Ruger opened the door to welcome the food, then froze. Through the gap between the houses across the street, he saw a somewhat familiar, burly figure in the yard on the next street over. It was the bald wizard he had encountered in that faintly foul-smelling canyon. Ruger still remembered those blood-red eyes. This was the fellow who had even carried off the door when he left. Of course, Ruger also had to thank him for the cave he had given them, where they had lived for quite some time.
As the guardian of that canyon, Ruger had long suspected that he was somehow connected to Barry Danton. It seemed he had also been invited here as a guest.
"Oh heavens! Our honored guest has finally appeared! Hurry, everyone, stand in formation! If we still cannot offer food to our esteemed guest, I shall want to plant myself back in the ground—this guest must surely be a powerful person of focus, just like the King. When he is concentrating on something, he cannot see anyone else. We must seize this chance—"
As the little Mushroom Man spoke, they began arranging the ranks, having each Mushroom Person stand ready with a mushroom tray held high.
The burly, bald man's blood-red eyes lit up, and he gave Ruger a friendly wave.
Ruger returned his smile.
After smiling, he stepped aside and made an inviting gesture toward the little Mushroom Men.
The little Mushroom Men looked delighted, then forced themselves to calm down. They first bowed, then led the Mushroom People behind them toward the dining room in one corner of the first floor.
This truly was quite a nice Oddity.
Watching the busy little Mushroom Men from behind, Ruger could not help sighing inwardly.
Stretching lazily, he strolled over to the long