A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

[Kaitanu]

Those last yards to the empty house were the longest and most difficult of the whole day for Kaitanu. Of the three of them he was least comfortable in the water, especially as it was very cold. The salt stung his injuries, and the soft sand under his feet made it hard to keep moving forward. Somehow, he managed to keep his master’s precious tapestry dry and intact, but it was almost more than he could do to drag it up the rickety ladder into the little hut. Yet he made it, calling upon deep reserves of endurance to get to where he could at least gather himself for the next stretch. Even with the prospect of being eaten by Goneszh, the kelvic felt immense relief at finally being inside and off his feet.

As his companions settled themselves, the kelvic placed himself with his back against one wall, leaving anything to sit on for those above himself in station. Not that he cared; just sitting down at all was good enough. However, he only allowed a moment of gathering breath before pulling the tapestry into his lap and unwrapping a bit of it to make sure it was alright. Everything seemed to be in order, which relieved him greatly. He’d had to hold the bundle over his head as they half-swam through the water to get to the house. Gonesh hadn’t been happy about it, since that would have made them easier to spot, until he remembered that it would distract anyone watching from seeing the Dhani. All they would notice was a pale boy with a long thing over his head. Anyway, the Dhani’s keen vision had not spotted any prying eyes through the windows.

Kaitanu was glad no one had made any more of a fuss over the matter. Even though the Dhani had grumbled, he now more or less ignored the kelvic, focusing all his attention on Estrellir. He also hovered as close as he could to the candle, as though drawing heat from its tiny flame. Kaitanu watched both of them carefully, but said nothing, as he was not expected to do so. The planning would be between them, and he would be told what to do. In the meantime, Kaitanu would try and figure out when he could slip away and get back to Blacksugar. If he could just escape the Konrath woman’s notice, evade all her searchers, turn back into a horse and have a little of the dry winter grass for fuel, he should be able to make it back before collapsing. He’d have to try, anyway. It wasn’t as though this would be the first time, either. Nor would it be the last.

The first thing he would have to take care of, however, were his wounds. Pain he could deal with, but dizziness told him that he’d lost enough blood to slow him down. On their way to the safe house the kelvic had seen some likely-looking moss growing by the road, and a few small pine trees on the higher ground. There was also turtleweed growing amid the roots of the swamp trees. He hadn’t tried that yet, but had heard of it from other slaves. Perhaps it would be better than what he had used in Ravok. In any case, whatever the other two did, he would have to take care of his own injuries. Since there was nothing here he could use, he’d have to wait.

At least, that was what he thought. That was what he expected. When Estrellir rooted out his shirt and started to tear it up, he thought it was to punish him because that was what made sense. Or maybe she was just cruel, or bored; who knew? He couldn’t fight back anyway, but sat where he was, exhausted, paler than ever, watching her with wide, blank eyes. In reality, Kaitanu just wanted to fall over and go to sleep because this…this… was the last straw of the day. The satin shirt, which did not even belong to him, was being torn to pieces. For which, of course, Kaitanu would be flogged, or perhaps just killed. Destroying his master’s property might just be a killing offense. If the kelvic had been a free man he would have cried out; he almost did from surprise. Had he been free he would have begged her not to, pleaded with her that he’d had enough. He would have grabbed the shirt from her, perhaps tried to salvage it, but he did nothing at all except sit there. Since his trained response to any attack was to go very still that was exactly what happened. Kaitanu could do nothing to stop Estrellir from doing whatever she wanted, and he would have to suffer the consequences.

It was with surprise and confusion, therefore, that he found the shirt being used to bind his injuries, something he never would have dared to do himself. Not with the shirt. And why was she stooping to such a task, which was beneath any freeborn? Vaguely, he remembered that Estrellir’s family name was Konrath, and that there was another Konrath that ran some sort of hospital for slaves. Not that he’d ever been there himself, but more than one of the slaves at Blacksugar had been sent there when they were too injured to work. That was a new concept, since in Ravok slaves were much more disposable. Here, it must have been considered cheaper to pay to have slaves fixed up than buy and re-train a new slave. That was the only thing that made sense to him. Therefore he looked at Estrellir’s actions in the same way, and his confusion turned to understanding. She planned to get the kelvic back to Blacksugar alive so she could present him to Edmund and curry favor for doing so. In the meantime, he wouldn’t be leaking blood and thus providing an obvious trail. Whatever happened afterward was going to be his problem.

