Ardeth's horse froze in terror at first, giving his owner the time to see and judge the animal. She was tall. Standing in two feet she would have been much taller than him. Her fur was yellowish brown, thicker behind the legs and round the neck. Her tail was long for perfect balance and was darker at the end. She would have appeared beautiful, an almost perfect creation balanced, wild and pretty at the same time. Ardeth found himself wishing he didn't need to kill her. Then he recalled she was an enemy, someone who lusted for his blood and who wanted to wipe out every single human. And in all probability he wasn't able to kill her. His anger towards this creature suddenly flared and he tried to push his horse forward, but the terrified animal refused to walk. Ardeth understood that fighting on a horse which might not obey you was worse than fighting without a horse. So he dismounted and as soon as he did so the animal galloped frantically to the other direction. She just shot a look at it and didn't bother to chase it. Then she turned her eyes to her real target, who was now standing on the sand, facing her and ready to fight her, with his scimitar in hand.
However she didn't attack. Her eyes danced on him. They were dark amber, full of anger, death and mystery. She started walking in circles round him, every time coming closer. He followed her with his eyes and moved in circles too, so that he never exposed his back. Obviously the lioness, certain of her superiority and power didn't want to attack first. She was playing with Ardeth, her victim, like a cat with a semi-dead mouse. Ardeth started relaxing against his will. * Maybe she doesn't really intend to attack* he thought just as she sprang from the ground towards him. Ardeth moved swiftly backwards letting her to land with the grace of a dancer in front of his feet. That was the chance. Before she had the time to recover he lifted hid scimitar and brought it down to her neck with all of his strength. The blade, instead of cutting her, slid on her fur and fell down. She stepped on it and then growled at Ardeth, revealing teeth as sharp as new-polished blades. Ardeth was now standing weaponless in front of her. But he didn't feel afraid. Not this time. This wasn't a mystery, the destination to this journey wasn't unknown. He could already count himself for dead. And he wasn't afraid of death or pain. The only thought that still tortured his mind was the rest of the world. * I tried. There is nothing more I can do. Now I will just do my duty. Even if it means dying.* she jumped again, this time directly of him. Her big weight brought Ardeth down. He grabbed her throat, trying to kill her by those means, but the thick fur protected her. Ardeth was struggling with all the power of his arms, mind and soul, when she, with a sudden move, half-fried herself from his grip and run her nails through his chest and abdomen. Ardeth moaned. It was as if his insides were on fire. There was fog in front of his eyes and he couldn't see anything. Still, with the last remains of his strength tried to strangle her. But her jaws were coming nearer and nearer to his throat, ready to deliver the fatal bite. Ardeth couldn't push her anymore, his strength quickly disappearing. She howled, triumphantly this time, and went for his unguarded throat.