The Lizard Hunters' Journey: Book Two of the Lizard Hunters' Chronicles

By James E. Morgan

Chen, Tesh and Aury, along with their Prralthian friends, finally leave the camp atop the waterfall, and continue the perilous and amazing journey across the continent. Troubles beset them along the way as the Bishtermen from The City of Men work ancient magic to

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReadersMagnet LLC
• Release date: Jul 3, 2025
• ISBN: 9798890919809

James E. Morgan

James E. Morgan lives in the woods near Yosemite National Park in California. He enjoys spending time with his kids and grandkids. He is trying to be retired from his career with the Bermuda Government but still keeps busy hiking and spending time with friends and family. The Lizard Hunters' Chronicles is the result of many childhood years making stories to entertain himself while walking to and from school, and is influenced by travels around the world.

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The Lizard Hunters’ Journey: Book Two of the Lizard Hunters’ Chronicles

Copyright © 2025 by James E. Morgan

Published in the United States of America

Library of Congress Control Number: 2025913828

ISBN Paperback: 979-8-89091-979-3

ISBN eBook: 979-8-89091-980-9

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Chapter One: The Wood and the Giant

Chapter Two: Moon, Aury and Memory

Chapter Three: The Desert and More Remembering

Chapter Four: Desert and More Desert

Chapter Five The Figarandan River

Chapter Six: Decisions

Chapter Seven: Escape Attempt

Chapter Eight: The Battle at Sand’s Edge

Chapter Nine: Almost East

Chapter Ten: The Battle of Fellaran Village Begins

Chapter Eleven: Aftermath and the Top of the Mountain

Chapter Twelve: Plots and Plans and Preparations

Chapter Thirteen: Down Into the Valley of Contentment

Chapter Fourteen: Life in the Valley of Contentment

Chapter Fifteen: Enchantment?

Chapter Sixteen: Revelations

Chapter Seventeen: The Final Examinations

Chapter Eighteen: Reunions

Chapter Nineteen: Loose Ends Tied

Chapter Twenty: To The East Coast at Last

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are several people I want to thank for their help in making this work the wonderful book it is:

Van Rush, Ryan Vincent, Thomas Miller and John White for their help in establishing the Prralthian characters.

My dear daughter, Darcy Morgan, Brooke Stansfield, and Seri Fisher for helping with the overall look and feel of the world.

Special thanks to my amazing granddaughter Cailin Manning for her beautiful painting on the cover.

CHAPTER ONE:

THE WOOD AND THE GIANT

Chenopka, Tesharan, Auralka, Starr, Bob (formerly called Strripe) City Cat, Anarrtha, Moon and his pet firella (as yet unnamed) spent two horribly long-seeming weeks in the thatched shelter there in the meadow atop the cliff above the lake. They rarely spoke to one another and none of them was quite sure why.

Anarrtha had her twelfth birthday during this strange time, but she told no one, not even her beloved Moon.

They had all met only a couple of months previously and had had several exciting adventures together in a very short time.

Moon and Tesh both suspected someone had put some sort of a spell of distrust on them all, but neither could resist the spell long enough to talk about it.

One fine day in late spring, they all awoke feeling a sudden sense of urgency about their mission. They eyed one another a bit repentantly, each secretly wondering how they could have mistrusted the others the way they done had for these many days.

Breakfast started in silence, as it had each morning of their delay. This time, however, they all sat down together on the flattened grass near the hut, and very soon Tesh broke the quiet:

I think we should get going after breakfast.

Everyone put down their food and Bob had a bit of a coughing fit.

I think we should follow the edge of the cliff. Said Chen thoughtfully, that way if there is a way down to the desert, we will find it easily.

Moon spoke up. But my dear boy, the cliff winds around, due south at first and then east for a very long distance, and then I believe it ultimately winds off to the north again. Would it not be more efficient to head straight east through that forest and meet the cliff on the other side as it winds to the north again?

I say we get as far from that cliff as possible. Growled Bob, If we were to slip and fall over the edge, we would waste a lot more time climbing back up.

Not to mention the fact that human children don’t have glide flaps, added Anarrtha.

City Cat nodded in agreement. The ground is a bit higher to the north of here and the grass a bit shorter… Wait just a bit … I think we have had this very conversation before! Haven’t we?

They all became excited and agreed with City Cat. Yes, they had had this exact conversation nearly word for word their first morning here atop the cliff!

Soon they were all apologizing to each other for the way they had mistreated the others.

Moon looked troubled and whispered to Anarrtha: I think we were all under some sort of magic spell. We had better be quite cautious from now on.

I agree, my dearest, she whispered back and licked him lightly on the ear.

