The Creature

Parts, size and shape

The S/C-I-R Structure

It was as if the howling was coming from all directions at once. Then he realised – it was
heading towards him. He could hear the scuttling of clawed feet as it moved closer to where
he lay behind the rocks. It stopped metres from where he was crouched in the shadows. It
sniffed the air. The blood had frozen in his veins. He wanted to run. He couldn’t move.
Could only crouch lower to the ground. His legs were glued to the floor.
The air trembled with every flap of its black, bat-like wings as it scanned the area. He
sensed something behind him; felt the hairs go up on the back of his neck. He whirled
round. An icy claw of fear had gripped his chest. He found himself looking into the
beetle-black eyes and snarling face of a massive wolf. It stepped closer and then reared up
on its hind legs.
It came at him in a blur of clashing claws and fangs. He ducked as its claws sliced the air in
front of his face. Horror-struck, he watched, as its slavering jaws plunged towards his
outstretched arm. For a brief second, he hesitated. Then, his racing pulse sent a wave of
adrenalin surging through his veins. Pushing with his legs, he launched himself off the
ground and was quickly on his feet again. Almost at once, its savage, serrated teeth snapped
where his arm had been just seconds before.
He broke into a frantic, stumbling run, trying to put as much distance between himself and
the creature as possible… to reach the safety of the trees.
He couldn’t hear anything. Hadn’t sensed any movement behind him. Quickly, he risked a
glance over his shoulder. As he turned, it plunged out of the night sky, and sliced the air in
front of his face. He started running again, trying to get out of sight… forcing himself to
ignore the burning that was creeping up his legs.
When he reached the tree-line, he flung himself down behind a tree, trying to steady his
breathing. And waited. He knew he would have only a second in which to act. His eyes
tracked from side to side, probing the edge of the forest. All of a sudden, it emerged in
the clearing. Seizing an arrow from his quiver, he fitted it and let it fly. The arrow flew
towards its target in a shower of blue sparks, finding its mark in the centre of its forehead.
 Section 1 - Type and Body Parts

Words
Nouns Body, skeleton, torso, abdomen, waist, armour, shell
Head, mane, tusks, horns, face, ears, eyes, tentacles
Arms, hands, fingers, talons
Legs, feet, toes, hooves, claws
Wings, tail

Mammals Human, man, hag, monkey, ape, gorilla

Cat, tiger, lion, leopard, panther
Dog, wolf, mastiff, greyhound, hyena, jackal, coyote, tapir, pig, hog, boar,
ram, goat, bull
Horse, donkey, deer, stag, camel
Raccoon, weasel, badger, beaver, hedgehog, rabbit
Rat, mouse, gerbil
Bat
Sea lion

Reptiles Crocodile, alligator, lizard, iguana, gecko, snake, cobra, viper, serpent
Tortoise, turtle

Birds Vulture, buzzard, eagle, hawk, owl, gull, raven, rook

Albatross, condor, swan, emu, ostrich, peacock, pelican, penguin
Raptor
Turkey, rooster, chicken

Insects Fly, wasp, moth, dragonfly, bee, cockroach, beetle

Arachnids Spider, scorpion

Fish Shark, eel, barracuda, piranha

Molluscs Snail, slug, octopus

Mythical Dragon, griffin, sphinx, Pegasus, centaur, satyr, unicorn, minotaur,

chimera, werewolf, Cerberus, Celtic war hound
Basilisk, hydra
Charybdis, Scylla, leviathan, sirens, mermaid
Phoenix, thunderbird
Dwarf, elf, genie, goblin, leprechaun, gorgon, harpy, giant, ogre, troll,
 cyclops, Grendel
Demon, ghost, banshee, furies, kelpies, boggart, death spirit, tree spirit,
water spirit

Similes/MetaphorsAs white as snow; as tall as two men; as big as a skyscraper

Adjectives: Colour Black, charcoal, inky, blue, red, purple

Grey, silver, pale, white, maggot-pale, dusty white
Golden, yellow, bronze, red, crimson, scarlet, brown, copper
Green, bright green, lime, slime green, poisonous green
Gleaming, bright, shining, luminous, shimmering

Size Small, tiny, minute, elfin, short, dwarf-like

Large, enormous, gigantic, immense, colossal, massive, mammoth

Shape Narrow, thin, slim, slender

Wide, broad, stubby, stocky, squat
Round, oblong, square, serpentine, stretched, flattened, humped,
deformed, misshapen
Double-headed, wingless, long-finned

Appearance/ Ugly, vile, hideous, monstrous, repulsive, ghastly, grotesque

Character Fierce, brutal, savage, violent, vicious, menacing, merciless, venomous,

malicious, ferocious, fiendish, malevolent, frightening, terrifying,
petrifying
Sly, crafty, cunning
Ancient, wrinkled, wizened

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Horned ogre
Skeleton of a giant horse
Half-human, half-hyena
Part ape, part scorpion
Back legs and tail of a lion
Slime-green body of a lizard and head of a badger
Head of a horse, ears of a wolf
Sleek body of a sea lion with a dog-like face
Wrinkled hag with bat-like wings
A great hydra with nine serpent heads
Cruel beak, wings and claws of a griffin
Horse-shaped kelpies
Part mastiff, part greyhound, part wolf
A double-headed serpent with the body of a giant black widow spider
Hideous, red creature with eight legs, the head of a fly and a snake for a tail
Ferocious, rooster-like animal with tentacles
Tiny, vicious goblin with a scarlet rat’s tail
Savage spirit like a rooster from behind, with the front of a hyena
Terrifying, eight-legged monster with chicken feet and the tusk of a rhino
Vicious spirit in the shape of a gerbil
Large, flying beast with the wings of a giant bat, the body of an enormous, white stag and
the legs of a raptor
Something between an ancient hag and a gigantic chicken
Enormous, silver, serpentine creature with bat-like wings and a long-finned tail
Sleek, black body of a panther with the wings and head of an eagle
A black leviathan – half-lizard, half-snake
Spider-like creature with a fat, poisonous body
Head of a stag, with a human face and unblinking eyes like an owl
Huge creature like a lion with a black mane and a long, black whip-like tail, with a hooded
cobra at the tip
Deformed, dwarf-like creature with leathery wings and hooked claws
A hideous, gleaming black, wingless moth with a huge, skull-like head and barbed legs
Human from the waist down, clad in metal armour, with scaly dragon’s legs
Tiny, elfin body
Minute goblin with a lizard’s tail
Huge, white, ghostly spider
Enormous dragonfly with the wingspan of an albatross
Lime-green bat as large as an eagle
Snake as short and thick as his forearm
Massive, purple snake, with long coils as thick as his body and twice his height
Two-feet tall with a thin body and limbs
Giant, three-headed Cerberus
Shaggy monster the size of a bull
About the size of a large dog
Twice his height
Hulking, black ape-like creature
Spider the size of a cat
Butterfly bigger than an owl
Ten times the size of an eagle
Well over fifteen feet tall with enormous shoulders
As tall as two men
As big as a skyscraper
As high as a mountain
Tall, thick and wider than a doorway
Almost as tall as the trees
Nearly as big as an eagle
Almost as wide as it was tall
Bulging muscles on its arms and chest
Serpentine creature with eight, scuttling, cockroach legs
A single spider-leg
Bulbous, black abdomen
Long and sleek
Jointed body like an insect
Bulging, spider-shaped body
Misshapen body
Like a humped rat with a snake-like tail
A segmented monster with a single, trunk-like leg
Hedgehog-like creature, with a long, flat shape like a crocodile

Sentences

It had the body of a lizard and the head of a badger, with thick, red feathers around its neck.

A vast midnight-blue raptor loomed above her.

Scuttling towards him was a hideous, black, wingless moth. It had a huge, skull-like head
and a terrifying, demonic face.

The island was guarded by a fierce sea-monster with an enormous, humped, serpentine
body and nine serpent heads, each with a cruel, barbed beak.

She was something between an ancient hag and a gigantic chicken.

The ogre was as big as a skyscraper, with muscles on its arms and chest that bulged as it
brandished the enormous, wooden log clutched in its fist.

The vile creature was so terrifying that anyone who looked at it died instantly.

No one dared to go near the caves, which were guarded by vicious, female monsters with
boar fangs, and hair of writhing, hissing snakes.

The three-legged bird had the huge wings of an albatross, the claws of an eagle and hog’s
tusks.

Scuttling towards him was a huge scorpion. The sun glinted on the sharp spikes sprouting
from its ten legs and the air trembled with every flap of its black, bat-like wings and flick of
its stinger-tipped tail.

As the lion-like creature stalked towards him, he spotted a hooded cobra arched over its
back.
 Section 2 - Covering

Words

Nouns Skin, hide, feathers

Spikes, spines, fins, quills, arrows
Studs, horns, plates, lumps, armour
Scales, tentacles, suckers, spots, warts
Fur, hair, whiskers, mane, beard, tussocks, locks
Plants, leaves, grass, vines, seaweed, barnacles

Similes/MetaphorsAs slippery as polished leather; as wrinkled as a prune; scales as soft

as silk; smooth like fish scales; like a massive, moulting parrot; fins like
thin tentacles; spines like wire

Adjectives Hairy, woolly, furry, white-furred, fleecy

Bare, hairless
Fleshless, loose-fitting
Metallic, steely, leathery, scaly, feathery
Slippery, wet, moist, clammy
Rough, coarse, thorny
Dry, soft, silky, smooth
Long, thick, huge, enormous, trailing
Sharp, stiff, bony, pointed, stinger-tipped
Straight, triangular
Untidy, moulting, wild, matted, tangled, torn
Living, bristling, squirming, flicking, hissing
Venomous, poisonous

Verbs Covered, grew, clung

Hung, drooped, trailed, flowed
Stuck up, jutted, protruded, sprouted
Wrinkled, polished, glistened, gleamed, glinted
Oozed, bulged

