The python’s giant coils worked their way around Benjamin’s knees and up to his stomach, the huge head close enough for him to smell his horrid breath. “Sssssooo you’re the new king, are you?” The staring red slits of his eyes pierced Benjamin’s blue ones.

Paco barked frantically–then he saw something lying on the hay. A white daisy! Just like the one the field mouse showed him the day they’d left on their journey. Farangis rotated his head when the barking stopped and saw the dog examining the white flower. “I asssume you know whossse preciousss little flower that wasss?”

“The field mouse,” Paco said sadly.

“Yesss, the field moussse who betrayed your king and hisss loyal sssubjects. I believe hisss little children will tassste just asss good asss their father!”

The coils tightened. Benjamin tried to move his legs but couldn’t.

“Sire!” Roscoe charged Farangis, but he snapped and the goat jumped back.

Farangis looked Benjamin up and down. “My body will be sssslower on the journey, but I musssst confesss…I’ve long dreamed of eating a live human!”

“Light it, Sire!” Paco barked.

Benjamin felt lightheaded from the lack of circulation.

He tried to flick the lighter button, but there was no spark. This time Clementine charged, and this time the python’s jaw reached his attacker. “Aaaagh!” the pig screamed as it clamped down on the tough, hard skin of his bristly haired back. When Farangis released his grip, Clementine hobbled to the others. But while the snake was distracted, Benjamin had the chance to light the fuse. Flick! It glowed red as the tiny sparkle crept toward detonation. Paco barked.

“Would you like to sssee me eat your king, pathetic little dog?” Farangis’s grip tightened on Benjamin, causing him to drop the lit cherry bomb. The boy’s eyes closed as the snake’s head swayed over him. The fuse was almost out. Paco, hopeless and desperate, stared at it, then at the white daisy on the hay. There was nothing else to do. The rat-terrier turned to his friends and with the look of a tired, old dog who had seen enough, Paco spoke softly to Roscoe and Clementine. “Friends, take that flower back to Abigail and her children…and tell them everything is alright.” Then he ran to the cherry bomb, stretched his mouth over it, and picked it up in his teeth.

“PACO, NO!!” Clementine screamed.

Paco ran to the end of Farangis’s tail and scratched furiously into his scaly grayish-white skin.

Farangis hissed in annoyance. “Oh, I guesss I have enough room for you, too, you puny dog!” The giant mouth opened, exposing tiny rows of razor teeth. Paco leaped high in the air. Farangis’s mouth clutched the front half of his body. Paco’s friends watched in horror as the snake’s evil eyes rolled back and he jerked his head violently to swallow the dog–