Persephone smoothed down her skirt and picked at the hem. Her palms were sweaty and she tried to calm her frazzled nerves. Since ascending, she had been able to do many powerful spells. But, for some reason this particular spell was beyond her.
"Again," the silver lynx instructed and Persephone sighed.
She tried to focus as she gathered her energies and cursed when a bolt of silver lightning struck a row of canisters and barely missed Bast. The cat hissed angrily and fled.
"Sorry Bast," she called out. The lynx sighed and flicked its stubby tail. "My child, focus," it said.
She rolled her eyes at her guide and resisted the urge to childishly stick out her tongue. "Fine. I'm trying."
The lynx walked daintily across the counter top and slid into a relaxed pose. "You are worried."
"Yes."
"This man—this Sylar-- is very talented."
"Yes, he is, Mage," Persephone replied. She watched as Mage licked her paw with an expression crossing her feline face that Persephone had long ago learned to recognize.
"You're hiding something."
Mage sighed once more and stretched lazily. "I hide nothing. All is revealed when it should be so."
"Mage," Persephone intoned angrily. "Spill it."
Mage turned her golden eyes up to Persephone's brown ones and yawned. "Humans are such an impatient race," she licked her paw, "Practice what we've done this day."
And with that, Mage transformed into a beautiful, spotted white owl, hooted and cooed affectionately at Persephone and flew out the open windows into the day.
"Damn," Persephone muttered, "I hate it when she does that."
*******************************
The creature licked its lips as it gazed longingly at Persephone's retreating backside. It wanted nothing more than to bound into the open windows and take its prize. Its face twisted in anger. The mage, the guide, protected her well. Even now the windows and doors smelled liked dirty magi. He snorted. She would be his soon, soon……
His whirling arms swept over the foliage outside and the blooming petals fell dead at its touch. It growled low in its throat and spun on spindly limbs, its fragile appearance belying great strength and speed. It whirled into the coming dusk and stopped near its master's feet and bowed its head in hated acquiescence.
"Master," it spit out, each syllable feeling like acid upon its tongue. "What will you have me do?"
It cocked its head like an obedient dog and smiled twistedly. The man looked down at the creature, his blue eyes throwing sparks of haughty authority. He threw a bloodied pack onto the ground and the creature sniffed hesitantly at first, before devouring the half dead rabbit.
"Find him. Bring him to me."
The creature looked up from its meal and licked steamy entrails from its maw. "I shall. I shall feast--,"
"No."
The creature clucked and roared low with disappointment. "Bring him to me alive. And follow Bennett. Make sure he doesn't do anything he isn't told to do."
"And if he doesn't?," the creature sighed softly, "What shall I do?"
"Kill him."
"And the girl. May I have her master?"
The man shrugged indifferently "If you'd like. I don't care what you do. Just don't get in my way. Now go."
The creature shivered in ecstasy and spun its limbs once more. "You are too kind master."
The man nodded absently, already forgetting about the spindly creature. The creature's smile became a deathly grimace as the distance between . It hated being bound to the man. He was Khuvasa Nui, thelower born of the deadly mother. But it was a small matter. It was worth the bother to have his bride. And once he had his bride, he would kill the man and feast on his remains. The thought of tearing into the haughty man's flesh cheered the creature and it rushed to do its master's bidding.
