The Simian Shadow of Far Harad

[Rimbaud]

"Arark," muttered Maleficent and scratched his scrag irritably. "No time to be involved in the affairs of man."

Yet the monkey knew that to helphi sfriend with the long memory and to guide the huge gorilla from the humans would be a Good Deed. Maleficent had been expelled from Monkey Island for his tendency to perform Bad Deeds. He would only be allowed back by Chief Longpatience when he had performed Good Deeds.

First to help his silver-back cousin. He left his perch, a fish he had enjoyed eating but it was now rotting. The perch discarded he also climbed from the tree and scampered across the hot sands to the rock formation near by. He hoped Shai-Hulad would not come, then wondered why Giant Worms would be kicking around Middle-Earth.

With the alacrity of the tree-scramblers he traversed the rocks and came into sight again of the hulking gorilla.

"My friend, my friend, you venture into the country of the pink skins," he cackled. He emphasised by hurling several small pebbles at the stupendous simian. "You must turn back or be captured. They desire to trap you in bars of iron and steel."

"**** 'em," said the gorilla. "This day of misery can only be improved upon by my beating and capture."

"Righto," said Maleficient chirpily. "Suit yourself."

He wandered in search of his captured elephantine companion. The sun beat upon his dust-coverd coat and his sprightly limbs tired as he scoured the city perimeters. He found the marks of the struggle near the East Gate. He pondered his options and in his confusion, absent-mindedly followed some rodent tracks...