Still, Kaitanu was grateful to at least not be freely bleeding anymore. Meekly, he bowed his head and murmured to Estrellir, “Mistress has the thanks of a poor slave, who deeply regrets his worthless blood staining your hands.” This was the proper response, of course, though he regretted far more the destruction of his shirt. That particular loss would bring punishment on his head, but there was nothing he could do about it. In resigning himself to the inevitable, he was able to focus on more immediate things, namely the tension between Estrellir and Goneszh. The latter had slithered closer to the Konti, drawing himself up to his full height to look imposing.

“You follow plan, or I am telling Lorak woman all about sssneaking with usss and hiding behind buildingsss. Take note- I am not asssk why you were ssspying. You were, do not deny. Maybe I am telling her you look for bad information of Lorak family. Your tracksss are with mine- Lorak woman will want to find who they belong to.” The Dhani leaned in, eyes narrowed. Short as he was for his kind, he managed to look threatening. “I am going down, you are going with me. You and horssse boy. Remember thisss.”

With that, and a sharp look at Kaitanu, Goneszh turned around and made his way toward the small door. On the wall hung an old, ragged cloak and an equally threadbare satchel, which he slung over his dark shoulder, stuffing the cloak inside.

“You wait ten chimes, then leave by way you come.”

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir had expected the slave’s words of gratitude, of course, but she still acknowledged them with a short nod. At the same time, she bit her lip to keep her thoughts from leaking out. His blood was just as thick and sticky between her fingers as a Konti’s. Humans bled crimson red, so did she and so did Kaitanu the Kelvic. So where should they draw the line? Ah, but the only thing that mattered was who did it. With that, she let the thought go. Blurting out musings about the structure of Kenashian society would only anger one and confuse the other. Neither she could use right now.

Keeping an eye on Kaitanu, she noticed with satisfaction that he seemed to relax a little. If he possessed even an inkling of the rumored good health of his race, he’d recover in no time. Provided he got some rest. Observing him absentmindedly, she also noticed for the first time what a rare catch he was. His ivory hair and pure skin combined with pleasant features and a tall slim body certainly attracted attention with the many rich vultures hopping around. One, not quite rich but of excellent reputation, had picked him and set him in a vase. Which one, Estrellir didn’t know. She guessed, however, that Edmund didn’t utilize his good looks as much as he could.

Goneszh and his dubious plan. As the Dhani loomed over her, Estrellir didn’t attempt to match his height. Pretty much everyone in town was taller than her, some more than others… She took in his warning with mild concern edged into her features, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at his forked tongue. Sadly, there was a hint of truth in what he said. They were nowhere near as good as the Konrath women, but like every Dynasty the Loraks employed their own spies and investigators. If she wanted, she would find out who had aided the serpentine troublemaker and dragged a valuable slave along.

“Thank you, I wasn’t that serious. I will remember though.” She pushed away the tempting idea to retort with a thinly veiled threat of her own. If Goneszh decided to abandon them or turn them in, she’d know. Not in advance, but still a mere tick after it happened. Concentration. Sweet Avalis knew he didn’t need any more oil to fuel his temper.

Sitting back and rubbing her hands, still sticky and blackened with half-dried blood, Estrellir watched the Dhani move around and prepare. Eventually she nodded. “Ten chimes.” Don’t expect me to wish you good luck, snake.

When a muffled splash told them he’d hit the water, she started counting down. Looking around, the other half of her mind struggled to improvise a plan. After a few ticks, she got up and washed her hands at the door. Some vigorous scrubbing later, her violet gaze met Kaitanu’s. “So will you make it through the swamp? Do you have any knowledge of the wilderness around here, any survival tips? I advise you to be honest with me.” For his own sake, although she didn’t think him the most cunning kind of slave. If he’d worked the field or even acted as messenger before, he’d know certain places. They could use any and all knowledge.

