Fable - Ask What Monsters Find

[Phaedra]

Even Phaedra screamed this time.

It all happened so suddenly. She had been about to turn around and reprimand the girl quite firmly and remind her that they had no idea who these soldiers were when the wolf had picked them up like they weighed nothing more than two feathers. But it was the speed with which the wolf ran that was really terrifying. She couldn't make out anything as they ran through the swamp. Maybe a tree there or a bit of water here. Trying to see made her feel sick and in the end she shut her eyes to keep from vomiting. The girl, from the sounds of it, hadn't had the brains to do something similar.

When they finally slowed several miles from where the soldiers had been - more distance than anyone on two legs could cover in a night - she banged on the wolf's shoulder.

"Ye can put'as down now," her eyes flickered to the girl. From the way she hung limply she guessed she had passed out at some point.

 

[Zivek]

Zivek came to a slow loping stop. His feet dug into the ground a bit, and as he came to a stop he dropped Phaedra as unceremoniously as one would throw down a bag of flour.

He had absolutely no idea who she was, nor did he particularly care.

The girl was still splayed across his shoulder, practically unconscious. It had likely been hours since her parents had awoken her to take her away. Zivek had initially thought that it was because of him, but now he was not entirely sure. Things it seemed, were far deeper than just him and the professor.

"Who are you?" Zivek growled, taking a few steps back in case she had some sort of hidden blade.

He kept the girl where she was, watching Phaedra.

 

[Phaedra]

Phaedra issued a few choice words that, even though they were said in her own language, would have made a sailor blush and probably offer to scrub her mouth out for her. Warily she picked herself off the floor and rubbed at the forming bruise on her hip then rewarded the wolf for their quick escape with a glare. Fires burned in their golden depths and it was not just a trick of the light, not with the moons beginning to dip further and further to the horizon.

"Teh woman who iz goin' tah use yer skin as 'er new rug after t'at," her eyes flickered from the wolf to the girl draped over his back. Not the position she wanted to be in. It had been much easier when the girl had been clinging to her. Lazily she folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave an exasperated sigh. "I told yer, me Master wants teh girl. It be above my paygrade to question why the Collector wants what he wants," anything odd, anything different, anything unique. It was why she knew her curse would never be lifted. She was one of a kind.

"Teh moons are about tah set on your gifts, ye dinnae want teh piss me off as teh sun is rising on mine."

 

[Zivek]

A grin pulled at his jowls as she spoke of his power waning.

His eyes flickered up towards the sky where the moon was indeed beginning to wake. The night was fast coming to a close, but that didn't matter of course. Not for him. Not after what the Professor had done to him.

His fingers tightened on the girl ever so slightly, ensuring that she could not just be snapped away from his grasp. She was a slight thing, barely a weight against his shoulder. Zivek probably could have made off with her in the blink of an eye dashed Into the swamp and just called this night done.

But the woman had piqued his interest. "The Collector?"

Zivek asked, his voice still that low and steady growl that seemed to somehow echo out within the clearing.

"What does he collect?" The werewolf mused, entirely ignoring her threats.

 

[Phaedra]

Phaedra kept her face completely blank. She had been living in The Observatory for long enough to know that information always came with a price. She was just lucky that this time it was someone else who wanted it from her, giving her that edge. She kept her eyes strictly on the wolf and not the girl. This close to sunrise, another hour or two to go, it wouldn't matter how far he ran with her.

"Many tings," she shrugged in a casual manner and leant against a nearby tree as though they had all the time in the world to make small talk. "If ye want me tah answer yer questions, lupin, ye will 'ave to answer mine too."

That was her price.