Chapter 17: The Sacred Pond
Darkness had begun its reign by the time the holy procession arrived at D'Vati's sacred lotus pond. Though Q'Wasim had stumbled upon the place before during his excursions into the jungle, it was transformed on this night. For, the pond which looked like a murky oversized mud puddle in the daylight now appeared as black and vast as the sky with its own smattering of scarlet stars.
When Q'Wasim and the High Priestess reached the edge of the pond, she dismounted from her tiger and said, "Q'Wasim, Champion of the Kamal Tribe, sit with my vahana. Share in the flesh of the erupuvvu root. And meditate here in the waters of this pond. If D'Shar deems you worthy, then you will follow me to a place beyond death and become my partner in all things, my Crimson Tiger."
"As you wish, High Priestess," the Champion of the Kamal Tribe obediently responded before he waded into the pond. When he reached the center of the shallow waters, Q'Wasim turned back to Priyansi and sat down.
Between him and the High Priestess stood the tiger. The vahana revealed its nature. The statue was too focused on Q'Wasim to bother with breathing.
Q'Wasim tried not to let the tiger unnerve him. He had a ritual to perform, so he lifted the closest erupuvvu flower out of the dark water. Then he turned the red lotus over to reveal its white roots and offered them to the living statue.
The tiger's eyes bore into Q'Wasim's as it crept slowly over to him.
Q'Wasim met the vahana's unyielding gaze and watched as it sat down and took a surprisingly dainty bite out of the erupuvvu root.
Once the tiger closed its eyes to meditate, Q'Wasim looked up at Priyansi. The High Priestess's expression was unreadable, but the sight of Priyansi gave him comfort.
Q'Wasim did not take his eyes off of her as he bit into the white roots of the erupuvvu flower. They tasted better than expected. The flavor was complex, sweet, sticky, bitter, and…
Q'Wasim opened eyes that he didn't know were closed. He was still sitting in the sacred pond, but Priyansi, her vahana, and the rest of the holy procession were gone. The pond was now redder than blood. It seemed the stretch into the crimson sky. And yet, Q'Wasim barely noticed these changes because standing before him was his mentor and old friend, Prince Bharagaven, the last Crimson Tiger.
A/N: First:
Happy Birthday, Detective Parkson!
I hope you're having a great day!
Second:
The next chapter might be a bit late. Life is crazy and I have a new idea I need to work through.
Until then!