text: Alios loved to mess with the mortals who worshiped him. He loved breaking into their homes at night and turning their shoes into puppies and belts into snakes. He loved sending thieves into villages who forgot to leave offerings to him. He loved throwing parties for his fellow omnipotent beings. He loved what he did. But Alios was not all tricks, thieving, and parties. Believe it or not, he was a devoted lover. Or, he was the former king of the pixies who left his queen for the hunter Goddess. Despite leaving his queen to rule alone he truly loved Otlene, the hunter goddess. And Alios didn’t love a lot of things. Hell, the only three things he loved was his job, kittens, and Otlene. Oh, how he loved Otlene. He loved how she towered over everyone, he loved how she remained hidden under her fur cloak, he loved her elk antlers and rams’ horns. Her eyes, he cared not for, green like the forests she roamed. And the wolves, how could he forget the wolves? Wherever Otlene went a pack of wolves would follow. The wolves made it... difficult for Alios to get close. He guessed it was basic instinct, after all they were wolves, and he was a cat-like creature. A slender, human-like feline, with the torso and head of a mortal man, but the rest was feline. His arms had cats’ claws, his legs were meant to pounce, and fur to protect him from the elements. One night, atop the tallest mountain on the continent, Alios found his love brooding. “What’s wrong my sweet?” He asked her. “Those humans,” she grumbled, “they have no respect for my creatures.” She was overlooking a town off the base of the mountain, candlelight burning bright. The trickster God plopped himself next to his lover. “Well, you know the saying.” “Yes, yes, I am aware. Humans are horrible. It would be nice, to taking something from them. Like how they have only taken from me,” Otlene rambled. Take. That word echoed throughout Alios’ mind. “I’ll take... something! I’ll steal from the humans!” “Please don’t,” she warned. “My love, your wish is my want!” With that said, he pounced off the mountain and landed in the woods on all fours. Not a single bone broken from his beast of a body. He patrolled the outside of the town, far enough away from the human guards. Transforming into a small house cat, he snuck into the village. There must have been a party going on, for he smelled meat and cakes. Now he was pissed. The humans throw a party and don’t leave him any offerings? Unbelievable! This was no longer just for his love, but a personal vendetta. Alios saw that one house was more decorated than the rest, fabrics with beautiful designs hanging off the buildings side. In his disguise Alios made it to the house fairly easily, with only a few stops because the humans insisted on petting him. He saw an open window and leaped into the home. And the inside of the building was even more beautiful than the outside. Gifts of gold and ivory everywhere the God looked. But what would he take? What would his love want? He loved gold, but she had no use for gold, and gold was replaceable. What about ivory and animal hides? No, that was something Otlene could simply hunt herself. And then he heard it. A baby’s cry, from the next room over. Carefully, he moved his feline form into this next room where there were more gifts, toys and soft hides. And in a crib, a baby boy with olive skin and black hair. A beautiful child. The God turned back into his slender human-feline form and loomed over the child’s crib. This is a mere infant! He marveled. Is this all for him? A spoiled child. The humans take and take, and instead of helping one another they give to a baby? Oh no, this will not do! He moved his feline paws into the crib and gently picked up the child, who was wrapped in wolfs skin. He cradled the baby, something his former Queen taught him to do. Alios cared not for children, they were loud and ruined the fun, plus they were horrible liars. But sometimes all it takes for a child to go missing and the humans go primal. Instead of being subtle, he burst through the roof, holding the child close. The humans froze and stared at the God in fear. He could spot the boys' parents from the crowd, decorated in jewels and fine clothing. The God said nothing. Nothing at all. And it only took nothing to make the humans panic. A guard tried to throw his spear at Alios, but the boys' father stopped him. Smart man. He jumped down from the roof and the humans split like nut being cracked open. Alios took a step forwards and a random woman screamed. He hissed and took off into the woods, the guards and the boys' parents tried to follow, but Alios was too fast. And as soon as he left the mountain top he was back at its peak. “My love!” He called out. The hidden woman turned but even Alios could tell her eyes went wide when she saw the child. “Who is that?” “It’s a child,” he told her. “I did not ask what it is. I asked who ,” she scowled. The baby boy tried to touch the Gods face, but the God in question simply ignored the child. “I don’t know,” he answered, “but the humans treated him as if he were a God himself! They had a party and didn’t leave me any offerings! I could not let that stand!” The woman shot up, towering over the trickster God. “You stole a chief’s son!” her voice boomed. Alios cracked a smile. “That didn’t stop me before.” “Put him back!” She demanded. His smile dropped and his grip on the child tightened. “What?” “Put. Him. Back!” She roared. “Or I will drag you there myself!” Below the hollers and shouts of the humans started to echo up the mountain. Alios hung his head low but nodded. “Alright, my love. Maybe the humans will show a little more respect, knowing a God stole their precious boy so easily.” The woman nodded her cloaked head and sat back on the mountains edge. Alios turned and began his decent to the human town. But as he made it halfway down and the sun began to rise, he realized something. It has been so long since I’ve had a human servant. He saw a wolf enter a cave off the side of the mountain. He followed the beast and snapped his neck with one paw, the other paw still holding the child. He tossed the carcass out of the cave easily and left the child on the dirty stone floor. “Don’t worry my new servant,” he whispered to the child, “I’ll come back for you later.” Alios grinned and pounced out of the cave, excited to have a new servant do his bidding.