When Deuce found the figurines of two lions in the cave below the brigands’ camp, he thought they were merely exquisite carvings. With his interest in whittling, he thought they would help inspire him in some of his own carvings. He, understandably, wanted to keep them and it didn’t appear anyone else has any interest in them. He just put them in a pouch and told himself he would look at them when they stop for the night.

That night he took both of the figurines out to examine them more thoroughly. They were a pair of majestic male lions with a large full mane, huge teeth, and very realistic eyes posing in a roar, as if announcing royalty. They were both molded or carved out of gold.

At first, Deuce didn’t notice of what the figurines were made. They were so dirty, Deuce didn’t even know they were gold until he started to polish them. He even used his lockpicks to try to clean some of the crevices in the carving. It was while he was using his lockpicks that he realized there was something written in the patterns of the carvings on each figurine. On one was written, “Mym” and on the other was, “Kall.”

Not even knowing what would happen, he sounded out the words and all of the sudden the two figurines came to life and grew into full size.

Deuce immediately screamed and shuffled back on his hands as the whole camp came to alert status. The lions were as tall as Deuce at the middle of their backs. They both turned toward Deuce and then Eric attacked.

Eric swung a couple of times and missed. The lions, which Deuce just realized must be named Mym and Kall, merely dodged and stayed defensive. Eventually Mym swept Eric’s feet out from under him while Kall pounced on top of him and sat down. Victor had raised his axe, but had seen no reason to actually hit them. At this point, Victor visibly relaxed and let his axes drop. Kall was looking Eric in the eyes and staring him down.

Julia and Leloran seemed to be unsure what to do, as they were busy with their nightly duties when it all started. By the time Julia had her sword and Leloran had her mace, Kall was already sitting on Eric.

With Kall sitting on Eric to keep him in place, Mym walked over to Deuce very slowly and looked him in the eye very casually and nosed him in the face. Even though Mym didn’t nose him with much force, he knocked Deuce on his back and casually lay down next to him. At seeing this, Reese visibly relaxed and even chuckled when he realized what had happened. At this, everyone else relaxed, except Eric who didn’t appreciate the twelve hundred pound lion who was pinning him to the ground.

Once Eric relaxed, Kall slowly got off of him and moved over to Deuce and lay down. With two lions twice his size laying down next to him, Deuce finally stood up and tried to regain a little dignity. He looked at everyone else, Leloran seemed amused, as did Reese, Julia seemed indifferent, Eric seemed confused and ready for another battle, and Victor seemed irritated.

Deuce was just overwhelmed. Once again, he had done something for which nobody had been prepared. He didn’t realize what he was doing could cause any trouble but here they are and Victor’s face said it all.

Then Deuce was confronted with the fact that he stood between two full size male lions who seem to be interested in him. After a few moments of silence, Deuce looked at them both and asked, “Ok, who’s Mym?” At which the first one who had come over lifts his head and roared. A slightly shaken Deuce looked at the other one and asked, “Kall?” Kall responded by yawning and licking his nose.

Over the course of the evening, Deuce got to eventually touch them and then stroke their manes and appreciate the majesty of these tremendous creatures.

After about a bell, both of them got up circled around, plopped down on the ground and faded into the corresponding figurines.