Ambush
The walk to the temple took quite a few hours, now we were walking back, and the moon was just about starting to set beyond the mountains. While walking through a valley Alex stopped.
Alex: "Lyra, I sense you're troubled in a way. what’s wrong?"
I stop and sigh.
"It's nothing just- wouldn't it make more sense to run back?... no offense but-"
Queen: "Patience. Lyra, you’re so used to rushing into everything, take a while to calm your mind and slow down, we will get there eventually. Besides, we didn't have time to stop and look at the scenery on the way to the temple. Now is a different story."
We stopped and decided to rest at a large fallen tree. but as soon as we sat down near the tree, I immediately stood up, looking around. I had gotten a strange sharp feeling in my chest, and the smell of the air changed, too. It smelled like Lavender- and it was too strong to just be the flowers. The strong smell seemed to have also hit Alex because a moment later she also stood up and looked around. After a few long minutes I suddenly turned and drew my sword- Immediately slicing through a large creature that had jumped out at us from the side- I don't know how I knew to grab my sword then, but I did. It's like all of my senses have been improved- and by a lot... Alex turns towards me and turns into a Kitsune, jumping on the strange creature and scratching at its eyes.
Alex: "DON'T LOOK IT IN THE EYES- IT'S LIKE A MINI MEDUSA AND YOU'LL BE TURNED TO STONE FOR 5000 YEARS BEFORE SOMEONE SOMEHOW REMAKES THE CURE-"
After hearing that I immediately looked away from its face, I ran over to the King and Queen and stood in between them and the strange creature which now I could see had the head of a chicken the tail of a snake, and the wings of a-... Dragon-?... Anyways. Alex scratched its eyes out, making it shriek loudly. It threw her off and started walking towards her, most likely using its sense of smell to find her. I run towards it, unsheathing my sword and jumping onto it- stabling it in the back with my sword. Alex looks up at me.
Alex: "O-Ok- I take it back- magic does take effect overnight-"
I look at her confused and she gestures towards the creature I just killed. I stare at her not knowing what to say.
Queen: "It's only been a few hours, and yet your senses have already improved..."
King: "Interesting...."
"W-what was that thing though-?!"
Alex: "A cockatrice. They're evil little rats that roam around from night to the end of sunrise- For here at least. anywhere else they would probably only be out at night-"
"...."
Alex: "Let’s just get back to the palace..."
