RAW KINGDOM ENTERTAINMENT

                   The Unpleasant Acquaintance

 
When at last they settled upon the great mound, they discovered that it was hollow within. Small round windows followed one another along its sides, though each was covered up with straw and broad reeds. At the back of this curious dwelling a tightly fitted lid had been hewn, serving plainly as a door.
The turtles clambered with much effort up the curved walls, their shells slipping now and then on the wet growth, until Sly and the hedgehog, being nimbler, soon found themselves upon the crown of the mound. There they shook the water from their backs and let it fall in shining droplets, and sat themselves down to dry in the warm, unclouded blaze of the midday sun.

“This hut was built by people for our friends, the wild ducks,” said Sly with a mocking curl in his voice.“From here the hunters trouble them all winter long, most cruelly at night.”

 He rose on his rear legs, licking his smooth fur—still ruffled by water—and shook off clinging mud before continuing:
“The hunters crouch inside and peer through these small windows. To fool the wild ducks, they tether their tame sisters just outside—poor, simple creatures. At the first sight of their wild kin, they call to them gladly, never guessing the part they play. And their wild sisters, trusting that welcome, fly down only to fall victim to such treachery. Then the hunters fire their rifles.” “But why do they never understand they are being deceived? Why do they still trust such scoundrels?” asked the hedgehog.

“They are all short-minded,” snapped the rat.“Even I, who care nothing for keeping them, have often tried to show them the depth of their own foolishness. But they put no trust in me at all. They are angered that I feast upon their eggs.”

“Do they sacrifice many?” asked Yoshi.

“Hundreds, if not thousands. Witless folk!”

“They are not witless,” the aunt protested softly.“The people are very cunning—none can match them in craft or cleverness. Yet how they suffer, the poor creatures, how they suffer!” She shook her head sadly.“When the shooting begins, whole flocks of hawks gather over the marsh. They fall upon the healthy and the wounded alike. Wherever you cast your gaze, feathers lie in heaps—grim tokens of ducks devoured.”

 Although they had treated him so badly, Yoshi felt a tender pity for the ducks and forgave their wary distrust. They had suffered greatly, and suffering, he knew, often demands mercy.
After resting and basking in the weak afternoon sun, the travelers prepared for the next stage of their journey. The swamp’s far shore lay not so distant, yet Sly’s eyes, sharp and wary, traced the treacherous paths that twisted ahead.

“Beware,” he said, with stern voice.“Beyond this shallow expanse, the waters grow dark and deep. There dwell a tribe most dangerous, and cunning in the ways of swamp and shadow. We must tread with care, for any misstep may summon trouble we cannot yet see.”

 "The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and reeds, and the occasional ripple of water carried the echo of unseen movement. Each step forward was measured, each pause deliberate, as they pressed onward into the deepening marsh, where the light dimmed and the shadows gathered like watchers on the path."