Chava was extremely grumpy, because the dumb Guardian she was stuck with had gone and used the fabric she'd wanted for the tail of her kite to hold
food, and then of course it hadn't worked, but she hadn't gotten her kite back either, because of course, it was also their map. So that morning she was stalking along a little ways behind Holly, and every time the Guardian looked back at her, her frills went all the way back and she suppressed the urge to hiss.
"Hmm," said Holly, "the path's washed out, but maybe we can find someone to help us out."
"Maybe," said Chava sulkily.
"Why don't you go that way and I'll go this way," said Holly, "and we can meet back here at noon?"
"Hmph," said Chava, and she turned and went off in the other direction without another word.
Sulking and hunting was not a very effective combination, but she did manage to come across a few tasty snacks. She spotted a blotch of heat in the distance with her other eyes, and as she approached, saw that it was a centaur gathering... something. Chava supposed she'd make a good guide, but she looked busy, and also probably not very interesting. There was also a good chance Holly would approve of the choice, so she was definitely out.
Hmm. She scanned the breezy meadow, looking for movement and heat, and finally she spotted a Serthis basking in the bright spring sun. Chava picked her way towards the Serthis and pounced, careful to scoop the snake woman up in her fangs without harming her. Then she scampered back to show her prize to Holly, who would
so not approve.
The Serthis, for her part, struggled and swore the whole way. (She even called Chava an overgrown pink podid, and Chava had trouble not laughing at that.) When she got to the place Holly wanted to meet her, she dumped the Serthis unceremoniously down onto the ground.
"What do you want with me?" demanded the Serthis. "You're going to be sorry when the rest of my clan finds me! We'll turn you into luggage!"
"I want you to be our guide!" said Chava. "Ahahaha, Holly's gonna be
so mad."
"What?" The Serthis' face twisted in that way that Chava had learned meant fear or anger. "Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" She tried to slither away, but Chava was too fast for her, and now her good mood was back, because this was a really fun game!
"
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" demanded Holly's voice from behind her.
"Um," said Chava, cringing back.
The Serthis took the opportunity to escape.
"She's usually not like this," she heard Holly say to someone else -- a
(C.) Longneck armed with a skirmisher's staff. "I have no idea what's gotten into her." Holly's tone and her glare were both as icy as her appearance.
"Aw, I was just having fun, I wasn't gonna hurt her for real," said Chava.
"Our clan leaders would be
ashamed of you," said Holly. "
Antagonizing the poor beast like that!"
"Um. I won't do it again?" said Chava. "...Especially not if you don't tell them!" she added brightly.
Holly rolled her eyes at this. "She's young," she told the slightly worried-looking Longneck. "And usually not cruel like that. I shouldn't have let her go off on her own, I don't know what I was thinking."
Chava wanted to bristle at that, but it was kind of true. So she trudged along in silence besides Holly and the Longneck, feeling like a stupid jerk while Holly made excuses for her.
[C.]