She looked to the other side of the room to see a large sphinx pacing across the wall opposite them. Its wings were tucked in but still nearly reached the ceiling and its massive paws rose clouds of dust with each step it took. The sphinx's human head kept a careful eye on the two intruders.
"Uh...we're we supposed to...fight...that?" she asked.
"I doubt it," Jeremiah answered. "I've got an idea," he said as he approached the sphinx cautiously.
"It had better be a good one."
"Tell me your riddle, Sphinx; I can answer it," he stated.
"Riddle? You are thinking of the wrong sphinx. I always told my sister that was a stupid way to challenge intruders. She could have at least changed the riddle every once in a while," the sphinx growled, obviously irritated by the subject. "She ruined the image of all us high-bred, sophisticated sphinx's who simply resort to good-old, trusty violence to solve our problems. But, nooooo, she has to be smart and ask a riddle."
"Great idea, bright one."
"Hey, it was worth a try," Jeremiah retorted as he started to back up.
The sphinx surged forward at Jeremiah who barely managed to avoid a swipe from the sphinx's claws. The claws still caught his shirt and flung him across the room into a wall, slumping to the floor with a groan after hitting it.
Kiyoko pulled out her hunting knife and rushed to its side as it swung at Jeremiah. She plunged the knife into its side, causing it to roar and turn.
The knife was ripped out of her grasp as the beast whirled to face her. She staggered backward and looked around for anyway out as the creature reared its head for a vicious bite. It was just about to strike when...
"Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Come here kitty."
The sphinx paused and quickly turned around glaring at Jeremiah, and quickly focusing its eyes on him. It caught a quick movement of his hand and something dangling from it.
Cloth, kind of like a string. The torn piece of cloth danced from his hand in quick snaps, which the sphinx followed intensely with its head.
It gathered itself into a crouch and carefully prepared for its strike, waiting until just the right...time...now!
It lashed out and flicked the very end of the cloth making it fling upwards, so the sphinx flicked it again, and again.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah flinched at each swing, silently praying that he would still find his arm attached to his shoulder at the end of this game.
Jeremiah threw the cloth in the air and quickly made for the other end of the room, picking up his torch on the way. The sphinx continued to hit the cloth, making it dance in the air.
Kiyoko stood in amazement at the sight of the large sphinx playing with a piece of cloth. Jeremiah tapped her on the shoulder as he passed by running to the corridor the sphinx was guarding. Kiyoko regained her senses, picked up her gun and followed him, hoping the sphinx would not soon tire of the game.
***
"Uhh...what is it with you cats?"
"String works just as well as yarn."
"You are no longer allowed to pick guardians for the temple."
"Ahhhh, that means no more cats to play with."
"..."
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Tue, 08 Oct 2002 11:30)
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