Lancelot of Chancealot (a.k.a. L-Hope) whistled merrily as he enjoyed the forest's fresh, crisp, air. A fresh face out of Bighitters Bard Company. His many talents involved lyricism and dancing. He was an artist on the up and up and was going to be a famous and filthy rich bard celebrity one day.

  He was hoping to have made a name for himself at Chancealot's Bard Showdown. Alas, he lost his way and ended up taking a detour. That was okay, because he wouldn't have been able to perfect some of his killer a-moves if not being out in the wild.

  "I have to get the spin down pat before I see a stage next." He mused at the choreography he had just tested over a pair of wild boars, which were now his dinner.

  Words spun a rhythm in his head. He rapidly spat out rhymes to a chime, as he got a cooking fire going.

  His word chanting stopped when he heard curses and cries. Then the roar and hoof running. Seems there were more boars about to attack people. He put out the fires, skipped, leaped, and did backflips and air rolls as he raced for the sounds.

  "Virgin sacrifices shouldn't pretend to know how to fight with blades!" Steely Dan snapped at Galahad when a wild boar had knocked him down and sent the man rolling.

  "Then you do something! You're a mythical beast!" Galahad cursed and squealed when three boars were chasing him.

  Now, typically a boar was easily between 63 – 120 cm in height, 152 - 183 cm in width and weighing at 68-100 kg. If that wasn't challenging enough. However, these boars were from a unique member of the genus, grown out of the Misty Gorge. For some odd reason, which no one could explain, they were three times in height and width and twice their body weight.

  One of the Gorge Boars they could easily overcome. But a group of forty? Well, it seems some humankind party had crashed a family boar picnic.

  "Ugh!" Guevera screamed when a gorge boar was making a stampede for the weak-looking girl.

  Everyone was running in circles and trying not to trip. San saw no choice but to pull out his flute from beneath his tunic; he started playing.

  Steely Dan and Galahad frowned when the gorge boar's approaching San began to slow and move sluggishly. The harsh sound played on the flute was interfering with the creature's senses, making them extremely lethargic.

  Galahad's frown had deepened so much that there were threats of a permanent wrinkle line forming across his forehead.

  When the gorge boars slumped to the ground in a snooze, San stopped playing.

  "San, what is that music?" Arthur asked him, at the same time checking to make sure San was okay.

  "It's just flute music, but for some reason if I play a certain tune I can make beasts sleepy," he answered. "So I try not to play it much."

  Arthur grinned and patted his back. "Well, your music saved our hides."

  "Do you mind if I take a peek at your flute?" Steely Dan asked as he approached San.

  San nodded and held it out to him.

  Steely Dan and Chifton closely eyed the white bone flute's workmanship. Both frowned when they saw symbols carved into it.

  "Oi, Chifton. I don't like the look you're giving San's flute." Arthur glared at him.

  Chifton huffed and trotted away, mumbling, "fetch a good price."

  Steely Dan patted San's shoulder and thanked him. "I'm glad you know the power of this flute. You can put it away now."

  San stowed the instrument in his inner tunic pocket. "Is the flute special?"

  Steely Dan nodded. "I'll tell you when the time is right. Make sure no other hands hold it."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Um, hate to break the moment, but looks like the boars are recovering." Guevera gulped.

  As the group were making a run to put a great distance between the boars, one of them sprung up before Arthur and leaped for his head.

  Arthur was so close, he didn't have time to move out of its path.

  "He spied a boar..." Lancelot began to recite a rap as he did a side swipe kick at the boar's sides.

  "It let out a roar..." He continued to rap as he leaped over Arthur to land a high kick to the boar's head as it was coming around.

  The boar shook its head and readied its body for another charge, but yelped when Lancelot made another kick with a punch combo. "Kicks to spleen like none he has seen."

  Lancelot did a backflip away from the recovering boar, landed and ran for the beast with a round house kick, punch and rabbit punch combo; spouting his lyricism to the end. "Where he looked is where he has been. Yo, gorge boar, yah hit the floor!"

  The boar let out a whimper and was no longer in the mood to move from the ground.

  Lancelot grinned. "How'd ya like that lyric masterpiece, boar!"

  "You saved me." Arthur came up next to him.

  San frowned, not liking the look of this shifty man. The unexpected savior wore a bard's brown tunic, pants and shoes.

  He was tall, athletic, and muscly with smooth olive skin, wide friendly brown almond eyes and stylish short black hair where the fringe gently swept over his smooth forehead.

  His skin was flawless from blemishes. The lips twitched with a spark and smile that was sure to melt hearts. Except San's of course.

  "Shifty. I don't like the look of this guy," he whispered and was heard by Galahad.

  "That makes both of us." Galahad regarded the intruder carefully.

  Arthur seemed none the wiser and was cordial, introducing himself. "Lancelot is it?"

  Lancelot nodded. "I'm a bard from Bighitters Bard Company, but I got lost and didn't get the chance to show my stuff at the Bard Showdown."

  "Oh? Then you'd be the same as San." Arthur gestured to where San was standing.

  "No. I don't think he's like me." San turned and went to stand next to Chifton.

  Guevera's pocket was twitching like mad. Steely Dan and Galahad shared an awkward look.

  Arthur frowned. It was the first time he saw San look upset about something.

  "Oh, did I interrupt your party?" Lancelot asked, not taking any heed to the others' reception.

  Naturally, they would've found envy with his style. He was aiming to be a celebrity, after all. Having anti-fans just came with the perks. The more he had, naturally, the more famous he would be. It only confirmed his greatness.

  "Not at all. Why don't you join us? At least until you feel it's safe enough to leave." Arthur offered that had San gripping Chifton's reins so tight his knuckles were going white.

  "Kid. If you yank on my reins too much, my head will cave in." Chifton grumbled.

  San apologized and relaxed his grip.

  "Idiot. Heads don't cave in," Galahad said offhandedly.

  Soon the group, with the inclusion of Lancelot, was calmly making their way through the Misty Gorge Forest.