Tapping her lower lip with a finger, she added an afterthought. “If you shifted as soon as… no.” Certainly not. He was too big as a horse, his hooves too clumsy on wet terrain. They’d have to take the long route. Still she was counting down in the back of her mind.

[Kaitanu]

Estrellir was quite right to keep her caste-system thoughts to herself. Even with Goneszh out of hearing she would have earned not a word from the kelvic. Such ideas were meant for extreme radicals or the insane. Kaitanu never thought of such things himself. Slaves were slaves and freeborns were freeborns, and that was the end of it. Only in an abstract fashion did he ever dream of freedom, but it had more to do with his eventual death than anything.

Kaitanu did not allow his thoughts to wander much down philosophical paths, especially not when there were nearer concerns to occupy his mind. In spite of his placid demeanor, he was just as watchful of the Konti woman as she was of him. However, his inward observations ran along a somewhat different route. If she had spoken openly her thoughts on his looks, Kaitanu would not have been at all surprised. More than once he had been made brutally aware of how desirable he was. For him, it was nothing to take pride in or be happy about. At least he was no longer quite so young-looking; there seemed to be an inordinate number of Dynasts and freeborns who preferred children. Kaitanu was groped and pawed at enough in the markets without inviting that crowd.

Not that he knew her passing thoughts on his appearance, but the way she sized him up was familiar enough. Kaitanu was glad to note that she didn’t seem interested. Between that and not ending up as Dhani lunch the night was turning out to be not unsalvageable. The shirt was a problem, but perhaps he could steal one if he was careful. Just so Master Edmund wasn’t aware… Oh, but the Konti woman would probably tell him. There went that idea.

As Estrellir and Goneszh played out their goodbye scene, the kelvic remained passively in the same place, hoping not to be noticed too much. Relief was all he felt at the Dhani’s exit; Estrellir wasn’t so immediately dangerous. Still, he was wary as ever. A delicate frame and unearthly beauty was just a mask. This Konti was clever, and he would have to please her if he wanted to avoid any more trouble.

Shifting into a more submissive position on his knees, he placed both white hands against the dark wet fabric of his slacks and bowed his head. “I must return to my master, through swamp or city.” Kaitanu would make it because there was no other choice. He wasn’t sure why she had asked him, unless she feared his legs would give out before she’d gotten full use out of him.

“As for this slave’s knowledge of the wilderness, my Master has never had cause to send me this far beyond the city. I fear I know nothing of this part of Kenash, but the back ways and alleys of the city are familiar. Of plants both edible and medicinal I have learned some. This slave’s senses are sharp for danger, and feet soft for treading. I am at Mistress’s command by my Master’s good will.”

Kaitanu hoped that answer would satisfy her. He had not lied nor embellished the truth, even if he wished he could be more useful. At least she seemed against his shifting, though he would be obliged to do so whenever she chose. That was always the problem with a master or freeborn supervising his actions; shifting was up to them and not himself. Even if their timing was off, as with Goneszh back near the water.

Speaking of the Dhani, Kaitanu’s ears had long lost the swishing sound of his half-snake tail in the water. Soon it would be ten chines gone and he and the Konti had to head out, exhausted or no. The kelvic did what he could to gather strength before the plunge, rehearsing a song in his head to give himself strength.

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir gave a nod of approval. He had to make it. There was no other choice for several reasons, most importantly because her reputation would suffer if he didn’t. She left it at that, betting on his equine stamina.

The next revelation proved to be more interesting. Shortcuts and back alleys were her area of expertise as well, but his knowledge of plants could prove useful if they got into trouble again. Even if they didn’t, it’d help him keep up the pace and speed up his recovery. Sharp senses would help also. She was glad to hear he’d follow her on behalf of his master. Kaitanu had no way of knowing the true nature of her relationship with Edmund, yet he seemed to understand he had no choice but to trust her good will towards him. What she’d do with that sliver of trust, Estrellir would decide at a later time.

