The Children // ASSASSINS CREED ODYSSEY // DEIMOS

C15: The Debt

The lycaon was in a hurry and, considering the situation, Eos could see why but, as they'd passed by some stables just east of the fort, she'd stopped. Laelaps had glanced behind him, realising that he wasn't being followed and tilted his head at her,

"Fancy scaring me a horse" she shrugged. The lycaon scoffed back at her before he veered off the path, heading towards a swamp, "if you were nicer to them, they might like you" Eos had suggested. Catching up with him at the green waters edge, Eos had sat down on one of the small bounders, letting her feet soak in the water for a moments. They could still the fortress they'd escaped from but, Eos' feet were already starting to ache and, the fresh air was already starting to make her drowsy. The lycaon pulled at her cloak then but, she swatted him off.

"Me and you need to talk" she told him. Laelaps looked back at the fortress and then, he sat down next to her, his eyes on the road,

"Where have you been".

He snorted at her - quite aggressively,

"I told you to come to Argolis - not stay in Attika".

He snorted again.

"And Deimos... in Megaris" she shrugged her shoulder "so much for keeping your eyes on him". The lycaon turned his head to her, "and what about Melaina" the lycaon looked back to the road, "if you were not looking out for me, at least tell me you looked out for her".

Eos watched as the lycaons shoulders fell, his mouth a thin line as his ears flattened back and he turned away from her, carrying on in to the swamp. He'd glanced back at her, the smallest of wags asking for her to keep following him.

It made Eos feel terrible but, she had every reason to be pissed with him. Especially as he gave her such a hard time when it was she that didn't listen - although, as he thoughtfully led her through the shallows, she wondered if maybe it had been some sort of payback. Now that, that she couldn't blame him for but, there was payback and then - then there was the risk of dying and, Eos had ran that risk very close.

It could also have been a complete accident but, so had some of her set-backs and he'd never once given her the benefit of the doubt.

After eventually passing by the swamps, the two of them came upon what Eos knew to be the Dyapontion ruins. The place where Pyros had been born and, which had subsequently been claimed by the followers of Ares – who were now all dead. The teeth marks told her exactly who was to blame.

"You had some fun Laelaps" Eos asked, looking down at the bodies in a want to make sure that they were dead and not still dying.

Laelaps never was good at finishing them off.

Laelaps had trotted over to her then, something shiny in his mouth. "What you got" she asked; he placed it down on the floor in front of her – a silver dagger. "Oh, you're a good boy really, aren't you" Eos said, scratching him on the ear as she knelt and picked it up. Laelaps had shook his head, still a little annoyed with her from earlier and trotted a little more down the path, glancing back as she rose to her feet slowly.

"I wonder which one Pyros lived in" Eos had said, brushing her hand over one of the doors, the wood flaking underneath her fingers. Laelaps snuffled at the house he was stood near, pawing at the door before carrying on. "That one" Eos asked out loud , "I wonder who set it all alight", the lycaon snorted at her – as if it was obvious and then, he continued on his way, leading her out of the ruins and over to the hills they could see in the distance.

Whining as she followed him up, they passed by the tomb of the first champion - which Deimos had dragged her too one night in search of an stone slate he'd heard off. It had all been very underwhelming - for Eos at least who, did not have the pleasure of seeing all the pretty golden symbols Deimos swore he could see. And then, on the descent down the hill - they passed by the Idean cave - a cave Eos knew all to well. "Are you doing this on purpose" Eos asked the lycaon - who only glanced back at her, his head held high as if he knew how much reliving that part of her past made her want to punch him.