Anastasia's tale: A macro adventure

Chapter 23: The Tigers come to town

“As we walked we were wondering why the trail was so quiet. We thought another giant might have raided the next town”. Anastasia was interrupted by Vladimir. “Or it had already been levelled”. Both youngsters gasped. Anastasia smiled “Relx, that hadn’t happened. But before we reached the next town, the scent on our nostrils I stopped to look at the woods near the trail. My aching paw reminded me of before when the trees had cut it”. Boris laughed “The tinies hid in there before, so was that your plan to help protect them?” Vladimir and Anastasia grinned at each other.

“So smart our son! Yes, that’s exactly what we thought. If it injured us, it must be the same for other giants. We hadn’t seen any of the woods destroyed by others. Anyway we were soon approaching the next town. We couldn’t smell any giants present or past. So it must still be fully intact. I was quite excited to get to meet more tinies”. Vladimir chuckled “Yes, you were quite excited. We both bound on towards the town with haste”.
“The town was in a valley before us. We walked up the hill that stood before it. But before we reached the top Vladimir stopped and laid down to just peek over the top. I was confused as he gestured at me to lay beside him”. Anastasia was interrupted by Valentina “father, why did you stop there?” She asked. He snorted “you should know to plan things out first, not to just charge on in. If we just ran on in the tinies would have scattered in all directions. We had to think of a way to prevent this”. Valentina nodded her head in understanding. “I see, so what did you do?”

“Well, first we had to get a look at the town's layout. So we crawled forwards slowly until we could look down into the town. It was in a steep valley. Two trails led out of the town. One followed the river through the valley, the other twisted up the far side hill. Both were packed full of travelling boxes occupied with tinies. But it appeared many tinies refused to run”. Vladimir was interrupted by Boris “I wouldn’t run from my home either. I would stand and fight!”. Shadow whined at him. Vladimir shook his head as did Anastasia.

“The tinies didn’t want to fight either, I don’t think they could’ve done anything anyway to stop us. Luckily we were there to help. So where was I? Ah yes. The other valley sides around the town were bare of trees. But further down both sides were covered in woodland. The trail that led along the river crossed it via a bridge. On the last side of the town was bog land. I decided to take out the bridge, to stop the tinies fleeing along the river. Your mother was to block the other trail. Then we’d guide them into the woods further down the valley”. Vladimir paused to look at Anastasia, she nodded and continued.

“I agreed to his plan, but I did have to tell him not to be rough”. Vladimir laughed “Nah, I was just going to put on a bit of a show for the tinies”. Both youngsters fidgeted with excitement. Both adults noticed but kept speaking. “So I moved into position to run over the hill down towards the bridge. Going nice and slow, in a stalking stance”. He slowly stalked around in front of the youngsters. “I’d brace yourself for what happens next…” Grumbled Anastasia.

“Oh what did hap…. Wah!” Boris’s question was interrupted by Vladimir as suddenly he stopped stalking, turned right at them, stood tall and then…

ROAR!

Both youngsters fell back as did Shadow as Vladimir let off a deep deafening roar at the top of his lungs. He laughed as he saw his children fall over. Shadow even wet himself. “Damn, you didn’t have to give a practical demonstration. Poor Shadow wet himself!” Gasped Anastasia. Vladimir laughed “Phfft! It’s natural for us to roar. I wanted to make sure the tinies knew I was coming in time”. Boris whined as he sat back up with Valentina. They both petted Shadow. “The tinies probably wet themselves like Shadow did”. Vladimir laughed again “I bet they did”.

Anastasia sighed “Right have we all got our composure back? Just use those leaves to cover Shadow’s pee. So your father charged down into the valley right at the bridge. His paws tore up great chunks of earth and sounded like thunder that echoed throughout the valley. The travelling boxes on the bridge started to bash together or the tinies abandoned them to run on foot. Soon it was tiny free but covered in empty travelling boxes”. She looked over at Vladimir to continue.

“Once the bridge was tiny free I leaped up into the air and came down on it. It easily collapsed under my thick paws. When my paws hit the water I produced large splashes that flooded several trails in the town. A few tinies were swept along but not injured. Many tinies now feld towards the woods. But many chose to hide in the town or run for the other twisty trail. I gestured at the woods and ordered them to go that way. But they ignored me. So I walked into the town snarling”. Valentina whined “But surely that just scared them more?” Vladimir huffed. “Yes, but I was trying to scare them into fleeing into the woods. I stomped on empty homes and travelling boxes to make myself look scarier”.

Anastasia grumbled “I thought you were being a little too rough. But it did seem to work. The tinies fled but many ran for the twisty trail I needed to block off. I charged down towards the town. But the trails within were packed with fleeing tinies. Three ways were blocked off. One by me, the other by Vladimir and the other by the bogs. I had a dilemma. To get to the twisty trail quickly I would have need to go through the town. But it would be impossible with such narrow streets chock full of tinies”. Boris cocked his head “So what did you do then mother?”

“I had one choice, I was going to have to leap over. It was quite a long jump. So I needed all the speed I could get. I ran with all my might. Great chunks of earth were torn up by my paws. As I was a few steps away from the town I kicked off. Sailing through the air over the town. A did hear mud from my paws raining down on the town. But no tinies were buried or hit. I actually made it over. I spread my paws as I prepared to land beside the twisty trail”.

“Wow, I bet you was an impressive sight for the tinies as you passed over them” said Boris. Anastasia giggled “I guess I was. Those on the twisty trail had quite a surprise though. When I landed I blew them over and caused their travelling boxes to bash together. Though injured none were serious. I moved to block their way. The tinies took the hint and ran to the woods. I clapped excitedly as they mostly ran where we wanted. But then I realised many were actually running into the town to hide!”

Vladimir grumbled “We gestured wildly at them towards the woods. But they just ran into their homes or up the valley from the way we came. I had to block off that side opposite your mother. It took me a short while for now I had to watch my step. Many homes were full of tinies. Usually I’d just step on them. But I reached the other side before too many tinies escaped”. Valentina whined “I hope they were okay”. Vladimir shrugged “I hope so, but I couldn’t go after them as more were before us. Some tinies left their homes and ran for the woods. But hundreds remained in hiding. I sat down and crossed my arms as I asked your mother what to do next”.

Anastasia sighed “Well We couldn’t leave them for another giant to do terrible things to them. But I didn’t really want to tear open their homes to get them out”. Vladimir snorted “I would have ripped them open”. Boris nodded “I would also, if they want to hide you had to force them out!” Anastasia growled softly “No, I had another idea to get them out. I followed your fathers plan so he could now follow mine”. Valentina giggled “I bet mothers plan was far more gentle!” Anastasia grinned “Oh it was!”

Anastasia flopped onto her side and splayed her legs to expose her belly. “If we made ourselves look non-threatening like this, just wanting belly rubs maybe the tinies would come out to us?” Vladimir copied her “Yes, I could have done with a massage after all my stomping around”. Shadow copied her as did the youngsters. They used their own hands to stroke their bellies and paws. Reaching over to rub Shadow’s. “Ooh it feels so nice! So did the tinies come out to pet you both?” Groaned Valentina as she drooled as did Boris and Shadow.