Chapter 16: The Kitir’s Party, all he can eat

Olice slowly turned to half-face the massive four tailed Kitir, its’ amber orb was casting light upon her face, quite a change from the usual reddish light of the Red Crystal Realm.

It was that same kitir that while not putting much effort into the matter tried to eat Olice.

“I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO LEAVE THIS PLACE YOU KNOW, BUT IT WOULD BE SO LABOURIOUS TO GET OUT, BUT IF I COULD MOVE LIKE THAT…”

The kitir frowned. It slowly opened its mouth and sent its tongue out. Its’ amber sparkled, and the space before the kitir seemed to bend, however the kitir’s tongue did not pass through. Though formidable, the kitir had no the power, understanding or ability to do as the Trans-Hazcarp did.

-Mistress! Beware, that kitir is no regular kind, and it thought nothing of messing with magic as dangerous as that connected to spaces- Susasov spoke into Olice’s mind.

Susasov was unaware that Olice and Gander had crossed paths with this dangerous being before.

The kitir was considering a second try when it remembered that someone other than itself was present. It squinted at Olice.

“OH! THE BEAST-CHILD AGAIN, HOW ARE YOU DOING?” The kitir jovially asked.

“J-just puh-passing through” Olice stuttered out.

She began slowly shuffling backwards as the kitir stared at her, trying to remember something, but he didn’t try very hard.

“OH NO, YOU SIMPLY MUST STAY! WE COULD HAVE A LITTLE PARTY!”

Olice was quite perplexed, didn’t the kitir remember it tried to eat her?

-Missstressss, do try not to blurt out sssomething like ‘I thought you wanted to eat me’ if you remain calm we can perhapsss get out of thisss without running- Gander thought to her.

-Is running from such an abnormal kitir even possible for the likes of us?- Susasov questioned.

“I’m sorry, but I’m running dreadfully late!” Olice said.

“IF YOU ARE LATE CHILD YOU’LL STILL BE LATE EVEN IF YOU RUSH”

“Still, I do have to be going. I might drop back another time” Olice tried.

The kitir’s eyes flickered yellow.

“YOU CAN CERTAINLY GO, IN FACT I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT!”

“Grab on Misssstressss!” Gander called, shooting out from Olice’s shadow.

Olice quickly clung to Gander, who darted away just as the kitir’s teeth clashed together where they had both been moments before.

The kitir still didn’t deign to use any magic or natural powers. Gander quickly sped away, paying no attention to where they were going, the land around them a crimson blur. The kitir just padded along behind, in short order it was left far behind.

Gander slowed, the kitir becoming distant in his senses.

-DON’T STOP!- Susasov yelled into the minds of Gander and Olice.

Just as Gander heeded Susasov, jumping back to his prior speed, the jaws of the kitir clashed again behind them. This time the kitir did not even slowly walk after them. He just sat on his haunches and watched, waiting.

If Gander had been on his own, escaping from a being so lazy that it wouldn’t even bring its magical prowess to bear would not have been difficult. He wrapped himself around Olice as tightly as he dared, and went even faster, Twisting and turning through canyons and empty ravines of crystal.

He could not go any faster than what he was, or Olice would be harmed, as it was, all his attempts to shake the Kitir off his trail were having a bad effect on Olice.

“MY MY MY, WHERE ARE YOU RUSHING TO? YOU SHOULD JUST ACCEPT YOUR FATE, YOU SHOULD BE HONOURED YOU KNOW, BEING EATEN BY ME!”

Gander couldn’t help but snap back.

“Honoured? SSSHISSSHISSSHISSSHI” Gander let out a hissing laugh. “You probably don’t have any restraint! Eating whatever passes your way!”

Gander tried to think of what to do, he had a vague hope that the Kitir would give up like it did before, but it seemed the kitir was hungrier this time. This aching chlanic hunger just managed to push aside some of the kitir’s slothful nature. With how powerful the Kitir was, if it got serious, Gander would not have a hope of saving Olice, he didn’t see what he could do other than keep fleeing in the hope that the kitir would decide the whole thing was too troublesome.

Gander swerved out of the way as the kitir’s mouth appeared before him.

-Gander! Do you sense what I’ve spotted?- Susasov thought to Gander.

Gander and Susasov, both being familiars of Olice could more easily pass knowledge they had between each other. Gander saw instantly what Susasov was talking about. Down in a tiny crack, deep in one of the canyons that this part of the Red Crystal Realm seemed to be riddled with was the red shadower they had encountered at Poarge’s Wandering Soul Food Shack.

It was beckoning them.

Gander did not hesitate at all, he didn’t want to stick around to give the kitir more time to realise that casting a bit of magic would actually be less effort than what it was doing currently.

Darting inside the crack he found it was actually a twisting tunnel. The red shadower was further in, beckoning them along. Gander cautiously followed, still carrying Olice, she had gone out cold at some point, she was otherwise fine though.

As Gander went further in, following the shadower, there was a rumble and the whole tunnel shook. The Kitir had slammed against the crack. A paw that acted more like a snake reached down the tunnel, but Gander more urgently followed the red shadower and thus they got out of the range of the paw.

The Kitir let out a low moan.

“I COULD DIG YOU OUT YOU KNOW, WOULD SERVE YOU RIGHT, HORRID THINGS NOT LETTING ME EAT YOU, OH BOTHER THIS, I’M GOING TO SLEEP”

The next moment, snoring echoed down the tunnel. Gander could hardly believe it, but he was glad. Though he didn’t have that high an opinion of Olice, and held a general loathing in his heart for children of any kind, his former master had cared deeply for her. That was enough for him not to break his contract with her by force, and his admiration of his ex-master was enough to ensure he would protect Olice.

The red shadower was still beckoning Gander to come further in.

Gander for his part, wondered how the red shadower was even before them.