Discussions of the plans to move forward suddenly began in earnest and after a very short, but friendly debate, they decided that all but City Cat would head north through the marshy meadow grass, then eastward along the higher, dryer ground. City would range along above the edge of the cliff, using his newfound flying skill to survey the land and water below them to the south and west as well as getting a good look at the land between him and the others and what lay ahead to the east. If anything, strange, frightening or otherwise important should catch his eye, he would glide back over to the others and inform them of it. Flying, he was about five times faster than he was when walking and it took much less effort – also flying was a lot more fun than slogging along through the marshy grassland.

They packed up their belongings, said goodbye to the thatched hut that had been their home for the last couple of weeks, and began the journey not too long before the suns were straight overhead. Things went according to plan for a while but then, just about mid-afternoon City Cat returned, gliding back over to the others from the southeast. He landed heavily, leaving smeary footprints in the mud.

Looks like we may need to change our plans, he said, frowning, there is that thick forest up ahead. It grows right up to the edge of the cliff and even seems to grow down over the side a bit. The near edge of the forest angles away from us to the northeast, quite a way before shifting to nearly due north, so we will not reach it heading straight east for a little while yet. It looks nearly impassable nearest to the cliff. Not sure if we will want to attempt to go through it or try to go around it farther to the north.

How far does it reach to the east cousin? Moon was now squatting on his haunches to rest his legs.

Not sure Moon, the trees are quite tall and very close together. I was a bit afraid that I might get some ways in over the woods and then fall. It looks pretty dark down in there.

Starr blushed (quite unnoticed beneath his sleek black fur) and said quietly, I have been looking for a way through the trees all along the edge of that forest every day that we camped up here. I could never find a way in.

Well, that settles it. Anarrtha shook her head. I vote that we go around the forest to the north.

I’m not afraid of the dark! growled Bob.

Me neither, added Starr. In fact, I do some of my best hunting in deep shadow, but there is simply no way in!

Oh, c’mon brother, Bob growled, there must be a trail through there somewhere!

They argued calmly for a short while and soon decided to keep straight on until they reached the edge of the wood. They would then turn left and go north along the verge, all of them looking for a path or thinning of the trees. Brave Starr and Bob would then go eastward together through the woods, while the rest of them would go around to the north.

This plan went well enough at first. The party slogged through the short but damp grass along the slight ridge until they reached the tree line.

City was right. It was quite dense and dark just inside the forest, even with the suns now shedding their light into the woods from behind them in mid-afternoon. After a short walk along the fringe to the north, the party found what looked like a bishter trail that entered the wood. The tracks that had formed the path were not recent and mostly obscured by the mud of frequent light rains.

How very strange that I never found this obvious trail, until just now! Starr’s brows knit together.

Bob slugged the slender black cat lightly in the shoulder. That’s okay brother, we all make mistakes! He grinned widely.

The two groups said their goodbyes and soon Bob pushed his way in between the trunks with Starr slipping more gracefully in behind him. The others watched for a few moments as the two brothers moved eastward into deepening shadow.

City, feeling more secure with the group close by, spread his glide flaps, caught the breeze and flew up over the treetops to get a better look north and east.

After a few lazy circles and loops, he again landed next to Moon.

It looks dark and thick for a very long way ahead. City Cat puffed. The forest stretches farther than I can see to the east and north-east. I wish we had some way to speak to those two. They may regret going through rather than around the woods.

Moon nodded thoughtfully and signalled with one paw for the group to follow him northward.

By late afternoon, they were on a larger trail, winding up the south side of a long, high rocky hill. This trail followed the forest edge as it angled less to the north and ever more to the east.

They reached the barren top of the big hill just moments before Rotah, the larger sun, touched the western horizon. Before and below them to the north, though much higher than the meadow behind them, was a vast plain rising slowly northward into the distance, speckled here and there with patches of snow. At the far northern edge of the plain, there began a steep climb into jagged misty purple mountains. Snow covered the upper three quarters of these massive peaks, dotted with tiny specks that surely were skeletal trees. The very tops of these tremendous mountains were hard to see, nearly obscured by heavy haze.

Moon was the first to arrive at the top of the hill and enjoy the view. Anarrtha joined him and linked her arm into his, resting her head on his shoulder. The rest of the group was trudging along several dozen heights down the trail behind them.

Suddenly Moon drew a deep breath and crouched down. His left paw crunched into a patch of snow that was hiding in the shadow of a small boulder. Anarrtha ducked down with him and whispered, What is it?