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Bronze-skinned
Pale, white skin
Bright, poisonous green skin
Ill-fitting skin
Hard, leathery skin
Thick hide of leathery skin
Dirty, tangled hide
Bare skin around its face and neck
Practically hairless
Skin was black and hairless
Skin as slippery as polished leather
As wrinkled as a prune
A wrinkled hag
Furry body
White-furred wolf
Fur as white as snow
Yellowy fur
Furry, brown creature with a single crimson stripe across its face
Dark, hairy body
Short, dark ruffs on its neck
Long, black, matted hair
Locks of copper hair
Coarse, red hair
Long, sea-green hair
Thick tussocks of hair
Hair of living, venomous snakes
Black, tangled lion’s mane
Strange, feathery mane along its back
Billy-goat beard
Beard like a dragon
Hairy whiskers
Mane and beard like a bison
Scaly body
Snake scales
Scaly, clammy skin
Slippery scales
Dry, red, scaly skin
Reptilian scales
Glowing, blue scales
Red and white striped scales
Smooth like fish scales
Scales as soft as silk
Bird feathers
Feathers the colour of copper
Gleaming feathers of scarlet and gold
Mane of thick, black feathers
Scarlet breast feathers
Trailing black tail feathers
Ring of crimson feathers around its neck
Like a massive, moulting parrot
Bright plumage, shimmering greens, reds and blues
Spikes along its back
Stiff quill feathers
Steely hackles
Stiff, rod-like hair
Bristling, thorny spines all over
Spikes like wire along its spine
Porcupine quills
Body armour with spikes on its shoulders
Bony crests
Tough, armour-plated skin with pointed, bony plates
Triangular plates round its neck
Heavy, overlapping plates of bone on its shoulders and wings
Enormous tortoise shell
Stinger-tipped tentacles
Rows of suckers
Masses of fins like thin tentacles

Phrases – Verbs

Ran from its head to the tip of its tail

Ran the length of its body
Travelled up the ridges of its shoulders and wings
Ringed its neck
Drooped in loose folds
Hung loosely on its skeletal body
Clung to its fleshless skeleton
Flowed to her feet
Trailed out behind her
Stood up to form a row of sharp spikes
Stuck up along its spine
Bristled along its back
Sprouted from its body
Jutted out of its back
Covered in inky, black fur
Covered in heavy scales
Covered in sharp, metallic feathers
Dressed only in leaves
Hair and beard made from living grass and vines
Covered in studs, spikes and horns
Covered in sharp quills
Studded with bony lumps
Bulged with green spots that oozed a yellow liquid
Glistened like wet leather
Glinted red and gold
Matted with burrs
 Sentences
She was half-human, half-hyena, with long, wild green hair.
It had thick, red feathers around its neck.
Its hairy whiskers were long, purple and twitching.
The five-headed, monstrous beast was covered in bulging, green spots.
No one dared to go near the caves, which were guarded by vicious, female monsters with
boar fangs and hair of writhing, hissing snakes.
The sun glinted on the sharp spikes sprouting from its ten legs.
Below the waist it was covered in black fur, and above, stinger-tipped tentacles hung from
its body.
Grinning maliciously at him was an ugly little goblin with a sly face, and hard, leathery skin
covered in warts.
Bristling, thorny spines ringed its neck.
Masses of fins like thin tentacles clung to its fleshless skeleton.

Head

Words
Nouns Head, skull, face, chin, jaw
Skin, flesh, folds, hood
Horns, tusks, antlers, spikes
Beak, bill, snout, nose, nostrils
Mouth, jaws, teeth, fangs, tongue
Whiskers, feelers, crests, antennae
Suckers, tentacles, blow-hole
Drops, gobbets, ropes, stream
Venom, poison, acid, slime, drool, spittle, poison sacs

Similes/MetaphorsBald head like a turnip; horn spiked upwards like a thrusting sword;
crests like red trumpets; teeth like spikes on a trap; fangs like
hypodermic needles; teeth like tombstones; curved beak as merciless as
a dagger; sharp tusks like a wild boar; like steel arrowheads; as sharp
as the edge of a blade; spiked upwards like a thrusting sword

Adjectives Small, tiny, large, huge, massive, enormous, gigantic

Wide, broad, thin, slim, long, short
 Rounded, pointed, twisted, curved, curling, spiralling, corkscrew
Oval, cone-shaped, wedge-shaped
Pale, yellow, golden, pink, red, scarlet, orange, slime green, black
Bald, knobbly, bony, scaly, rubbery, steel, metallic
Sharp-beaked, cruel-beaked, horned
Ape-like, bird-like, reptilian
Sharp, razor-sharp, scissor-like, needle-sharp, hooked, forked
Bulging, sagging, drooping, sprouting, thrusting
Writhing, twitching
Dripping, drooling, slobbering, snarling, slavering
Ugly, hideous, grotesque, monstrous
Nasty, cruel, evil, savage, vicious, demonic, malicious, menacing,
merciless, intelligent
Venomous, poisonous, stinger-tipped

Verbs Covered, stretched, grew, sprouted, thrust, spiked

Hung, drooped, curled, curved
Lined, rimmed
Tipped with, coated in
Opened, unhinged, revealed
Lengthened, elongated
Bared, snarled, dribbled, trickled, drooled, dripped, slobbered
Flicked, flickered, tasted
Shot, spurted, blasted

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Small, horned head

Scaly head of a lizard
Enormous, wedge-shaped head
Twisted head like a corkscrew
Cruel-beaked bird’s head
Large, knobbly, bald head
Narrow head and bulging skull
Ape-like face with a beak
Narrow, pointed face
Oval, bony face
Long, thin, snarling face
Small, grotesque face
Malicious, demonic face
Coldly intelligent face
Deathly pale, scaly skin
Huge folds of sagging skin
Hood of purple skin around its head
Hood of slime-green and red skin
Chunks of missing flesh
Horn in the middle of its forehead
Golden antlers like a stag
Great, curled horns
Sharp tusks like a wild boar
Two long corkscrew horns
Sprouting, rubbery feelers
Stinger-tipped tentacles
Huge, spiralling antennae
Gigantic, writhing feelers
Head crests like red trumpets
Venom-storing blow-hole on top of its head
Monstrous, slobbering mouth
Massive, pink, circular mouth
Cavernous, scaly mouth
Grotesque thick lips
Long, black, forked tongue
Black reptilian tongue
Scissor-like jaws
Razor-sharp fangs
Thin, needle-sharp teeth
Savage, needle teeth like spikes on a trap
Rows of pointed teeth
Fangs like hypodermic needles
Teeth like tombstones
Huge teeth like steel arrowheads
Pair of long, dripping fangs
Teeth the size of a dragon’s claws
A dozen rows of teeth
Eagle’s beak
Parrot-like beak
Needle-sharp, metallic beak
Hooked, golden beak
Huge, rounded beak
Cruel, steel-coloured beak
Massive horned bill
Curved beak as merciless as a dagger
As sharp as the edge of a blade
Stream of venom
Venomous slime
Gobbets of slime
Scarlet poison sacs
Ropes of yellow drool

Phrases – Verbs
Covered in black hair
Drooped from its face
Sprouted from its head
Hung from its head
Curved from its head like a dagger
Spiked upwards like a thrusting sword
Unhinged its jaw
Dropped open as if it had been unhinged
Flickered constantly
Tasted the air in search of its prey
Lolled from its mouth
Flicked far out from its scaly mouth
Fangs curled beneath its chin
Opened its mouth to reveal…
Rimmed with shark’s teeth
Yellow teeth elongated into fangs
Tipped with a needle of iron
Coated in spittle
Trickled from its teeth
Capable of biting a shark in two
Filled with drooping tentacles
Tipped with suckers
Dripped slime
Dripped with blood from its last kill
Fire blasted from its open jaws

Sentences

Huge folds of sagging skin drooped from its long, snarling face.

Its scaly head was like that of a lizard and was surrounded by a hood of slime-green and
red skin.

Its small, narrow head had a rounded beak like a turtle. Its face was coldly intelligent.

It was small and wrinkled, with a large, knobbly, bald head like a turnip.

It had an ape-like face with a beak. Some of its flesh was missing, as if it had been eaten
away by acid.

There was a single, spiral horn in the middle of its forehead.

It had a cruel, metallic beak that curved from its head like a dagger, and dripped blood from
its last kill.
Two large tusks thrust upwards through the dense fur covering its face.

Huge, spiralling antennae erupted from its head.

Rubbery feelers sprouted from its mouth.

Stinger-tipped tentacles hung from its enormous, wedge-shaped head.

Her jaw unhinged and her yellow teeth elongated into fangs.

Its jaw dropped open as if it had been unhinged. An impossibly long, black tongue was
thrust out.

Its grotesque, thick lips were coated in spittle.

A black, reptilian tongue flicked far out from its scaly mouth.

Its forked tongue flickered constantly, tasting the air in search of its prey.

It opened its mouth to reveal thin, needle-sharp teeth.

Its massive, pink, circular mouth was rimmed with shark’s teeth.

Savage needle teeth tore at Kitty’s legs, like spikes on a trap.

Fangs curled beneath its chin and dribbled with blood from its last kill.

A dozen rows of teeth circled the cavernous mouth.

Its hooked fangs were the size of a dragon’s claws.

Beneath the tentacles on its face were a pair of long, dripping fangs.

It had huge teeth like steel arrowheads that were capable of biting a shark in two.

Venomous slime drooled from its razor-sharp fangs.

A stream of venom shot into the air from the blow-hole on top of its head.

Gobbets of slime trickled from its teeth.

Scarlet poison sacs were just visible behind its rows of pointed teeth.

Ropes of yellow drool hung from its open, circular mouth.

Its tongue lolled from its mouth, spraying them with foul saliva.

Fire blasted out of its open jaws, bathing the forest in orange flames.
The fangs jutting from its jaws were nearly as thick as his fist, their points as sharp as a
spear.

