The Keeper
By: Phiririn Posted on: July 30, 2009
The Keeper said, "Rejoice, my dears
Your nightly sustenance appears"
Alariel was Aa'len bred
His fame in husbandry had spread
He'd tended beasts, both plain and rare
But left his home in deep despair
His Tsol'aa family had waned
No kin nor craft for him remained
Across vast Sapience he'd gone
Then traveled north to fair Hashan
And now he earns a salary
To keep its grand menagerie
Just now he fed the Babaji
Not one plump sheep, but fully three
The beast's three heads espied their prey
Fierce jaws did snap, red blood did spray
Three maws of ape and dog and snake
Did of that grisly meal partake
Then with its locust limbs it preened
The gore from its three mouths it cleaned
Alariel the Keeper, then
Moved onward to the Bandore's pen
Its keen black eyes in scaly brow
Looked on as it was brought a cow
Its long green snout assessed the scent
It's dragon's head abruptly bent
And bit the bovine form clean through
Then in the air, each half it threw
And opening its scaly throat
It gobbled them, it's craw to bloat
Then next, to feed the Setontot
A cart of vegetables was brought
It towered over seven feet
Though vicious, it would eat no meat
It scanned the cart with large red eyes
The brown-furred bulk approached its prize
And with one three-inch, bloodstained claw
It hooked a mass into its maw
Its double rows of molars ground
They made a horrid grating sound
And soon the cart of greens was gone
Alariel then traveled on
To where the Phase Hound was contained
And in its cage a boar was chained
The Phase Hound perked it's silvered ears
Large amber eyes, through which it peers
Affixed upon its heavy prey
Hypnotic fur of silver gray
Did glimmer with the Hound's attack
The eye could not it's motion track
It wrapped it's long near-human hands
Their strength of grip like metal bands
Around the boar's substantial neck
Which snapped. It's body slapped the deck
The Hound beside the boar then sat
And stuffed itself on meat and fat
Alariel was then content
His charges fed, he was quite spent
He bid goodnight to fair Hashan
And dreamless, slept until the dawn