Rudra wasn't sure if he wanted to set Benevia in fire or himself on fire.
"Just one evening," Tish said, "You couldn't survive helping Benevian people for just one evening?"
Rudra shook his head. He looked at Nayan and blinked suggestively hoping she would tell Tish how a priest had tried to drug him. But Nayan wasn't even looking at him. She had finally realised she was waddling into the water so her first priority had been just getting into safe dry land.
Damn these Pundākus! Damn their feline ancestors!
"Don't blink at her. I can see you blinking at her," Tish said softly, "You want her to make excuses for you?" She crossed her arms.
"Gheerrgh wraaoh rrgh!" Rudra said, offended.
"Oh don't you roar at me," she rolled her eyes, "You think I'll get scared?" She asked, completely reading his expressions wrong, "We need to talk so turn back to your human form. Now."
Rudra sighed. It sent Tish's bangs and braids flying back, she closed her eyes against the gust of wind, "Do it. Or our deal is off."
Rudra closed his eyes shut, his talons digging deep into the soft river bed. He tried to imagine his humanoid form. The inward collapse that happened whenever he'd fold back into a human.
But nothing happened.
Rudra opened his eyes. "What?" Asked Tish. Rudra shook his head. "Can you not turn back or do you not want to turn back?" Demanded Tish, "Which one is it."
Rude shook his head again. Twice. Thrice. Frustrated....
It sent several of Benevian Soldiers who had been brave enough to gather around the Saintess and the Prince to again fall back into a semi circle around the Saintess and the Prince, shields raised, Spears pointed- all defensive. But Trish didn't move an inch.
"You can't," she said flatly. Rudra nodded.
"He was poisoned!" Nayan, who was finally blissfully out of the water, spoke on behalf of Rudra, "I saw a man, dressed like one of faith, handing him something from afar. A glass. He drank it being the stupid thing he is," (okay, was she really speaking on Rudra's behalf?!), "And then he fell face flat into the water. I and your Prince spent fifteen minutes trying to haul drag him out of the water!"
Tish looked at Mamon, "Your Majesty, is she telling the truth?"
Even though Mamon was the Prince of Benevia, it was becoming more and more clear that who was the one actually running the show.
The Prince of Benevia didn't agree immediately. He tilted his head, "I don't know about the part of someone trying to poison him but he did fell into the water and I assisted the Parthan Commander to ensure he was alive because if he does die, his father will not pay us the lump sum of money we are expecting to receive."
If Rudra could roll his eyes, he would.
Tish's shoulders slumped down, "Alright, let us assume you have been poisoned by someone. We will look into it," she threw a sharp glance at the Benevian Prince which made it clear that by we she meant him only, "Now lower your head, let me see."
Carefully Rudra lowered his head even though it became harder and harder to see Tish. He craned his neck, trying to keep atleast one eye upon the Saintess. He did want her but he didn't actually trust her afterall.
"What are you doing?" Tish asked impatient, "I don't have all day while you move your giant head everywhere!"
A low rumble of annoyance built in Rudra's chest and spread outward, which the humans must have felt before they even heard it. The flood water around them dimpled and rippled without any wind. Pebbles and leaves skittered away. Everyone, including Tish and Mamon shook their head probably feeling the vibration in their skulls. Nayan's condition was much worse, her being the most sensitive one in the group. She blinked fast the way a person does when her vision gets blurry. Even the Ravens who had been making a chaos over corpsed all day fell silent, disappearing in the nearby treelines.
"I said," Tish's voice dropped an octave, "I don't have all day."
The rumbling did not fade. Instead, Rudra made a shap crack layered over the rumble- a warning to the Saintess - a reminder that just because he was being patient didn't mean he should be someone whom she should treat so lightly.
With that warning, he dropped his head lower right infront of Tish, even though he could see her no more since she was in his blind spot directly infront of his snout. But he decided to trust her just this one. And his senses.
When Tish finally finally placed her hand, Rudra almost flinched. Tish's hand was impossibly small, soft, trembling slightly - the only sign that she was actually nervous despite acting so unbothered around him.
It was .... strange.
His snout has felt harsh winds, stones, countless weapons, a big pundāku who never learnt to pick fight with someone of her own size... But not this. Never this.
Tish's hands didn't have claws. It was pressing flat against his snout- the touch feeling unfamiliar. Nobody has touched his snout without trying to cause him pain or hurt- not even Nayan or his father. Tish's touch wasn't that of kindness, but it wasn't exactly... not gentle.
Instinctively, Rudra inhaled. And it sent Tish to panic, her skirt getting almost pulled into Rudra's nostril. She now placed both of her palms his snout. The sudden extra touch startling Rudra to huff, making Tish almost lose her balance. Almost.
"Stop breathing!" She scolded, "Your breath smells like one of those isolated caves of Perma! Only ten times worse!"
Rudra stopped breathing. It took a few seconds for Tish to realise how unreasonable she had been. Her ears went pink in shame the way it did whenever she realised she was being unreasonable. But ofcourse, she didn't apologise. She only said, "Breath slowly....as slow as you can."
Rudra tried. He kept his breath short and controlled even though it was uncomfortable.
He could feel Tish's palms growing warmer. She must be working her holy magic. "I see nothing wrong in him," Tish murmured, "But there is a faint trace of poison, but his self-healing system is already burning it away. I'm not sure why he cannot shift back into his human form."
She stepped away, the sensation of her tiny warm hand disappearing from Rudra's snout while she appeared into his line of vision. He also stepped back to a safer distance (safe distance for her ) so that his accidental huffs didn't send Tish flying back.
"My expertise is limited to humans mostly. I have treated small animals and birds but," she wasn't talking to Rudra, but to Nayan, as it she was his guardian, "Nothing of this size and not to mention he is a magical beast probably falling into the class of Shapeshifter."
Nayan nodded, "Then I shall send words to Partha and have our Royale Healer come here to take a look at him."
"That would be the best, yes," agreed Tish, "Meanwhile you should take him to Perma. There are plenty caves. Plenty animals to hunt," she suggested.
And it pleased Mamon, "Wait, does that mean he won't be able to keep his side of the deal? Where he gets to take you back to Partha if he helps the Benevian people?" He asked, grinning. Tish's eyes widen and then her lips twitched into a smile, "I am afraid so, yes. By the time the Royale Healer of Partha arrives, I believe we will have most of the damages under control without his help."
Rudra's jaw dropped. Usually he was the one who wronged people but this time he was the one being wronged.
He tried to protest ofcourse. That he had been working diligently until the wretched priest showed up with the pitcher and glass!
But all his words came out as a mixture of groan, gargling and a series of reptilian splutterings.
Tish's smile only got wider, "Sorry, we cannot understand you."
"GROOOOWH!" Rudra complained. Tish winced, cupping her ears with her palms.
"Wait!" Nayan cried, "I have an idea!"
Rudra rejoiced, tail lashing.
Little did he know how fast he would regret letting Nayan to take the reign for once..