At the southern edge of the Fruited Plains, far from the path of the drifting ledbullunes, was a warm subtropical region, nestled against the skeleton of a chain of extinct volcanoes. Over the years, the local En'Tai population had moved permanently out of their beloved caves, and closer to the year-round bounty to be found in the jungle that skirted the base of the mountain chain. When the annual plainfruit harvest was done, there was always something else ripening in the fertile volcanic soil that nurtured the forest.
Their lives had continued like this for generations, until they had all but abandoned the caves, and forgotten about their subterranean heritage. Nothing much ever changed to disrupt the easygoing rhythm of their seasons... Then, one day like no other in their memory, it changed. Overnight, something magical had appeared in the middle of their village. It didn't move, didn't make a noise - it simply was... In their awe, they bowed to it. This seemed to be the appropriate response, as it made no move to threaten them. And so it went, with the obeisance becoming part of their daily routine. In time, they forgot there had ever been a time when their god was not with them... My last-minute submission for the YahooGroups Bryce List's May Challenge... to produce an image using a simple chicken ("chikun") model one of the list-members found... I thought I'd bring back the cute little En'Tai characters I had used before. Besides - I needed a not-too-serious break after finishing my latest dinosaur at DAZ...
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