Eyes

Words

Nouns Pupils, sockets, orbs, whites, slits, stalks

Back, forehead, skull
Look, stare, glare
Hatred, anger, greed, malice

Similes/MetaphorsLike diamonds; like two, bright coins; like slivers of glass; single,
round eye like a spotlight; like flickering sparks; as big as headlights;
moved in and out like telescopes; burned like furnaces; flared like a
cornered animal

Adjectives Black, beetle-black, raven-black, grey, green, emerald, yellow, golden,

orange, amber, brassy, pink, red, fiery, bloodshot, blind
Long, large, huge, thin, little, small, beady, slitted, lidless
Raised, bulging, goggling
Bright, vivid, angry, fierce, glowing, gleaming, burning, blazing, flaming,
ferocious
Cold, dead, evil, cruel, dangerous, intelligent
Unblinking, staring, piercing, malicious

Verbs Lit, cast, shone, burned, flared, blazed, gleamed, glinted, glowed,
glittered
Looked, watched, stared, glared, drilled, twitched, flickered, bulged

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Beady, beetle-black eyes

Raven-black eyes
Thin, slitted, black pupils
Eyes like bulging emerald balls
Bright green eyes
Single, bloodshot eye
Pink orbs of its eyes
Glowing, red eyes
Piercing, red eyes
Blazing, bloodshot eyes
Goggling, yellow eyes
Two amber eyes
Amber-coloured, reptilian eyes
Bulging, orange eyes
Raised brassy eyes
Blind eye sockets
Eye sockets but no eyes
Clearly blind
Single eye like a spotlight
Middle of its forehead
On top of long, thin stalks
On rubbery, twitching eye-stalks
Two raised little bat eyes
Long slits
Size of headlights
Huge, cold eyes
Unblinking eyes
Cold, lidless stare
Malicious, staring eyes
Cold and calculating
Disturbingly intelligent
Flaming, red eyes
Full of hatred and anger
Bulging and fierce in its hideous face

Phrases – Verbs

Dotted along its back

Bulged out of its skull
Looked in different directions
Cast wide beams of light
Burned like furnaces
Flared like a cornered animal
Flickered with a dangerous light
Burned with a cruel light
Glowed like flickering sparks in the dark
Glinted with greed
Gleamed maliciously
Glittered with intelligence
Watched from the shadows
Drilled into her

Sentences
Its beady, black eyes glinted with greed.

Its red eyes burned with a cruel light from its long, snarling face.

Goggling, yellow eyes glinted from rubbery, twitching eye-stalks.

It had a single, round orange eye in the middle of its forehead.

Its glowing, red eyes were bulging and fierce in its grotesque face.

Its eyes were the size of headlights and cast wide beams of light on the ground in front of it.

She closed her eyes to escape the cold, staring eyes that drilled into her from his sharp-
beaked bird’s head.

Above a curved beak as sharp as a blade, its bulging orange eyes burned like furnaces.

Its eyes were on top of long stalks, which twisted and writhed as they followed Kitty’s
every movement.

It had piercing, red eyes, which glowed like flickering sparks in the dark.

Its beetle-black eyes were bright with malice.

As she looked at its eye sockets, she realised that it was clearly blind.

Its eyes were on long horns like snail’s eyes, and could move in and out like telescopes.

Its raven-black eyes looked disturbingly intelligent – cold and calculating.

Its reptilian eyes flickered with a dangerous light as it watched her from the shadows.

The thin, slitted black pupils of its amber-coloured, reptilian eyes regarded him with a cold
and lidless stare.

Arms and legs

Arms and Hands

Words
Nouns Fingers, knuckles, wrists, fingernails
Suckers, claws, talons, tentacles, stumps
Similes/MetaphorsLike rippling octopus tentacles; long, hairy arms like a baboon; arms
like stumps; claws as long and thick as a thumb; talons as long as a
finger; as sharp as a dagger; arms as sharp as razor blades; as sharp as
needles; hooked claws like coat hangers; wriggled like mindless
maggots; extended like bony switchblades

Adjectives Long, short, skinny, fat, huge, giant

Bird-like, webbed
Woolly, brass, steel
Sharp, sharp-clawed, curved, hooked
Dead, lifeless, pale
Deadly, menacing

Verbs Dangled, dragged, scraped

Spread, folded, extended, displayed, wriggled
Fused, bound, merged
Shot, flicked, whipped
Sharpened, honed

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

On the end of her fingers

From the end of its tentacles
Each of its six fingers
Long arms like rippling octopus tentacles
Great, long, hairy arms like a baboon
Short arms like stumps
Small, useless stumps with webbed fingers
Short, skinny, woolly arms
Short, bird-like arms
Webbed hands
Sharp-clawed hands
Six fingers on each hand
Suckers on the ends of its hands
Lifeless hands
Dead, white fingers
Claws as long and thick as a thumb
Deadly, brass talons
Giant, steel claws
Razor talons
As sharp as razor blades
Points as sharp as needles
Huge, menacing claws as sharp as a dagger
Hooked claws like coat hangers
Long, deadly, eagle talons on its fingers
 Phrases – Verbs

Dragged along the ground

Folded, bird-like, under its shoulders
Dangled from its wrists
Extended like bony switchblades
Fused together to make a honed set of sharpened claws
Wriggled like mindless maggots
Scraped tracks in the earth
Displayed its claws
Shot out barely a hair’s breadth from his face
Flipped out and whipped towards him

Sentences

Its arms were small, useless stumps with webbed fingers.

There were long, deadly, brass talons on the ends of her fingers.

Each of its six fingers had claws as sharp as razor blades.

The ends of its fingers were speared by hooked claws like coat hangers.

Its arms were long like a baboon, and as it walked, its knuckles grazed along the ground.

It had short arms that folded, bird-like, under its shoulders.

Its fingers and fingernails had fused together to make a honed set of sharpened claws.

Dead, white fingers wriggled like mindless maggots from the end of its octopus tentacles.

As its long arms dragged along the ground, its huge, menacing claws scraped tracks in the
earth.

It opened its hand and displayed its claws, which had points as sharp as daggers.

Razor-sharp talons as long as his fingers shot out from its claws barely a hair’s breadth
from his face.

One of its tentacles suddenly flicked out and whipped along the ground towards him.

Section 2 - Legs and Feet

Words
Nouns Footprints, foot, toes, paws
Claws, talons, spurs, suction cups
Mist, acid, venom, poison sacs, glands
Goat, lion, horse, hippopotamus, octopus, vulture, chicken

Similes/MetaphorsLike tree trunks; claws the size of a butcher’s knife; claws the size of a
sword

Adjectives Short, long, tiny, small, large, giant

Thick, thin, skinny
Scaly, furry
Two-legged, four-toed, clawed, scythe-like
Sharp, jagged, barbed
Agile, powerful, clumsy
Scuttling

Verbs Faced, pointed, extended

Acted as, ended with, tipped with, linked to
Crawled, shuffled, scuttled
Bared, revealed
Gushed, spouted

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Tree-trunk legs
Thin, two-legged beast
Legs like a horse
Legs of a goat and eagle talons
Six, short, thick legs like a hippopotamus
Six, octopus-like legs
Hind legs like tree trunks
Front legs shorter than the hind legs
Tiny front legs
Short, skinny front legs
Powerful front legs
Powerful hind legs and a kangaroo tail
Cushioned, furry paws
Long, agile legs and four-toed feet
Two, scaly legs
A dozen, skittering legs
Spurs on its front legs
Lion paws and vulture claws
Single large foot
Giant, chicken feet
Two, scaled chicken feet
Large tortoise feet
Seven clawed toes on each foot
Claws the size of a sword
Claws the size of a butcher’s knife
Suction cups on the tips of its toes
Brown, poisonous mist

Phrases – Verbs

Extended from a thick leg in the middle of its body

Feet faced backwards and forwards
Used to crawl on all fours
Used its front legs to…
Shuffled clumsily
Acted as a tripod
Ended in sharp claws
Ended in jagged claws
Linked to poison glands in its body
Tipped with vicious talons
Tipped with vulture claws
Gushed from the spurs
Bared its scythe-like claws

Sentences

The spurs on its front legs were linked to poison glands in its body.

A brown mist gushed from the spurs on its powerful front legs.

A single large foot extended from one thick leg in the middle of its body.

The giant shuffled clumsily on its tree-trunk legs and large tortoise feet.

It was a thin, two-legged beast, with seven clawed toes on each foot.

It had legs like a horse and its cushioned paws were tipped with vulture claws.

It had two, scaly legs and giant, chicken feet that ended in sharp claws.

Its hind legs were like huge tree trunks, but its front legs were short and skinny and only
used when it crawled on all fours.
It had powerful hind legs and feet, which were tipped with vicious talons the size of a
butcher’s knife.

Its powerful hind legs and kangaroo tail acted as a tripod, as it stood motionless, watching
them with its darting, red eyes.

Its feet could face backwards and forwards, so it was impossible to tell from its footprints
which direction the creature had taken.

The vile creature fell to the floor, and using its tiny front legs, it crawled into the
undergrowth.

It had a set of six octopus-like legs that made a dry, skittering sound as they moved.

Wings and tails

Section 1 - Wings

Words

Nouns Bat, beetle, ostrich, eagle, hawk

Body, shoulder, withers, sides, flanks

Similes/MetaphorsUnfurled like sails

Adjectives Short, stubby, long, huge, giant, massive

Shiny, golden, black, grey, shadowy
Bat-like, leathery, scaly, spiny, razor-sharp

Verbs Grew, burst, sprouted

Arched, stretched, flapped, beat, fluttered
Circled, dived, rushed
 Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Wings like an ostrich

Golden, eagle wings
Two grey wings
Short, stubby wings
Two massive blue wings
Shadowy, bat-like wings
Huge, black, bat-like wings twice its length
Shiny, beetle wings
Huge, spiny wings
Long, scaly wings
Winged death spirits

Phrases – Verbs

Sprouted from its shoulders

Sprouted from the horse’s sides
Burst from its withers
Folded its wings against its shoulders
Folded back along the length of its body
Unfurled like sails
Tipped with a razor-sharp talon
Circled above
Dived towards them
Sent air rushing through the trees
Arched her back and stretched
Sprang from the neck of her cloak

Sentences

Long, scaly wings sprouted from its shoulders.

Winged, death spirits haunted the forest.

Huge, black, bat-like wings burst from its withers.

Wings of leathery skin stretched between its finger bones.

It circled above, folded its long, scaly wings flat against its shoulders and dived towards
them.

The winged, death spirits sent the air rushing through the trees with every beat of their
huge, bat-like wings.
Each wing was tipped with a razor-sharp talon.

Two massive blue wings sprouted from the horse’s sides.

Its golden wings folded back along the length of its body.

She arched her back, stretched and two grey wings sprang from the neck of her cloak.

Bat-shaped wings twice its length unfurled like sails.