“That is well. We’ll head through the swamp like the snake man suggested, then double back towards the city. I wouldn’t count on meeting him again, but if we do, it’ll be then. Once we’re safe and on our way, I’ll get us to Blacksugar in a carriage and explain everything to your master.” She paused briefly, thinking over her plan one last time. It seemed solid, provided nothing happened during their flight.

“If we get separated, you head back to the city proper and we’ll meet up near Gold Beach. Understood?” Waiting for his affirmative, Estrellir wrapped up her cloak and collected her boots. Neither had dried completely, but she simply tied the fabric around her waist again and carefully opened the back door.

Her countdown had arrived at zero. After checking their surroundings, the Konti stepped back and gestured. “You first.” She slipped into the water after Kaitanu, keeping an eye on the slave and his luggage. Ten chimes had been enough for her breathing to calm and her body to gather some strength. As she made her way through the shallow waters, her strokes barely disturbed the surface.

Climbing on the shore, Estrellir untied her dripping cloak and wrapped it around her form to hide shining locks and scales. Soaked by swamp water, the fabric was dragging her down, but a little additional weight was preferable to blowing their cover. As they headed away from the Terraces and lights of Kenash, the Konti looked back several times to check on Kaitanu. If he had difficulties keeping her brisk pace, she’d slow down a little. Apart from that, she had put on her boots and tried to step as lightly as she could, feeling the ground under her soles before putting down weight. Soon shadows were closing in around them, the gnarled trees and shrubs of the swamp hugging them from all sides. Estrellir had trouble picking a dry path, zigzagging through the undergrowth in what she hoped was the easiest way. Instinct told her they were heading northeast. The swamp was eerily silent around them, although she kept her eyes and ears wide open for anything suspicious.

[Kaitanu]

Kaitanu didn’t really trust the Konti woman to go beyond her own interests in this matter. Still, he couldn’t help latching onto her promise about explaining things to Master Edmund. Not too tenaciously, of course; he had to be a realist. Yet it gave the kelvic more hope than he had before. If he pleased her enough with absolute obedience she might be generous enough to remember her own words.

“I understand and obey, Mistress.” His tousled head bowed low, almost to the floor, revealing for a moment the slender curve of his neck, and the pale expanse of his scarred back. In spite of the livid marks, old and new, he and Estrellir might have been distant twins; silver and platinum. They would both be easy to spot creeping among the shades of the night-time swamp. Avoiding capture might be more difficult than either of them realized, but they couldn’t stay in that little hut forever. Without their own concerns to drive them out, the thought of Goneszh returning at some point was not palatable to either. Kaitanu would feel no regret if he never saw the Dhani again.

However, as his mind could only focus on their present difficulties, and his master’s business, all thoughts of the snake-like being were summarily driven from his head. Keeping up with Estrellir was almost more than he could manage once the freezing water closed around him, and his numbed feet started to sink deeper into the shifting sand. Their brief rest and Estrellir’s bandaging his wounds had done him good, but even more the slave relied on his native stamina, enhanced by years as a slave. It was a testament to his endurance that he didn’t lag behind by much, even while carrying the extra weight of the tapestry over his head.

As the silvery pair pushed through the water toward the shore, the night deepened around them. One by one the gold and red of lit windows were extinguished, until only moonlight rippled on the water ahead. It passed out in little circles before the Konti’s graceful movements. She didn’t struggle against the water, but became one with it, flowing toward the near bank as though a thing of water herself.

Kaitanu, on the other hand, was far clumsier; in spite of every effort his passage made more noise and more waves. Only the winter breeze hid his passing. It had grown again, shifting over the shallows like the cold breath of an indifferent god. Three steps in and Kaitanu was trembling, while every breath was like fire in his lungs. As his bandages soaked thoroughly with salt water that fire spread to his wounds. Trembling as he was it was a relief to get onto dry land and away from the lapping, burning, stinking water. More than once he’d seen garbage float by which, while not surprising, was worrisome. Of course, that could have helped them to keep hidden; he probably looked like a bit of flotsam himself from far off.

