Hasina tossed and turned in her sleep, letting out occasional fearful chirps and trills. Her eyes moved about rapidly behind their closed lids, her mind conjuring up sights and sounds that terrified her so. After a few moments, she suddenly snapped awake, bolting up with a wounded shriek that startled Sinbad awake. She panted heavily, a faraway look in her eyes as she stared blankly downward.

“Nightmare?" asked Sinbad, snapping Hasina back to reality. She nodded weakly, her breathing finally slowing down. Once she calmed down enough, she let out a small sigh.

“Do you remember how I said I would tell you my story when I was ready?" she said.

“Yeah." said Sinbad.

“Well, I'm ready…

“About seven or so years ago, I lived in a mountain village. When I was born, everyone called me the most beautiful gryphon in Qafara. But beauty is often a target of those that desire it. Like you, a gang of slavers attacked my village, but they didn't go after anyone indiscriminately. They only wanted me. My parents tried defending me, but… they were killed. The slavers took me, clipped my wings, and sold me to whoever offered the most money. And so it went for those years: Being sold from owner to owner, as nothing more than either labor or something to be shown off. Until… I met you. You gave me freedom again. And I thank you for that."

Hasina's eyes glistened with tears as she turned away from Sinbad, her cheeks turning red.

“I'm sorry," she said quietly. “I probably wasn't as ready as I thought I was." A silence followed, only for Hasina to tense up a small bit when she felt Sinbad's hand stroke the top of her head. She turned back to the human.

“Don't be," said Sinbad with a smile as he scratched behind one of the gryphon's ears. Waves of calmness spread throughout Hasina, her sobs giving way to peaceful churrs. “That's the past. Painful, yes, but what's done is done. You've got a bright future ahead of you. Make a new life for yourself." Hasina wiped the remaining tears from her eyes as she smiled warmly.

“I will," she said. “With you."

“We will." said Sinbad. “Together."

Sunlight filtered through the window onto Hasina's face, who woke from her peaceful sleep. She looked down at Sinbad, the man still sleeping. She smiled when she remembered his words to her last night. Suddenly, a newfound feeling coursed through her just then. To her surprise, her heart went haywire, pounding hard and rapidly. She quickly brushed it off, closing her eyes and letting out a deep, slow breath. She gently nudged Sinbad awake.

“Morning." said Sinbad groggily.

“Good morning." said Hasina, blushing as she contemplated her sudden episode just then.

“Something wrong again?" asked Sinbad, getting out of bed, revealing his fit and shirtless torso.

“Nope, nothing wrong at all!" squeaked Hasina as her blush only intensified, rushing into the room's bathing room and looking herself in the mirror.

“What is happening to me?" she asked herself, her heart resuming its rapid pace. A knock came from the door.

“Are you going to wash up first or what?" said Sinbad from the other side of the door.

“I'm getting my bath ready now." said Hasina in a breathless manner.

Warm water soothed and cleansed Hasina's coat, clearing it of sandy dust and other such imperfections. As she washed herself, she once again found herself in her own little world as thoughts of a naked Sinbad sitting in the very same tub she was in filled her head. Realizing her mind was wandering again, Hasina dunked her whole head underwater and let out a muffled scream. What in the name of Gryphus is happening to me?!, she thought.

After their baths, the pair sat down in the dining area for a simple breakfast of labneh yogurt and bread. Hasina ate hers quietly, staring downward at the plate in front of her.

“Hasina," said Sinbad, causing her to look up at him finally. “What's with you this morning?"

“I'm not sure," said Hasina. “Maybe it has something to do with our talk last night."

“As in?" asked Sinbad. Hasina fell silent again for a moment.

“It's nothing," she said. “I'm just happy that I finally found a friend after all the hardship I've been through."

Not soon after, they finished their meal and got up from the booth.

“Alright," said Sinbad. “Let's go." But Hasina wasn't looking at him. She was staring in horror at someone or something behind him. A low female voice came to his ears.

“Hello, Sinbad." it said, the words dripping with venom. Sinbad turned to see a very familiar face: An anthro cobra, her scales black as night, clad in what was essentially an armored bikini that hugged her form closely. Eyes like fire burned into him with a hatred so powerful one might mistake her for a basilisk. In her hands was a six foot staff, the top end of which ended with a hissing cobra's head, a red crystal ball inside its mouth. Behind her were two other anthros, a jackal and crocodile, and a Qafaran human, all with bladed weapons drawn.

“Sahira," said Sinbad. “It's certainly been a while."

“Yes, well sorry we don't have time to catch up," said the cobra. “You have something of ours. Or at least, what was." It was at this point that Sinbad was regretting leaving his khopesh with the cart or else he would've gladly cut the head off of this treacherous snake already. He pointed to a random tavern-goer, an anthro leopard he recognized as one of the two he had confronted.

“You," he said. “Go get my cart ready and bring it to the front of the inn."

“Right away!" said the leopard, acting quickly as to not get on his bad side again. Sinbad looked at Hasina, who was still petrified by fear.

“Hey, it's alright. We're going to get out of this."

“I think not, old friend." said Sahira before raising her staff, a bolt of red lightning shooting from the orb. Sinbad and Hasina ducked as the bolt shot over their heads, striking a wall behind them and blasting a decently-sized hole in it.

“Run!" shouted Sinbad.

Sinbad and Hasina ran up the stairs, dodging bolts of magic lightning and swings of the other gang members' swords and daggers. They went back into their room, Hasina closing the door as they entered.

“Hasina, when she's mad, Sahira doesn't use doors, now jump!" said Sinbad as he and Hasina ran to the balcony and leapt off it, falling two stories onto the sandy floor of the central town road. They quickly got onto the cart, which was waiting for them as per Sinbad's orders, and rode off at full gallop into the desert. Sahira and the others simply watched them, a hatred burning in the cobra's eyes so intense that not even the desert sun could match it.

Once they thought they had gotten far enough away, Sinbad slowed the cart to a walk. Hasina panted hard and had a look of pure terror on her face.

“They're back for me," she said softly. “After all this time, they're actually back for me."

“Hasina," said Sinbad. “Were those the ones that took you from your home?"

“Yes." said Hasina after a short silence.

“Well, great," said Sinbad. “Because they're also the gang I used to run with. The ones that I left after they took up slavery."

Sinbad stroked Hasina's head in an attempt to calm her down.

“Easy," he said. “Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to you. Not while I'm here with you. Hell, it even makes me want to hurt them even more knowing they're the ones responsible for your pain." After a little more stroking and reassuring words, Hasina finally calmed back down and smiled, her heart once again racing as she looked at her savior.