It would be madness to avoid the oasis. Mirage or not, if you didn’t find some shade and some water, you wouldn’t last much longer out in the desert. You change direction, making a beeline to the fairly heavenly scene in the distance.
To your unrepentant y joy, it’s real. The scorching sand makes way to mercifully cool grass, and you fairly run through the realm of solace that you have found. Palm trees curl overhead, their leaves providing merciful shade from the beating sun, and as you reach the edge of the pool of water you fall to your knees, greedily cupping the clear blue liquid in your hands and greedily gulping it up. Much misses your mouth, soaking into your torn uniform but you hardly care, drinking until at last you’re satisfied.
But your satisfaction comes at a price. Before you even manage to pull yourself from the edge of the pool, something large slams into your side and bowls you ever. The sky spins as you fly through the air with a shriek of surprise; hitting the grass heavily and knocking the air out of you.
“You dare to drink form my holy spring!” A deep, imperial voice thunders. You feel the earth vibrate beneath you as something large approaches, and you struggle to rise and face it. Still disoriented, it takes you a moment to gain your feet. And what you see when you do has you gasp and take a quick step back.
A sphinx!
You stare at the massive creature, easily a head taller than you on all fours as it stalks forward. A body of made of the rippling primal muscles and of the king of beasts fur of glorious royal gold; its head however was that of a handsome young man with angular, sculpted features, and would have been all the more attractive were his face not twisted in rage, he stood at least a head taller than you on all fours. And dangling beneath his hindquarters, you just managed to catch a glimpse of a large swaying cock below. Your eyes travel along the creature, marvelling at the way his muscles coil and curl beneath his sleek yellow fur. You know running would be pointless. He’d catch with without even trying. But he could have killed you easily by the waters. So he may want to talk. And seeing as how you were unarmed and outclassed, that was really your only hope.
The sphinx pauses before you, eying you carefully. You have the sudden feeling of being prey, and the smile which graces the monsters face does little to alleviate that fear. You gulp, forcing yourself to meet the green cat-like eyes of the beast.
“You have gorged yourself from my spring, mortal,” the sphinx rumbles in a deep baritone. “Choose your next words carefully, lest you feel the sting of my claws upon your hide,” the monster growls, holding up a large paw, You gulp as claws like daggers sparkle in the sunlight.
“I…I didn’t mean to… your, um, Excellency. I’m sorry. Really, I was just so thirsty, and I need to make my way across the desert, but got thirsty, and then I saw the oasis, so I-.”
“Silence!’ the creature roared. You shut you mouth at once, watching as the beast sits upright, examining you with slitted green eyes. He appears thoughtful, though if that is good or bad you can’t tell immediately. Eventually, the creature nods to himself, reaching a decision.
“Very well, mortal. I sense no falsehood in your tale,” he informs you readily. You sigh in relief, one which catches in your throat as he adds: “However, you have nevertheless drunk from my spring. Therefore, you must pay a toll unto me.”
“A…toll?” You ask hesitantly. Though relieved he won’t kill you at once, you feel somewhat hesitant about what he might want for such a mercy.
“Yes,” the humanoid nods, “a toll. I will pose to you a riddle. Solve it, and I will absolve you of your theft of my water. I will even carry you to yon forest, as a show of good grace on my part,” he added. “However,” the sphinx’s eyes suddenly sharpened causing you to stiffen, “fail in my test of wits, and you shall pay with your flesh.” You gulp as he looks you up and down, licking his lips.
You curse mentally. You were never very good at these things. Still, considering the alternative, you bow all the same to the creature. “Very well, my lord. What is the riddle?” you ask.
The monster grins, revealing a row of horrifyingly sharp teeth in his jaws. “Very good! Now, my dear, answer me this. Get it wrong, and your body is mine. Get it right, and freedom awaits. Now then. What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night?”
Finsihed, the sphinx sits back, smiling and waiting for your answer.
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