[Flashback] And then she grew hooves [Pygmy]

[Amon]

Amon chuckled, finishing the last of his pint and was prepared to down the second one as well. He was feeling mighty good today. "Cute, that's not what I was going for but I'll take it." He said, then cocked a brow at her next remark. "You're a singer? Well that's a pleasant surprise, you must sing for me sometime, yes?" When she tugged on his sleeve, he motioned for Susan, who came by and tapped her hip in irritation. "Ya'?" She barked. Amon rolled his eyes, "How much for that meal?" When she stated the amount, he dug into a small pouch tied to his waist and pulled out the required coins, placing it in the palm of the waitress' outstretched hand. When she walked off, Amon mouthed 'she-witch' and pointed at her, then hefted the package up from the ground and stood. Once they were outside, Amon strained his neck to look past the taller heads of bustling citizens roaming the streets of the city. "My friend lives near a flower shop, do you know of any near here?" Then as they began walking he addressed her interest for his companion. "His name is Sakima, and if I had brought him here I'm sure the city would cry bloody murder and see him as a threat or some monster. I wouldn't want my best friend to be slaughtered for a misunderstanding. Plus his size might cause someone a heart attack." He thought for a moment, "If you would like to see him, you merely have to ask. Although, I might have to caution you he isn't the most pleasant of Wind Eagles."

[Dhanya]

"Any time at all." Pygmy replied, giggling when Amon silently insulted the waitress.

There was comfort in their new comraderie. Even if she knew that Susan had her reasons for being annoyed, it was fun to ignore them. She preferred being part of an alliance against the cranky waitresses and pub owners of the world. She liked Amon more and more as the beer smoothed away his formality into something playful.

She nodded yes to his first question, taking hold of his wrist to lead him towards the door. She didn't let go once they were outside, slipping her fingers down to loosely twine with his. She decided to take him to the nearest place and then lead him to the next if it wasn't the right one.

"I would love to see your eagle." She said, laughing because the moment felt funny and beer tended to do that to moments after its consumption.

The night air was cool and sweet, though the smells of daily toil and spoiled food, refuse and effluent came and went as they walked. Pygmy avoided streets she knew would have patrols on them at that time of night, for no reason other than the fact that she liked to avoid the law. She still hadn't realised that no one was looking for her, she just hoped they weren't.

"I don't mind if he's not pleasant, I'm not very pleasant either, sometimes." She couldn't see why she should be.

[Amon]

Amon definitely enjoyed the small hand of hers entwined in his. It was a comforting feeling, and the gods knew he needed comfort after inhaling two pints of some less than pleasant liquor. He was beginning to see random flashes of multicolor spots in his vision, that wasn’t good. He shook his head, hoping his boots wouldn’t catch on a loose rock and send him tumbling to a fall. At least Pygmy’s hold on him kept him steady. “I’m sure he would love to meet you too,” He said, smiling as he concentrated with all his might to put one step forward, carefully. Don’t put words in my mouth, Amon. Came Sakima’s quick reprimand. Amon burst out laughing then, for no particular reason at all, and it would have appeared mildly strange to the young girl. Ohhhh, you know you want to meet her, she’s adorable! You’re under the influence, how pathetic. Now now, Saki, don’t be angry, it’s not like I do this all the time. Go ahead and make a fool of yourself, just be sure no one follows you when we get back. I wouldn’t want to be known as the dumb drunk’s mount. The rider shook his head, not bothering to argue with his companion any longer for tonight. His harsh words wouldn’t put him down, not today! Not until he has said goodnight to the girl and left for good. But for now, he would knock on doors, ask for his friend’s address and be directed to the next, until finally he had found his destination, dropped off the package and collected his profits for the traveling fee. Storing the coins in his pouch, he stretched his arms above his head and glanced at Pygmy. “Well? Is there anything else you wish to see or would you like to meet my lovely Sakima?”

[Dhanya]

"Do you want to drop off your doo-hickey first?" Pygmy asked, losing words from her vocabulary as the alcohol worked its magic.

It was clear she was reluctant, she'd have much preferred meet Amon's eagle than to wander around looking for a shop. She'd never met a giant eagle and it was difficult to worry about how such a creature would react to a goat when she felt so mellow. She wasn't quite at the tipsy stage but she would have considered herself fairly merry.

