Arturio Rexxie

          Arturio Rexxie was a member to the Terra Rex Tribe, Earth Kings. He was as far from a Kingly Rex as one could possible get in his tribe. He got along with most of the "Lower" mammalian creatures. He even had some good friends in the human camp. His tribe while not hateful of the mammalian tribes had been at war with one group or another over the eons. The Orcs in particular were no friend of the Rexxie, Orcs hunted the Rexxie for sport. Rarely would they kill a Rexxie, but they did like to do what they called "tagging" them. Marking them with an shield dye. Arturio enjoyed this game of the Orcs. Many Orcs bore his mark, his chosen color of dye a mix of brown and yellow he called baby poo.

          Arturio could feel a change in his tribal lands, the small feeders, and flyers were acting in a fearful manner, as if fleeing something, The village Elders had called Arturio to council. A council call could not be ignored. Many things could be ignored in the village, but when the Elders called, one responded. "Arturio," Yanarlo called as he ducked into the Elders long house. "have a seat we must speak with you."

          Arturio sat back and crossed his arms while bowing ever so slightly to the Elder Yanarlo. "Arturio, we know you enjoy this tagging game with the Orcs, but it is time for it to come to an end. Flabio hurt his leg the other day while trying to dodge the tag ball. He is now going to need to take it easy for two weeks for it to heal properly." Arturio looked over toward Flabio, and gave a slight chuckle. "If Flabio was not so flabbyio then he would have been able to move out of the way. I was observing the tag of him. It showed me much we need to do." Arturio responded. "We have fire beetles moving through many of the surrounding areas, we have the small ones, and the flighty ones fleeing, I will speak to the Orcs. I will ask that the tag game come to an end while we deal with the fire beetle threat."

          Arturio looked over toward Flabio, "Flabio, please accept my apology for making light of your injury, we need to start getting our people prepared for battle. I noticed much while watching your tag game. I saw that up until you hurt yourself by stumbling you were enjoying yourself, am I wrong in that assessment Flabio"?

          "No Arturio, you are not wrong, and yes I need more exercise and am carrying a few pounds I do not need. We have had an easy life lately. I am more embarrassed at what I did to myself than hurt. It is I who should be apologizing not you, for you are correct." Yanarlo glanced back and forth at the two of them. "Flabio, do you think the tag game is fun also?" Yanarlo asked. "Yanarlo, I admit I have enjoyed the game, it does make one think, and plan, and look ahead before jumping into the fire." Flabio replied.

          Arturio took this opportunity to broach his idea to Yanarlo. "Yanarlo, you know I enjoy the game. From your surprised look I see you did not think many others enjoyed it also. I will go to the Orcs, and I will see if they will agree to making a game of it, to use it as a training tool for both Orc, and Rexxie. With the war Fire Beetle uprising this will provide a good training ground for our peoples if they are needed for war.

          "I know there is a lot of mistrust among our kind and the mammalian kind, we could use this game as a means of coming together. Perhaps as word spreads of the game, more and more races will want to play to pit themselves against one another. We could have mixed teams, and build bridges between our peoples and others." Arturio looked to the Elder Yanarlo, then a quick glance toward Flabio, who was eagerly shaking his head. "Do I have your permission to broach this subject with the Orcs"?

          The Elder Yanarlo looked over to Flabio, "Flabio, you have the peoples ear, do you think what Arturio proposes would be met with happy ears, or the burning of dagger eyes?" Flabio, was slightly scared, he did not really want to speak for the people, even though he knew the people would jump at the chance to pit themselves at the Orcs and others. They may be disorganized in a lot of ways, but when it came to fun, and nature, it was a different thing. "Yes...yes, I think the people would...enjoy the sport and the spectacle of it Yanarlo". Flabio finally stated.

          "Then it is done. Arturio, go to your friends strike up your concerns about the Fire Beetle to them, let them know of a desire we have of training and gaming together. may the Earth Mother Protect and keep us, Go". With those final words Arturio and Flabio left the Elders Long House.