Section 2 - Tails

Words

Nouns Lion, peacock, lemur, scorpion, snake

Spear, club, oar, whip, rudder, corkscrew
Tuft, stinger, spines, tail feathers

Similes/MetaphorsAs long as a peacock’s; long tail like a squashed pine cone; like a
scorpion; thrust up like spears

Adjectives Large, thick, heavy, long, broad, flat

Scaly, bony, barbed, spiked
Stiff, rigid, whip-like
Scarlet, fiery, golden, black
Poisonous, venomous

Verbs Ended with, tipped with, studded

Dragged, swung, thumped
Thrashed, tossed, whipped, swished, jerked, beat, lashed

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Thick, heavy tail

Scaly, corkscrew tail
Barbed, oar-like tail
Broad, flat tail like a squashed pine cone
Long, stiff, rudder-like tail
Long, lemur-like tail
Enormous, whip-like tail
Thick, swishing tail
Long whipping tail of a black dragon
Steel-bladed tail
Glittering, golden tail
Gleaming black tail feathers
Scarlet and gold tail feathers
As long as a peacock’s
Long tail with a spear at the end
Club at the end of its tail
With a hooded cobra on the tip
Poisonous tail stinger like a scorpion

Phrases – Verbs

Thrust up like spears

Ended in a scorpion’s sting
Tipped with four, tall, poisonous spines
Tipped with a razor-sharp talon
Studded along the length of its tail
Dragged along the ground
Thumped on the ground
Used its tail to swing through the trees
Thrashed the air, searching for its target

Sentences

Its thick, heavy tail dragged along behind it. The club at the end thumped on the ground
with every step.

Its tail was broad and flat like a squashed pine cone. The spikes studded along its length
made it a lethal weapon.

It hung from the branch by its long, lemur-like tail and swung towards them, baring its
needle-sharp teeth.

Its four, poisonous spines were thrust upwards like spears and thrashed the air, searching
for their target.

The huge lion had an enormous, whip-like tail with a hooded cobra on the tip.

Smell and sound

Section 1 - Smell
 Words

Nouns Smell, stink, vapour, stench, odour

Meat, flesh, water, plants, seaweed, smoke, acid, chlorine, sulphur, decay

Adjectives Foul, strong, bitter, rotting, decaying, poisonous, pungent, putrefying

Verbs Smelt, stank, reeked

Rose, seeped, wafted, released, drifted
Clung, surrounded, enveloped
Choked, coughed, retched, vomited

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Rotting flesh
Stench of decay
Foul-smelling vapour
Pungent odour of decay

Phrases – Verbs

Stank of rotting meat

Reeked of foul water
Smelt of rotting plants and seaweed
Clung to it like a rotting cloak
Reeked of chlorine
Smelt of smoke and sulphur
Surrounded by the stench of poisonous acid
Polluted the air with each beat of its wings
Gave off a pungent odour

Sentences

Its breath stank of rotting meat.

The dragon’s breath smelt of smoke and sulphur.

It gave off a pungent odour of decay and rotting flesh.

A foul-smelling vapour polluted the air with each beat of its wings.

The stink of rotting meat and decay clung to the beast like a rotting cloak.
Its fur reeked of decaying plants and foul water from years spent in the swamps.

Its breath stank of rotting meat and the blood from its last kill dripped from its fangs.

She retched as the creature drew near and the stench of decay and rotting flesh wafted
towards her.

She was surrounded by the stench of poisonous acid squirting from the spurs on its front
legs.

Even though it was invisible, she knew the death spirit was near from the pungent odour of
decay and rotting flesh that followed it.

Section 2 - Sound

Words

Nouns Silence, hush, echo

Noise, hiss, whistle, murmur, moan
Cry, howl, yell, yelp, scream, screech, shriek
Cackle, gurgle, snicker, snort, laughter
Hoot, squawk, caw
Call, trumpet, roar, growl, bark
Wood, trees, bark, branches, twigs, leaves
Ground, slope
Movement, feet, footsteps, hooves, paws, claws, feelers, wings

Similes/MetaphorsLike dry leaves rustling in the autumn breeze; as if a giant had

broken a stone slab; like a whisper of silk; cold and pitiless as the fangs
of the mountain peaks; like several snake tongues flicking the air: ugly,
wet sounds like giant spit-balls

Adjectives Low, faint, muffled

Slithering, skittering, clicking, scuttling, padding, lumbering
Hissing, sibilant
Throaty, rasping, gurgling, sucking, snickering
Deathly, mournful, cruel, vile, demonic, gruesome
Eerie, sinister, unearthly
Loud, bleating, high-pitched, shrill, ear-splitting, piercing
Thunderous, deafening
Wild, feral, snarling, wolf-like, vicious, venomous, full-throated, blood-
curdling

Verbs Clicked, rustled, snapped, scraped, creaked, shuffled

Landed, shook, vibrated
 Heard, sounded, wafted, drifted
Tore, ripped, rushed, shattered, rent, blasted, pierced, slashed
Filled, surrounded, enveloped, masked
Rang, stung, echoed, answered
Lingered, drew near, died

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

From all directions at once

From behind her
From overhead
Near his feet
Down the slope
In the grass behind them
At the same time
With every second that passed
Unlike anything she had heard before
Skittering noise
Clicking sound
Low murmur
Vile gurgling
Throaty gurgle
Gruesome, gurgling whistle
Hideous, guzzling noise
Sinister sucking, snickering
Slobbering, slurping, chewing
Hissing calls
Sibilant hiss
Venomous, hissing noise
Rasping of a rattlesnake
Rasping, slithering sound
Loud, hooting call
Deathly moan
Long, eerie cry
Shrill, whistling sound
Demonic cackle
Piercing squawk
Squawking crows
Snarling growl
Low, feral growling – half-warning, half-threat
Feral howling
Wolf-like snarls and howls
Yelping and snapping jaws
Snorts and growls and clashing of teeth
Mournful howling of hunting wolves
Huge roar
Full-throated roar
Blood-curdling growl
Bellow of anger
Trumpet roar
Bleating scream
Piercing scream
Unearthly screech
Thunderous cry
High-pitched, human scream
Ear-splitting shriek
Beating of wings
Flap of wings
Drumming of hooves
Scuttling of clawed feet
Sound of padding paws on the hard earth
Lumbering footsteps of a huge beast
Deafening, cracking noise
Explosion of shattering branches
Striking thump on the ground
Feral and vicious
Dark, cruel and threatening

Phrases – Verbs

As it clicked its feelers together

Came from the direction of…
Felt a gust of movement from the left
At first, it sounded like…
Before he could see anything, he heard…
Heard it, though he still couldn’t see it
Gave her a minute’s warning
Coming after her, gaining all the time
Grew stronger and stronger
Grew louder and louder
Vibrated through the ground
Landed all around them
Rustled behind him
Ripped through the air
Blasted across the clearing
Wafted across the water
Echoed through the air
Echoed through the night
Echoed down the tunnel
Filled the cave
Enveloped him, surrounded by…
Masked every other sound
Lingered, filling the air with…
Drifted away, leaving a tingling hush
Died to an anxious murmur
Rang in his ears
Stung his ears
Rushed past his ear
Pierced the silence
Shattered the silence
Rent the air
Turned to see…
Made every hair on his body stand on end
Came from its mouth
Rose from somewhere deep in its throat
Snapped branches, crunched leaves
Scraped against the bark of a tree
Broke a twig
Shuffled through the leaves, moving closer
Rustled through the woods
Rose to shrieks
Screeched and screeched and screeched
Answered by more… down the slope

Sentences

The sound of its piercing squawk rung in his ears.

It threw back its head and let out a mournful howl.

A loud, hooting call echoed through the night.

A blood-curdling growl ripped through the air.

The silence was pierced by a high-pitched scream high in the trees.

Before he could see anything, he heard a scuttling of clawed feet.

The sound of beating of wings gave her a minute’s warning before it rushed through the air
and dived towards her.

The sound of lumbering footsteps grew louder and louder, vibrating through the ground as
the creature gradually got closer and closer.

A blood-curdling shriek somewhere nearby shattered the silence and made every hair on
his body stand on end.
She felt a gust of movement, heard a rasping, slithering sound, and then, to the left of where
she lay crouched in the undergrowth, came a vile gurgling, a sinister sucking, snickering
unlike anything she had heard before.

Habitat

Words

Nouns Castle, church, graveyard, house, fireplace, boot, pipes, sewer, drains
Hills, mountains, rocks, caves, tunnels, underground
Swamp, creek, lake, river, pools, sea, ocean, seashell
Forest, tree, trunk

Adjective Dark, damp, swampy

s
Ruined, deserted, haunted

Verbs Lived, lodged, inhabited, guarded

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Hill-dwelling creature
Trunks of large trees
Dark caves and tunnels
Rock crevices
Ruined castles
Deserted graveyards
Swampy habitats
Deep pools
Rivers with dangerous currents
Enormous rock in the middle of the ocean

Phrases – Verbs

Lived in the mountains

Lived in caves and tunnels
Lived underground
Guarded the treasures of the dead
Inhabited ruined castles
Came out of the water at night
Lurked in swamps and creeks
Stood in the middle of the ocean

Sentences

It stood in the middle of the ocean and, at a distance, appeared to be an enormous rock.

It hid in the rocks and only came out at night to search for prey.

It lived underground and tunnelled through the earth, uprooting trees in its path.

The lake was guarded by a huge, humped monster that stretched from shore to shore. Its
humps looked like islands dotted across the water.

