Naji, frankly, could not believe this was happening. This whole day, in fact, did not seem real. First he was nearly executed by the city guards. Not exactly uncommon, but never quite such a close call. Then he was saved by what turned out to be a mad man, who was now essentially holding him hostage for his assistance in some matter.
And now that same man had abandoned him and disappeared somewhere, leaving him only vague instructions that, honestly, made absolutely no sense.
In short, this day kind of sucked.
Frustrated, he paced about the stable, the horse giving brief, restless snorts drawn by his agitated movements, but he ignored it. He did not hear the eagle up in the loft. For all he knew, it had flown back outside again. Or was roosting. Either way, he didn't care. He was irritated with Malik and his nonexistent explanations. Why should he have to watch the eagle?
"Do not run, he says," Naji scoffed, "Only a madman would stay. I've had enough of this. It's just a bird, what's it going to do, peck my eyes out? I'll eat it for dinner."
"Will you now?"
Naji jumped, heart leaping in his throat, as he whirled around to see a man, robed in white, crouched on the wall behind him. His golden eyes glinted in the shadows, scorching and fixed, just like an...
Like an eagle's.
Startled, his eyes fixed on the man's short, dusty brown hair before zeroing in on the scar that ran down the right side of his lips, exactly in the same place as...as Malik's bird.
Gaping, he stood frozen in shock.
"What was it you were saying about eating a bird?"
Naji was going wild in his head, the bird--the man--the beast was speaking to him! Great Allah, what had he done to deserve this? The man looked like a snake, poised to strike, one wrong move and he's dead!
A Long Time in Coming- Men of Lore, The Myth Becomes 1/?
And now that same man had abandoned him and disappeared somewhere, leaving him only vague instructions that, honestly, made absolutely no sense.
In short, this day kind of sucked.
Frustrated, he paced about the stable, the horse giving brief, restless snorts drawn by his agitated movements, but he ignored it. He did not hear the eagle up in the loft. For all he knew, it had flown back outside again. Or was roosting. Either way, he didn't care. He was irritated with Malik and his nonexistent explanations. Why should he have to watch the eagle?
"Do not run, he says," Naji scoffed, "Only a madman would stay. I've had enough of this. It's just a bird, what's it going to do, peck my eyes out? I'll eat it for dinner."
"Will you now?"
Naji jumped, heart leaping in his throat, as he whirled around to see a man, robed in white, crouched on the wall behind him. His golden eyes glinted in the shadows, scorching and fixed, just like an...
Like an eagle's.
Startled, his eyes fixed on the man's short, dusty brown hair before zeroing in on the scar that ran down the right side of his lips, exactly in the same place as...as Malik's bird.
Gaping, he stood frozen in shock.
"What was it you were saying about eating a bird?"
Naji was going wild in his head, the bird--the man--the beast was speaking to him! Great Allah, what had he done to deserve this? The man looked like a snake, poised to strike, one wrong move and he's dead!