Still holding the knife in his teeth, Tagg massaged the life back into his limbs. The otter’s head was banging and he was sore all over from the fight. But he was alive. Sheltered from the moonlight, it was totally dark in the tree shadow. Tagg still did not know what type of creature he was up against. It was not quite his height, but much bulkier. Suddenly it sat bolt upright, laughing madly.
“Hahaha! So you stayed t’get yourself killed, eh?”
Tagg did a forceful twirl. His rudderlike tail thwacked hard, right across his opponent’s forehead, sending it down again. Like a flash he was upon it, straddling the creature’s chest, his blade across its throat. “Be still! Still, I say! Don’t move, or you’ll be the one who gets killed. Be still, I warn you!”
Two glittering eyes grinned wildly up at him. “Hahahaha! Kill me then, vermin!”
