“CIBBL - Y7, Autumn - Silver Division: round 4:

After last game’s disappointment, Timaris Stormwing, the Meddlers’ head coach, came up with a new gameplan. Well, it probably was not an entirely new plan, it might have been the same old gameplan actually, but in any case, he was convinced that it would work tonight. He picked up his green cape with wide sleeves from the chair, abandoned his scriblings on the room’s wide table, closed the heavy wooden door behind his back and headed to the stadium. There his Meddlers had been warming up under the expert eye of Mereia, former catcher turned assistant-coach. Wearing her favorite tank-top and shades she was giving the last instructions to the eager wood elves. The start of the season had been close to a disaster, but it wasn’t too late to rectify the situation. “So remember”, Timaris heard her saying, “that ball is ours. Ignore those ghosts and head straight to the ball!”. And with that, the Meddlers took to the pitch.

The Meddlers won the coin toss, but weary about the opposition’s wizard, they opted to kick instead of receiving. The Bleakwood Haunters steadily advanced and it looked as if they would score in turn three, but Arcanius Niculescu, the star wraith, failed two GFI’s and painfully crashed into the turf of the Meddlers’ endzone. The ball landed right next to Kivan. “That’s a nice surprise”, Timaris commented from his spot on the bench. “For once it’s not an elf breaking his neck reaching for the endzone”, he continued. Meanwhile the elves on the pitch didn’t hesitate to capitalize on the situation and evacuated the ball to safety. Although safety is relative, with lingering banshees and a suspiciously looking wizard around. Somewhere in the scramble Belborth Bluebark, the Meddlers’ treeman, hammered the opposing star player Patrick Cleavy and killed him dead! By turn six the Meddlers scored the opening touchdown, after having decided to accept Nuffle’s gift and not take any unnecessary risks: 1-0 for the wood elves! The Haunters failed their two-turner attempt, while the Meddlers came even close to a second touchdown.

The second half started with the Meddlers receiving the ball. The objective was to score a second touchdown as fast as possible. The Haunters’ wizard didn’t agree and decided to intervene. Kivan and Nimrodel, who was carrying the ball, got blasted by a fireball in turn two. To make matters worse, The Boogey Blitzer – the Haunters’ second hired star player – blitzed Syrabeth, picked up the ball and ran for it. Luckily for the Meddlers, Alandrian lifted his foot and sent the Boogey Blitzer crashing into the turf. “Ouch, that had to hurt”, Mereia observed from her favorite corner on the bench. Adjusting her cap backwards, she finished her first martini and ordered a new one. “That sounded as if a few bones have snapped”, she continued. The elves on the pitch quickly reacted by blitzing Otto Hartwich out of the way. This allowed Hauclir to move in, snatch up the ball and secure it. Next turn Father Greif leapt in and tried to stab the Meddlers’ super star thrower, but the blunt knife had no effect. His sibling Xaxdomatzl had more success one turn later. Hauclir went down and released the ball. Nicolete however, was unlucky and failed to recover it. The drive had become a chaotic mess by now, while the clock kept ticking steadily.

Next turn the Meddlers also failed to pick up the ball, returning the initiative back to the Haunters. Anselma Rosenzepter was already moving downfield, positioning herself to receive the ball. Her dark sister Nicolete grabbed the ball but failed the pass. “Close one”, Mereia said to Timaris, while gladly accepting another glass of martini from the catering services. “That could have ruined the evening indeed”, Timaris admitted. “Except that it didn’t”, he continued, while keeping his gaze fixed on the action on the pitch. With some luck Syrabeth recovered the ball, while the other elves surrounded her, installing a protective cage. There came Father Greif again, with his blunt knife, but this time he failed the leap. The Meddlers moved the ball forwards, but the Haunters received one last shot at the ball. Unfortunately for the ghosts, Xaxdomatzl also failed his leap and landed headfirst onto the turf. That sealed the deal: 0-1 for the wood elves. First win of the season for Modryn’s Midnight Meddlers!

Nobody noticed how Timaris carefully inspected the pitch after the game. No one, except Mereia, who witnessed her boss lowering himself towards the grass. He graciously pocketed Patrick’s lost cleaver to disappear into the night…
”