No gratitude, no word of thanks, he simply walked to the water's edge, satisfied that his 'slave' had maintained her usefulness. With barely a glance shot toward the lioness, his lowered to the water, satisfying his thirst with a long drink, lapping at the cool water.
His thirst quenched, he stepped forward, wading into the water until it reached his chest, wings held above the water's surface, protected from the searing pain that surely would have shot through him had he allowed the water to cover the dark feathers, fangs bared at the punishing, yet mercifully pain that struck him with movement. Chest heaving with a sigh, he looked into the waters depths, watching the swirling blood as it was washed from his white hide. It was beautiful, the sight of blood in motion, the very source of life and death, visible all in a single glance.
Growing bored with the water the moment it had served its purpose, he turned, stepping onto dry land again, a brief shake was all he dared lest he stir the pain in his wings once again. At last his gaze turned to the lioness, the familiar coldness in his eyes.
"We can go now."
Where they went he did not care, they could leave or sleep here for all it mattered. They could walk to the edge of a cliff for that matter, then he could laugh at her as she stupidly walked off the edge to her death. That would be entertaining, though perhaps he would need to convince her she could fly first. Whatever, his hunger and thirst were satisfied, he needed nothing else for now.