Moon pointed down the far side of the hill to the snow-spattered plain between them and the mountains beyond. She followed his finger and gasped. There below and heading toward them, was an exceptionally large creature or maybe a person. It walked upright on its hind legs. Long thick greenish-white fur covered it from head to toe. The fur swung back and forth, as it lumbered along. It was hard to say from this angle, and with few terrain features to use as a gauge, just how big it actually was. That it was at least twice the height of a Prralthian and much stockier was quite certain. The two motioned behind them for the others to stop and be quiet, which they quickly did.

The two cat-folk up on top of the ridge peered over again. The monstrous thing below them lumbering swiftly toward the foot of the hill looked positively dangerous. It had a huge mouth full of long, jagged teeth, and long, sharp claws on its broad hands and feet. It wore a brown harness and kilt, so they were now sure it was at least somewhat intelligent. Held in its left paw, used as a tall walking staff, was a thing that looked like it had once been the antler of some gigantic beast. The bottom end of this antler-staff, the side that was formerly attached to its previous owner’s head, had a large, mottled grey-white stone bound to it. The top end, which extended well above the creature’s head, the side with all the antler branches, gleamed as though oiled, and the various spikes and edges shone as though very sharp.

They lost sight of the huge creature as it reached the base of the hill below them, striding rapidly behind an outcropping, which obscured it from the cats above. The monster had been moving quite fast and now the two cat-folk, Moon and Anarrtha, jumped up and hastily made their way back down to the others.

We need to go back the way we came, right now! Moon whispered fiercely.

City Cat and the three human kids all looked at Moon and Anarrtha questioningly. They were very tired, out of breath and so close to the summit of this low hill that Moon telling them to go back down before attaining their goal was a big disappointment.

No fair! whined Tesh.

Shush, Anarrtha scooped him up in her arms putting one paw over his mouth. She was much stronger than she looked, holding him so that he could not get loose, and whispered directly into the ear of the wiggly child, There is something coming that would love to eat us all for dinner.

Nonsense, Tesh whispered back, managing to get around the paw, which covered his mouth, You all killed that dragon just the other day. Yesterday I think, or was it the day before? What could possibly be that scary?

As Anarrtha carried Tesh quickly back down the trail, followed by the others with Moon bringing up the rear she responded with a harsh whisper: "Several weeks ago when we killed that dragon, Strripe and Starr were both with us."

"Bob and Starr," Tesh corrected her.

Whatever, Anarrtha retorted. The two of them are our best fighters. I really don’t want to have to fight this thing without them.

But me, Chen, Aury and City Cat are with you now! That’s four replacing the two missing.

She laughed wryly. Sorry my pet, the four of you do not equal even one of those two in a fight.

Tesh’s face turned a violent shade of pink, eyes narrowing, and he clamped his teeth shut.

What would I tell your mother if I let you get eaten by a giant?

Tesh perked up. A giant! he wriggled trying to get down. I want to see it! Please?

We need to run. Moon was herding the humans at a jog. They were just now overtaking Anarrtha and Tesh as they again reached the base of the hill and could spread out a bit on either side of the trail. City Cat sped past them and leapt up into the air.

They did not get much farther before a strange echoing cry above and behind them sent chills down their spines.

The sound was a bit like that made by hunting ragers that had cornered their prey, but much louder, deeper and with a peculiar musical twist to it.

They all looked round and saw that the giant had crested the hill … and that it had seen them as well.

Run! shouted Anarrtha.

Tesh broke free of her arms and did run as fast as he could, away from the giant. He had now seen the great monster as he had previously wished, and having seen it was more than satisfied. The rest of the group followed Tesh as fast as they could … almost. The cat people were much faster than the human children were, so Moon hung back a bit to make sure none of the youngsters fell behind. For Moon, this was merely a fast trot. He looked over his shoulder from time to time and saw that, as he feared, the huge creature was giving chase.

It’s gaining on us! growled Moon.

They all managed to add a bit more speed to their run.

City Cat swooped down, landing at a run alongside Moon. There is a branch of the trail that leads into the woods just ahead. He puffed, It is not the one Bob and Starr took, but it may give us a chance to escape. I don’t think the monster will be able to move very quickly in amongst those trees.

Everyone, follow City Cat! shouted Moon.

Tesh added smartly, Everyone except the giant?

City Cat leapt up into the sky again, zoomed ahead and landed presently at the opening to the forest. He waited while everyone ran past him into the woods. As soon as Moon went by him, City looked back along the trail and saw that the giant was only about a dozen or so heights behind them and closing fast.

City took a deep breath and bolted south along the trail outside the woods, hoping to distract the creature.

It worked a bit.

