Flashback Only The Beginning (Ardea)

[Vanari]

Spring, Day 11, 510 AV

She was lost in a sea of warmth and silky soft comfort, held afloat by waves that rose gently up and down and enfolded her in a soothing sense of security. In her dreams, she watched roaming golden tigers loping through tall blades of grass, their effortless grace and speed sending snakes wriggling frantically from their paths. When the Vantha finally awoke, her nose was filled with the clean scent of wild grass and sunshine, the morning's first rays like a mother's tender touch to her skin.

Vanari opened her eyes. It took a moment to remember where she was, and whom she was sleeping on. Though the realization, in any other situation, would've prompted her to jump up in embarrassment and apologize repeatedly, she found herself oddly content to simply remain lying where she was. She watched the Kelvic's powerful rib cage rise and fall, mesmerized by the red gold plains of fine, radiant fur that all but glowed beneath dappled sunlight.

Careful not to wake her companion, Vanari stiffly rose to her feet. There was a dull throbbing in her left arm, but fortunately all the tendons seemed to still be attached to her shoulder. The events of the previous day seemed a far off dream as she looked around their makeshift camp, noting how Ardea had re-stoked the fire, which was running on mere embers now.

Thank the gods she did, the Vantha thought to herself. Otherwise, we may not have made it through the night, and those glassbeaks might have come back for us.

It was then that she caught sight of the tattered, bloodied remains of Ardea's clothing scattered near their campfire. Her mind jogged sluggishly into motion. Ardea was wearing clothes. Clothes do not fit on tigers. Adrea is now a tiger.

Vanari covered her face, her shoulders shaking with silent, incredulous laughter. Oh Morwen, she was naked this whole time and I didn't even...petching hell. She wiped the tears from her cheeks; whether she was crying from mirth or relief, she could not tell. Gods, that was one crazy mess we lived through.

Regaining composure, the Vantha made quick work of checking all their belongings and reviving the fire. She placed some bread and meat on stones to warm by the flames, then organized everything as best she could into the tablecloth, leaving her pack relatively empty. Her arm was hellishly sore, but it was still functioning, which was all that mattered at this point.

She looked at the slumbering tigress and sighed. Ardea was going to need new clothes if they were ever planning on returning to the city together. Bending over the neat pile of goods, she slowly pulled out her Storyteller's Cloak, stroking lightly over its multicolored surface. As she shook it out to full length, the Skyglow felt a lump in her throat; it was her only possession from home, given to her by her father the day she left Avanthal. He said it may not protect her from all the dangers she would undoubtedly encounter on her journeys, but it would at least give her courage on the stage, its aurora-like colors a constant reminder of her legendary heritage.

"We were born to create things of beauty and weave the finest tales," he had whispered in their last embrace. "But not all of us were meant to stay."

Vanari was long past crying over these memories, but it was a terrible ache to bear all the same. She stood before it could claim her, draping the special cloak over Ardea's sleeping form. It was more for symbolism than practicality, as it meant she would return for her things and had not run off in fear at the sight of the Kelvic's bestial form. Just for added measure, she picked up a stick and carved in the dirt three words of the common tongue: WILL BE BACK.

"Let's see,"she muttered to herself, shouldering her pack while counting on her fingers. "Clothes, some medicine, maybe some oil for torches..."

Suddenly, she remembered the glassbeaks and broke out into a brisk jog, following the trail her weary feet had so carelessly trampled the day before. If all went well, she would be back within a few hours. Grinning at the prospect of picking out clothes for the very unfrivolous tigress, she trotted merrily on towards Riverfall's main gates.

[Ardea]

As sunlight streamed down merrily into the clearing, it danced across the tigress' firmly shut eyelids, causing them to flutter gracefully open. The kelvic rapidly blinked away the sleep that had formed near her eyes during her brief, dreamless slumber. Then, with a monumental yawn, arched her muscled back, stretching all of the muscles that rippled along her spine. Straightening her back, she shook her mighty head from side to side, her golden fur quivering with the force of which she performed this task. Suddenly, she paused. Something was missing.

Wait, was that a cape draped over her back? Oh gods! Where was Vanari? Panicked, her gaze darted amongst the undergrowth, until it fell upon the message carved into the ground. A great sense of relief washed over the kelvic as she read it, swiftly replaced by confusion. Where had she gone? Why had she gone alone? A low growl escaped her throat, what an idiot! The fact that the vantha had ventured out of the Sea of Grass without any form of protection seemed absurd to the tenacious kelvic.

