You Didn't Make the Naughty List

A sudden, arrhythmic commotion pulled the sleeping beast from his rest. Chimera blinked open tired eyes, willing away the muddiness of his mind. It was silent. Had it been a dream? And then the sound began again, this time accompanied by anguished whines, muffled by the wall. The slave? Planting his paws into the furs, Chimera got to his feet and padded out of the room.

One black toed paw slid the door open on its track and the beast moved inside the much smaller servants chamber. Erystotle lay, writhing on the furs, whimpers and whines pouring from him. He slept, but the look on his face was one of extreme distress. The man was having nightmares, that much was obvious. Chimera almost turned and left the man to his terrors, but the anguish on his face caused the opposite.

Coming forward, Chimera placed a paw upon the shimmering man's shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. "Erystotle," he growled softly, but the man was unresponsive. He continued to shudder, shake, all the while releasing pitifully pained cries. With a narrowed look and a low grumble, the king hesitated. He didn't want to do this, but he'd sworn to take care of this slave. What kind of master would he be if he left him like this?

Stepping behind the quivering man, Chimera lowered himself to the furs. Lifting one big foreleg, he pulled Erystotle against his chest, wrapping him protectively in his embrace. Chi curled his neck downwards over the man, holding him in a cocoon of alabaster and onyx. He'd stay for as long as it took for the man's terrors to ease.

"Speech"