‘Stinky Marsh, that’s where I reckon we’ll find them, if anywhere.’

This was Idris’ suggestion as to the likely whereabouts of the evil hordes. He, Windy and Ginny were discussing what the next step should be and if they thought Sam Childs’ idea was a workable one. The most likely location to come up was ‘Stinky Marsh’, a particularly nasty area of marsh consisting of everything that can rot and produce the odour of corruption. Nobody went near there.

‘Hmm, a bit obvious, don’t you think?’ Said Windy.

‘I don’t think the ones we’re dealing with would bother with things like that. I think they’ll be feeling, if I can use that term when talking about them, that they are invincible and have no need to worry about their whereabouts being known. No, it sounds about right to me,’ said Ginny, then she fell silent, and looked worried.

‘You okay, Ginny?’

‘I think I sense trouble, Idris. I’d better get back to the Settlement.’

Ginny arrived back at the Wardens’ Station only to find it deserted. On the table, a note.

Dear Ginny, Got called away by some worried Peeps. Strange goings on round their neighbourhood, the North Eastern Sector. Promised to investigate. Taken the lads. All well armed. Don't worry. Back soon. P.s. Likely location of the ’nasties’ - ‘Stinky Marsh’. Just a thought.

Signed Sam.

If her memory served her right, the Marsh was to the North East of Oakwood.

She also noticed their helmets were still hanging on their pegs. There wasn’t a moment to lose. If she shape-changed now she could be there in a minute.

‘What do we do now, Chief?’ Syd spoke for the rest of them as they bunched together in a tight circle formation, surrounded by the most vicious looking beasts they had ever seen. All black, hairy, burning bright red eyes and yellow fangs. Their shape, difficult to define. Sam was to recall later that they just presented themselves as ‘large shapeless bundles of ragged stinking malice.’

The Wardens had stepped into a trap and were now facing certain death as there were far too many of them to their four. Sam tried to steady his men and encourage them which wasn’t easy being terrified himself. But, he couldn’t show it. He wished they'd brought those helmets.

‘Wait for them to make the first move, lads.’

The evil shapes were about to launch themselves at the little circle of terrified Wardens when they heard a blood curdling howl followed by a deep rumbling growl. It was a growl one felt, that shook the ground. It was enough to stem the pending onslaught as the shapes seemed to be thrown into some disarray. Something they clearly didn’t like had shown up and it unsettled them. Rock-son-of-Hud saw it first. A huge crouching shape posed to pounce. This was an enormous wolf of the worst kind, bright piercing eyes, with just a hint of light blue and long, pointed white fangs. It was clear it hadn’t come to play.

Within an instant the wolf pounced and in doing so scattered a line of Shapes while Sam and his lads set about sorting out the line in front of them, surprise being on their side. The skirmish, for that is what it was, lasted no more than a minute but by that time a number of Shapes had been dispatched and the rest had fled in confusion. 

‘Everyone alright?’ Asked Sam, hoping he was hiding is shaking.

‘Yo!’ came a chorus of three.

‘We were lucky that time.’ Voiced Rock-son-of-Hud.

‘Too true.’ Uttered a thoughtful Sam, adding, ‘Where did the wolf go, that was one hell of a beast, was that?’

‘Size of a bison, I’d say,’ came the slow drawl of Archid. He never was one for saying much, this was the longest sentence they had heard from him. He preferred the persona of an enigma. But he was a good lad. 

‘Best get back to the Station. Now try to play this down in front of Ginny, she’d only worry so.’

‘Whatever you say, Chief.’

It took them a good fifteen minutes to get back but the Station was empty. No Ginny. That was good because they had time to freshen up before her return. While they busied themselves freshening up and cleaning their kit so that there were no indications of having been used, Ginny was reporting the events to Idris and Windy.

‘You took a risk there young lady.’

‘I couldn’t let them walk right into what was obviously a trap, Windy, now could I?’  

Nevertheless, you still took a wisk. What if they got an inkling of your other self?’  

