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''Some of my feathers are loose from the bird me and murat fought. It hit us pretty hard.''

"Can I pluck them, or would you rather just leave them in until they fall out?" Hassan asked, peering at her feathers eagerly.

Murat scowled. "Don't go hurting her anymore than she already has, Hassan. Feathers from a sand lion don't mean anything if you take them without permission."

''I give full permission as long as you get the ones that are loose out.''

Hassan grinned and went to work, collecting the loose feathers as only an experienced falconer could. He ended up with a solid fistful of feathers, which he held up to Murat.

"What do you think of that? Want one? I'll charge you a gold piece for it."

"What, for a feather? You've gotta be kidding! I wouldn't buy one for a silver piece." Murat retorted.

Hassan grinned evilly. "I was going to charge eight gold pieces, for one, I was giving you a discount. Besides they're not just feathers; they're winged lioness feathers. They'll fetch a good price in Madeena. You'll see." He pocketed the feathers into a pouch

''I also request that you use them wisely. An aincent riddle of my kind stated that those who go greedy are killed by greed themselves.'' She warned.

Hassan's smile fell and he nodded, serious for a moment. "Indeed, we also have a similar quote. I won't overcharge; but I intend to use them wisely. They would make good feathers for arrows."

Murat simply grinned. "Greed, Hassan, is what'll get you murdered in the streets if you wave 'em around too wildly."

Hassan snorted. "We're Arabian Knights; we don't get murdered. Killed yes; but rogues prefer easier targets than us. And with a winged lioness to boot, we'll be hailed as...royalty or something. We'll definitely be turning heads."

''Winged lioness' are fading from existance though. Poachers have started to kill us for our wings.''

Murat scowled. "Not for long they won't. We'll hunt 'em down if we find 'em."

Hassan nodded. "Poachers have more than the desert to fear. We take care of all that, being protectors of the desert."

''My father was powerful enough that he could cause sand boulders to fall upon his foes afer stirring up a sandstorm. He was even able to fly in the sand without trouble...But only pride leaders had desert powers.''

"Had?" Murat asked. "What happened? Is your father still a leader of his pride?"

''Ever since phantom came to the desert my father became tainted. A ghostly sand lion woth wings made of dark grey feathers where some bones poke out from the feathers...He has no pride.''

Murat frowned, unconsciously making a fist with his injured hand. "Phantom? Taint? What sort of taint? Is it infectious?"

''Tainted means he is corrupted; Evil. He lost his reasoning to do good and help others. He hurts others now. The phantom is a vengeful ghost that haunts the desert.''

Murat and Hassan both made the sign against evil on their chests.

"That's no good," murmured Murat. "We can take down a physical creature, but if it's a spirit...we'd need to bring along more than just a knight." He glanced at Hassan who nodded.

"If you need someone to knock some sense into him, we'll suffice, well once you two get back to Madeena and heal up," added Hassan with a grin.

''My father makes no sounds when he moves. It's usually once he's behind you that you see hi--....'' She said, then her eyes grew wide in fear at a dark sand lion that had appeared darkly behind the two knights, a gloomy creature with black soulless eyes.

Murat and Hassan both turned at once. Murat muttered an oath as Hassan drew his scimitar. Murat fumbled for his scimitar as well, but reduced to one handed fighting, he was hardly a match for a cactus, let alone a sand lion.

Murat inched backwards towards Cass and a bit behind Hassan. "Lemme guess, the phantom?" Murat murmured under his breath.

The sand lion steps forward, dark eyes staring out darkly. The wings bore no feather, and it's gaze seemed hurtful. Cass gulped. ''Thats my father.'' She inquired, pointing out it's small wings.

Her father yowls, transparent, his eyes empty. His fur had holes where his rib could be seen, paws weathered and worn out.

Hassan and Murat flinched at the yowl and then, still clutching his scimitar, Hassan slowly knelt before the possessed sand lion.

Murat watched and waited, his good hand on his now-freed scimitar. "Hassan..." he began warningly.

Hassan shook his head and looked at Cass' father. "As protectors of the desert, we have done a lousy job of protecting the very creatures we hold sacred. It is our fault you have turned this way. Is there nothing we can do to return you to your former glory, your former good nature."

''My kind once roamed this land freely, without threat of hunters to kill them; Hunters that now run rampant and steal us away for their own corrupted purposes. We were once proud creatures that enjoyed our lives here; Now that is threatened as hunters become more numerous...I am nothing more than a ghost of a lion that once raised his own pride. You two will pay for your faults.'' His cold voice boomed, as his skeletal wings spread, dark sand falling off.

Cass tried to stand, but her injuries made her collapse again. ''My father was so nice...He was never like this those last few years I saw him..''

"Faults? What faults?" Hassan asked. "Two men cannot be held responsible for the idiocy of others, anymore than your...possessiveness calls for the slaughter of the rest of your pride."

Murat grimaced and glanced at Cass. "Those we know often change depending on their circumstances. I have no doubt that he is still the same father you know but that side of him is perhaps buried beneath the layers of evil that have corrupted him. If we could find a way to ban the evil, we might have a chance to get him back. But I know not of a way...unless we can get a spirit of the desert to help us. And I am unsure of where to find such a creature--person."