Slimantha and Latril walked down a shadowy corridor. Their steps gave faint echoes as their black shoes lightly impacted the obsidian floor. Their weapons, a staff for Slimantha and a sword for Latril, showed in their hands. Up ahead, the oppressive dim light of the corridor gave way to a more brightly lit section of the passage. They continued forward and stepped into the brighter segment. As if on cue, something else stepped into the light from the opposing side.
Slimantha stopped and lowered her staff. She blinked. Her brown eyes were on the entity barring their path. “It’s …” She bit her lower lip and shifted her weight to her right leg. “It’s …” A smile flashed across her face. “It’s so cute!” She clasped her left hand upon her right hand, her right hand firmly holding her staff.
Latril glanced at Slimantha and then looked at the thing standing across from them. Finally, the swird woman said, “It’s a duck.”
“It’s a cute duck.” Slimantha shifted her weight to her left leg, her long brown hair swaying beautifully with the motion.
“It’s …” Latril blinked. “It’s black and has red horns. What kind of duck has red horns?” The swird woman blinked again. “Is that supposed to be some sort of demon duck?”
“It’s a cute demon duck.” Slimantha swayed from side to side. A giddy look showed on her face. Her staff swayed along with her.
“You know?” Latril’s golden eyes, each containing the likeness of an upward-turned sword, turned to Slimantha. “If you want to see something cute, I’m, like, right here.”
Slimantha stopped swaying and turned to Latril, her girlfriend. “Well”—she flashed the swird woman a loving smile—“you certainly are cute.” She took Latril’s right hand into both of her own hands. She squeezed Latril’s hand and leaned closer to the swird woman. She planted a quick kiss on Latril’s right cheek before pulling away. “Better?”
“Better.” Latril gazed into Slimantha’s beautiful brown eyes. She smiled at the slime summoner.
“Great.” Slimantha gave Latril another smile. “Now if you don’t mind”—she turned back to the demon duck—“I have a cute demon duck to pet.”
Latril sweatdropped at Slimantha’s duck-petting declaration. Then she frowned. “Fine then,” she said. “Pet the duck. See if I care.” She crossed her arms and huffed. Wait. Was she jealous of a duck?
Slimantha stepped forward, her black shoes tapping upon the obsidian beneath her. Her brown eyes were on the demon duck standing at the other end of the lit section of hall. The black-feathered fowl wasn’t all that large, and those red horns it had gave it a peculiar look. Like the thing’s horns, the thing’s eyes were also red. Slimantha took another step toward the demon duck. She reached her right hand toward it. “Who’s a good demon duck?” she said, her hand almost upon it.
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The demon duck watched—watched as the slime summoner’s right hand drew near it. It pulled its head back slightly. Its bill opened. Its eyes—its red eyes—were still on the slime summoner’s nearing hand. Its two red horns glinted, and its bill promptly snapped shut on tan flesh.
A shrill yelp slipped out from between Slimantha’s lips, and she jumped back, shaking her right hand. “Bad duck!” she said. “No biting!” Tears welled up in her brown eyes, and she pouted. Laughs came from beside her. She glanced to their source—glanced to Latril—and gave another pout.
“Don’t give me that look,” Latril said, having doubled over from laughter. She straightened up, but a few more laughs slipped out from between her lips. “You’re the one that insisted on petting that thing.” She reached her right hand out. “Let me see your hand.”
Slimantha blinked and then held out her own right hand. Her tan skin lightly pressed against Latril’s ivory skin as her hand met Latril’s hand. She smiled at the warm inviting touch. Latril’s hand felt nice.
“Why”—Latril blinked—“are you completely unscathed?” She let go of the slime summoner’s hand. Her golden sword eyes shifted to Slimantha’s brown eyes. “Didn’t that thing bite you?” A quack sounded, and she glanced to the patiently waiting demon duck. Her eyes went back to Slimantha.
Slimantha gave a sheepish laugh, placing her right hand behind her head. “I’m pretty durable,” she said. She flashed a smile. Another quack came from the demon duck. Was the thing starting to get impatient perhaps, or did it want to get pet now? Slimantha’s brown eyes drifted back to the demon duck. Her right hand twitched.
“Please tell me you aren’t thinking of trying to pet that thing again?” Latril deadpanned.
“But Latril, its so cute.” Slimantha took a step toward the demon duck, and said demon duck took a step back. The slime summoner’s brown eyes were sparkling. Her right hand twitched again. The demon duck sweatdropped before giving yet another quack.
Latril sighed. Her golden sword eyes went back to the slime summoner who obviously had petting on her mind. “It threatened to bite your hand off,” the swird woman deadpanned. “I don’t think it wants you to pet it.”
Slimantha stopped her approach and hunched over. “But I want to pet it.” She trembled slightly before straightening back up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, she exhaled. She re-opened her eyes and smiled. “I’m good now. I’m sure there will be other demon ducks to pet.”
Latril sighed again. “Somehow,” she said, “I think the petting thing won’t go much better with the other demon ducks.” Her golden sword eyes went to the demon duck standing in the hall with her and Slimantha. “Well, that’s assuming there are other demon ducks besides this one. Anyway, I guess I should”—she glanced to Slimantha before returning her gaze to the demon duck—“deal with this thing before you try to pet it again.”
The swird woman readied her weapon, a gray metallic sword. She crouched down and spread her feathery black wings. Her golden eyes were focused upon the black-feathered fowl in front of her. Guess she wasn’t the only thing in this hall with black wings. She pushed off from the obsidian floor, rushing forward. She swung. Her sword glinted. She came to a stop. The demon duck collapsed behind her, its body melting away.
Latril glanced back, her golden eyes on the diminishing remains of her foe. A moment later, nothing of the demon duck remained. She smirked confidently as she stood up. “No blood?” she said. “How lame?”