“Fine, I’ll just have it back then.” Ros stated pointedly, holding his hand out to the back of the exotic trader walking away from him. He was feeling unusually indignant, and not nearly high enough to take this one in stride. He suddenly regretted his statement and wished he could go back a few minutes. Light a bowl and gloss over the whole issue.
A stocky fellow stopped from his progress away from Ros and threw the young poacher an incredulous look. “Take it back? Neh, boy, ye’ll be taking yer coin and leavin’ right fast if’n ye know what’s good fer ye.” He punctuated his statement by shifting the basket he was holding from his right to his left and resting his right ominously on the pommel of the rapier at his side.
Ros’s gaze flicked between the weapon and the surrounding cronies that had ceased moving cages and crates around the deep forest encampment and were suddenly far too interested in the discussion. He re-evaluated his tactics and held his hands out in supplication, “Look, we agreed on twenty gold dragons for that egg. five doesn’t even cover the cost of rations!”
“Ain’t me problem. Margin changed an’ ye’ll be dealin’ with it, same as me.”
There was no way that the economy had shifted that far. But pushing the issue was definitely going to lead to a looped rope and a tree branch, or worse. “Alright,” Ros said slowly. “Five will be just fine then.” He snuck the tiny bag of coins he had been given into a pocket and bent to sling his pack from the ground to his shoulder.
“Ye’know, reckon ye should be givin’ me one ‘o those dragons back, for the ‘noyance, ye half-blooded runt.” Suddenly the bandit leader was in front of Ros with lightning speed, the basket left on the ground back where he had turned.
Ros took one step back, and then another, as he scrambled for ideas. “Well, um, yes. Absolutely.” His retreat was abruptly stopped as his backpack ran into a large covered cage. The slight sound of steel on steel informed him that weapons were being drawn around him, though he dared not take his eyes off the prowling bandit leader stalking towards him. Definitely should have smoked that pipe.
“In fact, I’m inclined te… cut me losses entirely.” The rapier’s shiny length appeared, and its tip was leveled neatly at neck height.
Ros’s fingers found their way under the cover of the cage behind him as he sought the steadiness of the bars to stay his hands. He had never been much of a praying man, but right about now, he would burn his entire stash of mushrooms to whatever god would let him melt directly through these bars. “Look, man. Man, I’ve got, uh… more coin.” He didn’t have any more coin, “and, uh, I know a nest, a really good nest-”
“Neh, ye’ve got nuthin. Say yer word, boy.” Ros felt a point press against the skin just at the top of his rumpled collar.
Something brushed against Ros’s fingers. Wonderful. He was going to get to feel what it was like to have his hands eaten off by whatever was trapped in the cage before drowning in his own blood as it drained down a hole in his neck. But then something brushed against Ros’s mind as well. A feeling of determination and trust. A feeling of… power. And then a query slid its way into his mind. In his frantic state, he found his head nodded frantically and the query exploded into a rush of joy.
Time seemed to slow as symbols slid into the poacher’s mind, strange and archaic. His right hand peeled itself off the bars behind him almost of its own accord, and he watched it trace a symbol in the air. He was suddenly aware of ribbons of words, words he had never known, in a language he had never heard. His own voice floated to his ears as his mouth spoke these words.
A burning flash of white light launched itself from Ros’s upturned hand, searing through the bandit captain’s shirt and leaving a red burn on his arm. It spun the man, and a slight glow appeared around his stocky frame. Ros didn’t bother to ask him if he was alright. He dodged to one side and around the cage behind him. As he did, he snatched at the cover and tore it off.
Ros was taken aback suddenly as big round eyes stared at him meaningfully through the bars. Those eyes were set in the face of a miniature elephant with soft golden fur. Gossamer golden wings were bound tightly to its back. Those eyes, that gaze, were filled with the same determination and trust.
In the moment of confusion afforded to him, Ros flipped up the latch on the cage and threw open the door. He glanced over the bindings on the small creature’s wings but knew there was no time to deal with them. “Run!” he hissed and started backing towards the forest growth. Much to Ros’s surprise, the tiny elephant suddenly winked out of existence.
He spun and ran. There was no time to investigate, he just hoped his little savior was alright. He crashed through the underbrush for a while, shouting following him far too closely. But he knew the forest well, and soon the voices faded. A hollow under an old-growth root was as fine a hiding place. He threw himself into it, and pulled wads of dirt and leaves in after him.
Ros stayed under the old rotting root long after the sound of voices and boots had faded. Long after his heart calmed and his back cramped. He was beginning to accept that this was just a fine place to stay for the night when there was a crunch of leaves near him. He bit his lip and held his breath.
A snuffling trunk dug through the collected debris and rubbed over Ros’s face before swiping aside. There stood the small golden elephant-like creature that… saved him? What exactly happened? Ros shook his head as he clambered out from under the root, wincing as is his back reminded him that it was not happy with his choices thus far.
“Hi there, I’m Lulu!” floated a small musical voice through Ros’s consciousness.
He fumbled the clasp on his backpack and dropped it. He half-fell, half-sat back from his haunches to the ground. “Did you just… think at me?” he choked out.
“Yeah, I did! I’m Lulu. What’s your name”
“Um… Ros” said Ros, feeling odd about a conversation that was only one-sidedly aloud. “Well actually Walros, but I don’t go by it or I get teased more about my pointy ears.”
Ros pulled his backpack across the leafy forest floor to him and unclasped a side pouch. He pulled out a small utility knife and motioned the golden creature closer, “Let’s get those wings untied. Um… what are you? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“Dunno!” Lulu thought happily at Ros, frolicking over to him and plopping her little elephant bottom beside his legs. Ros carefully slid the blade under each leather bond and the strapping fell away. Lulu immediately fluttered them and a cascade of shimmering golden dust rose in a cloud.
“Well thanks, Lulu. I was as good as done for. That grouchy fellow was about to run his blade right into-” Ros gulped at the thought of his near-demise and resolved to do what he should have done from the beginning.
Lulu sat beside Ros’s leg and watched him placidly as he packing a bowl of pipeweed, lit it with a steel, and took several long draws. He puffed several relaxed smoke rings through each other, and the little winged creature giggled.
“You were supposed to be there. I was meant to help you. It was your destiny to save me.” Lulu stated, seeming very sure of herself.
Ros smiled down at her and patted her on the head, feeling much more relaxed. “Right, supposed to be there. Well, tell you what, I owe you my life, and what I have is yours. What you need? I have… five dragons. Or some rations. Unless you care for some…” he tugged the pipe from his lips and offered it towards her.
Lulu giggled again and her ears flapped back and forth as she shook her head. “No silly. You’re my protector now. You have a purpose. Don’t worry.”
“Purpose? What purpose?”
“I dunno!”
Ros frowned in consternation at his little golden companion. “What do you mean ‘you don’t know’?”
“Dunno, but I’m sure it will come along. We’ll get you there. I can teach you.”
Ros’s gaze fell to his pipe and he wondered if he had perchance filled his bowl too full. He decided that he would sort out the particulars later. Maybe much later. He scooted back until he could lean comfortably against the tree trunk and sighed. “Well my little golden friend, you’ve shown me some strange magic and saved my life. You keep doing that and I’ll follow wherever you lead, it’s a deal. But we had best keep a low profile for a while.”