The Panther of Dimon

This was just a quickly written story for my English class last year. I never really considered putting it up on wattpad, but today I reread it and decided it'd make a pretty okay short story. Anyway, enjoy!

P.S. The city Bay lives in is called Dimon, pronounced Dih-mon. Back then, it would've been fairly in between present day Athens and Glyfada. The panther's name is Emerond (pronounced Em-er-ond) which is basically my combination of diamond and emerald.

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     Once, a long, long time ago, back when the gods ruled the Earth and Greece was in its golden age, there lived a little girl named Bay. Bay was the daughter of a farmer and the goddess Aphrodite and she was greatly blessed with the gift of beauty.

Her hair was long and thick, as golden as the wheat fields that surrounded the cottage and her eyes were almond shaped, as deep as the sea and the exact same color. She lived with her father in a cottage surrounded by rolling meadows on the outskirts of the city of Dimon.

It was the summer of Bay’s 16th year when the killings started. It was rumored to be a panther prowling the border of the city and taking any and all animals that dared venture past it.

The panther was said to be big, bigger than a grown man, with fur as black as night and glinting ruby red eyes. At first the panther stayed on the bounds of the city but soon he became bolder, taking as many as two cows from an inner farm a night. The people of Dimon were becoming scared, and no one knew what to do--except Bay.

Before dark, Bay called out to her father.

“Father, I’m going to check on the sheep!” She told him.

“Alright, my dear,” he agreed reluctantly, “but be back soon, it’s getting dark out. And beware the panther!”

Bay headed out into the fields, her bare feet cold but cushioned by the meadows of rolling, soft grass. She checked on the sheep and cattle before continuing on past the fields and to the edge of the forest.

Cupping her hands around her mouth, she began to call.

“Panther!” She screamed, wondering if her father would hear her. If he did she’d be in quite a lot of trouble. “Panther of Dimon! Please come out! I need to speak with you!”

Finally, after what felt like hours of shouting, Bay heard a twig snap and felt a presence watching her. She looked around, her head snapping from side to side so fast she began to feel a bit dizzy. For a second she felt that she had imagined the noise, or that it had been a small animal. But then, she saw him.

The Panther of Dimon had come.

He padded up to her, confidence in his long stride. He knew who was the predator here, but, as Bay saw his eyes turn on her, she knew that he also knew she was not the pray.

As the panther came to a stop in front of her, she felt a bit of courage, deep inside her, and reached up slowly until her hand came in contact with the panther’s midnight fur. His coat was soft and luxurious and, for a moment, she wondered what it would be like to wear his pelt. Bay immediately pushed the dreadful thought out of her mind.

Now that she saw him, could feel his fur under her hand, Bay couldn’t think of a worse thing than hurting this panther. Her panther.

“Bay!”

Her father’s voice echoed across the land and her panther’s muscles tightened. Bay knew it was time for them to part. She looked up into her panther’s eyes.

They’re green, she had thought with amazement. They were exactly the opposite of what the rumors had told. These were not the red eyes of a monster, but the emerald eyes of her panther, sparkling softly in the moonlight.