Heaving a sigh and attempting the shrug the ordeal off, she slipped out from underneath the vibrant cape and breathed in her surroundings. Her pale salmon-coloured nose twitched, every muscle in her body perfectly still as she held her muzzle to the breeze, inhaling the numerous scents that it carried. Somewhere off in the distance, came the unmissable scent of a pack of glassbeaks, but they were too far away for the kelvic to fret over.

Unsure of what to do without her companion, Ardea's thoughts turned guiltily to her parents. They had desperately tried to keep her from bonding for the entirety of her brief life and had been, thus far, successful. Now, though they never fretted for her safety, knowing all to well how self-reliant she was, they would be wondering where she was. But if she didn't take excursions like this, how would they cope when she finally decided to depart from Riverfall? Perhaps that day was far in the future, but the youthful tigress wanted to be certain that she would be able to embark on such a journey.

*~*~*~*

It had been a good few hours since Ardea had been awoken by the beaming rays of morning sunlight and she was beginning to worry about the location of her vantha friend. Anxious that she might have been caught out by a group of Akalaks or ambushed by a pack of glassbeaks on her way back from... Where had she gone? A cluster of burning questions swirled in her mind, but she had decided that it would probably not be the best or brightest idea to leave the clearing, what if Vanari returned whilst she was gone and couldn't find her? No, she had to stay put. Perfectly comfortable in her feral form, she paced up and down in front of the persistently burning embers of the campfire, her ears alert for any sign of movement in the brushes.

[Vanari]

Nice little glassbeaks, Vanari mentally cooed, her palms sweating. Nobody here, just keep ignoring me. She had finally made it out of the jungle and was back on the hills, the stony walls and majestic view of Riverfall beckoning her just over the horizon. A bit farther and I'll be safe!

For a while, that seemed to be the case. It was a nice break after so much continuous, fear-driven jogging. She took a piece of bread and cheese from her pack and munched happily as she climbed hill after hill, checking her progress each time she reached the top. It was on the last of such a checkpoint that the Vantha heard a familiar noise.

It didn't sound quite like it had in the jungle, but she turned back to look all the same and her face fell with dismay. A band of giant, birdlike shapes stood in the distance, their glassy beaks gleaming under the sun as they twitched their heads, presumably to communicate to one another her horrible, grisly end. There wasn't exactly time to build a fire, nor could she very well fight them off. The main gate was close and there would armed guards waiting there. It wasn't much of a choice. She ran.

A wild screech of predatory cries erupted behind her as she made a mad dash towards Riverfall. She could hear the stampede of taloned feed catching up, but blind fear was as good a motivation as any. Up ahead, the Akalak guards were already gathering near the gate, trying to discern what the stars was going on.

It didn't take them long to spot the pack of blood thirsty glassbeaks thundering down on the lone Vantha. Vanari watched as ranks were formed and weapons unsheathed, twisted blades glaring under the sunlight. One of the guards seemed unarmed and was up at the very front, positioned as though ready to catch her. He was shouting something and rapidly motioning her forward.

Vanari had little choice but to obey. She squeezed her eyes shut the moment before impact as she plowed into the Akalak. He barely seemed fazed, grabbing her and using the momentum to back away as his comrades closed the gap, their faces masked with grim delight at the approaching battle. "What the gods were you even thinking?" the Akalak shouted, his voice oddly familiar.

Barely registering his words, Vanari watched in mute horror as the result of her stupidity bore down on the guards. For a few breathless moments, the beasts seemed unstoppable. Then the Akalaks quickly stepped aside, revealing a second line of guards armed with pikes. It was too late for the glassbeaks. They speared themselves with their own reckless speed, kicking and thrashing before half a dozen Lakans silenced them for good. Any remaining survivors were quickly dispensed of, their bloody gurgles sickening the girl to her stomach.

"Hey? Hey! Can you even hear me?" Vanari felt herself being shook violently and suddenly wanted to punch whoever was responsible in the face.

"Yes! Stop it, stop shaking me! Petch..." When she looked up, the Vantha let out an inward groan. It was the guard from yesterday morning, and he did not look amused.

"I said, what were you thinking, running out there in the middle of the bloody Sea of Grass by yourself? Have you gone daft? Did you hit your head after you ran off the other day and give yourself permanent brain damage?" He swore angrily in whatever it was that Akalaks spoke. "Answer me!"

"Ardea is hurt!" she blurted, her eyes flashing ruby red as they brimmed with angry tears. "I--I have to get her...things, so she can--"

"Wait, wait, hold on a chime, who is Ardea? Is she dying?"

Vanari sniffed. "No...but, she needs clothes...so she can come back with me..."

The guard shook his head, waving away his nosy companions. "You mean she's a Kelvic and she shifted when you were attacked, which is how she got hurt. Gods, she's probably destroyed her clothes a million times--what made you think she couldn't somehow handle it herself?"

