Guardian of the Aztec Temple

Darkness looms by you. It's in your way. Behind you, beside you, infront of you. It's everywhere. THe ground is soft, muddy wit spects of grass. Trees, there are too ma ny of them. Hidden by the spell the night has cast upon them. You don't know where you're going, but you know you need to find a place to stay for the night, and soon.

Your breathing becomes heavy. Your fears pick up. Theres nothing but darkness in a seemingly endless forest. Closing your eyes tightly, you stress the fact that this could be the end. You take a few last stpes, looking at the ground. FAllign to your knees, you figure you might as well sleep here. You look up. There before you, the forest clears out and neatly centered wiht vines growing between the old mudbricks, stand an anceint zigorot temple.

Sighing with relief, you quickly get up and hurry over to the temple. Glancing around, it seems to be deserted. You put one foot on the first stair. Nothing happens. It seems safe. so you begin to cliimb the mountainous mudbrick steps. Not even close to half way up, you hear a ranging whinnie, followed by thunderous hoofbeats which whithin seconds begin to beat on the old steps.

Suddenly, the hoofbeats stop. You freze out of fear. You can hear breathing directly behind you. Slowly, you turn around to see what the creature is. With a razor sharp curved horn held out close to your neck, you see some sort of anceint looking equain. He is several shades of tan and brown with very large bat like wings. His mane is a shimmering silky black, and his tail is a like a lion, except ended by a heavy arrowhead. The stallion snorts, threthening to attack.
What are you doing here?" he asks. Surprisingly, his voice is not ruff or coarse, but gentle mixed in with annoyance.

I'm sorry," you begin, still staring at the stallion before you. "I was lost, and needed a place to stay for the night, otherwise I'd most likely be killed by the creatures out there." The stallion looks into your eyes, then lowers his silver horn.
Fine, but you can only stay outside the temple." His soft voice echoed slightly and his hoofbeats against the stones picked up again. "Come with me," he says. You eaferly follow him up the old steps, until you finally reach the top.

Adopted

Fanart