Meet the campers
Another loop, having made up his mind Daniel chooses to come in for a landing. Wings flutter harshly despite the strain, his speed comes to a dead stall. By the time he’s reached the group for this third run he’s approaching from the opposite direction. The girl has moved away from the bags and is wielding an overlarge stick in two hands. Held over her shoulder like a mace or a club. The thin and clean shaven man is hunkered behind a tent, peeking out to capture the scene with his camera. The rugged looking man in leather is only just now standing up, cupping a hand over his eyes to peer skyward. Witness to the sphinxes approach.
The wings smack against dead air bellow this tree-line, his hind legs touching down first with his head held high. With a heavy CRUNCH! Daniel can hear twigs snapping, rocks cracking under the forceful weight, and dirt shifting beneath his paws. Much like the driver, being so massive at twenty or so feet long all three of these humans looked like children. Half sized, small enough he could place one on his head and let them ride.
None of them looked particularly scared. The one with a camera was too fascinated, the girl was too bold, and the rugged man looked more like this was cause to reach for a new cigar than any particular alarm.
Now for the hard part, to try and worm his own words into something coherent instead of blasting them with nonsensical riddles.
“G-greetings!” Daniels voice calls out, the tone soft and feminine in an ever increasing surprise to his ears. “So very sorry I did not mean to arrive so suddenly. My name is Daniel. Would you mind helping me out a little?”
“What kind of help.” The woman glares, stepping back and letting her wrists tighten around her stick.
“It’s very simple I promise, I’m lost and looking for my home in Longport. And I’ve been flying all morning without … uh. Without even a bite to eat. You all …”
“Aint divin into yer jaws if that’s what yer askin.” The gruff, unshaven man answers. The cigar on his lips shifting to keep stable, his arms folding over his chest.
“I’m. Wait I’m not Rhyming.” Daniel blinks, a moment of awestruck pleasure.
“We can start again if you want to throw us a riddle or something?” The woman offers, lowering her stance.
“NO! I mean uh … no I’m not here to eat people, I was referring to the campfire. Nobody can resist chocolate and marshmallows right? A-and ohgosh you even have- no, no. Maybe later on the riddles. I’ve had a very long day.”
“I’ll bet.” The gruff man shrugs. “The names Charley. This over here’s my Angel.”
The woman huffs. “You say that to a cat with wings? Really?”
“And the coward back there is Keth. Put that phone down will ya!” the rugged man waves off, easing himself back into a seat with his face away from the flames. A stick with marshmallow still attached clutched in his hand.
“Once more greetings to you all!” Daniel grins, finding the odd rumble of his voice disturbing to his ears. Now that the words he thought were the same words he was speaking, the fact it was a woman’s voice past his lips was even stranger than before. He felt like he was leaned onto his arms and crawling, which just made this all the more awkward.
“Hello Daniel. So what’s a pretty lady like you doing out here, shouldn’t you be guarding a desert tomb or something?” the mildly concerned ‘Angel’ asks tentatively.
“Well the thing is …”
“And how does a mythical lion-woman know about marshmallows? The steak we’re cooking, sure that makes sense. But its not like you can just walk into a mall and buy a packet.”
“She might need more than one.” Keth supplies from behind his tent, ducked down like he was expecting me to breathe fire or something.
“Ohph, get over here already she’s not gonna bite!” angel shouts.
“Wager if she tried it’d not be a pretty sight.” Charley offers, pulling the cigar free and breathing out a clear puff of laced smoke.
“Th-that’s just the thing! I’m not really anything mythical, I’m actually a human.” Daniel was breathing easily, relieved to actually be speaking, even better to find legitimate help.
“Riiiiight. Course you are. And I’m an assassin robot monkey.” Charley puffs. “We got enough food to share a few bites, just don’t take the seat. We aint got room to spare so no kitty business, I don’t want to see you rubbing your head against everything and knocking stuff over.”
A frown from the sphinx.
“You don’t mind sitting where you are and letting us take food over, right?” Angel pipes up.
“J-just don’t step on anything!” Keth calls out. “My cat back home likes to sleep on my computer and I really, really don’t think you should emulate this admittedly highly amusing behavior on account of your massive bulk.”
Daniel blinks, eyes wide.
“Did you just call a girl fat?” Angel turns angrily and shouts back.
“What? No! I’m simply accounting for the immense difference in frame between a housecat and a magical lion monster which may ellicite an alarmingly negative outcome were the larger to incorporate behavior fro-“
“So now she’s fat and a monster? What is wrong with you nerd, sheesh. Cmon girl just ignore him.”
“I’m not a girl …” Daniel huffs, taking a step back and trying to fold his arms against his chest. It leads to a very embarrassing flop given he needs those arms to balance.
“Sure look like a girl to me missy.” Charley adds. “Sound like one even.”
“Whatever.” Angel sets her stick down and starts to walk toward the assorted bag of supplies. “We’ve got about two weeks worth of food here if we stretch it, and we can always head back early if we start running low.”
“Or just go to a real restaurant.” Keth argues, there’s beeping sounds from his phone.
“Whatever.” The woman rolls her eyes. “Miss Daniel, right? How about I start cooking you something and you stay and chat in exchange?”
“That would be wonderful.” Daniel offers with a sigh, standing back up onto four legs and trying not to complain. He really did sound like a woman right now, no getting around that.
“Not every day I get to see a real ancient Sphinx. This should be exciting!”
Written by Arbon on 29 July 2016