than one," said Cubby. "Unless the one you
fought somehow got himself repaired."

"I suspect that would h-have to be the case," stammered the Cowardly
Lion. "I d-don't think there could be more than one of those creatures.
I had assumed it was created by magic, sort of like a green elephant or
something. But if it is alive again, it will probably find out who it
was that defeated it before. It will be looking for me."

"I'm afraid it already knows who you are," spoke Cubby. "And it has
found a way to take the energy from other beings and use it for itself.
It is already so powerful that I doubt anyone could stand against it."
He paused. "Oh, except for you, of course. I know you could defeat it.
You did it before."

"Er, yeah," said the Lion, his eyes growing to several times their
normal size. "I g-guess I d-did. B-but he was so much easier to tackle
when he was asleep. Now that he has multiplied his power, I'm n-not
sure I c-could do it again."

"Oh, but you can! You must," said the monkey encouragingly. "You can't
let him keep getting stronger and stronger! Sooner or later, he will
find you. And he probably won't stop at that. He may cross the desert
and go into the mortal lands. He might start attacking Ix or Mo or even
Merryland! And then he may infiltrate the mortal lands like America,
where your friend Dorothy lives!"

"D-Dorothy?" said the Lion, suddenly looking more angry than afraid.
"She's just a little kid! He wouldn't do that to a child?"

"He did it to several of the small and helpless beasts in the Lunechien
Forest," said the simian. "Even insects are not safe from him."

"Well, he is a spider, as far as that goes," replied the Cowardly Lion.
"Insects are a normal diet for him. But small children are not! How dare
he even think of hurting little Dorothy? What a wicked creature he
really is! Where is he? Let me have a talk with this nasty arachnid!"

"That's the spirit!" cheered Cubby. "Come on, let's go!"

The Lion had already forgotten about his exhausted condition. The
thought of Dorothy being in danger had taken precedence over all other
thoughts in his head. He followed Cubby closely until he felt he had to
rest. They traveled and rested for as long as it took before at last
they reached the border of the Lunechien Forest of Oz.

"I sure hope we can find him in his sleep again," whispered the Lion to
himself.

"Come on," said Cubby. "I know where his lair is. If he hasn't moved on
to mor