          "I am sorry Arturio, I did not mean to get the Elder Yanarlo involved. He saw me limping home and asked what happened, I tried to avoid it, but then he saw the tag, and knew." Flabio shook his head in an embarrassed manner. Arturio patted his friend on the back, "I am truly sorry I chuckled at you in front of the Elder Yanarlo, but it was so funny to watch what happened to you. Look at the chance this has given us, I am sure Organista will love the idea, and I know there are many here who will embrace it. Talk to the people here, while I go and chat with my Orc friend about this idea."

          Arturio was happy, he enjoyed the tag game with his friends, now there was a real possibility of it being formalized. He knew injuries would happen, but accidents happened, an accident in the game would be a lesson well learned. Arturio knew he was a better warrior because of the games, they had taught him much, with group games, more could be learned.

          As Arturio continued on his way to Organista'a home he came across an injured Orc. Arturio looked down at the Orc, he had some pretty sever burns, Fire Beetle Burns, and dead ones around him. Arturio dug behind the tree the Orc had propped himself up against, fortunately the Orc was sound asleep. Arturio gathered some dirt and leaves and other plant matter, seeing a flaming shroom he gathered it also. He built a small fire and used his ingredients to make a soothing poultice, the flaming shroom, he steeped for a tea. As he was appling the poultice the Orc awoke.

          "Easy, friend I am here to help, it seems you have had a run-in with a few fire Beetles, you have some burns, and this poultice will help them heal. The poultice will do little for the pain, but luck was with you for there was a flaming shroom nearby, it has steeped long enough in a tea to help some, take a few sips of this then we will talk some". Arturio held the cup of tea up for the Orc to drink. He was in bad shape, he would not be able to walk for some time. The burns on his arms would need to be wrapped.

          "Sit back and try to relax as much as possible.My name is Arturio, I see by my tag we have met before, in passing". Arturio said as he readied a bandage for his arm. "Hold out your arm, I know it is still in pain, and I will give you another sip of the tea shortly, but it works best in small doses". Arturio continued as he wrapped the Orcs arm. "Do not try to talk yet", Arturio said as he help the tea up for him to take another sip. "Your legs and feet are a real mess, i am not going to lie to you. It will be very painful for you to walk if you are even able. Hold out your other arm and we will get it bandaged up also".

          Arturio finished bandaging the Orc and feeding him the tea. "I can not leave you here in this condition, I do not know what they have done to your voice, but I will get you to one of your healers, I am on my way to Organista's home for discussions. You can not walk, you must climb on to my back, and try to hold on. I will carry you. Do not worry about falling off, I have a carry cradle, you slip your legs through these two loops, and arms through the upper two.

          With the Orc settled securely to his back Arturio took off, no longer traveling at the leisurely pace he had started out with but now as a Rexxie on a true mission, one to save the Orc on his back. He had no magic of his own to use on the Orc only his nature skills and prayers to the Earth Mother to help him aid another. Arturio had never seen an Orc so injured, he was appalled at the extent of the injuries, he was not sure if the Orc healers would be able to save this Orcs feet or not, so he ran as fast as he could, even though it cause more pain for his passenger.

          Organista was outside his home watering the balming Plant that Arturio had given him a few months back. It was a good plant to remove the tag marks, and he really appreciated the gesture from his friend Arturio. As he was watering the plant he heard a commotion down the road, "Get the healer and bring him to Organista home now, hurry, please" Organista heard. That sounded like, as he thought Arturio's name he rounded the corner with an injured Orc strapped to his back.

Here is the link to @steemmonsters story contest entry. Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 8 I have been having a lot of fun learning to write these little stories, I am not a writer yet, but I feel as if I am getting better, so take a chance on yourself, and try your hand at a short story.

    ^{All images from @steemmonsters}