Movement

Words

Nouns Legs, feet, footprints, steps, stride, movements

Body, back, haunches, tail, wings, talons
Fingers, claws
Head, neck, feelers, snout, tongue
Undergrowth, trees, treetops, water, waves, swamp, sky, air, mid-air

Similes/MetaphorsLike a scuttling lizard; cracked like thunder; like a crab with a

hunched back; like a curtain of beating wings; like wolfhounds sniffing
for prey; like a projectile; lightning speed

Adjectives Front, hind, rear

Leathery, scaly
Large, massive, powerful
Pecking, shuffling, scuttling
Angry, furious, venomous

Adverbs Slowly, furtively, covertly

Awkwardly, clumsily
 Quickly, rapidly, swiftly, sharply, deftly, powerfully
Angrily, fiercely
Menacingly, ominously

Verbs Shuffled, dragged, loped, lumbered

Slid, slithered, skimmed, twisted, writhed, turned
Ran, galloped, scampered, streaked, darted
Climbed, shinned
Spread, unfurled, unfolded, furled, stretched, flapped, beat, fanned,
rose, spiralled
Swooped, dived, plunged, hovered
Twitched, lowered, dipped, flattened
Jerked, swung, rammed
Tasted, sniffed, breathed
Flicked, flickered, waved
Crouched, hunkered
Reared, uncoiled
Pawed, gored, prowled, stalked
Slunk, stepped, inched, edged

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Whirl of leathery wings

A flurry of wings
Powerful, swanlike wings
Magnificent winged horses
Massive talons

Phrases – Verbs

Left no footprints
Galloped without any sound
Stalked at night amongst the silent trees
Dragged its clawed foot over the ground
Ran in pecking strides
Shuffled forwards
Loped out of the shadows
Swayed as it walked in a zig-zag path
Edged forward, swinging its head from side to side
Slid its scaly skin over the gravel
Twisted and writhed as it slithered across the courtyard
Slipped beneath the surface of the water
Passed in a swirl of dust
Scampered down the path
Streaked across the room
Darted out from the undergrowth
Slithered very quickly in both directions
Turned at lightning speed
Moved in silence like a projectile
Moved faster than any of them could follow
Shinned up the tree as if it was a staircase
Skimmed over the waves
Shot across the water
Beat at the air and rose in a spiral
Reared up, spread its wings
Furled its wings against its back
Snapped its wings close to its body
Circled around them in a spiral
Unfolded its wings, and shot back up into the sky
Stretched out its wings to beat the air in a deadly rhythm
Fanned its wings
Spiralled up through the smoke and flames
Swooped out of the treetops
Dived at the tree directly above their heads
Plunged like darts towards the treetops
Swooped downwards in a heart-stopping dive
Spiralled down to find a landing place
Swooped to a halt in mid-air
Paused to hover in mid-air, wings flapping
Jerked its head up
Rolled its head from side to side
Swung its head to and fro
Dipped its head from side to side
Rammed its head into the entrance
Flattened out its neck like a cobra
Twitched its feelers rapidly from side to side
Lowered its snout to sniff
Like wolfhounds sniffing for prey
Tasted the air with its tongue
Sniffed the air, taking deep breaths, trying to locate the scent
Flicked its tail with a furious rattle
Flicked its tail with an angry twitch
Whipped from side to side
Whipped its tail behind it as it leapt out of the way
Waved its clawed fingers in the air
Landed on its haunches
Hunkered down
Dropped to all fours
Dropped into a shallow crouch
Crouched on its hind quarters
Rose up out of the swamp
Reared up behind him
Reared up on its hind legs
Uncoiled itself to its full height
Pawed the ground
Gored and pierced the shadows
Prowled restlessly
Took a pace towards her
Slunk towards her
Stepped closer and clawed at the air in front of him

Sentences

It moved towards them and then passed by in a swirl of dust.

It walked slowly, clumsily dragging its clawed foot over the ground.

It stretched out its leathery wings and beat the air in a deadly rhythm.

Swooping out of the treetops, it plunged like a dart, diving at the tree directly above their
heads.

It swayed as it walked in a zig-zag path, swinging its head from side to side.

Faster than any of them could follow, it shinned up the tree like a silent projectile.

Suddenly, it tasted the air with its tongue, then dipped its head from side to side.

It landed on its haunches in the middle of the cave, swiping at the air with its clawed
fingers.

It stepped closer and then reared up on its hind legs.

Weapons/attack

The S/C-I-R Structure

Kitty’s legs were jerked from under her as she was lassoed by the silk thread from its
mouth. It snaked around her legs and wound round and round, until her feet were locked
together by the sticky ball at the end. Waving her arms wildly, she grasped for a hold as she
was dragged towards the cave and the spider’s web.
Sweat had collected on her forehead and was trickling down the side of her nose into her
eyes. Frantically, she squeezed them shut, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. Sudden hope
surged through her. As she turned her head, she had seen a glint of metal… to her left…
within touching distance… her dagger!
His muscles were locked. The icy breath had fallen like a mist and frozen him to the spot.
He was unable to move, unable to run. His mouth frozen in a silent scream, his eyes
wide with terror, he stood motionless as the beast towered over him.

Words

Nouns Prey, victim

Gorgon, sirens, basilisk
Breath, mist, fog, wind, thunder, lightning, electricity
Stream, jet, plumes
Slime, saliva, acid, liquid, venom, ichor, spit, poison, poison sacs
Stare, grip, song, harp, sound, noise, tune
Skin, flesh, bones, mouth, muzzle, jaws, teeth, fangs, bite, tentacles,
stingers, tongue
Hand, fingers, knees, ankles, grip
Tail, legs, paws, clubs, spines, warts, talons, claws
Horn, tusks, beak
Flame, fire, smoke, nostrils
Spear, javelin, trident

Similes/MetaphorsForce as mighty as a gale; gusts of air like a tornado; like barbed spikes
on a trap; like the tusks of a boar; claws as long and thick as thumbs; as
sharp as an ice pick; swung its club like a huge bat; like steel bands; like
a knife through butter; like water dropped on hot coals

Adjectives Huge, massive, thick, dense, long

Icy, cold
Sticky, slimy, rubbery
Sharp, pillar-like, barbed, serrated, dagger-like
Green, yellow, scarlet, orange, black, metal, steel
Dripping, streaming, frothing
Venomous, poisonous, toxic, acid-laced, stinging, sizzling, smoking
Deadly, powerful, savage, lethal, fearsome
High, shrill, piercing, hypnotic, enchanting
Snapping, slavering, snarling, blood-stained

Verbs Breathed, opened, spat, shot, sprayed, spurted, squirted, belched,

blasted, melted
Trapped, lured, lassoed, hooked
 Played, sang
Hypnotised, wooed, enticed
Stared, glared
Froze, paralysed, wilted, killed
Grabbed, seized, gripped, wrapped, clinched, tightened, squeezed,
pulled, yanked
Carried, raised, slashed, whipped, lashed, plunged, slammed, struck
Bared, snapped, tore, sliced, pierced, shredded, crushed
Blinded
Hissed, snarled, growled, roared

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Icy breath like a cold mist

Dense streams of grey fog
Trail of sticky slime
Thunder hawk
Massive wings
Force as mighty as a gale
Deep rumble of giant wings
Spidery, crackling lightning around it
Sparking electricity along its skin
Poisonous saliva
Powerful stream of acid
Streaming jet of liquid
Acid-laced venom
Stinging, black ichor
Thick, frothing, green spit on its mouth
Dripping, yellow venom on its fangs
Deadly poison from the warts on its skin
Venomous spines on its legs
Scarlet mist of venom
Scarlet and orange poison sacs behind its teeth
Snapping jaws
Slavering jaws
Gnashing teeth
Fearsome bite
Blood-stained muzzle
Pillar-like teeth
Long, serrated teeth
Savage teeth like barbed spikes on a trap
Dagger-sharp metal teeth
Teeth like the tusks of a boar
Steel talons
Black claws as long and thick as thumbs
Pair of lobster claws
Massive tusk
Club on the end of its tail
Steel-bladed tail
Long snout like a vacuum hose
Jet of orange flame
Thick, red puff of smoke
Smoking nostrils
Spear tip as sharp as an ice pick
Shrill, piercing, hypnotic singing
Deadly, basilisk stare

Phrases – Verbs

Paralysed prey with its venomous spines

Laid a trail of sticky slime to trap its prey
Lassoed its victims with the silk thread from its mouth
Stare turned him to stone
Froze him to the spot
Felt a slow paralysis of numbing cold
Instant death if one looked into its eyes
Gorgon glared at him with her deadly eyes
Wilted beneath the basilisk stare
Played enchanting songs on its harp
Sang as they rose from the water
Sang the same tune over and over until the ship was broken on the rocks
Hypnotised by the song
Wooed them to dive into the water
Sirens enticed him to throw himself into the sea
Swept great gusts of air like a tornado down onto…
Carried a massive club over his shoulder
Swung its club like a huge bat
Raised his javelin and thunder ripped through the sky
Clapped thunder from its wings and shot lightning from its eyes
Fire blasted out of its open jaw
Opened its mouth, and jetted out a stream of flame
Breathed a river of white-hot fire
Lashed them with red tongues of flame
Blinded by the flash of light
Shot bolt after bolt of flame as it pursued her
Engulfed by a swirling wall of flames
Could shred her to pieces
Crushed the life out of its prey with its teeth
Tore the flesh from its prey with savage teeth
Snapped its needle-like teeth close to her cheek
Spat out a powerful stream of acid
Squirted a deadly poison
Could melt bones with a single blast of its acid-laced venom
Squirted brown acid from its eyes
Venom glistened on the tip of its stinger
Wrapped itself around her ankles
Pulled her to her knees
Tightened its grip
Wound itself around his chest
Squeezed the breath out of him
Slammed into him and hurled him across the street
Slashed at his legs
Whipped out towards him
Seized her ankle and yanked
Lashed around his waist, dragging him closer to its gnashing teeth
Wrapped around her body, dragging her down
Wrapped around his arms like steel bands
Sliced the air in front of his face
Plunged out of the night sky to peck at his eyes
Grabbed her in its front claws and vaulted in the air
Slammed him against the slope
Jarred his bones
Pierced his side
Slashed at their skin
Cut into her side with its claws
Raked down either side of his head
Dug its pincers into her chest
Ripped at him with furious swipes of their claws
Caught him on the side of the face with her claw
Gouged into the chain mail like a knife through butter
Plunged its poisonous tail into him
Burnt through his skin
Spat jets of green poison that smoked on the ground
Snorted plumes of steaming breath
Turned the floor into a steaming crater of melted stone
Hissed like water dropped on hot coals
Released a lash of flame from deep in its throat
Struck with its front paws
Lashed down like a whip-stroke
Slashed with blinding speed
Grabbed her with its enormous beak
Pinned her to the ground with one massive paw
Grabbed him with one of its long, thin sinewy tentacles

Sentences
Poisonous saliva dripped from its savage jaws.

Its pillar-like teeth closed around the body and crushed the life out of it.

The warts on its skin split open and it squirted its deadly poison.

It blew up like a balloon and squirted brown acid from its eyes.

It tore the flesh from its prey with savage teeth like barbed spikes on a trap.

Venomous spines shot from its legs to paralyse its prey.

Women and children were lured into the lake by the enchanting songs it played on its harp.

