$str="taaaaaaaa";
$str=~/(ta+)/; print "$1\n";
$str=~/(ta+?)/; print "$1\n";

##</code><code>##

$str =~ m/[^<story>].*<image>(.*)<\/image>.*?[^<\/story>]/s;
 ## <- w/o the "?" should work
##</code><code>##

$str=~s/\n//g; 
$str =~ m%<story>.*</story><image>(.*)</image>%;