“Yes, and food such as you have never eaten, O my Father. Food from the Fire. Food that is tender and brown and pleasant to the taste. Food that the Fire Demon has laid his hands on.”
Wab shivered and looked frightened.
“Nay, such food is only for those who have been reborn of fire. It frightens me. I cannot want to eat it. Bring me only bloody food that drips. Such as I used to eat much of when still my eyes were whole. And bring it soon. For many daylights and many nights I have not tasted food that drips. I, Wab, have crawled around on fours like a rat seeking scraps that others have thrown to me, old scraps that have laid in the sun till they smell and bear maggots, old bones that have been sucked and gnawed clean. Such has been my food until now my strength is the strength of a baby. Soon I must die. When I live in night always then I must crawl off among the rocks and stop trying to live.”
“Then you can see a little?” cried Og, peering into the old man’s face.
“Yes, I see as at nightfall with this one eye. I can see the sun, and trees, and rocks dimly. I can see you as a shadow. But this fearsome wand you carry, that I heard others chatter about when you came, I can see. It licks out like the tongue of a serpent. It has a terrible breath, and a stench more than that of the creeping animal. It frightens me.”
“Fear it not, my Father. It is my servant; my weapon; my friend. I am glad that you can see its licking tongues for then you will soon know it better. Behold, I will make it warm you. It will fill this miserable cave with its breath and you will like it. You will sit in it and nod as you do in the sunlight. Then, while you nod, I will find food for us both and we will eat together and be happy. And after that a great cave, a cave that fits both Wab and Og and his Fire, and hairy men shall speak of us in whispers and fear us when we roar.”
Saying this, Og began to gather together wood and soon in the doorway of the cave a fine fire was crackling while Wab the hunter crouched in the corner and listened to the crackling sound, and smelled the smoke, and saw faintly the licking tongues, and tried to be brave in spite of his natural fear.