‘Oh I think that unlikely. Anyway, they did establish the general location of the Shape's den. And furthermore, clearly the Shapes couldn’t cope with the unexpected which means if we play it right we shall have a massive advantage when we put into action what we decide to put into action.’

‘Does that mean you have an idea, Ginny?’

‘We need to find the driving force, attack on two fronts, as it were. The main target must be the source. We need to find that source.’

‘Well obviously the thing to do is to fly over the whole marsh, surely we’ll spot thomething.’ 

‘You’re right, Idris.

‘Consider it done.’ 

‘Okay, then I’ll get back to the boys, see how they are.’ With that she was gone.

‘Coffee Chief?’

‘Thanks Syd. Everything all as it should be?’

‘All spick and span, Chief. No one would ever know.’

They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

‘Go see who that is, someone.’

The door opened to reveal a tall. Thin, grey, well dressed man.

‘Excuse me, I wonder if you could help me, I'm looking for a Miss Ginny? I understand she lives in this neighbourhood, the only address I was given was this one.’

After they’d all stopped staring open mouthed at the visitor Sam invited him in. The stranger was a good two heads taller than the average Peeps, hard to miss in a crowd. But more interesting thought Sam was his complexion, grey.

‘So, Mr?’

‘Sorry, it’s Penn, Arthur Penn. Madam Gwen of Windy Ho said I should look in on Miss Ginny, her niece, while I was in the area.’

‘Well then, Mr.’

‘Arthur, please.’

‘Arthur, any friend of Madam Gwen and her niece is certainly welcome here.’

Sam was still feeling a little uneasy, there was something about this Arthur character not quite right. He couldn’t put his finger on it though his complexion was certainly odd. He’s seen pale peeps but never grey, the oddest thing perhaps was how well it matched his suit and hat and shoes.

The door flew open.

‘Sorry I’m late everybody, got a bit waylaid. I’m expecting…oh, Arthur is it?’ Ginny crossed the room and held out her hand to the visitor in welcome. ‘I’m Ginny.’

‘Ah, it’s good to meet you. I was just telling these gentlemen about how I’d been advised by your aunt to look you up.’

‘Splendid, that’s truly splendid. Boys, I'm delighted to introduce you to Arthur Penn, he’s come to help us.’

‘We’ve met.’ Said a somewhat nonplussed Sam.

‘I’m sorry, Sam, I should have warned you. Forgive me?’

Sam could not do otherwise, he would do anything for Ginny.

‘Nothing to forgive.’ Then turning to Arthur he said.

‘Let me do the rest of the introductions. My name is Sam Childs, Chief Warden and these are my men. Rock-son-of-Hud, Syd Pincher and the unhappy looking one is Archid, he’s a good lad.

‘Honoured to meet you all.’ The air was more relaxed now.

‘We must find you somewhere to stay while you’re here,’ said Ginny.

‘Oh that’s fine, I got a room at the Inn in Oakwood here. Should do nicely.’

‘No, Arthur, that won’t do. I’ll fix you up. No arguing.’

‘Whose arguing? I wouldn’t dream of doing so, not with Madam Gwen’s niece. No sir.’

‘Well then, if you’d like to follow me, I’ll take you to your proper room.’

Ginny led Arthur Penn and his escort to her home. Sam insisted that he and Rock-son-Hud carry Arthur’s luggage which turned out to be just the one Travel Bag. Arthur was soon settled in the guest room and then all four sat down and enjoyed a cuppa and a chat but all Sam could glean from this was that Arthur possessed special skills. He began to feel a bit excluded but he quickly shook this off and both he and Rock-son-of-Hud went off back to the Station.

Idris was on his third circuit of the Marsh and about to turn back for Ynys Tan when he saw it, lurking among the rocks of the outcrop at the very northern tip of the marsh, where the marsh ended and the dryer ground began. A huge black shapeless mass and it appeared to be moving in the way lungs move when employed. This was a living thing and he’d better report back straight away. He didn’t want to attract any more attention to himself than he had already done, having been over the area three times now. As he was nearing the edge of the marsh he noticed another large black mass moving out towards the Settlement. The closer he looked the more he was able to make out that it was a group of Shapes, not one big one. Things were going to get a bit lively, he thought.

