Lion Head Mesa You left town to live by the rifle.

For @Khaba! I meant to post this yesterday; other tags for reference.

The princess had told Nazli of a mazoi who was at once gargantuan, swarthy, and powerful in a way that thrilled her; she'd sent the girl to fetch her prize bird from earlier in the day, prepare it, and feed the man.

(I want him looked after.
@Makono did not need to ask twice.)

The girl waited by the barracks. When she saw the man, there was no doubting it was the particular creature whom so interested the princess - and so immediately terrified Nazli, who could not control the tuck of her tail.

She waited for him to pause and approached with a feeble gait, trying to be as animate as her usual self but finding it difficult; this man could've fit in well in Mereo, she thought.

Rather than speak or even offer the bird that she clutched now in her teeth, she merely stared.