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 peaceβuntil Daisyβs ears perk up. She flips to her feet, snorting, and takes off into the dark woods.
βDaisy!β 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 at⦠something.
At first, you think itβs a rabbit, but the figure is clearer in the lightβa stout, wrinkly creature with a face startlingly similar to Daisyβs. Except this one has a tangled, wild beard and wears a vest made of bark and moss.
βCall off your beast!β the creature growls, planting his hands on his hips. His voice is deep and gravelly, matching his grumpy expression. βOr Iβll turn her into a toad!β
Too stunned to respond, you watch as Daisy sniffs aggressively at him, wagging her tail.
βSnarrrlβs the name,β the little gnome huffs, tugging his beard. βThree Rβs, donβt forget it. Protector of these woods, master tracker, andββ he narrows his eyes, ββnot a chew toy for your slobber monster.β
βShe thinks youβre a dog,β you manage.
Snarrrl bristles. βA dog? I am a gnome, you giant simpleton! A dignified forest guardian!β He strokes his beard proudly. βDogs donβt have beards this majestic.β
Daisy flops down beside him, clearly content.
Snarrrl sighs. βFine. Guess sheβs got decent taste.β He points a stubby finger at you. βBut keep her in line. This is my forest, got it?β
You nod slowly.
Snarrrl grunts and turns toward the deeper woods. βNow if youβll excuse me, Iβve got important forest business.β
With that, the bearded bulldog-gnome marches off into the underbrush, Daisy watching him go like sheβs just met her new best friend.