Now, the problem was how to keep hidden and on his toes in the darkness of the forest when he was starving and exhausted and moving toward hypothermia. Kaitanu did wonder if the Konti was susceptible to cold, but not because he was genuinely worried for her safety. In the world of a slave there was little room for anyone else; it was an almost entirely selfish existence. Intellectually, Kaitanu wondered about Estrellir because he didn’t know much concerning her race, or if she was a delicate as she looked. If Estrellir collapsed he would have to decide what to do about her. It wasn’t through any meanness of spirit; he was just trying to survive.

Kaitanu was glad enough to see the Konti don her cloak once more; at least one of them wouldn’t be obvious in the moonlight. As far as her plan went it was the best option they had, but he would have to be more than usually cautious. The slave made certain to tread silently, or as much as he could manage. While Estrellir rewrapped her cloak he took the opportunity to place the tapestry back over his shoulder, tightening the strap across his chest, with his knapsack going the other way. Then, it was a matter of following Estrellir’s path until she deemed his prior knowledge worthy of use. For a long time they became lost in the trees, though she was leading them deeper into the tangled roots and tall grasses of the wildlands.

Kaitanu was wholly unfamiliar with this territory, but deeming it important to remember for future reference he kept his eyes and ears open. Something about the shadows and the stillness reminded him of his time in Ravok, yet he couldn’t recall why. Since all his focus was on his present life any information not being used had either been locked up or thrown away. Kaitanu didn’t know which, and it didn’t matter. He would forget everything about Estrellir, too, if knowing about her was not potentially important. It was, which meant he had to delve a little.

Once they found a solid enough path Kaitanu allowed himself to gather what he could from observation, as a slave was not allowed to ask questions. The activity would also serve to distract him from his own weariness and pain. It was an old slave tactic which had served him well in the past. Once more, Kaitanu went over memories of seeing the Konti and his master together, and her few words she had spoken of Edmund that night. He also recalled what his master had said of her in the past. Master Edmund had mentioned something about detective work in reference to the Konti which, in light of the day’s events, put her behavior into context. He hadn’t connected her with Konrath’s detective Bureau until now, but it came as no surprise.

Other than that, he knew nothing more about her from what he had heard. Observation would have to do. Kaitanu watched her walk, observed her dress, cloak, boots- well-made but relatively simple. The cloak itself was silk, which meant Estrellir had more money than plan clothing indicated. She also had enough for an unnecessary habit; Zulaca tobacco. The smell permeated every inch of her presence and left a trail in her wake.

Not that Kaitanu needed a fairly common scent to distinguish the Konti in a crowd. He would also know her even if he only saw her hand; the scales had a pattern to them which were quite distinct. If it was her left hand- which he had caught sight of while she bandaged him- then he would know her by her tattoo. A gnosis mark most likely, though he didn’t know which god she followed. None were real, except maybe Rhysol. Broken as his mind was that name made him shudder, but it was a faraway and vague fear, like a nightmare half-remembered. Kaitanu had never seen evidence of anything but the cruelty of his fellow creatures, so there hardly needed to be supernatural forces egging them on. What Estrellir believed only mattered to him in case he should find the opportunity of pleasing her through her devotion to that god.

In all, as they struggled through the tangled pathways of the swamp, Kaitanu was able to draw a pretty clear picture of the Konti in his mind. She was an actor like himself, an observer, practical in spite of a beauty which she could have worked in other ways. Since his experience with Konti was limited, the slave didn’t have the contrast of expectation to hold up against her recent behavior. On the other hand, there was a sharpness to Estrellir that branded her as a careful opportunist. She couldn’t quite hide from Kaitanu the way she had sized him up earlier. While her eventual goals were unknown, the kelvic knew a manipulator when he saw one; they all had the same hungry gleam in their eyes. She didn’t seem interested in using him physically, but only time would tell. Her appetite seemed, for now, to begin and end with what she could get from Edmund through his slave.

It was no great intellect that led Kaitanu down this road. The path was so well-worn that he couldn’t feel any surprise, just weariness. It meant being more on his guard, taking greater pains to seem less informed than he was, and employing a level of diplomacy that would cross a politician’s eyes. Since true friendship and altruistic loyalty were concepts all but unknown to Kaitanu, it didn’t occur to him that Estrellir might care for Edmund for his own sake.