‘So then, Arthur, you’ve got the picture.’

‘That I have and it looks a sight more serious than the Windy Ho business by the sound of things. So, how can I help?’

‘I was thinking of deploying the Wardens at the edge of the marsh while you and Idris harass the source which according to Idris is situated at the extreme northern end.’

‘That’s all well and good, lass but there are still only four Wardens, that’s a tall ask of them don't you think?’

‘Four Wardens and me and my ace card, Windy Blu. He has a way of being fully involved without others realising it. I think we can have an effect. The Source isn’t expecting anything remotely resembling an attack.’

‘What do you expect from this action? Be honest’ 

‘Well, I don’t think we can actually defeat this thing but we make it very difficult for it to function fully in this area. That’s a start.’

‘You are aware that it is quite mad?’

‘I am my Aunt’s niece.’

‘You certainly are.’

‘Hello, Ginny, any news?’ Sam was cleaning his sword for the umteenth time that day, just to keep busy.’

‘Yes, Sam. We need to talk and I mean all of you.’

‘Rock-son-of-Hud and Syd are due back from patrol shortly and Archid is in the back so we'll all be here in a jiffy.’ 

‘Splendid. Any chance of a brew, Sam, I’m parched. And, Sam?’

‘Yes, Ginny?’

‘Archid?’

‘Yes?’

‘He always looks so down in the mouth. Is he alright?’

‘Oh he’s fine. It’s just his way but he's a good lad.’

‘Just wondered and tea will be nice.’

After the briefing and when the lads had gone to their quarters Ginny turned to Sam.

‘Have you ever wondered about the helpers I’ve recruited, I mean you’ve never once asked about them. Are you not a little bit curious?’ 

‘I have every confidence in your judgement, young lady. I am sure that whoever you have chosen will be the best there is and that’s good enough for me.’

‘That’s very touching Sam but I think you should know one or two facts about them and, about myself’

‘Yourself, whatever do you mean by that?’ 

‘You know nothing about me, Sam. And whatever you do know is not the whole truth, not a bit of it.’

‘I know you are a very special young lady who has come to the aid of our community and has been unstinting in your efforts to prepare us for the ordeal ahead. I know that I would trust you with my life. What else can there possibly be I should know.’

‘Sit down, Sam.’

‘Come now, Ginny, what dark secret are you trying to tell me?’

‘Sit down Sam.’

‘Okay, I’m sitting.’

‘Sam, I am a shapechanger.’

‘Yeah, okay. You change into a werewolf every new moon, right?’

A brief silence fell on the room, disturbing Sam a little.

‘You are not far from the truth, Sam. Just cut out the full moon bit, that’s folk law, legend and superstition.

Silence again.

‘Sam, Sam, you okay?’

‘Er, I’m not rightly sure, I thought you said you were a werewolf just now?’

‘And my friends, Arthur the visitor and Idris, who lives locally, Ynys Tan actually, are both shapechanging Dragons.’

‘Here, Sam, drink this, it’ll put some colour back in your cheeks.’

Unthinkingly he took the cup offered and drank. It was not water, no water he has ever drunk has hit the back of the throat with such force. But, he did feel much better the next minute.

‘You’ve had a big shock and I am sorry for that but I thought you ought to know. I do hope this doesn’t change anything and that we can still be friends, though I understand if it does and we can’t.’

‘Well now, all this in one day. It’s more than I ever expected to take on board. But, when I come to think of it, there was a rather large wolf present the last time we were faced by the Shapes?’

‘Yes, Sam.’

‘It was?’

‘Yes, Sam.’

‘Well bless my old boots!’

‘And Sam,’

‘What?’

‘There’s one more.’

‘Go on.’

‘Windy Blu, he’s an arctic dragon.’

‘And?’

‘He can become invisible and he’s joining us.’

‘Duh think I could have a little more of that there stuff you gave me to drink, I think I need it?’

‘Oh Sam, you are a real gem.’