Quida
Lokeash ran a single claw down the side of the rock face, the grating screech helped him clear his mind just a tiny bit more from the haze that had settled upon him since his last tangle with The Twins.He shook his head, slowly, as if the motion may help his thoughts reorganize into coherent sentences. With a heavy sigh he laid his head on his paws looking down on the whole of Ahzen, which stretched out before him.
The cave looked strangely mottled through his eyes, like a thin film had grown to cover them wile he slept shaking his head once more, he opened his eyes to see the Vortex, It had grown once more and was lazily changing colors, an odd feeling began tugging at his heart. With a slight laugh he realized the colors reminded him of his old home in the desert. He waited for a few seconds, intently watching its lazy movement, but to his disappointment no Ahz came forth from its depths.He let himself drift off to sleep, he knew it was not the best of his ideas but he was so tired, slowly he let the darkness catch him in its claws, and he faded off into a deep sleep.
An unusual scent tickled at his nose, and with a loud sneeze Lokeash awoke to find Ahzen in turmoil. Humans and Ahzenai Alike filled the cave, running about in a fuss each carrying something, some had flowers, others had perfumes and incense, he even though he caught the barest hint of bacon wafting up to him. He groaned shakily getting to his paws,
may as well see what all the fuss was about.
Was the though that ran through his head as he jumped down the rocks to the main floor.
He paused for a second, rolling his aching shoulders, he looked around for the nearest person to question.
Lokeash!
the voice was calm and clear, the turned to see Kiyo and Amaranth approaching him, the latter held a large bouquet of flowers firmly in his mouth.
"Kiyo, Anmaranth," he nodded his head at each, Tell me, what is all of the fuss about?"
" Ur guh um Ah ven ur"
Amaranth replied forgetting for a moment the flowers in his mouth. Both Kiyo and Lokeash looked at him quizzically, the young ahzenai blushed under their stares.
" I believe what he meant to say was, There is a new Ahzenai."
Oh?
"Yes she came forth from the Vortex just recently, at most about an hour ago"
"Interesting, she i believe you said it was a she, must have appeared shortly after i fell asleep."
You fell asleep? even after your fall?
Yes.
That was not very smart
I know
"Do you? You could have.."
I know!
Lokeash was moderately annoyed by Kiyo's worry, but only because he was old enough to know the outcomes of falling asleep after a concussion.
Any way, why is Amaranth caring flowers?
he asked in attempt to break the awkward silence that had befallen the group.
Amaranth replied to him this time, gingerly he set the bouquet of flowers down on the ground
"Its because of the new Ahzenai, she is easily the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life, he said dreamily."
Lokeash chuckled,
Is that so?
He got a nodded reply from the young ahzenai
Well, If that is true I will leave you on your way then. Shrugging He picked up his flowers and trotted on, flicking his tail for Kiyo to follow. Kiyo rolled her eyes and obliged him. both leaving lokeash there alone.
He watched them leave, following them with his eyes. They made there way to a single Ahzenai. Lokeash could not help it, his jaw dropped at the sight of her golden pelt, the color of the desert sand. Entranced he became to stiffly move towards her, but stopped half way there. Everyone was bringing her grand gifts of flowers, and incense, He paused to think it over, each of these things were scented beautifully.
humm..
he wondered aloud, He gasped as the realization hit him. He bounded off in the direction of his trove of treasures, a smile forming on his lips. He had just the thing.
It did not take him long, and he soon was bounding back towards her feeling like a kitten boasting it's first catch. The lump was shapeless in his mouth, covered in an old faded pouch of graying camel leather.
As he approached the crowd of people gathered around the female, he heard someone call out
"Quida! Choose me I beg you!"
He could not help it a chuckle, humans were so.. odd. With a sharp growl the crowd parted like old times, and he effortlessly made his way to the stunning female ahzenai.
Gingerly he laid the package down before her feet, and looked up at her, taking care to meet her two sun touched golden eyes, she was even more stunning up close, and he almost choked up as he started to speak,
Hello Quida, I am Lokeash, I am from a time much different than this one, and over those years I have come to see many Ahzenai, but I must say none were as breath taking as you are."
A loud mewling came from behind Lokeash, His once small kitten Has padded his way up to Him and Quida, expectantly waiting for Lokeash to give him as an offering. Lokeash Chuckled gathering the growing kitten in his paws and pulling him towards him,
"Not this time little one, in fact never again"
With the kitten safely tucked away under his chest, he began addressing Quida again.
"My dear your body has been kissed by the sun itself, much like the beauty of the desert I once called my home, and it is an ancient custom of my home to bare gifts to a beauty such as you."
He reached out and grasped the leather pouch in his paws, gingerly pulling back the faded covers to revile a delicate vial.
"This is pure turquoise, very valuable now a days."
His eyes shown with a deep unknown emotion
" But it is what is inside is more valuable."
He reached down and carefully took the gold gilded stopper in his jaws, with a swift tug, and a loud pop, the ancient vial let loose a glorious scent.
"this is scented oil, back in ancient time queens anointed their bodies with the alluring concoction, but this is a much more valuable kind than those, this has no set scent, the mixture smells different to each person, It is an exotic and lost recipe. but i have no use for it."
He took a long sniff, to him is smelled like warm vanilla and honey with the barest hints of Cinnamon.
Even if you do not want to come with me, i plead you to keep this, even if it is just a memento, I believe you will get much more usage out of it than I ever would.
He slid the vial over in front of her, it looked much out of place amid the piles of flowers, and other sweet smelling trinkets.
He nodded to her and bent over, picking the kitten up in his jaws, he moved away, hoping that she may take his words to heart...
~ note: even though the kitten is used in the story, he is no longer in my inventory, i did not have the heart to take him away from Lokeash, and he will now become his pet, and some what companion.