Keeping his eyes fixed to the floor, he avoided her stare, knowing that it would turn him to
stone.

Whipping its head around, it spat out a stream of acid, which sizzled as it hit the ground at
his feet.

Bolt after bolt of white-hot flames shot out of its mouth until the forest was engulfed in a
swirling wall of flames.

As it blasted fire out of its open jaws, thunder clapped from its wings and lightning shot
from its eyes.

It plunged its poisonous tail into him, shooting acid-laced venom into his leg that sizzled as
it burnt through his skin.

He could easily imagine the creature killing him with one swipe of its massive paw.

It slashed with blinding speed and pinned her to the ground with one massive paw.

With a whip-like stroke, it lashed down and caught him on the side of the face with its claw.

It lowered its curved bull’s horn, pawed the ground and slammed into him, gouging his
chain mail and sending him sprawling into the wall.

It bared its needle-sharp teeth. Then, in a lightning fast move, it lunged towards her and
snapped them inches from her cheek.

Enormous front claws grabbed her and lifted her into the air.

It plunged out of the night sky, sliced the air in front of her face, grabbed her in its front
claws and vaulted in the air.
With blinding speed, it lashed in a whip-stroke, and cut into her side with its claws.

Interaction with and reaction to the creature

The S/C-I-R Structure

As the rasping, slithering sound drew closer, a shiver charged down her spine like an
electric shock. She ducked back into one of the other caves and stood there, behind a
pillar, not daring to move.
He was crouched behind the wall. Hadn’t moved a muscle for ten minutes. Waited – still did
not move. Still there was no sign. He was certain that they were somewhere nearby. His
eyes darted from side to side, probing the shadows, searching for the slightest
movement. To his left… a flicker of movement. Then another, above him, to his right.
Another and another, swarming towards him. His heart almost stopped. They were
coming at him from all directions; their giant, wasps’ heads swooping towards him. He
started to run, not daring to look back, the sound of his breathing roaring in his ears, as
his racing pulse sent an explosion of adrenalin surging through his veins.

Section 1 - Interaction

Words

Nouns Silence, darkness, shadows, light, moonlight

Head, face, knees, haunches, back, stomach, belly, chest
Mountain, rocks, boulders
Woodland, tree-line, trees, branches, trunk, logs, reeds, foliage, leaves, pine
needles, shrub, bush, hedge, grass
Cave, tunnel, wall, pillar, column, tomb
Floor, ground, ditch, trench, hole
Sounds, noises

Adjectives Thick, wide, low, hanging

Dark, shadowy, gloomy
Automatic, instinctive

Verbs Dug, scooped out, covered, concealed, camouflaged

Heard, listened
Saw, glimpsed, watched, looked, stared, searched, glanced, peeped, peered,
peeked
 Lay, sat, waited, poised, leaned
Hid, merged, submerged, vanished, disappeared
Hugged, pressed, pinned, wedged, flattened
Lifted, raised, craned
Moved, inched, edged, eased, slunk, crept, crawled, slithered, rolled
Stopped, paused, slowed, walked, headed, followed, reached, retraced
Slid, slipped, stumbled, scrabbled, scrambled, scurried
Dipped, bowed, ducked, dropped, dived, crouched
Sank, lowered, shrank, sneaked, backed, retreated, moved back, stepped back
Hit, threw, flung, jerked
Crashed through, blundered, shoved, slashed at
Turned, spun, swung, twisted, whirled, swerved, whipped round, lunged,
avoided, missed, evaded
Quickened, hurried, fled, darted, rushed, ran, dashed, sprinted, bolted, hurtled,
tore across, piled through, plunged
Dodged, bobbed, weaved
Climbed, jumped, leaped, sprang, bounded, pounded, vaulted

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

Out of the corner of her eye

Just a few paces away
Only a stone’s throw away
Alarmingly close to where…
Nearer by the second
Within minutes
Seconds later
Out of nowhere
In front of him
Ahead of him
Behind him
Out of sight
Invisible from just a few metres away
Still no sign
With every step, he…
For a fraction of a second
Barely time to…
Just in time
Almost at the top, almost safe
With a new sense of urgency
In a last mad dash
Slowly, noiselessly
Waterlogged trench
Trailing branches close to the ground
Towards the trees about a hundred metres away
Through the twists and turns of the tunnel

Phrases – Verbs

Closing in on her
About to turn away when…
Just getting back to his feet when…
As they were about to leave the cover of the rocks…
When he reached the corner…
All he had a chance to notice was…
As soon as he was out of sight…
Without even looking up…
Not sure where it would take her
Hid amongst…
Hid when she heard…
Looked around for a place to hide
Searched for a hiding place
Backed away and set about finding somewhere to hide
Slipped into the shadows
Lay in the shadows under…
Slunk back into the shadows
Stuck to the shadows
Shied away from…
Retreated into the shadow behind…
Shrank back against the wall, glancing from side to side
Backed quietly away towards…
Staggered back
Scurried for cover behind…
Stopped, spun around, and dropped onto his belly
Turned, and melted back into…
Dipped his head
Dropped onto her knees
Ducked and rolled underneath…
Ducked back into one of the other caves and stood there
Ducked down, seeking cover behind…
Dived the last few feet into the shelter of…
Lowered herself to the ground
Sank to her hands and knees
Dropped his back against the wall
Sank down at the base of one of the trees
Slid back against the… onto his haunches
Ducked down behind the… so he couldn’t be seen
Crouched behind the rocks halfway up the slope
Bent down lower and peered through…
Dropped flat
Went to ground
Hit the dirt
Flung herself down behind…
Scrambled for cover behind…
Threw himself to the floor
Scattered, diving for cover in the undergrowth
Darted behind…
Had frozen in mid-crawl
Poised on one knee and one muddy hand
Dug herself in deeply behind…
Covered herself with leaves and pine needles
Climbed up the oak until she found a sturdy fork in the tree where she could stay
undetected
Dragged herself into the tangled bushes at the base of the trees
Scooped out a hollow under the bushes
Waited in edgy silence
Waited without moving
Hadn’t moved a muscle for ten minutes
Waited a few minutes longer
Waited silently in the shadows until he was sure that…
Waited, motionless, for what seemed like an eternity
Jerked her head back into the shadows
Sat cross-legged on the floor in the shadows
All he could do was lie still, hugging the ground
Crept along the floor against the wall until she was…
Crawled underneath… so that she was hidden by…
Crawled to the edge of the bushes and peered out
Rolled to the ground, flattening himself against…
Rolled into the high grass so that she was out of sight
Flattened himself against…
Wedged himself behind…
Pressed her back against…
Eased himself up behind…
Covered his head with his hands
Wrapped his arms round his head and ducked low
Peered over…
Sneaked a glance at…
Glanced up and peered through…
Leaned forward so that she could see around…
Edged carefully along until he was able to peer out
From where he was crouching he could see…
Leaned back out as far as he dared to…
Listened for the sound of…
Listened intently
Sprang to their feet
Scrambled to her feet
Launched himself up from the ground
Hauled himself to his feet
Began backing away slowly
Scuttled back to the shadows
Retraced his steps
Headed towards the nearest…
Turned sharp left
Fled in different directions
Stopped when he reached…
Made his way down…
Scurried along…
Knew he had to move quickly
Forced himself to move faster
Tried to gain as much ground as possible
Tried to put as much distance as possible between her and her assailants
Quickened his pace
Raced towards…
Darted back into…
Bolted up…
Broke into a run
Ran blindly on
Ran on until his lungs were bursting
Ran for his life
Began running towards…
Started running again, trying to get out of sight
Ran faster, pushing herself to the limit
Kept on running, arms pumping, her lungs burning
Pressed on, running when he could
Hurtled towards the shadows
Dashed the last few yards
Turned blindly to the right at the end
Swerved to the right, down another tunnel
Darted and dodged through the trees
Ran, bobbing and weaving across…
Weaved in and out of the bushes
Ran again, slashing through the branches, heading for the darkest part of the forest
Dodged left and right down the warren of passages
Crashed through the undergrowth, stumbling as she ran
Stumbled towards the tree she had spotted
Blundered and slipped
Fought his way through the undergrowth that grasped at his ankles as he passed
Stumbled on the rutted forest floor
Tripped over rocks and shattered pillars
Slid on the loose stones
Stumbled over a ledge and hit the ground
Stumbled on, almost falling on some tree roots
Landed on his belly, scrabbled up and carried on
Slipped and slid in the boggy marsh
Recovered his balance and kept running
Managed to keep his balance
Hauled herself up, edged along
Pulled herself up onto the next branch, then the next
Climbed higher and higher
Leaped the low stone wall
Vaulted roots
Launched himself down the slope
Dropped the last few metres
Crashed down on the ground
Knew that it was a long way to fall if he slipped

Sentences

She caught a flicker of movement. Looking up, she saw it standing at the top of the slope.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a hideous creature crawling out from behind the tomb.
A giant, wasp’s head was attached to its black, porcupine body, on the end of which was a
poisonous tail stinger.

It was heading in his direction. He could hear the scuttling of clawed feet as it moved close
to where he lay in the shadows.

It hovered close to his hiding place. He could hear its flapping wings. Any minute it would
look down and spot him. He had to find somewhere else to hide… and quick.

She was unaware of his presence, skulking in the shadows behind the boulders. She didn’t
look in his direction. He could see the hissing snakes on her head flicking their tongues,
tasting the air. If she had looked for more than a few seconds she would have seen him.

The huge scorpion stopped metres from where he was crouched. The sun glinted on the
sharp spikes sprouting from its ten legs and the air trembled with every flap of its black,
bat-like wings as it scanned the area. He could hear the flick of its stinger-tipped tail in the
dust.

She slipped further into the shadows and flattened herself against the wall.

Lowering herself to the ground inside the ditch, she waited a few minutes longer, and then
peered over the muddy lip.
Holding her breath, she waited, sitting down carefully, drawing her knees up against her
chest so she couldn’t be seen.

Quickly, he dived for cover. Wedging himself behind a pile of rocks, he froze – motionless as
if carved from stone.

Rob scooped out a hollow under the bushes and covered himself with leaves and pine
needles.

She was crouched behind the tree. Hadn’t moved a muscle for ten minutes. Waited – still
did not move. Still there was no sign. She peered through the hanging branches.

