Old Feud From Old Sin Part One

I followed the road across the plain Looking to hunt him down again Up ahead there was a roadside tavern Inside of which gathered a witch’s coven The old hags were wary of my call And looked suspiciously at my footfall One spoke up in a craggy voice inquiring As the others whispered together all conspiring I told them I was looking for the dark man And they said they had seen him in an earlier stand Where he had demanded a potion to bind his wounds They had complied and the man had regained health very soon But I did not see one of them cast a spell As the room changed and over I fell Next a black panther crouched and looked at me And I fought it to death in a power play to see Then I saw the witches through the misty shade broke I pounced on them with my blade to the one who spoke Demanding them all to yield to me or they would find my blade And they cowered away from me crying mercy for mercy made They confessed to seeing the dark man the previous fore-noon then He had left taking a potion paying with a silver coin at the agreement’s end I searched their tavern leaving with a green cat’s eye amulet To use or to barter as I pursued the dark man on the path as it was set. © Paul Warren Poetry