- Crackle
A dim light of a campfire spread across the room. Water dripped on the charred wood, making the fire hang by a thread, almost being put out.
Perking his ears up, he tried to find any familiar sound, which was unfortunately drowned by the wild rain.
With a snort, the lion's eyes squinted briefly, before landing on... what? What was that? He thought after seeing that he wasn't yet dead.
Expecting the afterlife, he had already accepted his death when the boy walked over to him without any problem.
He was sure that the hit landed, seeing how his attire was in ruins after a single swat of his tail, yet he didn't even flinch.
There was no way he would have won. With a soft golden gaze, he scanned the room where he was, surprised by how well decorated it was.
Walls of stone surrounded him from all four sides, like a shield repelling the cold rain with it's surface, the floor instead was as colorfull as a field of flowers, filled with differently styled carpets at every corner.
This was way better than the cave he lived in, which almost made him jealous that there was someone who lived so leisurely. It was just after his remark that he noticed something lying on top of him; with a gentle shake, a thin pink blanket fell down on the floor.
What is this? Where am I...
Baffled by how well this place seemed, a pair of shining pupils appeared from within the shadows, making lion's blood run cold.
He remembered the crazed laughter that came from the boy's lips not long ago, his eyes... he knew something was wrong with them immediately, but to see it up close...
"Hey."
Not revealing himself, the boy spoke to me in a tone void of emotion as if i were just an object of amusement to him.
The pair of inky blue eyes stared down at him like a blade, cutting into his consciousness, not giving a break. After a moment of silence, he continued in a monotone tone as if the retreating lion didn't matter to him. However, the words made the lion question whether the boy was a beast or an insane human child.
Walking out of the shadow, a pale face revealed itself to him without a single scratch on its smooth surface; he didn't have his previously brown shell, which made it clear there was no intent to fight.
"You can stop playing dumb, I know you can talk."
...
Staring at the lion's body, Zephyr felt as if a waterfall fell over his body. That was just how much pressure a single glance of his made him feel.
King of the Mountain was the nickname that this lion held for many years.
He knew about it because of a certain bard's tale that spread through the village, of a beast greater than a Knight captain. Strength that surpassed any understanding, magic that could be understood by its own kind. Smarter than any being that lived in the west and the only one who dared not attack humans without a reason.
Was what he was told, but... It was weak. Too weak to be feared by entire regions. Why was it that he could defeat it so easily?
So he talked to it after remembering a part of the song, one that spoke of it understanding human language as if it were one itself. And to his surprise, it didn't pounce at him as a wild beast, instead, a look of intrigue appeared on it's face as if it understood him entirely.
Spreading it's tall body across the floor, made it look like a cat, which was, of course, it's cousin. It spoke in a human voice after seeing his impatient look.
"Yes... I'm surprised you managed to figure it out. Although someone of your prowess had to know about how strong I am."
It gave me a side-eye, clearly expecting some sort of praise for whatever it wanted. Who knew what hid in its small head? Bringing his chair closer to the lion, Vlad leaned in curiously.
"So you were 'The' mountain king! Thank god..." A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "By the way, how come you don't want to kill me? I'm sitting here defenseless without any weapon at my disposal, yet you still watch quietly."
Its brows seemed to twitch after Larch didn't hide his surprise, but it went unnoticed, though. Following his gaze, it landed on its mace-like tail, which moved without any effort, almost like it had no weight.
"You defeated me, though I won't ask how. What am I supposed to do against someone who bested me? I wouldn't resort to ambushing you either, I'm a king that holds pride in his soul, not trickery."
The lion bowed his head down, it's forehead sliding on the wet carpet, but he didn't care at all.
"Please, I don't deserve your mercy, so as the rightful victor, end me-"
"Nope." Vlad cut him off, making the lion's weak body shake; the inflicted injuries had healed long ago thanks to its powers.
He stood from his chair, kneeling in front of the lion who refused to look up at him, its eyes shut.
"Why.." A trembling voice came from the lion, which was ridiculous.
"You clearly defeated me with the desire to kill me, so what is it that you won't do it now?"
"My parents told me not to, so I won't."
"What?" Its confused voice changed tone, it raised it's head and looked straight at Vlad, who sat in front of him with his eyes shut. His fangs clenched in fury, to ignore someone's sincere wish was a treason for creatures such as him; there was no way he wouldn't know that...
Before the beast could speak, his hands wrapped around lions head, slender fingers dug into it's fur as if it was nothing but a toy and then to lions horror, the childs eyes opened with a new gleam to them.
Larch looked at him as if it were one of his own, a tear collecting at the corner of his eyes, his mouth trembled after seeing the state which lion had long succumbed to.
The lion couldn't help but watch it all in dread while he was treated as the child's child, in all of his lifetime, all the foes he had killed, the humans whom he devoured without leaving a trace of their being.
A lone child made him feel like someone lower, someone who didn't deserve a place in this world, a tired existence that wanted to be put to rest.
"Become my family."
Larch's golden eyes peered into him, inviting.