III
"Ahhhh!!! I still don't believe it" Iago yelled, piercing all the nearby ears.
"Well that should teach you to gamble on diplomatic missions" Jasmine proclaimed and everyone stifled a laugh.
"That's just it, it was a diplomatic mission, I should have gotten special treatment!" Iago shot back.
"Relax Iago, it's not the end of the world... just because you lost all you had" Genie said mockingly.
Aladdin and Abu couldn't keep from laughing as Genie turned into a featherless Iago in a barrel pulling two pockets inside out.
"Oh very funny, thanks for the support!" he responded curtly and started to fly higher then the rest to avoid any further damage to his ego.
"Iago!" Aladdin called after him.
"Let him burn it off." Jasmine suggested gently holding back a laugh as best she could.
Aladdin nodded as the parrot ascended higher into the sky. Suddenly he stopped, gazing over the dunes and turned to rejoin the group.
"Hey..." he started, forgetting his anger " there's someone over that way ...looked unconscious ... might need help...and from the duds on them I'll bet we get a goooood reward..." he trailed off rubbing his wings together.
"Where?" Aladdin asked the hero in him awakening in full strength.
Iago simply pointed and they all changed course. Soon they came upon a young woman dressed in a long sleeved purple shirt with a square gold trimmed neckline, deep purple pants that were tucked into black boots, what looked to be a long modified gold rimed black skirt was wrapped around her waist and left open in the front, her black hair was wrapped tightly in a long pony tail with a red silken ribbon that must have been several feet long as well as at least a foot wide.
"Must have passed out from the heat." Aladdin said eyeing the inappropriately dark colored and heavy clothing.
"AHHHH!!" Iago yelled, again causing everybody pain from the pitch of his squawk.
"What?" they turned to him, annoyed
Iago's frightened eyes were fixed on the horse "T...that! What kinda horse is that?!" they all turned to look, no one had noticed the strange mount. It resembled a horse in basic structure but instead of hooves it had clawed feet, the mouth seemed a little more pointed and carnivorous with large cupped ears and a fleshy tail that divided into two flattened petal like ends.
The creature made no attempt at attack and despite the savage appearance eyed them with a domesticated calm. "I don't think it's a threat" Aladdin said without much conviction. "Besides she's riding it, it must be tamed."
"Hmmm no supplies." Genie observed with suspicion. "Not even any water...or canteen for that matter."
"Either way" Jasmine broke in "Whoever she is she needs help. By the way her horse was headed she would have just narrowly missed Agrabah." The rest nodded in agreement. Aladdin cautiously took the rains, made sure the stranger wouldn't fall off and lead the steed toward the city ahead.
Of Lost Dreams by Makkura