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