[Estrellir Konrath]

As they went deeper into the swamp, Estrellir lost sight of the moon through the canopy of leaves and branches. To compensate, she paid more attention to the direction they were going in, choosing the straightest way possible. That meant they had to climb over rotting wood, duck under low branches and wade through shallow water more often than not. Just like Kaitanu, the Konti was feeling exhaustion heavy in her limbs. Soon she slowed down to preserve their strength.

After the city lights had faded between trees and undergrowth, she shot a glance over her shoulder. “If you see any herbs that could give us strength for the rest of the way, you should take the time to harvest them.” Now that they were at a reasonable distance to the city, they could afford to pace themselves. After her words, Estrellir kept an eye on Kaitanu, although she trusted that he knew he shouldn’t stray too far from their path and also share with her. She was frequently turning her head into all directions, observing both the slave and their surroundings.

Another five chimes later she turned a little to the right and a little more, hoping to correct their direction from northeast to east to southeast. Eventually they’d head back to the city and likely come out of the swamp at the southern end of East Bank. Until then, however, they still had a good way to go. The humid air was still full of little noises, most of which Estrellir couldn’t identify. She’d never been required to and so she had little useful knowledge about the swamp, just scraps and pieces from reports, stories, plays and books. Nothing of that had included knowledge of how to survive in a real swamp.

She’d let down her guard for only a tick or two, but that was enough. It was lurking on an overturned tree trunk without making a sound. When she stumbled out of a thick patch of reeds, she hadn’t expected it in the least, but there it was. An alligator. At least twelve feet of leathery skin and small eyes. On a tree above a shallow pond.

What was there to do? Estrellir froze, gaze locked on what she’d hoped to avoid.

[Kaitanu]

Kaitanu sensed the alligator just before he heard Estrellir’s surprised exhale. A prickle along his spine always warned the kelvic when he was being watched. He might have spotted it sooner had he not been scouring the ground for any plants that might be of some use to them both. There had been little enough to offer the Konti from his brief foraging a while ago, given the time of year. Just a few leftover juniper berries and a bit of old pine sap on which to chew. Nothing for a real burst of energy which, as it turned out, would have proven very useful.

Glancing up to where Estrellir had halted a few steps ahead, the kelvic instinctively froze. Just over her slight shoulder he could see the moonlit hide of the alligator and its luminous yellow eyes, which stared unblinkingly at them like some demon of Rhysol’s. That was how Kaitanu saw these creatures, of which he knew next to nothing beyond a horse’s instinctive fear of carnivores. He didn’t have to see its full complement of sharp teeth to know what would happen if he lingered there.

Unfortunately, Kaitanu’s strength seemed to be ebbing fast and, weighed down as he was, cold and starving and exhausted as he had been for hours, the kelvic knew he wouldn’t be fast enough to get away, with or without the tapestry weighing him down. He didn’t even have strength left to feel more than vague fear, and perhaps the first hints of resignation to his lot. It seemed only too appropriate for yet another reptile to look on him as a meal. Perhaps this was some cosmic hint that he couldn’t escape a predestined mode of death.

Kaitanu wasn’t in the mood to laugh at the whimsy of an indifferent universe. Nor was he ready to meet his end, in spite of a life no sane individual would have chosen. As the alligator’s mouth opened in a hiss, Kaitanu looked quickly around for a weapon of any sort. By the time the beast had slithered toward them, he had a large branch in hand, and was ready to defend himself as best he could. If he could just discourage it from thinking of him as a meal that was the best he could hope for. Briefly, Kaitanu wondered if being in horse form would be better or more dangerous; he’d never had to face one of these things before. Only once had he witnessed an alligator attack, and its prey- a deer- was dragged under with such speed and ferocity that he had avoided the waterside ever after.

This one looked hungry enough to eat them both whole, and the slight limp in one of its back legs didn’t do much to slow it down. Water splashed and dry leaves crackled under its body as it charged at Konti and kelvic with terrifying speed. If they were its first meal in a long time the alligator wasn’t going to give up easily.

