Scarecrow

Credit to strudel

A stillness overtook the Saharah. A most unnatural silence weighed down the air encompassing the ruins.

Among the fractured remains, there was only one living being--one heartbeat to be found among the rubble. Conner-- a young viscet with eagerness in his heart and excitement in his eyes-- was the only soul to be found. Conner grumbled a little as he flicked at his torch, tapping in on his palm in hopes to jostle the battery into just the right spot. He grunted a moment as the torch continued to flicker dimly, deciding to continue on regardless of his lighting situation. The only plus side, Conner realized, to traveling through the night was that the blazing heat wouldn't beat on his back as he explored the place he had been so drawn to.

Conner sighed as some of the excitement waned from him. He had only been drawn to this place through a series of coincidences after having arrived at Giza-- to realize there was nothing left to discover there. He had looked to the mighty pyramids for quite some time, disheartened that his time might well be wasted in the desert wasteland.

Conner's luck seemed to turn around when he met a fidgety middle-aged viscet in an alleyway. Against advice from his colleagues-- and even against his own better judgment-- Conner followed the viscet that promised him an interesting find. His instinct to trust the other viscet seemed to have been the right one-- the ancient tablet the other viscet let him study had been fascinating, and had led him on a trail of old tales and mysteries. Conner had spent the better part of the day following leads, talking to all manner of folk, until he ended up here-- at these long-forgotten and fabled ruins.

With glee, Conner jumped onto one of the many rocks blocking his pathway. He stopped with wide eyes trained forward as his flashlight (now with a steady beam of light) caught the edge of a mural on the wall.

The mural had sustained quite a lot of weather damage-- which was expected out in the elements. However, much of it had survived the ravages of time. He could make out mighty figures of gods and goddesses-- the usual jumble of figures to be found on mighty murals across ancient Egypt. Conner studied the mural bit by bit until the small light landed on the far corner of the mural. He squinted his eyes to make out a figure covered in... were those eyes? He tilted his head in confusion at the unfamiliar figure. He ran his paw over the weather-worn figure before shrugging and continuing into the ever-darkening chasm of the mystery god's temple.

Conner traveled the temple, dodging traps and structural damage all along the way. It was hours before he reached the inner sanctum, when the moon was high. He was cold, and tired, and might have turned back except for his curiosity.

He was only in the inner sanctum for a few moments before his fatigue got the better of him and he slipped on the loose rubble below his feet. He slid straight into a sarcophagus, knocking it over with a loud crash. He jumped away from the now-ruined priceless artifact with a loud sigh as he brushed himself off.

"Great, just great, how am I going to explain this? Blast it all!" Conner grumbled as he looked to the ruined sarcophagus.

Conner may have turned back then, for real this time, had it not been for the groan.

"Nnnnuuuuuunnnnnn"

Conner looked back, fearful. That was not the unnatural groan of old building materials shifting in the sands.

"Whhhoooooo aaarrrreeee yyyyyoooouuuu?"

Coner flinched at the feminine-- yet raspy voice. He shivered as she repeated her question. He finally found the courage to answer.

"C-conner. W-who are you?"

He dared to flick his light forward, and it landed on her. She was large and covered head-to-paw in gauze. She stood with pride as she looked Conner straight in the eye. He shivered again.

"I am... your guuuaaarrrdian." she hissed out.

Conner blinked "Eh, what now?" he questioned, his head tilted. He was no longer scared-- only confused and curious.

He could have sworn she was smiling to him with her dry lips.

"I wassss trapped here, forever assssssigned to protectttt thissss placcccce. Now, you have freed me. Now, I musssst protect you."

And protect him she did. Tirelessly, and without complaint. As Conner traveled far and wide, she always stays by his side. Without her, perhaps Conner might not even be here today. She may not admit it, but she has grown to love traveling with the young adventurer. She loves to see new places, all the while protecting Connor