The Legend of Maydeen: Daughter of Nature

Maydeen and the Panther

    Erak pushed past all the bushes and shrubberies grumbling all the while, “You know I’ve heard tales of the beastly half-blood since I was just a lad.” He paused to catch his breath, “But all I see is a woman with no emotion and no way to help me push through these bloody weeds.” He continued to hack down the bushes pulling Maydeen behind him; her hands were tied with a thick rope and were now bleeding.

    “And I have heard stories of the vicious Blood Axe, though all I see is a lowly bounty hunter who can not discern weeds from the common berry bush.” Maydeen still wore her gown from the celebrations; it now looked as though she had rolled around in the mud a few times.

    The man chuckled as he pulled Maydeen forward; “You are probably the only bounty that has found my humor.”

    “I do wish you would stop referring to me as your bounty. I have a name.” May looked down at her wrists, the milky substance that made up her blood was beginning to leak onto the rope.

    “And what is the beastie’s name eh?”

    May looked back up at him defiantly, “Maydeen Norel.”

    The man stopped and turned to look at her, “Maydeen? That is not what I would have expected for a human-Elemental.”

    May rolled her eyes, “Yes by all means make a new nickname for me.” She looked back at her wrists, as Blood Axe began to pull her forward once again. “Is the rope truly necessary? I did come by my own will, did I not?” But he didn’t respond he stopped mid-step and looked around, he then crouched down and pulled lightly on the rope for May to follow.

    “Is this really…?” Erak pulled her down and pushed his hand against her mouth. But was still looking around as if he could see what it was he had heard. It took seconds for May to hear it too, a soft feline growl constantly rolling as though the creature was happy. Erak continued to look ahead of him; he let go of the rope and walked forward.

    Now May could hear it louder then before, and she felt it breathing down her neck, it sniffed her hair then walked around her. A giant black panther, it stopped to smell her wounded wrists. Erak then burst through the bushes and tackled the beast; although the impact itself did nothing the panther apparently did not like then idea of having a rider. He growled and whipped his head about. Trying to rid himself of the nuisance. Maydeen rolled her eyes. Is that human really that stupid?

    Erak growled and bit down on the panther’s hide. “Well that answers that question.” May stood and waked over to a boulder and sat down she began to fidget with the rope around her wrists, but they were tied tight. “Are you quite done playing with the kitten?”

    Erak growled as he was thrown from the back of the panther, “Kitten?”

    The half-blood beastie sighed as she watched the panther and the man fight each other. Finally May grew tired of watching, and she slid off the rock she used as a seat.

    The panther once again threw Erak into a tree, but this time the bounty hunter didn’t move, so the panther charged. May stood in front of Erak and held out her still tied hands. The panther slowed to a stop and cautiously sniffed her hands, May smiled.

    “There you are my friend,” May slowly began to lower her self to the ground, bringing the panther with her. Once both were kneeling the panther rolled over on his side and laid his head on the ground. “You are not that scary are you?” Maydeen laughed and began to softly pet the Panther kitten.

    “How did you do that, and more importantly why didn’t you do it sooner?” Erak stood and reached for his battle-axe, the giant cat growled and started to stand.

    “Don’t! This panther is merely a kitten he was only looking for food. Do not kill him for that.”

    “But he attacked first!”

    “If you wouldn’t have tackled him he wouldn’t have attacked!” May yelled as the panther now stood at her back. “If you so much as think of killing him I will unleash a fury in which you will not survive.” And as if to emphasis her point thunder roared in the distance and a brisk wind rustled the trees.

    Erak growled, “What do you suggest we do with that beast? We can’t leave it to follow us and eat us later.”

    “Fortunately for me, he will not eat me, however I could have him eat you and then be done with this little march.” She paused, “or he can come with us and when you hand me over to whoever it is I’m going to, then you will not have to worry about him coming back for you.”

    “Fine, but if it tries anything I will chop off his head, and feed it to the wolves.” Erak turned away grabbing the rope and pulling harshly.

    May whimpered involuntarily, and the panther growled.

    “What is it now?”

    “The rope, get rid of it I came on my own and I do not plan to escape.”

    The bounty hunter growled again and pulled out a knife he had hidden in his cloak, “Don’t make me regret this.” He mumbled, as he cut through the thick rope.