A Paper Crane

In an immense dark underground cave system over forty feet tall water droplets drip from the hanging stalactites to the floor below, while pointed stalagmites grow in pointed pillars upward from the moss-covered ground. A good portion of the stalactites and stalagmites have been ruthlessly crushed into dust to clear living space and paths for the giants to use.

The elderly giants share large fur blankets with the children and infant giants, while their mothers tend to the cave and prepare morsels of food to be equally shared between the many giants. Many of the giants are thin and wane from a lack of food. They had been hungry since their arrival to the isles with only sufficient food to keep them alive the next day.

The mother giants tried not to show their worries, but their once fat large babies had grown thin and scrawny. The giantess simply did not produce enough milk to feed their babes. The young children were not much different living off the scraps they were permitted to eat. But even worse, many of the halflings, (the youths) had been wounded and perished as a result.

The giantesses were not the only ones that were concerned as the challengers from other tribes all shared the same concern. Their tribes had been affected as the halflings of their next generation many were wounded or dead. They suspected that the Gurg was weakening their tribes and killing off any potential challengers. Yet none dared to speak out against their Gurg for only a painful death awaited them if they did.

Even the strongest warriors of the tribe felt the strain of carrying new and old wounds. Their bodies were tired, and the food simply was never enough to fill their bellies. Why even Karkus who weighed equivalent to several bull elephants had lost at last a ton. It was unbelievable, but it had occurred!

The giants settle down to rest as mothers hold their babes and children near them, while the fathers take turns guarding their families. The atmosphere in the cave is much more at ease as the Gurg is not present. There are wicked plans afoot and the Gurg had promised that everything would change in the upcoming battle. Some still believed in the Gurg's words, but many of the giants were disinherited knowing that many of them would not return to their families.

In a corner of the cave, the ugliest giant at twenty-three feet tall with rhino hide sits Karkus. His face is usually solemn as he sits in thought. Karkus knew he was not as smart or as strong as their Gurg. Yet the plans of their Gurg included even the women and elderly participating in battle. In essence, the infants and children are to be abandoned only the strong would survive.

Karkus's giant thick powerful hands clench together into giant boulders. Karkus is many things, but even the worst of the giants understood that babes and children must not be touched. It cannot remain so. Something must be done.

Rising almost to his full height, Karkus rises and searches for an elderly giant that sits in a corner of the cave wearing a set of monk robes. He passes several groups of giants some with large tusks, others are fearsome giants with small horns pocking from their foreheads with red and blue skin, (oni) only wearing a lion cloth pelt. Others are blue-skinned and their shamans have great power of ice, some are strong and hairy and loved to throw rocks (Jentil),

There are various groups of ebony-skinned giants from the plains of Africa. Some of the ebony giants are boney, others are powerful, and others are even wise with several shamans in their tribe. Regardless all of the giants do not meet the eyes of Karkus except for a daring few. It did no one good to garner the attention of the second-in-command of their Gurg. Many of the giants pull their fur blankets up higher over their heads ignoring the northern giant.

The elderly giant looked more human than most giants, but nevertheless, the ancient one was very much a full-blooded giant. The humans from across the many lands and seas on the great islands of Nippon called these types of giants yokai or more commonly known as Ōnyūdō.

The elderly giant raised his yellow yellows and spoke in giant unable to speak the human language of this land. "What do you want with this old giant, Karkus?" The elderly giant asked revealing perfectly healthy teeth for an elderly giant.

Karkus leaned down and whispered as much as possible for a giant. "Old one from across the sea has tricks, no?"

The elderly giant narrowed his eyes at the large giant. "Tricks or no, they are my own."

"Send message for me, old one," Karkus crouched down staring down at the smaller elderly giant.

The elderly giant stares at the larger giant for some time but sees some manner of truth. With care, the elderly giant reached into his sleeve and pulled out a thin sheet of paper. Despite the size of the old giant's finger, he delicately folds the small sheet of paper into a paper crane. Speaking to himself, he says, "When this one was young, this one made man many friends among the yokai. A cunning fox taught me a trick or two."

The elderly giant gently held up the paper crane in his open palm. "Whisper the message to the paper crane and the paper crane will carry your intentions away."

Karkus carefully pinches the paper crane with the utmost care so as not to crush it. The paper crane despite his best efforts is still crushed a bit. Bringing the paper crane close to his lips, he whispers as quietly as he can before releasing the paper crane. The paper crane tumbles down, before spreading its wings and darting on an air current. Flitting its wings, the paper crane darts through the cave and out into the still-dark morning sky carrying a precious message.

The paper crane swooped through the sky and carried a fierce wind. The paper crane even settled down to rest on a loud train carrying it north towards Scotland, before darting up again. Until it landed on an enchanted double-decker bus, (the Knight Bus) driving over all the isles before arriving in Hogsmeade.

The torn and stained paper crane fluttered away over the still-sleeping village. In the distance looms a glowing castle, Hogwarts with an inky black lake nearby. Past the village, the paper crane swooped towards its destination darting over treetops deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest. The paper crane became more and more torn as it descended by tree branches and leaves. But the paper crane had a mission, it determinedly pressed on as the sky began to lighten in the East.