"Oh, I do want to meet your lovely Sakima..." She said, repeating the title. "Flower shop!"

Before them was a flower shop though perhaps not the Flower Shop. It was a pretty little thing, with a painted architrave across the door, decorated with carved flowers. The trellis was covered in clinging ivy, skirting way up to touch the gutter. It was clearly well tended to.

"That it?"

[Amon]

“That’s it.” Amon responded, having made sure his coins were secure, he brought his arm up and wiped his forehead for a moment, glancing down the streets toward the gates that lay not far off. They walked quite a bit and he was beginning to feel some clumsiness in his gait. He shook his head, but the lady wanted to see the Wind Eagle! And by the gods he was going to show her what true joy was. “I’ll call my friend to come pick us up, and then we can view Syliras in a different point of view.” He grinned, took Pygmy’s hand in his own, leather encased one and practically pulled her along the winding streets and bustling denizens until they arrived at the gates. Meet us on the outskirts of the city, Sakima. It didn’t take long to reach a clearing large enough for the enormous avian to settle on. Amon had led the girl past shrubs and torn branches sprawled across the ground, but the opalescent hue of the eagle still glowed almost divinely under the light of the moon. “Pygmy, meet Sakima. My best friend through thick and thin. He’s quite charming.” Amon released Pygmy’s hand and approached the eagle, patting him lightly on his solid neck. Sakima said nothing, but he lowered his head to fix a large eye on her, curious. She’s not that interesting in person, Sakima barked at Amon. Maybe not to you, the Rider rolled his eyes. Then turned to Pygmy, “He says it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Liar. Shush.

[Dhanya]

"Well, this is exciting." Pygmy thought to herself, as Amon lead her down winding streets and out of town.

She might have been scared, probably should have been but it was all so dramatic and romantic. She didn't want to have misgivings about this man, who had bought her dinner and thoroughly impressed her with his talk of exotic eagles. Pygmy was often trying but Amon had rolled with it admirably. Whatever test she had put him through, it was clear he had passed it. She was laughing like a giddy girl and giving him all of her attention.

She was even following him without question. So terribly exciting, the whole thing.

By the time they stopped Pygmy was beginning to feel out of breath, her cheeks red from having exerted herself. It had taken some quick steps to keep pace with his stride. She wondered where his bird was at first... She could smell it.

There it was. One eye pointed at her sharply. She froze, squeezing Amon's hand more tightly than befoe, shocked sober. Somewhere deep in her goat brain, a voice screamed at her to keep still. A pointless voice, she'd already been seen. Instinct did not always give good advice.

The moment passed and she relaxed, though she still jolted when Sakima cried out at Amon. She wasn't an eagle but she could tell that wasn't a favourable estimation of her character. She knew a predator's body language, this was not a warm welcome, as far as she knew. She could've been wrong but she didn't think so.

"You lie, Amon." She said, smiling and laughing breathlessly. "He's not going to eat me, is he?"

She hoped he couldn't smell goat, Sakima was definitely big enough to pick her up in that form. She was intimidated but not ready to back away yet. She wanted her flight and trusted Amon to protect her.

[Amon]

She’s small enough to be a mouthful, the eagle observed. Amon ignored him, rolling his eyes at the thoughts that fluttered through his mind as easily as breathing. This isn’t a matter of finding you a meal, it’s a matter of showing her another perspective, a better perspective. Won’t you at least be kind in your heart and oblige? No, she is not of our kind, Amon. She is a foreigner, a little whore! Sakima shrieked, flaying his wings out in a threatening display. She doesn’t deserve the benefit that I give you. Sakima, you’re grand in size, she’d be like an ant in weight. I know you want to go home, as do I, but I know it will make you feel a whole lot better if you just made someone happy. She’s afraid of me. She thinks I will eat her, and I should. But if she proves she is someone worthy of the glory of flight then I will take her. Thank you, my friend. It had been a silent conversation, with the two of them standing side by side, together, like statues during the argument. When Amon turned to address Pygmy, he gave her a crooked grin. “I can be a pretty horrible liar,” He agreed, then approached the girl, “Sakima has agreed that if you prove yourself to him, you can ride with me. Wind Eagles are wary of people not of our race, but I have faith that you will show him what it is about you that’s worthy to be considered.” The buzz he had from the previous drinks seemed to have died down, and he found himself grasping Pygmy’s hand once more. “I won’t force you to do this, but Sakima is being petching difficult to begin with.” He leaned in to whisper against her ear, “Show him what you’ve got.”

