I spent the next few days collecting items I saw as needed for my daily life while upon and away from Atlantis. My white tigress and her tiger replacement shadowed me during this whole time. Sert and Meli found some of my collection as odd especially the multitude of musical instruments I acquired. A small symphony could easily use what I collected to preform a nightly concert. Each evening I would play the instruments I had gained that day showing a bardic ability that equally the lowest levelled bards of Atlantis. The ocarina I had found was still my pride and joy that ended each nights performance.
It was the cloth I searched that was more problematic to find considering that I hunted for darker opaque material that was not the norm upon Atlantis. I knew that I would still visit the rest of the globe and needed to remain decent by their close minded standards. Eventually some of the clothiers started hunting for such items specifically for me as word that had bested Captain Ent in unarmed combat circulated the market place.
It was not the only rumours about me that had spread across Atlantis like wildfire. Many Atlantians changed their path to have a chance to glance and even greet me, the first stranger to set foot on Atlantis in nearly a thousand years even if I appeared as one of them. I touched their mind as I spotted them. They felt the honour that lay upon me as easily as they could see my white gossamer half-cloak that sat on the most unusual black armour. Some even believed that it was acceptable that I chose to be a shadow while walking the path of light that they saw Atlantis as being.
Oddly, one of those that accepted my darker selection was the Feline Guards' Captain that still studied me from afar with her replacement in tow. I sense from him that I was not the only being he was studying. He studied his Captain as closely as he studied me trying to discover why she had not approached me yet. His study of myself was to discern how I could have bested Captain Ent with and without weapons. Curd, the tiger replacement, worried how such an unassuming man like myself could have beaten a Captain of the Atlantian Royal Guards and what chances they stood if I turned against them.
Other concerns had Captain Hope watching and judging me thoughtfully. She would become Annianka's Honour Guard by next month and feared what disruptions my present would caused their Holiness. She believed from what she had gleaned from Annianka and others that their Heart would give me free reigns upon Atlantis as long as I showed affection for my little healer. If I would become a threat to Atlantis or their Heart Annianka, she would need a way to stop me before I had gain too much control here. She continued examining my movement closely unaware that I knew she was there.
Her mind was settle by the fourth morning of her vigil. She had decided that I would cause much darkness upon Atlantis but for noble and honourable purposes. I would easily harm the Heart of Atlantis' emotions as I challenged her while showing my nobility and honour to all that surrounded me. I had scared many already with my little stunts, as she saw it, facing off successfully against Captain Ent. Her thought betrayed her as she would have easily taken my place to prove Ent not as all powerful as he acted but Annianka had forbidden her that little action.
I stood in the shadows unseen by her reading all of these thoughts that formed in her feline mind. She wait unknowing that she had missed my departure from the residence I shared with Mekiliean and Sertian. My two proteges exited suddenly as true dawn touched the sky bringing her to her feet as they glanced around in panic. A growl rose in her throat as she realized her prey had escaped her this morning.
“It's not polite to growl at guests.” I reprimanded from the shadows. She turned slowly to face me without stopping the growl that rumbled in her throat. “Nor is it nice to follow someone with giving proper introductions, my Captain.” I added. I stepped from the shadows to stand facing her with a small mischievous grin on my face. Sert and Meli froze as they spotted us facing off.
“And is it polite hiding in shadows?” she growled at me. The growling subsided as she took a deep breath. “And I will chose my own time and place to make introductions Kestrel.” she added with great familiarity and calmness.
“Your over protective tigress nature is showing.” I returned softly. I had to look slight upward to glare into her golden cat eyes. Her black and white striped hair hung loosely like a mane that was odd for tigers to possess. I spotted Curd coming around the corner of my home on Atlantis. He glanced in our direction before shaking his head and slowly joining my retinue as they moved cautiously closer to us. “We may as well act friendly toward each other even if cats and birds never react well to each other.” I hazarded before the other entered hearing range. I held my hand out in an open offer of friendship to her. “Captain?” I added softly.
I sensed the same dread from the approaching trio of another battle brewing. They feared that this would not be a simple sparring session like my actions with Captain Ent. If we battled, one of us would not be living by the time the battle ended. Captain Hope reached up nicely but I sense she was not ready to accept to play nice. As our hands closed on each other, she sank her claws deep into my skin as she smiled challengingly at me. I smiled back with the same arrogance unmoved by the injury.
She stared hard into my eyes as her grip tightened sinking her claws deeper. I mental called her a foolish cat seeing in her eyes that she heard my words clearly. Her eyes widen but she held her firm grip as I created electrical charges at the tips of her claws. Her eyes remained locked with mine. Her golden cat eyes glaring into my amber raptor eyes. We held this position for a few minutes as the other three watched without understanding what was truly taking place. No drops of blood fell from my hand to show the aggressive nature of this supposed friendly gesture. I forced the electrical charge up her arm feeling it tingle as we stared unyielding at each other.
“I think you will be the perfect protector for Annianka.” I stated calmly. My smile soften as I slowly withdrew the electrical force I was pushing into her hand as her grip released at the same rate.
“Captain Hope.” she finally said. She drew her hand back showing no effects from the shocking damage she had suffered during this challenge of wills. “And thank you for words of encouragement Lord Kestrel.” she added without emotions.
“One day you will see me very differently than now Captain Hope.” I warned her. “But that will be a different lifetime for me, I think.” I continued. I sent her the flash I had seen as we challenged each other. It showed my face having amber cat eyes instead of my birdlike amber eyes. She tilted her head cat-like as I smiled shyly at her. “My gift at work and a warning you deserve to receive immediately.” I explained in conclusion. The other three stared at us still lost in the events taking place.
They slowly took their places by Captain Hope and myself now that the challenge had seemed to end. Sert and Meli remained silently at my sides while Hope introduced her replacement Curd to me with more warmth than is usually given to outsider of the feline prides. Curd showed the same detachment that most of the Feline Guards showed normal Atlantians. Sert noticed first then Meli spotted it. Captain Hope kept casting quick glances at my eyes to see if they had changed. Sert chose this moment to clear his throat and bring attention upon himself.
“Word arrived from the Council late last night that your new residence is ready and your new attache will be waiting for us at the doors this morning.” he informed me. He waited to hear a command from me to lead the way but I had to disappoint him this once.
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