Glancing back over his shoulder as he ran, City saw that when the monster reached the place where the trail forked, it paused for a moment. It quickly peered leftward into the woods, and then turned to look directly ahead to where City Cat was running away. The creature then twisted and forced its way into the thickly overgrown forest. This was not what City had hoped for but at least the giant’s pause had gained the others a moment or two. As the fluffy cat ran, he now lifted up into the air and swooped round, gaining altitude. Then he swung eastward just above the treetops. He spread his glide flaps loosely so they caught nearly maximum air. This allowed him to sort of float just above the trees quite slowly. By spreading his legs up behind him, he gained lift when he needed it. City Cat spent a several moments drifting back and forth above the tall forest watching the giant’s slow progress down below. Then he turned eastward again, searching carefully until he spotted his party of friends dodging quickly along the tree-lined trail. Actually, he heard them before he saw them. The humans really were not very good at being quiet. Looking ahead across the treetops, City Cat spotted a smallish clearing several heights away in front of the group. He dropped carefully down between the trunks and landed there just as the others burst into the little open space.

Hey! Tesh stopped short. That was amazing, City Cat, seeing you just appear in front of us like that.

The others slowed as they reached the spot. We must keep moving. Anarrtha said sternly.

The monster is having quite a struggle making his way in here. smiled City Cat. He is not really made for thick woods. His long fur keeps catching on the branches and he has to duck and squeeze through places that are way too small for him.

Just the same, replied Anarrtha, We better not stop until we are sure it’s gone.

As they pushed further and further into the darkening woods, all of them wishing for a rest (even the cats, whose eyes were usually well suited to near darkness were having difficulty seeing the trail).

Presently Anarrtha, who was in the lead, stopped, and everyone else had to do so as well since there was no room to get around her.

This forest has some bad magic I think, she said. I can’t see more than the length of my arm ahead of us.

Moon spoke up from the back of the party. I was raised in a big forest and never have I seen any darkness like this before.

What do we do now? Tesh seemed worried. The gloom seemed to be growing closer around them by the moment. They could barely see each other now, and could not really make out details of each other’s faces.

The cats, even with their huge eyes and usually excellent night vision, could see only a little better than the humans could. Anarrtha reached into her magic bag to find her little ball of light, but Moon gently put his paw on her arm, stopping her. He gestured toward the dim forms of Chen and Aury.

Aury put her hand on Chen’s shoulder. Remember what happened when you prayed using your pendant?

Oh! Chen smiled. He put his hand on the small stone hanging around his neck. It might have just been a coincidence before. Let’s see what happens this time. He grasped the little stone in his right hand and said, Oh great Carcazanon, please send help and protection to bring us safely to the other side of the forest.

The stone began to glow, softly, bluely. The light leaking from between Chen’s fingers increased very slowly. Soon they could all see Chen quite clearly. Moments later the entire party was visible as though oddly bluish daylight was filtering down through the branches. They all knew that it was now well after the suns had set, so this was truly a miracle, even if not the exact one for which Chen had prayed.

Suddenly, dozens of faint little colored lights, each about the size of Aury’s thumb tip, burst from between trees to the east. For just a moment, the children thought that these lights looked like the drifty little glows in the lizard cave back home. However, these were a bit bigger and much more active than those were. These tiny lights were all soft shades of blue, green and yellow and they swirled swiftly around and above each of the cats and children. The firella bounced up out of the pack onto Moon’s shoulder and swatted playfully at the swirling lights. One of the lights, a muted, deep blue one, stopped directly in front of Chen’s face. Both he and Aury looked at it in wonder.

Chen! Aury exclaimed. Look! It’s a tiny horse inside, like the one in your pendant!

She was right, though it was difficult to see. It was as though the soft blue light were made of thin gauze. They could now see that a tiny indistinct glowing horse produced the light. It looked calmly from Chen’s face to Aury’s and then cocked its head on one side to look down at the pendant still glowing softly in Chen’s clenched fist.

Chen opened his hand to show his pendant to the glowing creature. It drifted in closer until its tiny nose touched the stone. Chen, looking down could see that its breath made a minuscule haze on the smooth surface. The glow from stone and the tiny creature were very nearly the same color.

Aury suddenly had a horrible thought, Oh Chen! You don’t think the horse in the pendant is a real one that is trapped in there?

Chen looked shocked. I hope not! That would be awful!

The tiny horse drifted gently backward and then rose to their face level. Both of them heard a soft but surprisingly deep voice in their heads. Do not worry, my dear ones. That is not the case. Abruptly the tiny creature darted away and the dozens of other softly glowing little horses joined it, swirling together in a multi-colored display.

Follow! All five of the party heard the soft, deep voice this time.

