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"Get up, Capheus, you will be late!"
With that squeak directly into his ear, the black man lazily blinked his eyes open. Of course he hadn't been sleeping anymore, otherwise his daemon would not have been awake either.
"A good morning to you too, sweet Amani," he showed her a big toothy smile and stretched his limbs once, before sitting up.
His busy little daemon whirred over to him and gave a glare in return. "Don't 'sweet Amani' me. You know fully well what will happen to us if we're not there on time to pick up that little girl," she reminded him while running back and fro to gather his things for the day.
"I know. But what good is all the money we earn if we can't at least enjoy a beautiful morning like this," he stretched his arms wide, gesturing to the sun brightly shining through the holes of their roof.
While he scrubbed at his face with the water that had been had left there for him, Capheus asked about the whereabouts of his mother and her daemon.
"They felt well today, so your mother decided to go and wash the clothes. They should be back by midday," Amani told him and hopped onto the sofa, straitening the sheets with her teeth and paws.
They we're both glad that with the proper medicine, the health of their only parent was improving a little more every day.
"Still, he is not a good man," Amani voiced his inner thoughts with the same bluntness she used for everything. Her words could cut sharper then a blade sometimes.
Capheus sighed but didn't reply, his daemon knew what he was going to say anyways.
"Sometimes I wish I had settled as a different animal. Remember when I used to turn into a zebra? At least people would show you some respect," she muttered unhappily.
Instantly the young man gathered his beloved soul into his arms. "No, I don't think that is true. I don't want you to be a different form, you are the best already. And you can be very intimidating, you are practically an elephant," he laughed and kissed he round little head.
She snorted and pushed her nose firmly into his hand before wriggling and jumping down again.
"Come now, we're late as it is," Amani ushered him out of the door while nipping at his feet to make him walk faster.
He laughed again. "Don't worry so. Van Damn will be very swift and get us there in no time."
That was when he noticed the smell. Something was burning.
Worriedly he cast his eyes around but no one seemed to be in a panic, no shouts for help or water to put out the fire.
But there was smoke, strong and heavy, filling his nose and making his eyes water.
"Rhesa, can't you get her out?" He heard a desperate shout and suddenly they were swept away like magic. In the next moment Capheus saw a man and his dog daemon, he even recognized them from a not so distant dream.
They were all in a dark, smoke-filled building. It was so hot, Capheus broke into a sweat immediately but his attention was on the other daemon, who was furious scratching and barking against a small hole that had been broken into a door.
Desperation clung to her voice when she addressed her human. "I can see the girl, she is laying on the ground but I can't get through."
The man growled in frustration, much like his daemon, but he couldn't pry the door open either. It was jammed shut.
"I'll go," Amani's voice sounded shrill and tinny but she was not afraid.
Without hesitation she pushed past the dog and squished herself through the hole. Capheus and the cop shared a look while they waited impatiently. "I'm Will, this is Rhesa. You're not really here, are you?" The man asked even though he suspected the truth. Capheus nodded.
"What animal is she?" Rhesa asked both men.
Will shrugged his shoulders.
"She's a dassie," Capheus answered before he quickly bend down when the dog started to whine loudly.
"Well done Amani, that's it push her a bit more. I got her," he shouted in triumph.
It was a little difficult getting the small toddler out of the hole but after he had her arms and head through, the torso passed easily.
Will carefully took her from the black man's arms and started running to the exit for safety.
Rhesa gave the other daemon a fond lick over her round little ears before racing after her human.
And just like that, Capheus and Amani were back, right in front of their bus. Clothes clean, no hint of sweat, soot or smoke.
"See, I told you. You are perfect," he laughed and sat himself behind the wheel while Amani proudly laid beside him.
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Daemons:
Capheus: Yellow-spotted rock hyrax
Hyraxes (also known as dassies) are small, thickset, well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. They are often mistaken for rodents, but are more closely related to elephants.
Amani, meaning: wishes, aspirations