Leone (Part One)

‘Have I…died?’1

The outside world was not something that Leone was aware of at present—only an odd, clammy coldness, numbness, and a throbbing ache in his skull.2

‘Where am I?’3

He knew, somehow, that his eyes were open, yet he saw nothing.  There was darkness and not much more than the smell of mildew—when his senses began to revive themselves—and the sound of water both idle and falling.4

‘How did I—’5

He paused in mid-thought when the memory hit him.  Those two goons in the alley brought him here, wherever here was.  With a sound reminiscent of a growl, he moved to push himself up into a sitting position with some effort.  Once more, he tried looking around.  His eyes were now adjusting to the darkness in a way that they would not have previously.  Again, with more effort than it should have taken, he shifted in a way that he could stand; lifting himself away from the stone slab he had been so carefully placed upon, he stepped slowly, carefully away.6

“Hello?” he called out with a voice hoarse from disuse.  How long had he been out?  “Is anyone out there?”7

He could not tell whether he was inside or outside from the sounds alone, or what he could or could not see.  He shook his head, and however slowly, it was very soon taken as a mistake.  His headache became slightly worse when he did that, so he took a seat on the ground after a few more steps.8

‘Maybe I am dead,’ he thought, ‘like in some of my dreams…everyone would be glad I’m gone…’9

“Oh, I wouldn’t think like that if I were you,” came a rather wistful voice, soft, feminine.10

It was Hawke who stepped out of the darkness.  Leone simply glared at her.11

‘She was there, why didn’t she answer?’ he tried keeping this thought more private, but she shook her head.  He was obviously doing a rather rotten job of it.12

“What do you want?” he questioned, his voice a near whisper so as not to strain his voice.13

She simply shrugged and sat down beside him, leaning back on the talons that served as her hands and staring out toward the water that she could just barely see in the dark.  Her eyes were sharp, but they were hardly made for night vision.  Leone could see it so much better that she.14

“Why didn’t you answer before then?” he tried again, just as quietly as before.15

She shrugged again then shut her eyes.  “I didn’t want to.  I didn’t have to.  No one made me…”16

A frighteningly sad expression crossed her face just then, and a heavy sigh escaped her, drifting off into open air and fading into silence.  Apparently Hawke had little or no choice in what she did and did not do.  Leone did not voice his opinion of this, however, for he also had little choice in the matter.  He could hardly guess where he was, or why, so he simply gave a tiny nod before allowing his gaze to drop to the water and the image of himself.17

The first thing he noticed was his eyes.  They were perfectly normal gray eyes, at present, but they changed on occasion, depending on his mood as well as, on occasion, the moods of those around him.  It upset him to look at his reflection—the almost muzzle-like face and pointed ears.18

There was a small twinkle in Hawke’s eye when he looked up.19

“Catty,” she said slightly randomly, certainly more cheerfully than anything else she had said.20

That single word caused a corner of his mouth to quirk up slightly, into the smallest traces of either a sneer or a smile.  It was the latter, though he preferred not to show what that mouth of his hid, ever.  The fangs there frightened even him on occasion.  No normal human had fangs.21

“Catty,” he repeated, giving a small nod, “yeah…”22

Where a beak would hardly give way for one, her eyes were smiling.  Pure amusement traced her features now versus the sadness she displayed before.23

Leone sighed heavily before shutting his eyes for the moment.  “I’m glad someone’s happy with my appearance then.”24

“Well…look at me,” was all she said before standing and walking off silently.25

He blinked at that and went back to staring at his reflection.  It could have been worse…26