marsh and the expected path of the approaching Shapes. Each was armed with his special Ginny Kit, consisting of a Short sword, Pike, Shield, and Helmet. The feature that made these non-regulations was the fact that they had been soaked in a solution, the recipe of which had been handed down through Ginny’s family from generation to generation, and the purpose of which was to render them invisible when wielded a certain way. Ginny didn’t think it’d help very much to have mentioned that some of this stuff was a little experimental. No, they just needed to believe.

‘A word before we get started, lads. Sam wasn’t going to leave his group totally in the dark. There was one thing he could tell them, at least some of it.

‘Don’t be alarmed if you think you see a large wolf again. It’s on our side. Okay, that’s all. Now, eyes peeled, we’re dealing with some nasty sneaky things, don’t expect them to play fair or to follow any rules.’

‘Suits me fine.’ Drawled Archid, who had his own rules anyway.

‘Another thing, stand perfectly still until they are virtually upon you, they won’t see you until you move, that’s the thing about the gear we’ve been given, okay? Only when I give the order do you strike. Got that?’ 

‘Yo!’

‘Good.’

At that moment it started. It began as a distant low rumble, gradually getting louder before being added to by a cacophony of Ear piercing shrieking and blood curdling screams all announcing the arrival of the hordes. A black mass coming towards them at a walking pace to start with before breaking into a run. It wasn’t long before they were almost upon them which is when the Wardens, on Sam’s command, revealed themselves. The initial surprise of seeing the well armed Wardens suddenly appear was enough to momentarily check their stride and throw the shapes just enough for the former to be able to dispatch a few before they had time to rally. When they did rally a blast of freezing air hit them having the effect of freezing them solid and once frozen, to crack up and then disappear. The shapes were now utterly confused and became less of a coordinated attack and more a rabble, the attack broken, they clearly didn’t know what to do. The terrifying unearthly howl and then growl gave them no choice but to run in blind panic. It was back, that thing they hated and feared the most, the giant werewolf. Those shapes that weren’t fleeing were flying in the air, tossed about by the fury of the wolf and the slashing swords, thrusting pikes and swinging shields of the four Wardens. If the Shapes weren't fleeing, or flying  they were freezing solid. The frenzy was over in a matter of minutes, the only ones left standing were Sam, Rock-son-of-Hud, Syd and Archid, who was totting up his tally with pride. He hadn’t had this much excitement, this much fun, in ages. He was a bit odd was Archid but he was a good lad. 

‘Is everybody alright?’

‘Yo!’ Came the confident reply.

Sam looked around him, at the carnage. He and his team were standing in the middle of a heap of dead shapes which, after a matter of minutes, began to vanish. In a short while there was nothing to be seen of what had taken place. He and his team were standing on their own at the edge of the marsh.

‘Wolf’s gone again, Chief.’ Said Syd.

‘Yeah,’ was Sam’s only comment.

‘We were lucky the weather changed so dramatically, freezing those creatures.’

‘Yeah, that was a stroke of luck, wasn’t it?’ Responded a smiling Sam.

At the far northern end of the Stink Marsh, where it ended and firmer ground began, another scene of conflict was evidenced by a large patch of scorched ground, all that was left of the presence that had occupied the area earlier. The new occupants, standing talking, were two dragons, Big Red and Arthur.

‘What do you weckon, Arthur?’

‘Yeah, not bad, Idris, though Ginny did say that we won’t have gotten rid of the evil thing for good, it could return but we sure gave it a bloody nose, if it had one that is.’

‘We sure did, didn’t we. We work well together .’

‘Yeah, we do. One more sweep around I reckon, just to make certain and then we’d better report back.’

‘Woger that.’

The Warden’s Station house was buzzing with excited chatter augmented by the sound of a boiling kettle someone had forgotten about.

‘Either make a brew someone or switch that damn kettle off before it boils itself dry.’

‘Got it Chief,’ responded Syd.

‘Well, I’m proud of you all, I am. You acquitted yourselves well. Proud to have stood with you. If it were up to me there’d be a monument in the market square in your honour. But, it aint up to me so you just get a well done.’

‘Can I come in?’

‘Ah, Ginny, come on in, take a seat. Archid, give Ginny your seat, there’s a good lad.

‘I just wanted to say thank you all for a wonderful show from a truly brave bunch indeed. I think it’ll be a long time before we see the likes of them again but I must say that we will need to be quite vigilant because they could return given the right circumstances. But for now, you have all earned a special thank you from the entire Settlement of Oakwood on Sea and as a treat I have brought you all some of my home made liquid refreshment, which I am sure your gallant leader will personally vouch for.’

‘Oh yes, that I will. And, may I say on behalf of the lads and myself a heartfelt thank you for all your efforts in making this campaign the success it was.’

‘Thank you Sam, thank you all. What made it all work though, was teamwork. Now, fill your glasses. A toast to the Wardens and the Settlement of Oakwood on Sea.’

‘And, absent friends,’ added Sam.

‘Cheers.!’

‘Someone at the door.’

‘I’ll get it.’

‘Thanks Syd.’

‘Arthur!? Come in lad, grab a glass, this’ll put some colour into your cheeks.’