I am so sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I've been having the week from hell! I still don't feel too great, but I figure you guys shouldn't have to suffer for my personal biz. Sorry about my increasingly spotty update schedule. Hope you all can bear with me. Even if it takes me a while to update sometimes, I'm never abandoning this story. Promise.
Zami gripped the hilt of his dagger, bracing for the inevitable attack. He wouldn't be caught off-guard this time. Not like last time.
"Zami?" Mythene furrowed her brow, "What are you-"
Zami held a hand out to her, stilling her. Her white eyes glanced anxiously over towards the bushes lining the side of the dirt road. The feline growling rose again, and a sleek purple panther stepped forward, baring its yellowed teeth at them. It was scrunched up, its back arched. Not good, Zami though. It was ready to pounce.
But the concern at once left Mythene's face, upon seeing the panther poised to strike. She took a step forward and the panther snarled, drawing pause again. Zami looked over at her questioningly. What was she doing, trying to run?
She just gave Zami an unreadable glance back before moving towards the bushes.
"Mi'ten, don't-"
Now it was her turn to hold a hand out towards him, drawing a confused silence. Her white eyes fell upon the yellow eye of the panther, which dilated at her gaze.
"Ishnu'alah, shal'dris," She said in a soft voice.
It was almost musical, in a haunting way. Zami furrowed his brow, working out the translation in his head. A greeting, and something like...night eye?
The panther snarled in response, albeit a much weaker gesture than before. As Mythene continued her locked gaze with the cat, its arched back began to lower a bit. Zami perked an eyebrow as Mythene stepped forward, extending her hand. At first, the panther growled a little. But it leaned its white nose forward, snorting at her purple hand. After taking her scent for a moment, the panther leaned its head forward, nuzzling against her.
"Tor'ana alu'dieb, falore shal'dris," She said softly to the panther, as she began to softly stroke its head.
Zami cocked his head to the side, lowering his knife, as the panther began to purr.
"How in da name of da Loa…" He muttered as the panther nuzzled against Mythene again.
Mythene glanced up with a faint smile.
"I told you before, didn't I? I grew up with nightsabers."
"But dat's-"
"A panther, yes," Mythene nodded, "But there is little difference in the ways they think."
Zami furrowed his brow. He certainly hadn't been expecting such a mundane answer as that. He'd expected it would've been some kind of druidic ability. After a few minutes, the panther disappeared off into the bushes, apparently having grown disinterested.
"Ande'thoras'ethil, falore shal'dris," Mythene called after the panther's departing form.
Zami recognized it as a pretty standard farewell. The night eye part was the same as before but he didn't know that one word she kept using.
"What's dat one mean?" Zami asked, as she came up beside him on the road, "Falore."
"Oh, it means sister," Mythene explained, "The panther was female, so it seemed suitable."
Zami perked an eyebrow.
"You could tell?"
"I told you," Mythene shrugged, "I grew up surrounded by nightsabers."
She paused a moment before sighing a little, and continuing her explanation.
"Do you remember when we visited Astarnaar?"
Zami perked an eyebrow again but nodded.
"Yeah, wit ya rude sista, Ca'sen."
Mythene nodded back.
"Do you remember why we left?"
"Yeah, somethin' bout some annoyin' guy, right?"
"Yes. Daras Nightwing," Mythene glanced aside, "My self-proclaimed lover...and a caretaker of various beasts. Nightsabers included. I learned most of these things from him, when we were younger."
"But I thought you hated da guy?"
"Oh, no," Mythene shook her head, "Well...not always. We used to be good friends, we were quite close."
She hesitated for a moment, glancing aside.
"But everything changed...after Enerion."
Zami frowned. He still wasn't sure what the whole story was there, but Mythene always grew especially solemn upon the mention of her brother. Though he would never dare voice the opinion aloud, there was an uncanny and unpleasantly familiar nature to the way she acted about the whole thing. It wasn't like the lament at a life lost that he felt whenever it came to his own brothers and their deaths. It reminded him much more of his own demeanor whenever Zin'aka was brought up. It was guilt, and of a special kind. Guilt of murder.
"It became hard for me to be around Daras," Mythene continued, "He reminded me so much of my brother."
Zami nodded.
"I get it," He said quietly, "Prolly better dan you know."
Mythene quirked an eyebrow but said nothing in response.
"Anyway, we should be movin' and make what distance we can fore it get too dark," Zami cleared his throat, "Travelin' da jungle at night ain't safe."
"Oh, yes, right," Mythene nodded.
They continued to walk in silence for a bit. It wasn't really an uncomfortable silence. There just wasn't really anything to talk about. Well, he supposed there was, but neither of them really felt like it right now. It was better to stay quiet, anyway. Attract less attention that way. Sure, Mythene's nightsaber trick had worked the first time, but he doubted it would go over well against a pack of raptors. Or a troll, for that matter.
Every now and again, Zami would glance up towards the sky. What bits he could see through the dense canopy, anyway. When it finally took on the orange hue of sunset, signaling that the night was fast approaching, they stopped their progress and went about setting up a little camp.
Camping in the jungle had always been pretty easy for him. Making a fire was no trouble when he was surrounded by potential fuel, and there were plenty of patches of soft moss and foliage to make into a comfortable bed.
But as he crouched to the ground next to a newly-arranged fire pit, carving a fireboard with his skinning knife, he watched Mythene try to weave herself an elaborate net of leaves and vines.
"Why you even botherin' wit dat?" Zami shrugged, "Just sleep on da ground."
"With the bugs and the spiders?" Mythene scoffed, "Absolutely not."
"Suit ya self," He shrugged again, "But it ain't gonna work."
"Yes it will," She huffed, tightening a vine knot, "I'll make a simple hammock and hang it between two trees to keep off the ground."
"What if da bugs climb down from da tree?" Zami glanced over, "Spiders like to dangle, yeah?"
"Then I'll make a canopy layer to cover me, as well!"
"Ain't gonna work," Zami chuckled, "Should just sleep on da ground."
"It will work!" Mythene hissed, crossing over two braided strands of leaves.
"No it ain't," Zami shook his head.
"Oh, is that so?" Mythene dropped the mess of leaves against her lap, scowling over at him, "And why is that, pray tell?"
"You got da plaitin' all wrong," Zami shrugged, looking back down to the fireboard he was carving in his hands, "If ya leave da ends open like dat, dey gonna slide right out soon as you put any pressure on."
Mythene furrowed her brow, sticking up her chin.
"Well, fine," She huffed, throwing everything down, "How would you do it, then?"
Zami glanced over.
"I dunno, prolly use da vines and some branches to make a loom, den layer da leaves between."
Mythene nodded, looking down at the mess she'd made. She glanced aside for a moment, looking a bit sour, then sighed.
"Will you…." She paused before sighing again, "...help me?"
"Oh? What's dis" Zami grinned, "Student becomin' da teacher, huh?"
Mythene scowled, crossing her arms.
"Don't push it, thero'shan."
Translation 1: Good fortune, Night Eye. (Since there was no direct word for panther, I based it off of Frostsabers being known as Dragon Belly)
Translation 2: Let us be family of nature, sister Night Eye. (Lit: Allow-Us Nature-Family, sister Night Eye)
Translation 3: Farewell, sister Night Eye. (Lit: May your troubles be diminished, sister Night Eye)