[Dhanya]

Pygmy decided that her final day had come as Sakima's wings flared out. She felt a gust of wind against her cheek from the force and found herself wondering if Amon had led her out of the city for the purpose of feeding his monstrous bird. She concluded it would have been just her luck, escaping one form of bondage and then becoming some albino beast's supper.

"What have I got to show him?" She asked Amon. "I sing and dance for a living, he doesn't seem the sort to enjoy light entertainment!"

Fear and annoyance were now apparent in her voice. The hand she placed on Amon's arm was shaking, just slightly enough that he could feel but not see it. She had no idea how to impress an animal that was more than twice her side and actually had some claw and muscle backing up its attitude. She only had ego and that could only take you so far. Not far at all against Sakima.

She reached into the small pool of djed she kept stored within and shaped it into an image that relayed a very simple concept. A hand appeared in Sakima's mind, palm up and flat.

He could feel a single though, repeated thrice, you're scaring the shit out of me, stop.

[Amon]

“There’s more to you than that. He won’t hurt you.. Not if I can help it.” There was a sharp tone to his voice as he glanced at Sakima, who shrieked in defiance, echoing through the trees and forcing birds to scatter to the air. It would be on his conscious for the rest of this life he allowed his good friend to devour her. He worried for her wellbeing, but he also was determined to show her what was grand in life. He held her hand firmly but gently, aware of her fear, then stood patiently as she seemed to fall silent, wondering what she was thinking. Then an odd thing occurred. Sakima let out another shriek and flapped his wings long and hard, throwing gusts of wind at them in droves. The grand eagle had been surprised and alarmed at the girl’s words in his mind, he assumed foul play, or perhaps that Pygmy had an affinity for telepathy as he and Amon did as well. You DARE invade my thoughts, girl?! He bellowed straight into her head. He seemed angered, and even hostile when he approached both her and Amon, but the Rider had covered Pygmy with his body, protecting her from whatever wrath Sakima wished to unleash on her. “Calm yourself, Sakima!” He shouted, keeping Pygmy hidden as well as he could. “I don’t know what she did, but you have to give her credit. She surprised you.” And then, the eagle spoke, “I’m brought here on a silly whim, forced to fly the pathetic excuse for mountains waiting for my rider to return, and you girl, YOU. You are full of outrageous lies, then when I grant you the chance to ride with us in the skies where we belong…. You surprise me with your wit and your bravery.” There was amusement in his voice now, and he let out an eagle’s equivalent to a laugh. Amon let out a sigh of relief as Sakima seemed to settle down, lowering his massive head to eye the kelvic girl closely. “You are fit to ride with me and Amon, but if you ever decide to do your little act again, I will toss you off.” The red-haired rider turned to smile at Pygmy. “I told you he was charming.” He then extended a hand to her, hoping she would not decline help to settle her into Sakima’s harness. oocI'm sorry for scaring pygmy, I love her k.

[Dhanya]

Pygmy screamed, sure her final hour had come and brought on by her decision to tell a bird to stop intimidating her. She'd never considered that telling someone to stop scaring her could encourage them to scare her even more. Hopefully someone would put that on her epitaph, "Pygmy, made a lot of mistakes, don't use hypnotism on birds."

When Sakima finally spoke, Pygmy wondered if it was just another ruse and if it were not, whether there was enough time to piss herself before they had a ride. She wasn't even sure she wanted to ride the eagle anymore. In fact, she was very content with staying on the ground where at least the earth could comfort her shaking legs. She tugged Amon's arm until he came down to whispering height.

"Your bird is fucking crazy!" She hissed, "If he kills me, I'm not fucking you, ever."

She put her hand on his head and pushed it up, not entirely gently.

"Let us do this thing." She said, moving closer to Sakima and giving Amon what amounted to a very pointed, terrified look. It promised both her own abject terror and a very bad week for Amon if this did not go well.

She hadn't really thought through the fact that she had effectively announced her interest prematurely. Amon had probably caught some of her hints beforehand, anyway.