Chapter 9: The last day
Sienna woke up. "Today is the last game day, "she looked around but Sharchan was not there as always. She took her little bag and slid out of the grotto. Outside was nice, sunny and warm. She went straight into the water and let the current help her down to the waterfall, then she climbed the waterfall again.She swam with the current and hear that another waterfall is coming. The current was getting too strong, she tried to get to the edge, she hold onto a big stone. She saw a huge waterfall, she was not sure if it is a good idea to jump into it, so she started looking for a way to climb it down at the edges.
Then she saw a slithering snake in the water with a vicious look...He almost got her...Sienna remembered how angry he was the day before...He was maybe going to eat her today, "double the price", "I will eat you alive", she heard all his horrid promises in her head, she shivered, she let go of the stone, stand up, looked at the coming snake and jumped into the waterfall.
"Dumb female!" the snake cursed and leapt to catch her. As he was falling down after her, he coiled her waist when suddenly a huge sea eagle snatched Sienna from his coils." Damm it!" he said and tried to bite the eagle, who was already too high. The snake fell into the pool of water. He looked in the direction eagle was flying and he said with a wicked smile..."I will get you soon Sienna."
Then he got out of the water and slithered through the jungle at high speed.
Sienna was carried by strong talons. They ripped into her skin. She looked down and gasped. She rather closed her eyes and did not move. The huge feathered body was holding her by the waist like a sack of potatoes. They flew for quite a long time. The eagle went high, and Sienna found it harder to breathe, she felt light-headed.
Her clothes started to dry on her and she felt hot and cold air passing by. She looked down again and there was a desert with mountains. She felt so dizzy, she closed her eyes and waited. Floating through the air, her memories were coming before her eyes and she spaced out. She did not want to know where she is, just wanted it to stop. She was worried, "Will he also try to eat me?"
Suddenly the bird stopped, he dropped her down into a huge nest. Sienna opened her eyes. The eagle looked at her and pinned her down with one hand. Sienna struggled, but he was too strong, she closed her eyes and waited for the blow. She felt his other talons are ripping her dress and piercing the skin on her side.."Aaaa" she shrieked, but the eagle still pinned her down. Suddenly he stopped and Sienna opened her eyes. He look at her and went back to the sky with a loud shriek. Sienna sat in the nest, it was very high. She had no chance to climb out of it, it was on the peak of the mountain. The good news was, there were no eggs in the nest, so she is not a food for baby birds as she saw in Animal encyclopedias. She held her waist on the side where the eagle hurt her, the traces of blood stayed on her hands, but a small wound was drying out."Auch" she said.
She looked at the blue sky and saw another huge bird flying in her direction. It did not look like an eagle at all, it was a huge vulture..."Oh, no" Sienna stayed pale, what she is going to do now. Sienna crouched in the nest, the huge vulture went straight next to her and landed in the nest. He changed into a man straight away."Don't be scared" he said," I'm here to help you".
Siena stared at him. The vulture warrior was looking fierce, he got golden eyes and a sharp nose, he got his hair half up in a tail and half down, they were ash grey colour, even he was not looking old, his face was looking like a man in his 30ths. He got strong jaws and tanned skin, he had a long leather necklace around his neck and feathers in his hair. He wore loose black trousers and a silky silver tunic.
"My name is Voltoire, "he said " I'm one of the chiefs of air guards to the Crystal City. The Eagle said your name is Sienna, yes? Sienna nodded.
"You spend the night here with me and tomorrow morning I will be taking you into the Crystal city," he said. "Females are precious, so you be welcomed there, and you be able to pick your new mates..." he said.
"Mates?"Sienna asked.
"Yes, more mates are always better, they will keep you safe," he said
Sienna gulped, she needed crystal not mates.
"Thank you for your help," said Sienna with a lovely smile" Who was that Eagle who brought me here?"
"He was the Eagle guard, each year Eagle king will send young men to train as guards in our city. We pay him for the privilege "he said."He was following the Snake King after he left the village.
"Why ?" Sienna asked
" The snakes mostly kidnap the females and he saw you were trying to run away and even jumped the waterfall, so he took you. Why were you jumping anyway? Do you dislike the Snake King so much?"Voltoire asked
"He said he will maybe eat me, I was scared," Sienna said, "We kind of have a deal if he catches me 3 times I don't run anymore. But he did not want to even tell me how many females he had eaten before or what he want to do with me. We kind of argued the day before." she sighed.
Voltoire looked at her with an amused smile.."He was not going to eat you... The snakes scare females into submission, is in their legacy.."
"What is a legacy?"Sienna asked
"It is memories of their ancestors, it helps them to guide what to do ...It looks like the Snake King legacy is pretty cruel, you must be so scared...he most likely wanted you like a mate, seeing he played your game and keep you around."
"What? "Sienna jumped.
"Yes, if he did not like you he will let you slip away or left you near some tribe or city. Most snakes don't go to the city as Tigers don't like them..."
"Tigers?"
"Yes Sienna, the Crystal city is ruled by Tiger King. You will see him in there."
"How many kings are here," she asked.
"The most powerful near here are Scorpion King and Eagle King.
"I did hear something about Scorpion King before," Sienna said
"Did you?"Just remember, nobody says no to a Scorpion King or they die, but hopefully you be not meeting him."
"What about Eagle king?"She asked
"Nobody even dares to talk to the Eagle King, only a few of his generals." he is old and grumpy. Same like our king." he said. "So stay out of their way to be safe."Said Voltoire.
Sienna nodded.
"Voltoire," Sienna asked blushed "Can you let me go down, I really need to go to.... hmmm you know, wee. It was almost all day, is going late now."
"I see, come," said Voltoire and bring her down to the desert floor, "If you like we can go see a little oasis nearby, there is water too...
"That be so great," Sienna said.
Voltoire told Sienna to climb at his back and he flew with her to the oasis. It was already sunset, and Sienna took a dip in the nice clean water. Voltoire helped her to pick some figs and dates from the trees, which Sienna ate happily. Then he took her back to the nest. Voltoire sat Sienna in the nest and said, "Let's sleep now, come under my wing because nights are very cold. Sienna smiled at him and lie down on his strong chest. Voltoire smelled like leather and fresh air. Sienna relaxed. He changed one arm into a wing and cover her with it, it was so warm, cosy and soft. Sienna drifted to sleep.
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