Hero's Journey

Chapter 60

"What...?"

"The exhaustion and the Shadow Stain of Gahenna are really beginning to take their toll on him. I'm feeling it too." Maude says, swiping at his forehead.

"Don't you pass out on us too." Tavius states dryly. "I refuse to drag your heavy body all the way to the nearest tribe, even if it's as close as you say."

Maude grumbles something under his breath and wipes more moisture from his brow. 

"Enough."  Kagon says, having to be the mature one for once.

Delia would know how to shut them up.

"Someone needs to hold Kip, but be careful not to touch his skin, only touch his clothes."

"I can't do it."  Maude announces.  "I'm already half dead."

"Might as well get you the rest of the way dead then."  Tavius grins sideways.

"Tavius, just carry the lad and stop instigating."  Kagon groans, slamming his palm to his forehead in utter frustration.

The pirate shrugs and easily lifts Kip up, being cautious as not to touch any of his burning hot/cold flesh.

"Now let us keep moving, it is the only chance we have."

"Or perhaps you have no chance." A deep feminine voice growls.

What the...Delia?!

However, the girl is completely comatose. Besides, her voice isn't that deep anyway.

"Whoever you are, show yourself!" Maude demands.

Kagon can't help but find it amusing that the last time something like this happened to him, it was Maude who was the one hidden.

"You are not in the position to be making demands, travelers. Now why are you on my father's land."

Kagon turns in a slow circle, attempting to locate the voice. Despite it being high noon and the fact that the savannah around him is sparse, he can't seem to find her.

"My ship was caught in the storm last night and we're now stranded." Tavius explains. "Now let us just try to be diplomatic about the whole situation, we mean no harm. Our people are injured and we're in need of medical assistance."

A pirate, diplomatic. Kagon nearly snorts.

At that moment a lithe figure slinks from the dry grass. A golden lioness. Her yellow eyes follow the group's every movement as she pads over to the group.

The lion shapeshifters of Roaria. Kagon realizes. They appear as deadly as the stories tell.

"I have a whole legion of lions in the grass.  If you make one false move, you'll regret it."

"Understood Miss....uhhh, lioness."

"My name is Zoya.  Now follow me, I will show you to my father's camp."

Three other lionesses leave the camouflage of the tall grass. Two of them fall in with Kagon's group on either side while the other other trails behind, and Zoya leads the procession. When Kagon looks behind at the lion watching from behind, she growls. He can't help but feel like a prisoner.

〰〰〰

Zoya's father's camp appears suddenly. It's nothing but barren land and then they almost stumble upon shelters fashioned out of animal hide that blends in with the landscape around them.

As soon as they enter the perimeter, more than ten dark skinned men have daggers poised and ready to attack. The daggers look similar to Delia's except coated in some sort of poison that drips from the pointed end.

Then, in unison the four lionesses around them all change into their human forms.

"Weapons down." Zoya says, now human.

Incredibly human. Kagon notes, taking in the shapeshifter's beauty. She stands at an average height with a body as lithe and athletic as her lioness form. Her dark skin and fierce features are framed by a mane of long, golden brown hair that tumbles down her back in an untamable manner.

"Zoya!" A gruff voice shouts, moving past the diligent guards. "You and your to women are not allowed within my territory, you know that."

"I found these outsiders and brought them to you, father. They say that they are in need of help, two of them are injured." Zoya says, voice matching the stubbornness of her father's. "I only came to deliver them to you. My huntresses and I will now take our leave."

The tension between father and daughter is thick enough that not even Kagon's golden blade could slice through it.

"Why would I want them?  I have a whole pride of Lion-People to take care of.  You separated from the pride, Zoya, so I'm not going to take care of the strangers you found.  Just make sure they leave Roaria as quickly as possible, I don't want them here long."

Zoya's jaw tightens.  "You are the leader, it is your duty to take care of them.  I will not do your dirty work, father, not anymore."  She grinds out.

Her father's yellow eyes flash with anger.  "Do not challenge me, deserter." He snarls.

Zoya's face takes on a feline quality as she bares her fangs, her father's face quickly does the same.  They stare at each other, bodies poised for attack, but an understanding seems to transpire between them.  Zoya's face morphs back to that of a regular woman.  As Kagon watches this transaction, he can see a sorrow in her face that she quickly masks. 

"Fine, I will take the travelers with me."  She turns to Kagon and his friends.  "Follow."  She commands, and Kagon decides to make the smart decision.  He trails closely behind.