Tisis

Sirus and the Beasts (N)

After we have prepared ourselves the best we can for what I assume is one of the greatest follies we have conducted thus far, we spend one last night in the safety of the cave where Zero first joined us.

'What kind of favor' he asked me...the glint he had in his eyes, when he asked me that, irks me.
A little playful, a little mischievous...what was he thinking?

The heck am I thinking?!

I have no clue what's going on in his head.
After all, he is a human and I am an Asmodea.
Two entirely different species with vastly different cultural backgrounds.
Even merely fathoming what might be going on in his head is...!

...he is an animal.
I...I need to remember that.
A remarkably intelligent and sophisticated animal, but he is still governed by his instincts.
I...I must remember that.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath while peering over to the sleeping Sirus.
...who am I kidding...somewhere deep down, we are both animals. All of us.
No matter how intelligent, no matter how sophisticated we have become as people, when it boils down to it, we are still just animals...with the very same basic universal instincts.

Survival and...procreation.

Everything we've done thus far was in order for us to survive.
We've established that somewhat well...far better than I would ever have expected us to be able to, to be honest.

So then...

I let out a long sigh, look at Sirus again and whisper, "Fine then. When...if the time comes, I will ask that 'favor' of you, Sirus. And you'd better be ready."

The night passes uneventfully, we change watch at around midnight and the night passes uneventfully.

When the morning comes, I feel exhausted, wondering what the heck I was dreaming about to feel like I've been up and at it all night.
A mixture of fear and anticipation sits in my throat, making it hard for me to swallow the breakfast Sirus prepares for me.

"Is something wrong, Nym? You look pale. Is the food no good?"

I look up from my assortment of herbs to Sirus' worried face, wave off and reply, "Nah, all good. I just...didn't sleep all that well tonight."
"Yeah, I'm nervous too...but no time like the now, am I right?"
"Present, Sirus. No time like the present."
"...I know that each day is a present, but I still don't get it."
"...no, not 'present' like 'gift', but 'present' as in 'today' or 'now'."
"So it's 'No time like the now' after all, right?"

I let out a strained groan, but can't help but smile.
Acting stupid to take my minds off things, huh?
Thank you, Sirus. You're sweet.

Not like I could ever tell you that.

After breakfast, we head out.
We wander for a few hours, wearing the heaviest armor and the strongest weapons we've ever made.

Yet still I pray.
Pray to Garkla, that we will not need them.
Because if fighting indeed breaks out, it will certainly be the end of us.
We might be able to take one of them, but an entire pack would be the certain death of us.

After about two hours, my prayer changes.
I pray for Sirus to not know where he is leading us.
Or that whatever he is looking for is not there any more.
Chased away by the natural disaster, that had ultimately taken Zero's life.

As the sun is high in the sky, Sirus suddenly stops and motions me to remain quiet.

A gentle breeze blows into my face...good.
This way our smell travels away from us instead of directly towards whatever is ahead.

I quietly move next to Sirus and peer through the bushes.
There's a small rock formation rising from what appears to be part of a larger patch of green...just like Sirus claimed there would be.
So he knew exactly where he was going after all.

I want to ask how he knew, but I already know his answer.
And no matter how little sense his explanation makes to me, it is likely the only explanation I will get. It will have to do.

"Alright Nym, this is it...ready?"
"...no?"
"Good. Stay your hand until I'm really in trouble...and if bad comes to worse: Run. Got it? Don't look back."
"I'm not just leaving you here to die!"
"Shhh! Yes, you will! And now get ready."

Sirus gets up, his bone-tipped lance gripped tightly.
"Wait!" I call out to him quietly.
"Y-you don't...actually intend to just...walk out there, right?"
"...actually, I do. Best way to make friends, right?"

I shake my head, fetch one of my arrows and put it at the ready.
"Be careful, you hear me?" I remind him.
Sirus gives me a reassuring nod and breaks out of the bushes.

No two seconds later, multiple large creatures rise into the air from the protection of the rock formation and quickly surround Sirus.

They are...even bigger than Zero ever was and he was already intimidatingly large...and then those teeth...everything within me tells me to run.

Run away and not look back.
Find myself a nice little lake and spend the rest of my days away from the sun...but I don't move.
If I let them know that I am here, they'll rip him apart...and probably me as well.

This was one heck of a miserable idea and I sure hope that Sirus is pissing his pants right about now, otherwise I'll have to kill him later for putting me through this and not even being afraid.

They bark and howl, but don't attack...at least not yet.
That's good, I guess.

All of a sudden, a enormous shadow passes overhead and another one lands with a heavy thud.

He is yet larger than the others and looks...older.
His feathers are ruffled and he has multiple scars.
Apparently he got into more than just one fight.

No doubt about it...that's the alpha of the pack.
It just has to be...cause if it's not...I dread the kind of creature it would take to dominate something like that.

The others make room for the large one to pass, when suddenly another one approaches.

However this one is...distinctively different.
It is about the same size as Zero was, but it does neither feature wings, nor does it have the same kind of mane around the neck.

I take a closer look...the way it carries itself, the difference in size and muscle mass and the less pretentious look...a female?
But...why doesn't she have wings?
Did they get torn off? Or get females of this species born without them?

I guess that makes sense.
They are big and heavy...flying must burn a shitload of energy.
So only the males get wings, because they need to scour the lands, looking for prey large enough to supply the nutrients needed to supply their bodies.

The females on the other hand stay at home and tend to the young...such an archaic concept.

But then again, as long as it works, it works...but wait...maybe that big guy isn't the Alpha after all, but just the top male.
Many species live in matriarchies after all, where the oldest female is actually the Alpha, who calls the shots, while the males go out to hunt, fight...and quite possibly die.

What...are they doing now?
It looks...like they are talking to each other.
But...are they talking with Sirus...or about him?
Shoot, I can't even make out the first thing Sirus is saying.

All of a sudden, Sirus puts his spear forward.
Wait a second, is he...he isn't seriously...oh crap, he is!

He's challenging the big guy to a bloody duel!