As Kaitanu scrambled back, he wasn’t really thinking about Estrellir or her safety. He did wonder if the alligator would go for her and give him the chance to escape, and if he could risk dashing off if that happened. Should she survive, the kelvic’s desertion would prove worse for him. Should she die here, he would live another day.

Such thoughts were not driven by true malice; for Kaitanu it was a matter of survival and playing the odds. If he was capable of true selflessness it was buried to depths of obscurity. At the moment, he was waiting to see what the alligator would do, and gathering what was left of his strength to make a dash for it. Had he not almost tripped on another large branch, Estrellir would have been left to fend for herself.

“Mistress!” he rasped, the cold air tearing at his throat. One of the branches was held near her shoulder where she could see it without averting her gaze from the alligator. If she knew more about such creatures than he did now was the time to show it.

(OOC: New Boxcode FTW!)

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir was still frozen and could only watch as the massive beast slid from the branch into the water, moving towards them with the terrifying silent ease of a predator in his element. Granted, the water seemed to be deeper than it looked. The gator’s tail barely caused any ripples and its eyes were hovering just above the surface like burning needles.

When Kaitanu moved behind her, the sounds were muffled as if they’d traveled through a closed door. She’d heard several times that there were moments that held eternity in them, but she only comprehended the true meaning of those words then. Her throat was dry and she swallowed, realizing how little she knew. Obviously she’d been studying all the wrong things. True, she’d faced the dangers of nature several times during her journeys, but she’d never been on her own before, never left to fend for herself. With sudden clarity, Estrellir knew that life and death depended on her next decision. What a fragile thing it was, the body!

A thick branch entered her field of vision. She grabbed it almost automatically and held it tightly in front of her as if the piece of wood held all the answers. In a way, it did. When it came to sink or swim, she chose the latter. As long as she could, she’d fight. That was all.

Suddenly everything snapped back into focus, the dark swamp, the water and the glowing pair of evil eyes. Although the Konti knew next to nothing of predators, she’d heard once that they left you alone if you left them alone. They wouldn’t prey on men unless starved. That was a start.

With thoughts racing, she could also move again. Slowly, very slowly, Estrellir took a step back and then another. Her left foot hit a root, but she lifted it higher and regained balance before she could stumble. “Get away from the water,” she hissed over her shoulder, taking an educated guess. The alligator had slowed down a little, lurking, but it was still too close. She’d gotten a glimpse of its bulky body before it’d slid into the water and couldn’t imagine it moving gracefully on land.

So she’d bet on that and hope Kaitanu did too. Since he was behind her, he probably didn’t have much of a choice. With infinite care, Estrellir took another step back and then a little to the right. Bringing leaves and branches between them, getting out of sight, seemed like a good idea.

[Kaitanu]

Kaitanu had faced death too often to philosophize much, even if he had been prone to doing so. Deep thoughts tended to come in moments of quiet rather than intrude over the pounding of his heart. All his former exhaustion melted away in the fire of the beast’s yellow eyes. Every sense was alive and aware suddenly; every muscle and nerve prepared to act. Time stood still as it always did, but he was long past marveling at these things. To Kaitanu it simply meant he had precious moments in which to act.

Keen eyes swept over the area without ever losing sight of the alligator’s bulk. It was still advancing on them with its pale mouth open, hissing angrily. Though he followed Estrellir’s command to move automatically, his mind had split into two for the sake of survival. He would move and act of his own accord to save himself if necessary. Under certain circumstances his actions might just help her, too, but Kaitanu wasn’t very particular. Frankly, he was just trying not to get the long tapestry bundle caught on overhanging branches as he backed into them.

In the shadows ahead, the alligator remained where it was, white moonlight carving ridges into its leathery back. Remembering Goneszh Kaitanu wondered how it was still active in the cold air. Carefully, he took another step backward, and it occurred to him that he hadn’t seen any alligators since the height of the day, when a few were sunning themselves on sandbanks in the water. In the summertime they seemed to be more abundant, and to stay out longer, but he hadn’t seen a single one since the sun’s zenith. Didn’t cold things like that go to sleep when their blood chilled? Kaitanu didn’t know, but watching Goneszh slow down after sunset made him suspect this to be true. If he had ever known anything else about such creatures his mind couldn’t bring that information back. Therefore, he had to bank on recent knowledge.

