Ana had made her way out of the desert some days ago. Now, it was certainly her intent to head for the sea, but just as the sand had left her paws, she realized that there were some things that she needed to do. One could call them atonement, and really, one would be quite wrong. There were just things that she wanted to get rid of, people she wanted to talk to. And visiting with a seer was never something to frown upon.But then, she should have known better, for the seer had moved on from where Ana had last seen her. It wasn't much of a surprise, the lioness was a rather bitter female who had taken to living in one place just as happily as Ana had. It really didn't matter, the seer hadn't exactly been the most helpful of individuals, anyway. She was far more likely to try and drown someone else.
And despite that, Ana had had still tried to seek her out. Mostly because she was the only seer Ana knew and she needed to know if troubles would find her at the sea. The wandering lioness didn't want to run into the same trouble she had met out in her earlier travels.
Now she stood in a swampy area, the ground of the island she stood on was moist under her paws. She was facing a den, long empty of the female with the paw-dyed pelt tied around her shoulders.
"Damn."
"Lose something?" Ana's head jerked around, her hackles rising in surprise at the sound of someone else's voice. She needed to get better at detecting the approach of others. Kahti was always sneaking up on her, it appeared that it carried over into the outside world as well.
A male stood there, tall but rather scrawny in his build. He was certainly thinner than she was and she was quite lean. She wondered if he had much muscle at all. He reminded her of someone, the red pelt and his stripes, but then that could be anyone. She had come from a large pride after all and had done a lot of traveling. He was smiling cheerily at her.
"No, I was just looking for someone, but they aren't here anymore," she replied with a shake of her head. The male tilted his, one eyebrow going up slightly in what might have been interest.
"Oh? And who might that be, dear? Perhaps I could... help you find them." A shiver went up Ana's spine. She wasn't sure what it was about this lion, but he put her off. It felt like, if she said yes she would probably regret it.
"No thank you. It wasn't that important."
"Not important?" he asked, his tone confused though he didn't lose the look of mild curiosity. "Your actions would make me think otherwise." With that he gestured to the area around them. They were shaded by trees, most of the area was water or mud with a few places that were the closest it got to dry land in this place. Coming out here was a feat to say the least and there were plenty of predators hiding about. No one didn't come here for something that wasn't important.Ana frowned a bit and shrugged. A part of her wanted to just go by him and yet she had the sinking suspicion that turning her back on this male would be just as bad as taking his offer.
"No, it's not. I came here looking for someone, they're aren't here, which I sort of expected, and now I should be leaving."
"Really now, I just want to help you. Where's the harm in that?" It was too easy for him to say that, his smile too painted on. She'd been bitten by that kind of smile once before.
"And what will it cost me?" For a moment, the male's eyes widened, surprised by her question. Within seconds the look is gone and he chuckled, his eyes narrowing again.
"Quite right, dear, nothing comes without a price. I suppose I'd ask you for a favor in return, seems fair enough."
"No, thank you." And with that, Ana walked past him and started for the way she'd come out. Nimue had lived fairly deep in the swamp, she needed to get a move on otherwise she wouldn't make it before dark.
"Ah, I wouldn't head that way. Rather unfortunate, really, seems a poor chap managed to get a few rhinos after him. They made a mess of some of the paths, knocking down trees, churning up the mud. It really isn't safe to go that way. But I know another way out." Of course he did. Ana stopped moving and looked over her shoulder at him. Her mind was rife with doubt and yet did she really want to risk it in the end?
She was suddenly caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one paw, she could just try her way. She could end up having to turn around, that was really the biggest downside. But then, this male might not be here when she returned and it wasn't the brightest of ideas to go wandering around this swamp, day or night.
On the other paw, she could follow him. He might be telling the truth and would get her out safely and all she'd owe him is a favor, whatever he might ask for. Although, she could always refuse and make him pick something else, she supposed. But he could be lying. He could lead her deeper into the swamp, he could use her or kill her or... Well, those were really the only things she could think about. No... No, worse, he could just leave her as some sick game. A chilling fear ran up her spine at that thought, greater than even that brought on by the prospect of dying. She wouldn't be left by someone, not again. If he ever so much as tried, she wouldn't give him the chance.
Was it audible, the sound of her teeth grinding? Was that why he was smiling when she finally turned back around? Either way, he was and a part of her hated it.
"Fine, lead on." The male's smile grew ever so slightly, but his expression remained polite as he nodded and turned in a very different direction.
They walked for what seemed forever, but at least he seemed like he was being somewhat honest with her. They never walked through anything worse than small patches of mud, no wading or climbing or log-crossing. It seemed a relatively safe path, at least for most of it. Time passed and their trek moved uneventfully. Even better, there was no pushing from the male to talk; rather he seemed content to walk in almost companionable silence.
Ana was glad for that, as there was nothing for them to talk about.
"Almost there, dear. We'll be out of the swamp and you'll be on your way." The male's voice broke the silence like a stone flicked into the water at their left, causing Ana's head to shoot up. She had almost forgotten that he was even there, really, it had been so quiet. The only reminder she had was the tip of his tail waving in her vision. But now he was back in her senses, invading her thoughts with his presence. She suppressed a sigh and glanced at him, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'd prefer it if you didn't call me that," she replied, her tone as chilled as the ice on a mountain-top. The male even gave her a mock shiver in response.
"What, dear? I'm afraid it's a force of habit, but I'll do my best to please your highness," he shot back with a mock bow, the grin still splitting his face. She didn't like him much, certainly didn't trust him, but so far he had been honest. It was difficult to avoid that little fact.
They continued walking for a little bit longer before pausing.
"There we are, clear skies just through those trees. And just in time too, sun's almost set!" the male exclaimed, turning to look at her. Ana's attention was glued on the freedom, she didn't see his grin flee from his face.
"Look out!" Her eyes flew wide as he leapt at her, not realizing what his game was until he was over her back, his paws slamming down onto a mud-covered crocodile's open jaws. "Damn-it-all-RUN!"
She didn't even need to register his words before she took off into a sprint, not even looking back to see if he was following her. She only stopped when she was out of the swamp, when fresh air surrounded her. Only then did she look back and found him breathing heavily behind her.
"You saved me..."
"That I did, dear. I'm sure you'll return the favor someday." The look he gave her through his dark mane was unsettling to say the least, dark. Or maybe it was just how the fading light played in his eyes.
She owed him a favor, and a big one at that. Damn. But either way, she wasn't going to let it slide.
"What do you need in repayment?"
"All in good time, dear, all in good time." He slipped his paw under hers and drew it close, sliding the beaded string from her leg. "I'll hang on to this until then, think of it as collateral."
He was gone into the night before Ana even really registered what had happened.
The swamplands were filled with darkness as a young impala fled over the murky ground. Heavy breathing followed in its wake, chasing it deeper and deeper and-
There was a sudden rush of sound before a loud snap and the impala's neck was crushed in the jaws of a large crocodile. Braedi walked up slowly, a smirk on his features.
"And who says I don't deliver?" he asked in a sing-song voice. The crocodile thrashed once, tearing off a chunk of her prey before swallowing and smiling.
"I shan't doubt you again, demonspawn. Such lovely deals you make," the crocodile replied. Cautiously, Braedi reached out a paw, wrapped with the lioness' bracelet, and touched the side of her snout, a feral grin on his features.
"It's what I do, dear."
(WC: 1,730)
