This is the first time I have felt my tail swish. Mine and Marshall's tails were swishing happily, completely in sync as we stared into each other's eyes. A huge smiled creeped across his face and his hold on me tightened. I couldn't help but smile in response.
We are mates.
My luck has completely turned around since transmigrating. I leaned in for a kiss…
"Kyaaa!!! "
Marshall threw me off him and I landed a couple feet away. As if by instinct, I landed on my hands and feet, crouched and ready to attack. Before I could scold Marshall, I heard something in distance. He transformed into a wolf and assumed attack posture. I grabbed my clothes and threw them on quickly as the sounds got closer.
I didn't take my bow with me into the market but now I'm wishing I did. I'm useless like this. Marshall glanced over his shoulder at me then at the tree, before focusing ahead again.
He wants me to hide in the tree. I leaped up onto some of the lower branches and tried to look ahead.
There, coming straight for him, was a chimera! This abomination of half lion and half snake was stalking Marshall. It was at least twice his wolf's size, with well defined muscles in its forelegs and shoulders. The snake head on it's tail was hissing and ready to strike as soon as he was within range.
Marshall circled around 90 degrees and pounced on the lion. He leaped off his haunches and towards the snake head. The snake head tried to avoid his attack by backing up but he was too close and got his teeth into it's neck. It hissed loudly and bend it's neck in an unnatural manner and bit onto Marshall. He ripped off a huge chunk of the snakes neck as he let out a loud howl.
He then leaped from the chimera and assumed battle stance again. The snakes head was flopping crazily from where he mangled it's neck. The lion was poised and ready, and pounced towards Marshall.
This thing didn't even care that it was hurt! It was crazy!
From my view up in the tree I could see a black stain on Marshall's white coat and some blood. He seemed to be getting slower as the battle went on. He was using his smaller size and agility to his advantage, wearing down the chimera bit by bit.
Then Marshall turned to run away. The chimera chased him. Marshall darted towards a tree and leaped towards it like he was getting to climb. The lion moved at full speed, right on Marshall's tail.
"Marshall!" I called out, trying to warn him not to stop.
In a flash he leaped towards the tree, then pushed off it to change direction. The chimera ran head first into the tree. Marshall took this opportunity to leap onto it's back and bite into the back of it's neck.
It howled in pain and bucked wildly to throw him off. Marshall appeared to be getting weaker. I have to do something!
Without thinking ahead, I leaped down from the tree and yelled, "Hey, ugly!"
The chimera turned quickly to look at me. It's eyes were completely white and hazed over, as if it was blind. It seemed to know exactly where I was and it ran for me.
Oh shit… I didn't think this though! I just wanted to help Marshall.
I raised my arms in a defensive posture and prepared for impact.
However just shy of where I was standing, Marshall managed to break though it's thick hide and kill it. The Chimera came sliding towards me and stopped within inches.
I dared to look up and saw a dead chimera in front of me. Just as I heaved a sigh of relief, I saw Marshall roll off the side of it and fall to the ground.
"Marshall!" I yelled, as I ran towards him.
I picked up his head and placed it on my lap. The rims of his eyes were dark purple, his eyes glazed over and unfocused, and the black spot on his fur seemed to have gotten bigger.
The snake must be poisonous… I looked around and saw Marshall's sachel. I ran over to it, desperately hoping to find recovery water in there. I dumped it on the ground and rummaged through the contents. There was no water in here!
I was panicking and trying desperately to remember what I can do to counter snake venom. I think you need their venom to make an antidote, but I don't know how. Isola might know but I don't think he will make it. I felt tears sting my face as I wished I could just call an ambulance or teleport him. What good is magic if it doesn't help when you need it?
I crawled back to him, tears finally escaping. "Marshall.. Please. I don't know what to do."
I cuddled up against his big furry body, praying. I closed my eyes and wished that I kept the recovery water that the girl in the forest gave me. I wish she would show up again.
I wiped away some tears and opened my eyes to look at Marshall. However there, floating in the air in front of me, was a vortex. It appeared to be invisible, as it didn't have any distinctive coloring, however there was a slight distortion in the air around it.
I reached forward to touch it, and as I touched the vortex, I felt something smooth and cold. It felt like a cylinder. My hand was in the vortex and all I could see was my forearm , which now looked like a nub.
I grabbed whatever it was I felt and pulled it out. It looked exactly like the recovery water that the chibi girl gave me in the woods! My prayers were answered! I opened it and sniffed it just to be sure.
I picked up Marshall's big furry head and tried to get his attention. His blurry and unfocused eyes barely open.
"Drink!" I commanded.
I opened his mouth and dumped the water down the back of his throat. Within seconds his eyes regained focus. Within a minute, the black spot on his body had shrunk and disappeared entirely.
He shifted back into human form, completely naked, with his head resting in my lap. I blushed and helped him sit up. "Thanks.. but how..?" He looked around confused.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think the gods are looking out for us." I replied.
*. *. *. *. *. *. *
Marshall got dressed before coming back and using his claws to skin the chimera. He said it would fetch a good price. We started heading back towards Lashwood as it was getting darker and I didn't want Dania to worry,
"Are those things common?" I asked him out of curiosity on the way back.
"Unfortunately ." He replied.
"Dania and I didn't see anything like it the whole time though."
"It was probably attracted by the mating." He said with a blush.
"What? Why?" I asked
"The Chimera is a foul beast that prays on females. That's why only males can fight them. The serpent poisons and paralyses it's prey, then the saliva of the lion will force a female to take her beast form for up to 4 hours. Then it uh… mates her to create new chimera. They like to keep females in their dens and use them until they die. They are disgusting beasts." He said as he gripped my hand tighter.
I shuddered at the thought. I really need to know more about this world. If Marshall hadn't killed it in time…
"Sorry…" I muttered, embarrassed at my foolishness.
Marshall had a devilish smile on his face when he says, "Then make it up to me."
His smile made my heart flutter, but we did it all afternoon! "Aren't you tired?!" I scolded him.
He chuckled and took both my hands, looking me in the eyes when he said, "Let's forge the bond. Be my mate, forever."