Cautiously, Kitty leaned forward so that she could see around the trunk of the tree.

They all dropped flat, going to ground, and with an automatic action rolled into the high
grass so that they were out of sight.

They walked for another ten minutes, neither of them speaking, and then they saw it up
ahead.

Whirling round, she found herself face-to-face with the ape. Huge folds of sagging skin
flopped around its long, snarling face as it swung its head from side to side, sniffing the air.

It was closing in on her. She knew she had to move quickly. Swiftly, she retraced her steps
through the twists and turns of the tunnel.

It was as if the hideous squawking was coming from all directions at once. He quickened his
pace, but the ground was uneven and he stumbled, crashing to the ground.

Hauling herself up onto the ledge, Katie edged along to the rail and grasped it with both
hands.

Whirling to the left, she just managed to evade it. She sprinted down the hill, not daring to
glance back, just trying to gain as much ground as possible.

She stopped when she reached the narrow track. She had heard something… the snap of a
twig. She hurtled back towards the trees… the safety of the shadows.

Almost at the top, almost safe… almost. He forced himself to move faster, but he also knew
that it was a long way to fall if he slipped.

She scrambled to her feet, and began to move, not sure which way to go, only knowing that
she couldn’t stay where she was.

He darted and dodged through the trees. Blundering and slipping, he fought his way
through the undergrowth, which was grasping at his ankles.
Bent over, she tried to get her breath, risking a glance over her shoulder. She started
running again, trying to get out of sight… forcing herself to ignore the burning that was
creeping up her legs.

Faster and faster she ran, pushing herself to the limit, running blindly on, trying to put as
much distance as possible between her and the hideous creature.

With a new sense of urgency, they plunged deeper into the cave, letting its shadows
swallow them.

He launched himself down the slope, sliding on the loose stones, but just managing to keep
his balance and surging on.

He rose to his feet, and sprinted to the wall, dropping to his knees behind it.

Never once did she turn and look back… just kept on running, arms pumping, her lungs
burning.

She was up and running again, slashing through the branches, heading for the darkest part
of the forest.

Section 2 - Reaction

Words

Nouns Fear, dread, panic, terror, shock, horror

Brain, senses, sensation, nerves, pins and needles, breathing
Prayer, hope
Sound, noise, whisper, murmur
Body, spine, arm, ankle, chest, stomach, head, eyes, throat, windpipe,
temples, nose, lips

Similes/MetaphorsLike an electric shock; like a coiled spring in the pit of her stomach; as
if carved from stone

Adjectives Tingling, electric, coiled, alert

Wide, still, frozen
Horror-stricken
Urgent, low, tight

Verbs Gripped, snaked, squeezed, choked

Surged, raced, charged, pounded, hammered, pumped, blasted
Warned, dared, felt, thought, knew, wanted, prepared
Swallowed, gulped, stifled, gasped, winced
Clasped, clenched, gritted
Looked, strained, blinked, glanced, peeped, peered, darted, watched,
 closed
Shook, shivered, trembled
Collected, gathered, dripped, trickled
Stood, waited, remained, froze, paralysed

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

No more than a whisper from the shadows

At any moment
A few more seconds until…
Every nerve in his body
Tingling sixth sense
Like an electric shock
Like a coiled spring in the pit of her stomach
Pins and needles
Wide eyes
Horror-stricken expression
Gasping, ragged breath
Certain it was somewhere nearby

Phrases – Verbs

Tried desperately to think of…

Thought of what would happen if it caught her
Motionless, alert and ready to move quickly
Motionless as if carved from stone
Prickled painfully in his ankle
Surged through her
Enveloped her
Warned him not to make a sound
Wanted to get up and run
Knew she couldn’t move
Didn’t dare move as…
Tried to remain absolutely still
Warned him not to move, even though…
Watched in horror as it moved closer
Hammered in her chest as…
Only bit of him that was moving was his heart
Was almost deafening in the silence
Pounded in her temples
Raced through her body
Blasted by an explosion of terror
Pumped through his veins like molten lava
Pounded so hard it seemed about to break his ribs
Held his breath
Hardly dared to breathe in case he was discovered
Stifled a gasp
Choked off his breath
Swallowed hard
Breathed heavily
Gulped for air
Made her wince and tremble
Kept his voice low
Dropped to an urgent whisper
Whispered in a tight, choked voice
Clutched his hand to his mouth
Stopped himself screaming out
Choked back the bile that rose in her throat
Clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached
Moved her lips silently in prayer
Closed her eyes
Peeped round the…
Squeezed them shut and blinked rapidly
Strained to pierce the darkness
Darted wildly from side to side
Started to shake
Shaking with terror and dread
Shook from the effort of holding herself still
Collected on his forehead
Trickled down the side of his nose into his eyes
Panic flooded her face
Clasped her hands in her lap

Sentences

He lingered in the shadows, motionless, alert and ready to move quickly.

She shook from the effort of holding herself still until it passed.

Every nerve in his body warned him not to move, even though his arm was shaking and
pins and needles prickled painfully in his ankle.

Kitty was shaking with terror and dread that at any moment it would glance in her
direction and she would be discovered.

A tingling sixth sense made him look up. As he turned his head, he froze. It was standing
right above him.

He could hear the hissing calls getting closer. A shiver charged down his spine like an
electric shock.
She felt the fear like a coiled spring in the pit of her stomach.

She wanted to get up and run, but she knew she couldn’t. She felt a rush of air as it swiped
at the branches with its clawed fingers.

As the blood pounded in her temples, her brain quickened and all her senses were alert.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she heard it moving closer and closer.

The only bit of him that was moving was his heart, which pounded so hard it seemed about
to break his ribs.

As he glanced back, his heart almost stopped. They were coming at him from all directions,
and closing in on him.

An explosion of adrenalin raced through her body and she quickened her pace.

She started to run, not daring to look back, the sound of her breathing roaring in her ears,
her pulse thumping hard. She didn’t dare stop.

The sound of his own breathing was almost deafening in the silence.

She clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached.

Clasping her hands in her lap, she moved her lips silently in prayer.

His voice dropped to an urgent whisper.

He whispered in a tight, choked voice, watching in horror as it swooped closer.

His voice was hardly more than a whisper from the shadows.

The fear of being caught choked off his breath into unsteady, rasping gasps, until he was
gulping for air.

She breathed heavily, choking back the bile that rose in her throat.

He clutched his hand to his mouth to stop himself screaming out.

When she thought of what would happen if they caught her, she was blasted by an
explosion of terror that made her wince and tremble, her palms sweaty, her heart racing.

His wide eyes strained to pierce the darkness, darting wildly from side to side, certain it
was somewhere nearby.

Sweat had collected on his forehead and was trickling down the side of his nose into his
eyes. He squeezed them shut and blinked rapidly.
Panic flooded his face as he spotted it emerging out of the shadows.

He tried to pick up his dagger, but he was so scared his fingers felt frozen, numb, clumsy.

He was unable to move, unable to run. His mouth frozen in a silent scream, his eyes wide
with terror, he stood motionless as the beast towered over him.

Defeating the creature

Words

Nouns Presence, shadow, movements, direction

Sky, air, gust, floor, ground
Beast, creature, monster, bird, raptor, gorgon, snake, serpent
Rock, stone, gravel, dirt, dust
Branch, fire, flame
Touch, contact, blow, strike, attack
Sling, whip, scythe, arrow, tip, shield, spear, shaft, dagger, knife, blade,
sword, hilt
Belt, ankle-strap, sheath, scabbard
Flesh, bones, muscles, heart, lungs
Horn, tusk, beak, bill, teeth, fangs, claws, talons, pincers, tentacles,
stinger, sting, venom
Head, neck, forehead, muzzle, chin, jaw, face, throat, mouth, eyes, eye
sockets
Body, back, side, shoulder, chest, middle, stomach, tail, legs, thigh, feet,
ankle, knee, paw, wings, feathers, arms, elbow, wrist

Similes/MetaphorsQuick as lightning; buzzed around it like a wasp

Adjectives Horror-struck, terrified, petrified, panic-stricken

Massive, thick, long, spiral
Front, hind, rear
Bat-like, scaly, metal, steel
Quick, fast, rapid, deft
Lumbering, clumsy, awkward, blundering
Fierce, vicious, furious, ferocious, savage, brutal, deadly, fatal, mortal
Venomous, poisonous, toxic
Barbed, hooked, jagged, spiked
 Lashing, stabbing
Reflective, shiny
Outstretched

Verbs Looked, realised, warned, alerted

Watched, followed, stared, fixed, glued, shut, squeezed
Unfurled, rose, circled, hovered, beat, flapped, folded, dived, hurtled
Gusted, swirled
Reared, dipped, thrust, pawed, gored, charged, attacked
Snapped, seized, grabbed, yanked, wrenched, dragged
Opened, spat, shot, sprayed
Clipped, jarred
Weakened, staggered, flopped, toppled, crashed, sprawled
Shielded, blocked, protected
Hesitated, waited, avoided, evaded, missed
Spread, braced, readied
Retreated, stepped back, backed away, recoiled
Edged, pressed
Side-stepped, dodged, dived, threw, flung, rolled, tumbled, crouched,
huddled
Leapt, sprang, launched, bounded, vaulted
Darted, danced, buzzed, twisted, turned, whirled
Prodded, poked, rammed, barged, slammed, smashed, kicked
Picked up, tossed, spun, swung, flung, released
Seized, fitted, pointed, aimed, let loose, fired, flew
Blazed, sparked, crackled, exploded
Unsheathed, drew, gripped, clutched, flipped
Raised, poised, lowered, levelled, waved, swept, swished, brandished,
wielded
Flicked, whipped
Lunged, slashed, lashed
Cut, stabbed, hacked, chopped, shoved, plunged
Hit, struck, speared, hammered, landed, lodged
Pierced, pricked, gashed, speared, impaled, skewered, severed

Phrases – Nouns and Adjectives

At the very last moment

Almost at once
Too late
At every movement
With deadly accuracy
With a thud
Quick as lightning
Like a buzzing wasp
In front of his face
Inches from his face
In the centre of its forehead
Just below the head
At the side of the neck
Tip of its horn
Slavering snout
Snapping jaws
Savage, serrated teeth
Blur of clashing claws and fangs
Venomous, yellow drool
Golden whip
Blade of his spear
Unbreakable sword
Movement of his sword… a blinding blur
In a shower of blue sparks
With every deadly beat of its bat-like wings…
Furious swipe of its pincers
With one vicious jerk of her wrist…
With one final thrust…