With his eyes on the creature, who was thankfully now farther away, Kaitanu noted its back leg again. It seemed to be shifting its weight painfully in the water, but that didn’t stop the alligator from mucking its way toward the near edge of the pond. Kaitanu felt a cold chill at the way the alligator kept eyeing them both, even more so as their movement cast the beast in a different light. Other alligators he’d seen were large and fat around the middle, but this one seemed too narrow for its length, which was considerable. Once more, Kaitanu felt those terrible eyes on him, and suddenly he understood that this beast wasn’t just hungry, it was starving. Starving and desperate, and they had just wandered within reach.

This thought came just a second before the shape in the water lunged out at them both with terrifying speed. Every instinct screamed at Kaitanu to bolt, but the moment he turned his master’s tapestry caught in the branches of one of the trees. The next thing he knew he was on his back, with the sound and the smell of the predator filling every sense. A regular horse would have gone mad; he felt half his brain float away on that dark tide as he frantically tried to scramble to his feet. The unwieldy bundle at his back took every opportunity to snag on roots and in bushes. He couldn’t even manage to slip it over and off his shoulders without getting more tangled up.

Beyond the sound of his struggling and Estrellir’s movements he could still hear that dreadful hiss and slid of a long, heavy body. It filled him with blind panic, numbing him to everything but the need to escape. Kaitanu didn’t feel the branches dig into his shoulders and chest; he barely registered anything but the sudden shift of weight off his shoulders as the tapestry bundle finally slipped off. Kaitanu wasn’t even aware that his movements had caused the bundle to swing out and hit the beast in the side of the head, hard enough to topple it over on its back. All he knew was that he had gotten his arm free, and only the lingering fear of his master kept him from letting go completely.

[Estrellir Konrath]

Estrellir still couldn’t look away from those yellow slit eyes. Like a rabbit she was caught in the predator’s gaze – and she hated it, hated the weakness that came from such ignorance. Who was she to assume she wouldn’t bleed and die like the rest of them? Like the horse Kelvic she’d ended up with?

Speaking of which, Kaitanu wasn’t moving fast enough. She could hear him behind her, rustling with his bundle in low branches and leaves, slowing them both down. Estrellir tried to hurry, taking two steps backward, which only resulted in her stumbling against his leg and almost falling over. Steadying herself against a slender trunk, she still didn’t dare look away from the beast in the water. Then, almost at the same time as Kaitanu, she noticed its unusual form.

All thought stopped, however, as it shot forward and lunged at them. Gasping, Estrellir scrambled backwards, bumping into the slave once again, while instinctively lifting both hands to protect face and chest. Then several things happened in quick succession. Kaitanu went down, but his body against her back somehow kept Estrellir on her feet. The tapestry hit the alligator in the head, pushing it up and towards Estrellir. Pointy teeth scraped against her left arm, although its powerful jaw didn’t close around her bones. The alligator landed on its side heavily and its head hit the water with a splash. Half-blind from a low-hanging branch in her face, Estrellir finally turned around and regained shaky balance. Something wet was dripping down her arm and every fiber in her body screamed flight.

After two steps, her thoughts caught up and she shot a single word at Kaitanu. “Run!” The alligator would be dizzy from the attack and subsequent blow to the head, she hoped, so it was their chance to get away. Jumping over roots, dashing around patches of undergrowth, ducking under branches and leaves, Estrellir fled towards Kenash. For a couple of ticks she didn’t know where she was going, then she tried to gauge her position and headed a little to the left. The flickering lights would lead her back to the city proper, no problem, and at that point she didn’t care where she came out. Anywhere that was far away from the alligator seemed fine.

Her arm was still dripping and her breath was coming in short exhausted bursts, but she didn’t stop. It couldn’t be, simply couldn’t be far until the East Bank… Light, shelter and the safety of civilization.