this Joe for now,” it said, starting to show impatience. “Only the witch can find him, but she will need the amulet to recover. The amulet is in the water.”
They both looked towards the witch who slumped against Tariro, breathing erratically. Ethan wondered if he could get Tariro to go back into the pool and fetch this amulet, whatever it was. Aside from the crocodile, he was worried about the teaming throngs of parasites that lurk there. He shuddered, imagining microscopic creatures worming their way into every nook and cranny of his body.
“Why can’t he do it?” Ethan said, pointing at Tariro, who was after all just as close, and had already exposed himself to the parasite-infested water by jumping off the ledge.
“He does not believe,” the leopard said. “And look at him, he looks as if he has seen a demon.”
Ethan looked hopefully in the direction of Jimoh.
“You are the one who kissed the witch. Only you can do this thing,” the leopard said, following Ethan’s train of thought. He didn’t know if it could tell from the expression on his face or if it was actually reading his mind. It sat down and lifted a paw, inspected its claws pointedly, and glowered at him.
“It’s too deep... I can’t swim,” Ethan tried.
“Then you will drown trying,” the cat said, retracting its claws and stepping closer in a fluid move, “because the witch can wait no longer.”
Time stood still for Ethan as the leopard’s bright yellow eyes narrowed at him threateningly, less than a foot away from his face, betraying the internal battle raging within it. It was odd how Ethan was so easily preoccupied by it. It smelled mildly rank, like a wet puppy. Pure white whiskers grew out of either side of its face in sharp contrast to its perfectly symmetrical black rosette markings. Its dark golden fur looked so soft, Ethan had to control an impulse to reach out and touch the animal. Then he recoiled in confusion as a muscle tensed and relaxed across its powerful jaw. It did not blink. Sjoe! What was he thinking? He had never voluntarily touched an animal in his life before. An impatient talking leopard was not the place to start.
“Okay, what does this amulet look like?” He let out a long shuddering breath.
“It will shine,” the cat said smoothly, all business now that it had won the stand off. “Do not touch the stones. Lift it only by the cord that connects them.”
~~~
Ethan turned towards the water and forced himself to walk slowly to the edge. Whether his pounding heart drew the crocodile towards him, or the beast smelled his fear and came for him, one way or another he was convinced it was going to get him. Trying not to splash, he waded cautiously into the water, but it wasn’t any use. His muscles twitched spasmodically, as if they had a life of their own.
Once the rippling water reached up to his shoulders he held his breath and dipped his face into it. His eyes shot open spontaneously. I’ll probably go blind, he almost sobbed. At least the pool was crystal clear. He could see right to the other side where Jimoh’s group sat dangling their feet in the water. Revolving slowly to get his bearings he looked out for the crocodile. He thought he could see it about thirty meters downstream with its back to him, so he swam cautiously towards the spot where the old witch had entered the water, and floated on the surface for a moment with his face submerged, scanning for the amulet.
He would have been able to see the amulet quite clearly even if it did not give off that eerie glow. It was in amongst the pebbles about six meters below him. An orangey stone lay on one end of a string connecting it to a strange dark stone on the other end. Its dim light pulsated so slowly that it looked as if time had slowed down. He was about to dive down towards it when a movement on the edge of his field of vision caused Ethan to whip around.
His scream turned into a gurgle as something huge
They both looked towards the witch who slumped against Tariro, breathing erratically. Ethan wondered if he could get Tariro to go back into the pool and fetch this amulet, whatever it was. Aside from the crocodile, he was worried about the teaming throngs of parasites that lurk there. He shuddered, imagining microscopic creatures worming their way into every nook and cranny of his body.
“Why can’t he do it?” Ethan said, pointing at Tariro, who was after all just as close, and had already exposed himself to the parasite-infested water by jumping off the ledge.
“He does not believe,” the leopard said. “And look at him, he looks as if he has seen a demon.”
Ethan looked hopefully in the direction of Jimoh.
“You are the one who kissed the witch. Only you can do this thing,” the leopard said, following Ethan’s train of thought. He didn’t know if it could tell from the expression on his face or if it was actually reading his mind. It sat down and lifted a paw, inspected its claws pointedly, and glowered at him.
“It’s too deep... I can’t swim,” Ethan tried.
“Then you will drown trying,” the cat said, retracting its claws and stepping closer in a fluid move, “because the witch can wait no longer.”
Time stood still for Ethan as the leopard’s bright yellow eyes narrowed at him threateningly, less than a foot away from his face, betraying the internal battle raging within it. It was odd how Ethan was so easily preoccupied by it. It smelled mildly rank, like a wet puppy. Pure white whiskers grew out of either side of its face in sharp contrast to its perfectly symmetrical black rosette markings. Its dark golden fur looked so soft, Ethan had to control an impulse to reach out and touch the animal. Then he recoiled in confusion as a muscle tensed and relaxed across its powerful jaw. It did not blink. Sjoe! What was he thinking? He had never voluntarily touched an animal in his life before. An impatient talking leopard was not the place to start.
“Okay, what does this amulet look like?” He let out a long shuddering breath.
“It will shine,” the cat said smoothly, all business now that it had won the stand off. “Do not touch the stones. Lift it only by the cord that connects them.”
~~~
Ethan turned towards the water and forced himself to walk slowly to the edge. Whether his pounding heart drew the crocodile towards him, or the beast smelled his fear and came for him, one way or another he was convinced it was going to get him. Trying not to splash, he waded cautiously into the water, but it wasn’t any use. His muscles twitched spasmodically, as if they had a life of their own.
Once the rippling water reached up to his shoulders he held his breath and dipped his face into it. His eyes shot open spontaneously. I’ll probably go blind, he almost sobbed. At least the pool was crystal clear. He could see right to the other side where Jimoh’s group sat dangling their feet in the water. Revolving slowly to get his bearings he looked out for the crocodile. He thought he could see it about thirty meters downstream with its back to him, so he swam cautiously towards the spot where the old witch had entered the water, and floated on the surface for a moment with his face submerged, scanning for the amulet.
He would have been able to see the amulet quite clearly even if it did not give off that eerie glow. It was in amongst the pebbles about six meters below him. An orangey stone lay on one end of a string connecting it to a strange dark stone on the other end. Its dim light pulsated so slowly that it looked as if time had slowed down. He was about to dive down towards it when a movement on the edge of his field of vision caused Ethan to whip around.
His scream turned into a gurgle as something huge
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