The swarm of tiny creatures was the only source of light in the dark woods and the group did as the voice bid, running swiftly between and around the trunks of trees. The minuscule horses led them along a way that seemed soft and padded to their bare feet, and free of debris and obstructions, save for the occasional crunch of a dry leaf or small twig.

It was hard for them to tell how long they ran. Somehow, their exhaustion seemed to have fled, and running after the swirling rainbow of soft lights through the dark forest brought them so much joy they did not want to stop.

The dark trees blurred past, faster and faster. Occasionally the little horse-lights looped back and spun around their heads, whispering thoughts of encouragement and joy. As the children and the cats ran, they would sometimes glimpse each other in that soft, colorful light, as first one took the lead and then the other. After what seemed like either a long time, or no time at all, Chen noticed Starr running beside him. They both smiled. ‘Good’ thought the young human, ‘the two parties are together again’. Then on he ran, simply enjoying the experience.

###

The elder man scratched his shaved head and looked up from sweeping as his young apprentice entered the long-unused classroom. The boy did not make any noise as he entered, but the air felt different with his presence.

What is the news, lad? The old man breathed.

The giant, Grenlith, has returned alone, master.

This is as we feared, rather than as we hoped. The man continued sweeping, without expression. Did he give account of his mission?

Yes, oh master. He met them just north and west of the forest of the Remlings, but they fled from him.

The old man sighed. I suppose we should have expected this. Grenlith is quite a large and imposing figure. I had hoped to send them dreams to foretell his coming, but the storms of the Thaumatayans blocked these.

Yes master, you said that maybe the Remlings would help you in this, but it seems they helped the children and their cat-folk friends to run away instead.

So perhaps the Great Horse Carcazanon does not yet want the children here. The old man moved from the dark, cold classroom back into the darker hallway. Please thank Grenlith for trying, and bless his family.

Yes, Master. The youth bowed and went to do as his teacher instructed.

###

Sunlight streaming low through the trees woke them early in the morning. All eight of them (nine including the firella) were laying comfortably in deep, soft moss in the middle of a clearing about three heights in diameter. The trees were much thinner around this clearing than the ones where they had entered the wood.

Was that just last night? Tesh thought.

They could all tell that it was early morning rather than late afternoon because bright dew covered everything. There was no sign of the tiny horses. When they stood and looked around, they could easily see that the woods thinned and ended only about two heights to the east past the clearing. They had apparently gone almost completely through the immense forest!

They all got up slowly and carefully. The ground here was quite comfortable and the five cats and three humans felt terrific, as if they had enjoyed several good nights’ rest in some fancy inn.

Tesh began digging through his bag to get at the dried lizards.

Hey! Where did all the lizards go? He began to pull everything out one by one: First came his blanket, warm cloak, two crystal-tipped wooden spears (which stuck out of the top). Then the tinderbox and suns-crystal, the big blue gem from the bird-man, his few remaining parshays and swirls, the shells given to him by the Prralthian merchant in Palpatia, the tiny carved firella (which he had forgotten to give to his mother) and his sack of bishter jerky (which somehow now had only a few scraps left in it). There was no sign of the bag of dried, salted lizards at all.

By this time, most of the others were noticing the same sort of thing. Almost all of the food they had brought was mysteriously just gone.

Stupid little thief, light balls, Bob shouted. That’s messed up!

Why did they do it? Chen looked disappointed. I thought they were helping us and all along they just wanted to steal our food?

Aury looked baffled. She gazed around at the others in the party and noticed that only Moon, like herself, was not digging through his bag. She walked over to him.

Perhaps they took the food as payment for leading us safely through the forest. Anarrtha said kindly.

Aury spoke up. You all act as though you don’t remember eating for the last week or so. We ran out of the food we had brought several days back, remember?

Everyone looked up in shock. What are you talking about? asked Starr. When we had lunch yesterday there was plenty of food left.

Yeah, Bob’s eye whiskers knitted into a frown. We didn’t even get any dinner either. Me and Starr were just talking about stopping to eat when the darkness got too thick to see anything, and then next thing we knew we were all together again, chasing those pretty little lights.

Moon and Aury looked quizzically at each other and then at everyone else.

Who here remembers the swapes? Moon asked.

There was a brief silence and then a general murmur of Swapes? What’s a swape? Make sense please.

Aury laughed. I don’t see how anyone could forget those silly looking creatures.

CHAPTER TWO:

MOON, AURY AND MEMORY

They ate a cold breakfast of some oddly fluffy but somehow moist and sweet bread, which Aury produced from her bag, and some tangy fruit juice that Moon poured from a large, pale leather bottle, which no