I tried not to show just how terrified I was, but it was damned hard to pretend like I was having a fine time touring a new, unexplored wild park in another realm on the back of a mighty winged lion that was three times the size of the average lion I had seen in Africa. I mean, I had just been kidnapped, for God's sake, by a pair of giant, ruthless men who dressed like some heroes in a fantasy novel, what with those dark leather pants and jackets and, of course, armors. Not to mention those unusual masks on their faces, the likes I had never seen before, which made it all even more sinister.
Along the thick groves of tall trees and wild bushes, I could hear sounds of men's footsteps and, now and again, the melancholy cries of some wild creatures, which only served to scare me even more.
I was in another realm, all right, because I had never heard those sorts of cries before. They didn't sound like the howling of wolves or growling of bears. They were something far more dangerous and terrifying.
Despite my fear of the unknown surroundings, I still wanted to escape these men's clutches, and I kept glancing around, searching for a way out. But of course, no matter how hard I tried, it was just simply impossible. Firstly, I was surrounded by men who were marching on foot and holding what I could only assume were rifles and guns, along with swords and knives. At least, I thought they looked like those weapons, what with my short eyesight and within the darkness of the night. Secondly, the man named Felix was sitting behind me on the back of the winged lion, one of his ironlike arms wrapped tightly about my middle, holding me prisoner, while his other hand held on to the reins.
Ahwooo! A noise echoed loudly throughout the woods. I jolted and gasped, darting my eyes around my surroundings, half expecting a large, beastly creature to jump out in front of us and rip everyone, including me, to pieces.
Felix must have noticed my reaction because he leaned close to me so that his masked face was inches from me and his warm breath was fanning my skin.
"What's the matter, little elf? Scared?" he asked. His tone implied that he was amused.
I turned slightly to look at him. The moment I did so, I regretted it because his lips were so close to mine that the proximity only served to remind me of our kiss earlier. Well, not our kiss, per se, but rather a kiss that was stolen from me by this arrogant man.
I tried to move back, but of course, it wasn't possible since I was tightly embraced in his arms.
I subconsciously licked my lower lip and asked, "What was that noise?"
"Just a wolf or two," he said easily.
A wolf? Or two? But wolves just didn't sound like that, surely. And why did he act as though it was nothing? Surely, those one or two wolves were close by. And hunting...
He said, "Hmm... It is rather strange that they should sound so... hungry."
He could tell that the wolves were hungry by the sound of their cries?
He cocked his head to one side as he looked at me. "Then again, it's probably because they can smell something delicious nearby. A little elf, perhaps?" He even brushed the tip of his tall, fine nose against my cheek.
I knew that the man was implying the wolves must have sensed me. Was he trying to scare me even more?
I said, "But I'm not an elf. I'm a human."
"Are you now, little elf?"
I sighed in resignation and decided to change topics. First, though, I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. Then I asked, "Where are you taking me, by the way?"
I felt Felix's gaze resting on me for another few seconds, and then without even answering me, he urged the winged lion to run faster.
Shit! I gasped in surprise and held on to his muscular arm tightly as the creature raced past the men marching. I buried my face against the massiveness of his chest the faster the animal went, and then I felt my stomach lurching like when a plane is taking off. I peeked at my surroundings and realized that the lion had spread out its wings and was now ascending.
Holy shit! The winged lion was flying and taking me and Felix along with it on its back. Both frightened and awed, I sighed in wonder while holding on to Felix tightly, as if my life depended on it.
Felix expertly controlled the animal, steering it this way and that to avoid colliding with trees and branches, and it wasn't long before we were above the forest itself.
Up in the sky, I gazed in wonder at my beautiful surroundings. Here, the aurora lights across the distance were even more flamboyant, with the multi-colors bathing light on everything that it could reach.
Felix said, "Beautiful."
I nodded in agreement. "I've never seen anything like this before," I said.
"Neither have I," he said. "Not in a long time at least."
Neither has he? When he was living in this realm and with the aurora so close by?
I turned my attention to him and saw that he was watching me. I had no idea why, but I blushed and hastily turned my eyes away. Good Lord, why was I acting all shy when this beast of a man was looking at me like that?