Phrases – Verbs

As he looked into its eye sockets

Realised that it was clearly blind
Careful to keep his movements as silent as possible
Alerted to his presence when dead leaves rustled under his feet
As the shadow of the bird fell over her…
Circled above
Folded its long, scaly wings flat against its shoulders
Dived towards her
Hurtled out of the sky
Rush of air gusted towards him
More and more dirt swirled into the cave
Reared up in front of her
Rammed its head into the entrance
Dipped its head, gored the ground, charged
Thrust the single spiral horn in the middle of its forehead at…
Came at her in a blur of claws and fangs
Came down to bite through his flesh
Stinger jabbed into his shield
Felt the barbed sting strike off the wood
Sprayed the surface with venom
Hesitated a moment
Narrowly avoided the lashing whip of its tail
Evaded its claws
Evaded the venomous spines that shot from its legs
Twice it had come close to touching him
Jaws snapped a hair’s breadth from his leg
Thrust centimetres from his face
Raked down either side of his head
Slashed at his head
Plunged towards his outstretched arm
Snapped where his arm had been just seconds before
Seized her ankle
Dragged her closer to its gnashing teeth
Clipped his side
Jarred his arm painfully
Weakened his grip
Sent him crashing to the floor
Hit it with such force, he staggered back
Crouched behind his shield
Lifted his shield to block the blow
Held up his reflective shield
Watched the gorgon moving towards him
Each time the gorgon changed direction…
Followed her movements with his shield
Protected his eyes from looking directly at her
Watched as it dived directly at him
Watched, horror-struck as…
Eyes firmly fixed on the roaring beast
Squeezed his eyes shut
Cowered down
Wrapped his arms over his head
Leapt sideways
Threw himself aside
Sprang aside as it pounced
Ducked as its claws sliced the air
Rolled across the ground away from…
Tumbled to one side
Forced to retreat
Stepped back
Backed away, edging towards…
Jammed up against the wall
Tried to keep it at bay
Never let the lumbering creature get too close
Fought desperately to keep its massive horned bill from…
Snatched a flaming branch
Jabbed the flame at its head
Quickly scrambled back on his feet
Scurried away on his elbows
Launched himself off the ground
Leapt over the…
Darted from side to side
Buzzed around like a wasp
Danced out of the way of its metal tusk
Darted out of reach of its stabbing sting
Vaulted the… and ducked down behind it
Spread his feet
Wrenched his foot away
Snatched her foot away
Yanked his foot back
Raised both boots
Kicked back
Slammed both boots into…
Sprang forward
Took a quick step forward
Lunged forward
Rolled underneath the beast
Launched himself between its hind legs
Wings sprouted from the sides of his sandals
Rose on a current of air, sword poised
Picked up a handful of gravel
Flung it into its eyes
Smashed the rock into its nose
Picked up a stone from the ground
Spun the sling and swung with all her might
Swung the sling rapidly in circles around her head
Released the stone with a deft flick of her wrist
Flicked her golden whip out in front of her
Seized an arrow
Fire blazed along the tip of the arrow
Fitted the arrow and let it fly
Pointed his arrow with deadly accuracy
Fired an arrow
Released the arrow
Let loose another arrow, and another
Flew through the air towards…
Found its mark
Gripped the shaft of his spear
Swung her shield from her shoulder
Unsheathed her dagger
Drew a dagger from his belt
Took out her dagger from her ankle strap
Clutched his dagger and waited in the shadows
Levelled his spear at the charging beast
Brandished her sword in its face
Bounded forward, knife raised
Waved her sword before her in wide sweeps
Sliced the air
Swept his sword in a low arc
Slashed his sword in a vicious arc
Lashed out with his sword
Lunged upwards with her sword
Swished back and forth with his sword
Cut the air into a thousand slices
Flipped his sword backwards
Gripped his sword tightly as the beast fell to the ground
In the time it took for him to draw back his sword…
Smashed the beak with his shield
Stabbed at its throat
Slashed at the underside of its body
Lashed at one of its talons
Hacked at one of its tentacles
Stabbed it behind the head
Smashed into its left eye
Rammed its muzzle with his shield
Charged, her dagger aimed at its chest
Drove his knife into its paw
Plunged deep into its thigh
Chopped with his scythe at the bull’s head
Jabbed it in the ankle with his spear
Plunged into the beast’s neck
Thrust her sword up into its throat
Lunged, shoving the blade deep into its…
Struck it between its huge fangs
Landed a blow on the back of the beast
Hammered it in the chin with the hilt of his sword
Hit the metal feathers, but with no effect
Just missed its left eye
Tore through its ruff of feathers
Pierced the tip of its right wing
Lodged in the beast’s chest
Cut through the head of one of the writhing snakes
Thrust his sword into the heart of the creature
Aimed a slash of his sword at its side
Lunged at the beast’s throat
Hacked at its leg with his sword
Jabbed his sword into its mouth
Rammed his sword between its wings
Struck at the back of its knee
Cut away some of the spikes
Speared it in the calf
Skewered the serpent with his sword
Severed its wing and it flopped to the ground
Gave the hilt a twist
Slid the sword into the beast’s heart
Creature recoiled at the touch of steel
Deadly steel made contact with…
Exploded into fragments that turned to ash as they hit the ground

Sentences

As its tail lashed down, Kitty leapt sideways, narrowly avoiding the spikes studded along its
length.

He dived to the side to evade the venomous spines that shot from its legs.

It dipped its head, pawed the ground, charged… thrusting the single, spiral horn in the
middle of its forehead at Tom’s chest. He threw himself to the side. He was too late. The tip
of the horn clipped his side, sending him crashing to the ground.

It circled above, folded its long, scaly wings flat against its shoulders and dived towards
her. With every beat of its huge, bat-like wings, a rush of air gusted towards her. She
watched as it dived directly at her, and sprang aside at the very last moment.

It came at her in a blur of clashing claws and fangs. She ducked as its claws sliced the air in
front of her face.

Tom rolled frantically across the ground away from the furious swipe of its pincers that
had raked down either side of his head.

Forced to retreat, jammed up against the wall, he crouched behind his shield. He fought
desperately to keep its massive horned bill from slashing at his head, but each stab of its
beak jarred his arm painfully, and was weakening his grip.

She snatched her foot away as its jaws snapped a hair’s breadth from her leg.

As he looked at its eye sockets, he realised that it was blind. Careful to keep his movements
as silent as possible, he began backing slowly away, but dead leaves rustled under his feet
and the beast froze.

Holding up his reflective shield, he watched the gorgon moving towards him. Each time she
changed direction, he followed her with his shield, protecting his eyes from looking directly
at her.
As he scurried back on his elbows, the slavering snout thrust inches from his face.

He cowered down, wrapped his arms over his head, squeezed his eyes shut as a powerful
stream of venomous, yellow drool sprayed from its mouth.

The stinger jabbed into his shield with such force, he staggered back.

He watched, horror-struck, as its slavering jaws plunged towards his outstretched arm. He
hesitated a moment, and then, his racing pulse sent a wave of adrenalin surging through his
veins. He launched himself off the ground and was quickly on his feet again. Almost at once,
its savage, serrated teeth snapped where his arm had been just seconds before.

Quick as lightning, she leapt aside, vaulted the wall and ducked down behind it.

As the wings sprouted from the sides of his sandals, he rose in the air, his sword poised.

With his eyes fixed on the roaring beast rearing up on its hind legs, he gripped his shield
and crouched, his sword thrust out in front of him.

She darted from side to side, brandishing her sword in its face.

Like a wasp, he buzzed around, never letting the lumbering creature get too close.

Springing forward, he gripped the shaft of his spear and levelled it at the charging beast.

More and more dirt swirled into the cave with every deadly beat of its wings. Her hand slid
to the dagger in her ankle strap. She slunk back into the shadows, waiting, clutching the
handle.

The next moment, she bounded forward, knife raised, and slashed at the underside of its
body.

With an almighty crack, she flicked her golden whip out in front of her and with another
vicious flick of her wrist, she slashed at one of its tentacles.

The blade of his spear plunged deep into its thigh.

Without taking her eyes from the vile raptor, she picked up a stone from the ground. She
swung the sling rapidly in circles around her head, and then, with a deft flick of her wrist,
released it. She watched, holding her breath, until, with a tremendous thud, it smashed into
its left eye and sent it crashing to the ground.

As it rammed its head into the entrance, she picked up a handful of gravel, flung it into its
eyes and smashed its muzzle with her shield.

He backed away, edging towards the fire. When he was close enough, he lunged, snatched a
flaming branch and jabbed at its head.
As it emerged in the clearing, she seized an arrow, fitted it and let it fly. The arrow flew
towards its target in a shower of blue sparks, finding its mark in the centre of its forehead.

The arrow, fire blazing along the tip, flew through the air and pierced its right wing.

She let loose another arrow, and another, with deadly accuracy.

It seized her ankle and yanked, dragging her closer to its gnashing teeth. Wrenching her
foot away, she leaned back and slammed both feet into its face as hard as she could.

Rolling underneath the creature, he launched himself between its hind legs, and thrust his
sword up into its middle.

Darting forward, he slashed his sword in a vicious arc and sliced off one of the writhing
snakes, but, in the time it took for him to draw back his sword, another had taken its place.

A searing pain jarred his arm as he struck the metal feathers, but the sword merely
bounced off, with no effect. In desperation, he flipped his sword backwards and hammered
it in the chin with the hilt.

He smashed the beak with his shield, and, at the same time, he stabbed his sword into its
body, cutting away one of its tentacles.

Tom lunged at the beast’s throat and then darted out of reach of its stabbing sting.

As the shadow of the bird fell over her, she swung her shield from her shoulder and lunged
upwards with her sword.

Fire ran along the blade as he cut the air into a thousand slices, his sword a blinding blur.

Taking a quick step forward, he thrust with his spear, and skewered the serpent with the
steel blade.

As the sword struck the creature’s side, it recoiled. The moment the deadly steel made
contact with its skin, it exploded into fragments that turned to ash as they hit the ground.

With one final thrust, he slid his sword into the beast’s heart.