"CAW!" The crow hopped on one foot to the next branch.
"You're not a lot of help!" Nick said and threw a stone at the bird. "You're supposed to be leading me to Mordecai."
Nine pairs of vertically-slit eyes watched the boy as the hydra slithered forward. Nine tongues hissed and nine mouths spoke in chorus: "You have dared the plains, river and mountain; outsmarted Grim and the Nur; but you shall go no farther."
