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. "Perhaps Lord Toede would like to disport
himself," he said, standing by the squat, round-backed
throne.
Toede glanced up and sideways at the dandified
attendant. "Do you have anything in particular in mind?" he
snarled. He always felt that Groag, like everyone else,
showed him little genuine respect and always sounded
snooty.
"There are many things," said Groag. He counted them
off on each bejeweled finger. "You could take your ship out
and harpoon dolphins, you could attend a dogfight, you
could go hunting - "
"Hunting," snarled Toede, slumping even deeper into his
throne. "How can I be expected to catch anything when my
forest is full of poachers?" He began to stew again.
"Well," Groag shrugged, "perhaps you can catch a
poacher."
At this, Toede's beady eyes lit up, and his broad fleshy
mouth actually spread into a twisted smile. "Hmm," he
began, drumming his stubby fingers on the throne's broad
armrest. "Wouldn't that be fun . . ."
Now, Groag hadn't really been serious about catching a
poacher, but the idea did seem to catch his master's
imagination. So he said, "Say no more, my lord."
Whereupon he hastily arranged a hunting party.
For the hunt, Toede left behind his faithful amphi dragon,
Hopsloth, who was much too clumsy on land (pity the
terrorized servants who had to comfort the disappointed
beast!) and, instead, he rode his fastest, furry-legged pony,
Galiot
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