KIYAH I: Little Rascal

The steel blade clanks against my hardened arm. I struggle against it, but the pressure doesn’t let up. Honestly, how is she this strong?! It’s two arms against one, but still…

If strength won’t cut it…

Let's teach her a lesson.

I pretend to weaken, hoping to catch my opponent off guard with a sudden renewed pushback. She seems to fall for it. She’s leaning towards me, lowering my arm further and further until-

Just as I am about to strike, she leaps off the ground. Her sword and my arm act like a lever, allowing her to flip herself over my head. Before I can even think of turning around, I feel the tip of her blade gently poking my back.

“Got you!”

She sure does.

***

We sit on the stools, leaning over the table. I’m nursing a strange but tasty fruit graciously donated as a peace-offering by some third-floor shmuck the other day. Utchi is sharpening her sword. It’s a real beauty: The blade is perfectly even and the hilt is decorated with vine-like carvings. Amon somehow managed to cobble it together from a bunch of rusty old pickaxes Utchi found on the second floor. Which reminds me…

“Hey, Utchi, did I ever tell you about that time Amon had to mend a living set of armor?"

Uatchita shakes her head. 

I tell her. She laughs.

Good.

…Good that we can still hang out like this, I mean.

Things have been a bit weird between us ever since I walked in on her two weeks ago. She was naked and bloody and very… Hm...? I dunno. Off. She came to my room later that day with her hands cleaned, apologized and suddenly wanted to train with me. Also, she has wings now, for some reason. That part I'm still unclear on...

She did try explaining it all. Said she had saved this, uhhhh… this chick in the city and now they’re planning to go on a field trip through the dungeon together. To be honest, I didn’t quite believe it until yesterday, when Utchi took the chick on a tour of the first floor. I recognized her smell as soon as she entered. She’d been down here a few times, but I had never bothered with her. No meat, all bones, smothered in lavender…

She’s very sweet, though. She is.

Asked me all sorts of questions. Was glued to my lips and nodded along. Clapped and cheered when I showed her the thing with the arms.

Just can't hate someone who makes for such a captivated audience. But…?

I dunno. I’m worried about Utchi. She's got an unhealthy fixation on humans. I've seen this kind of thing before. There was this mermaid that used to live in the lake on floor eight who desperately wanted to go on land and mingle with the men. Did not go well for her. It never does…

At the same time, I feel like I should be supportive here, right…? I’ve never seen Utchi this happy and relaxed. She seems like a different person. Well, the wings help... Seriously, though, she’s so driven now. I was worried at first she might hurt herself down there, but with all the effort she's been putting into our training... I'm glad. Are you now? She’s finally taking steps towards taking care of herself. Even if it's just for the sake of uhhh...

If Miriyam (that's what it was!) makes Utchi this happy, there’s no reason I should get in the way. For now, at least. I'll let them go on their little trip and be glad about the time I get to spend training with Utchi.

Still…

Yeah, I know.

Let's make the most of it.

"Up for another round? There's this technique I've been wanting to show you..."

***

As I walk through the dungeon, I pass by many familiar faces. Everyone says hello. Some seem happy to see me, others like they're about to piss themselves, but they all say hi.

They know the deal. Life's a breeze when you've got my kind of reputation.

I arrive at Aharon's meadow on the fourth floor. He's the oldest guy I know, and the tallest: his stone-carved body extends beyond 7 meters. Many, many years ago, he nicked a couple of sheep from a herder above ground. According to him, at least. I can't really picture him getting up there. Anyway, he's been living the high life ever since. The sheep produce wool and meat. Fabric is quite a rare commodity in the dungeon. Meat too, if you're not willing to hunt for it. I have had my fill of hunting, so I've struck a deal with Aharon.

He's a gentle giant with a lot to lose. The sheep breed like crazy, but for a while, he could still hardly keep up with the amount that got snatched by thieves. The rocks making up his body are just too sluggish and unwieldy to do anything to stop them. I've been keeping an eye on the herd and scaring off anyone who tries to pull a fast one. In return, Aharon lets me partake of his stock.

"Yo, Aharon, haven't seen you in a while. How have things been?"

Aharon slowly turns around and wearily looks at me.

"Bad. Thieves. Whole lot. Took 20."

I sigh.

"Was it Gricko's gang again?"

He shakes his head, producing an awful sound of stones grinding against each other. Doesn't that hurt...?

"No. New lot. eighth floor."

Huh. Eighth floor? Those guys seem like they'd have better things to do than climb all the way up here and steal sheep. Well, look who's talking...

"Hmm... Alright. I'll have a look later. Let's hope they haven't eaten them all by the time I get around to it. On that note..."

I put out my hand.

Aharon's eyes narrow. He bends down (grinding grinding grinding), picks up a rope, wraps one end around the neck of a sheep and hands me the other. I drag it off, away from the flock. 

Once we're out of view, I morph my beak into something more comfortable. The sheep is staring up at me. Its face reads as confused but trusting. It has recently been sheared, so it looks naked in an adorably awkward manner, just like that girl spread out on a bed stuffed with your feathers with her arms covered in-

I dig in. 

A weak bleating dies away into my throat and my head shuts up for a while.