Ceto took a deep breath in as he left the den. It was a nice and cool morning. He had found an abandoned den. It was the perfect place for him to settle down for the night. Maybe longer if he could find some nice locals to share their meals with him. He walked down the rocky pathway, being extra careful not to trip.
There was a pond near by that he wanted to explore. Partially so he could get some water to drink, but also he wanted to see what the creatures were like in this area.
It was a bit of a trek to get to the pond, going up the hills and going down the hills. When he finally made it to the pond, he found it pretty crowded. With a frown, he made his way to the least crowded spot and dipped his head toward the water. He took a couple sips, while he looked around the pond to see if anyone caught his interest.
Most of the creatures that gathered around the pond seemed nice enough. The most distinct however was a small lion. Ceto had never seen such a small lion with a full mane. The odd lion was a snow white color with vivid red eyes.
Ceto decided he would investigate. Honestly, he would have rather had a female to talk to, but the white male would be fine for now. Plus around such a small lion, he would look larger and stronger in comparison. He got up from his spot and started making his way around the pond, stopping once he was next to the white lion. This area of the pond was far more crowded.
“Hey there.” Ceto greeted with a charming smile. “I feel like I should have got an earlier start this morning. Is this pond always this crowded or did I just get back luck?”
The white lion was grooming himself, but he looked at Ceto. “I wouldn't know. It was quieter earlier, but as the morning went on, more locals showed up.” The white lion explained. “I'm not from this area so I wouldn't have any better idea then you how crowded this area usually is.”
Caelius had been traveling all night and found the pond when the sun rose. With all the different creatures, he felt like it would be a safe place to stop and rest. He wasn't any further in his quest then when he started. The amount of sleep he had gotten in recent weeks had gone down. The quest had started to plague him at night as much as it had done in the day.
His time with Naida was spent enjoying and relaxing. He did very little to work on his quest. And because of that, he felt that he had to work even harder to find his father. He shouldn't have taken so much time off from the quest.
Ceto noticed the strange lion looking puzzled. “Something wrong buddy?” Ceto asked, trying his best to sound friendly. He wanted to appear like a good guy to all the ladies around the area. Being kind to such a weird lion would probably get him some good points. Ladies liked a guy who was generous.
“Yeah I guess so.” He said, with a tired tone. Caelius felt his paws getting weaker and his body getting heavier. The world started to fade black, before him fell hard onto the ground with a loud thump.
This caused Ceto to jump back, into the leopard next to him. After apologizing to the startled leopard, Ceto went and examined the lion. He noticed for the first time, a pouch around lion's neck, hidden under his thin mane. Looking at it, Ceto thought he saw something shimmer in the sunlight. 'What type of goods is this guy carrying.'
“Come here little guy,” Ceto said, pulling the lion over his shoulder. “Lets get you out of here. We don't want to cause a seen. I'll take you over to the shade where you can get better.”
Caelius squirmed a little in protest. He tried to tell the blue lion off, but had a hard time forming words. “Ger off” He manged to say before giving up. Ceto didn't carry him far. He carefully set him down under the shade of the trees. Looking behind them, Ceto could see the curisous eyes of some of the creatures at the pond. He gave them a wave.
“I'll take care of him no worries!” Ceto yelled at them before looking at the lion. “By the way, I'm Ceto. No need to thank me for carrying you over here. It's just what I am here for. To help out the less fortunate. Now how are you feeling?”
Caelius slowly set himself up and stared at the lion. “I didn't ask for your help.” He managed to say audible. Carefully he went to step forward, but almost collapsed again. 'If I can just get some water I'll be fine. I'll be able to continue.'
“Okay look, just stay put. If you need something I'll go get it for you.” Ceto said, with a hint of annoyance. He was trying to be nice after all. Why couldn't the white lion accept it. “What can I get for you?”
Caelius wanted nothing more then to push away Ceto. But he realized that he was at a weak state. He was safe in the area, but once nightfall hit, he knew that dangerous creatures started to come out. The last thing he wanted to do was have a run in with one of them. “What do you want? In exchange for helping me?” There were very few rogues who gave their kindness away for free.
Ceto had a small smile. “Look, I don't know about what type of characters you've ran into in the past, but I'm not like that. I just want to help those who are in need. Right now it looks like you can sure use some help.”
He thought about it. Part of him wanted to trust the lion, but there was something nagging him to keep on his guard. “Alright, you can help me. Thank you for your help.” He said, bowing his head. “I'm Caelius. It is nice to meet you. Now, if you don't mind, could you bring me some water?” He laid back down in the shade.
“I can do that.” Ceto said with a nod. “I'll be right back.”
Caelius watched his new friend walk away back to the pond. He noticed that Ceto wasn't particularly large. Perhaps that was what caused him to talk to him in the first place? Not everyday someone meets a hybrid after all.
Ceto had asked around for a turtle shell, so he could use that to carry the water. All the locals had was a large shell. “That will do.” He said, as he filled it with water and carried it back to Caelius. There was something special about the lion, Ceto thought. He had some sort of riches in his pouch. Ideas about where it came from raced through his mind.
“Here you go.” Ceto carefully set the shell next to Caelius. “It will be easy enough to refill. So where are we headed after you've recovered?”
“We? You aren't going with me.” Caelius stated before taking a drink of water. It was nice and cool as he drank. Having someone go with him wouldn't be all bad. But someone he just met? He couldn't allow it.
Ceto laughed. “Look, you seem like a nice enough guy. I little stiff if you ask me, but still nice. I want to make sure you stay safe. Plus I have no one to travel with and no direction to go. I might as well travel with you right?”
Caelius let out an annoyed sigh. “Alright, you can travel with me. Just for a couple days though. No more then that.” He said with a stern voice. Ceto grinned widely.
“You won't be disappointed in your choice!”
(WC: 1,353)
