Ssshhhh! Don’t blow it we’ve come so far! Sophia hissed at Akillies. He immediately stopped his fidgeting. Sophia flicked her tail across his knee. Akillies shivered, it was cold.  Sophia purred in a comforting way and flicked her tail again. Akillies thought of the places the ship would take them and before long, he was asleep curling himself into a little ball on the hard wood floor of the fishing ship. The ship rocked back and forth and occasionally creaked, but it was more comforting the dark dusty cold chambers of a gladiator. “Akillies! Get up fool the ship has arrived we’re there!” Akillies’s sailor friend Ameal yelled. Sophia yelped and hissed at Ameal.              The least he could do is stay off my tail..it’s not like I had anything to do with this ordeal… Sophia said smugly. Akillies laughed heartily. Sophia was begging to acquire his sense of humor. “She wants you to lay off her tail. She didn’t have anything to do with this expedition, and she wants you to know that.” Akillies said between chuckles. Ameal smiled and patted Sophia on the head. She hissed at him again but he ignored it. “Now I must go get my things then we shall get off.” Akillies said gesturing to his bag of armor, his only posse ion besides the toga and sandals that he wore now. “Well okay. Sorry Sophie.” Ameal said patting Sophia on the head gently. She purred at him softly with a hint of annoyance in her soft voice. Akillies rose and glided over to his bag of Armor. He lifted it with one quick swipe and gestured for Sophia to follow. She rose and followed him onto the main deck of the ship. The aroma of sea air was strong and it made Akillies’s eyes water slightly. Whether that was from the salt air or from his gladness of new found freedom, no one will ever know. I think we should get off the ship now… Sophia said walking up to stand besides Akillies.  Everyone is staring at me and I Don’t like it…She said growling slightly. Akillies turned to her and grinned. “Why Sophia don’t you know that it is a complement for someone to stare at you. I think they think you are beautiful.” Akillies said sarcastically. From were I come from, it’s rude to stare at someone. Especially when it is the first, time meeting them. These people have never seen me they don’t know me so they should stare. She paused and glanced at the people who were watching her. It’s like they have never seen a lioness before. “They probably haven’t Sophie. These are Pernese people. They don’t have lions here. Only small house cats. I think they would die of fright if you roared, so don’t even think about it, ok? I know you enjoy to scare people but it is wrong to scare people who haven’t hurt you.” He said patting her on the head and leading her off the ship. “Akillies! I thought you’d left already. We found this and thought you might like it. Here.” Ameal said as he pranced over to Akillies holding a cage with a tropical bird inside. He saw Akillies confused face and explained: “It’s a thunder bird from the African Congo.” He glanced around uneasily. “When you’re here don’t talk to much about earth ok? We were not exactly sposted to teleport here. “ Akillies nodded in agreement. “Anyway, one of the sailors was given this by a native when we stopped there on our last voyage. He could not keep I so he gave it to me. Well I cannot keep t because; well I am a sailor. So here, he’s all yours.” Ameal shoved the cage into Akillie’s free hand. If you don’t want it can I eat it? Sophia asked nearing the cage and eyeing the sleeping bird.  Its head was buried in its wing and it was humming slightly on every other breath. “No, I think I kind of like it.  Plus you’d probably choke on all those feathers…” Akillies said chuckling at the look on Sophia’s face.  The bird moved to reveal its sliver white head. It’s plumage was magnificent, gold and black feathers gleamed on it’s back.  Six-inch long tail feathers gleamed the same sliver as his neck and head. His stomach was a pale gold and on the tips of his slivery feet were 2-inch long talons. This chicken has claws! Sophia said backing away from the thunderbird slightly. It glared at Sophia and the black and gold feathers on the top of it’s head stood out making what looked like a crown form on top of his head. His eyes gleamed aqua blue. I am not a chicken you inferior pussycat! I shall snap of your tail and feed it to those annoying swaking freaks! A voice screamed into Akillies head. He glanced at the thunderbird that was pointing with one of his feathers at the seagulls flying around. Then I shall pull out your whiskers one by one and oh..Poke out those big brown eyes of yours. He said excitedly. Akillies was getting the feeling this bird was a little off his rocker. You will huh? Well you do know that a lioness can hunt in pitch black! That means we do not use our eyes. Sophia snapped at the bird and launched onto the cage. Feathers and fur when flying everywhere and Akillies sighed. He stuck his hand into the cage of cage bird and lioness and tried to settle them down. “Ouch!” He yelled as His hand was bitten.  He grabbed Sophia by her neck and pulled her up. This left the spastic bird spinning in circles and snapping at air. Akillies laughed. “Why bird you are a little crazy don’t you think? What is your name?” He said still cackling over the pair. Sophia had a big patch of fur missing from her flank and the Thunderbird had only one long black tail feather left. First of all, I am not a thunderbird. He paused and grabbed his tail feathers out of Sophia’s mouth, with one of his feet. I’m just a gold and black colored hawk. All of those natives thought I was a magical thunderbird so they captured me and tried to keep me for a pet I guess. Then they started to give me sacrifices and stuff expecting me to make it rain. Well it did not rain so they gave me to the sailors. He rolled his large blue eyes. The sailors where the worst they tried to stuff me full of beer, and once they got tired of it, they put me in this cage. I do not know what to think of you two yet. He glared at Sophia. By now the whole town was watching them. Akillies noticed and shushed the bird. He silently lead  Sophia and ‘Spaso’ away.