Viking Raider

A true Viking needs armor to conquer the wild! I scoured the damp weeds until I kicked up a heavy, circular brass jar lid frosted with green verdigris. Ha! A warrior's round shield! I wedged the point of my kitchen knife into the soft metal center, twisting with a vicious screech until I punched a jagged slot for my claws. Clamping the rim tight against my arm, I charged straight down the mossy bricks toward a sprawling rainwater puddle reflecting the cold sky. *Snicker!* I slammed the flat steel blade against my brass shield—*CLANG!*—and stomped knee-deep into the murky puddle, claiming the northern seas for my own!