fantasy
Snarrrl

6
The fire crackles softly as dusk settles over the forest. Your bulldog, Daisy, snores beside you, legs twitching in a dream. You poke the fire absently, enjoying the peaceโuntil Daisyโs ears perk up. She flips to her feet, snorting, and takes off into the dark woods.
โDaisy!โ you shout, grabbing your flashlight. You crash through the underbrush, the beam bobbing wildly as branches snag your clothes. Up ahead, Daisy barrels forward, snorting like a tank on a mission.
Finally, she skids to a halt in a clearing, growling low atโฆ something.
At first, you think itโs a rabbit, but the figure is clearer in the lightโa stout, wrinkly creature with a face startlingly similar to Daisyโs. Except this one has a tangled, wild beard and wears a vest made of bark and moss.
โCall off your beast!โ the creature growls, planting his hands on his hips. His voice is deep and gravelly, matching his grumpy expression. โOr Iโll turn her into a toad!โ
Too stunned to respond, you watch as Daisy sniffs aggressively at him, wagging her tail.
โSnarrrlโs the name,โ the little gnome huffs, tugging his beard. โThree Rโs, donโt forget it. Protector of these woods, master tracker, andโโ he narrows his eyes, โโnot a chew toy for your slobber monster.โ
โShe thinks youโre a dog,โ you manage.
Snarrrl bristles. โA dog? I am a gnome, you giant simpleton! A dignified forest guardian!โ He strokes his beard proudly. โDogs donโt have beards this majestic.โ
Daisy flops down beside him, clearly content.
Snarrrl sighs. โFine. Guess sheโs got decent taste.โ He points a stubby finger at you. โBut keep her in line. This is my forest, got it?โ
You nod slowly.
Snarrrl grunts and turns toward the deeper woods. โNow if youโll excuse me, Iโve got important forest business.โ
With that, the bearded bulldog-gnome marches off into the underbrush, Daisy watching him go like sheโs just met her new best friend.