The Swamps of Home

As Steven searched for the Doctor and Sara, he heard a strange popping noise. A moment later, a bubble burst into flame. He jumped aside, just avoiding catching his pant leg on fire. "Doctor!" he shouted. He heard nothing but the popping sound again and dashed aside in good time to avoid getting burnt. There was a sound of gurgling or growling. Cautiously, Steven dived between some trees and peered ahead.

His first thought was to cry out, for he saw a man dressed all in black. It certainly wasn't the Doctor, and as far as Steven knew, there wasn't anyone else on Myra. He was carrying a sort of long sword at his side and wore a mask over his face. Steven studied him and then realized where the growling sound was coming from. There was an enormous mammal with huge, rodent-like teeth and a vicious look, hovering in a tree above the man in black, about to pounce.

"Hey!" Steven shouted, but a second too late: the enormous rodent had leapt onto the back of the man in black. Steven ran forward and grabbed the rodent around the neck. Its fur smelled terrible, of gangrene and rot, fouled meat, and only due to adrenaline was Steven able to persist. He pulled at the beast's throat as the man in black kicked out with his feet. The creature fell back, knocking itself and Steven onto the swamp floor.

"Roll!" cried the man in black. Steven let go of the beast and pulled away. By the popping sound he judged he'd just missed being burnt. The beast scrambled to its feet and made to lunge. The man in black skewered it and gave a horrible death cry. Steven backed away in amazement.

"Rodents of Unusual Size," said the man in black. "Common in the Fire Swamp." Steven nodded. The man in black held out his hand and helped Steven up. "Be careful of the quicksand."

"Oh," said Steven. "I was traveling with two others—an old man and a woman."

"Haven't seen them," said the man in black. "Better warn them about the fire and the quicksand and the R.O.U.S.es."

"Sorry?" Steven rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, right. Rodents of Unusual Size."

"You haven't seen an extraordinarily beautiful woman, answers to the name of Buttercup?"

Steven blinked. "Unfortunately, no."

"All right, well, I'll go this way and you go that way. Good luck."

Once the man in black disappeared, Steven wished he'd gotten the man to give him the sword. It could come in handy if the R.O.U.S.es attacked again.