The girl was sobbing openly now, gasping out her answer in pieces. "I don't...I don't know. She was b...bleeding. I just w-wanted to help..." She knew she was making a spectacle of herself, but she couldn't help it. She'd been holding it all in since the moment she stepped off that ship.

"Whoa, hey, no need to cry," the Akalak hushed, patting her awkwardly on her back. "Look, I'll, uh, help you get what you need, and then we'll find this Ardea and help her too. How's that sound?"

Vanari wiped her face with her tunic. "Why...?"

"Cause I'm a bona-fide hero," he smirked. "By the way, the name's Korin. You?"

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[Vanari]

The Akalak was true to his word. He happened to be off duty, and had only been at the main gates to drop off breakfast for his fellow guards. By the time they finished with all their errands and were heading out the main gates once more, it was only a chime or two past midday. Korin had even helped her choose some suitable clothing for Ardea and proved quite knowledgeable in what was considered durable or practical for a Kelvic.

Vanari had to try a few on for length, since they were almost the same height. That, however, was pretty much all they had physically in common, and it was a trial having to explain their differences to Korin.

"She's, well, curvier. And has more...muscle. How is this helping again? You saw her yourself. Unless, you hit your head yesterday. Or, you know, something."

"You should really consider getting some new clothes. You look like you live with glassbeaks all season long. Here, try this one."

"...This is a dress."

The Akalak grinned and shooed her back into the changing room.

All in all, it was a surprisingly lighthearted affair, though Vanari felt ten times better as soon as they were out on the Sea of Grass again. Not, that is, to be potentially reacquainted with vengeful glassbeaks, but because she was worried sick about Ardea. They had new clothes, healing salves, more food, and even oil for torches to ward off anymore pesky predators, but it had been hours since she last saw the young Kelvic and it was making her anxious.

When they neared the camp, however, the Vantha suddenly stopped, turning to face Korin with a stern look.

"Alright, you have to wait here. Unless you want to risk getting your face ripped off when we surprise her."

"Don't worry, I won't move a muscle until you come back to fetch me."

Not sure if he was being sarcastic or genuine, she squinted at him suspiciously, then decided there was no point in wasting more time.

"Alright then. I'll come back when everything is settled. Don't get eaten while I'm gone."

The Akalak scoffed. "You don't have to insult me just to tell me you'll miss me."

Making a disgusted noise, Vanari trotted toward the makeshift camp, eager to show Ardea all of her new presents.

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[Ardea]

A deep growl of irritation escaped the fiery kelvic's throat. Where had that- that fool, gotten to?! If she had gotten herself killed then, well, Ardea didn't quite know what she would do then. She had never lost anyone before, at least, no-one she was close to and the mere fact that Vanari had ventured out alone, risking her life, made Ardea bubble with fury. Why had she even left? Surely they could have just returned the city together? Even though she had no clothes, the kelvic could have pretended to be Vanari's slave or pet or- something, anything that wouldn't leave the vantha unprotected or vulnerable.

What am I thinking? She's travelled alone before, she'll be fine. She's okay. Probably on her way back right now... But the Sea of Grass is dangerous! Petching hell, I could have died yesterday and she decides to traverse it unaccompanied all for the sake of what? Huffing, the vexed tigress halted her pacing and sat down, kneading the ground with her massive paws in frustration. Maybe it wouldn't have been as concerning if she'd actually told her where she was going. But Ardea didn't even know where or how to start looking for her friend. In all honesty, having never bonded, no relationship had ever meant this much to her and it bothered her that she could not ensure Vanari's safety, like she had been able to the previous day.

Suddenly, a nearby, irregular disturbance in the rustles of the grass reached her ears. Instinctively, she crouched low to the ground, her ears perked and pointed in the direction of the noise. Her mind slipping into predatory mode, she stalked forward silently, like a shadow between the grass blades. In fact, her striped, golden pelt was a surprising good camouflage for the environment they were in. Lifting her muzzle to the breeze, she inhaled all of the precious scents that it carried. Humans. More specifically, one that smelt strongly of Riverfall and of Akalaks and another whose scent was strangely familiar, but the tigress couldn't quite put her finger on it, it seemed to be masked by the other's scent.

Creeping forwards, tail low, she slid, unseen, in the direction of the scents. Finally, when they were so overwhelming that it was almost impossible to detect anything else, she raised her head, peering at the humans. Vanari?! Outrage filled her mind once more and she snapped instantly out of predatory mode, leaping nimbly from the overgrown blades of grass and landing in front of her friend, whose arms seemed to be laden with items. But those were not of concern to the kelvic at the moment, what was of concern was that the vantha had left her without even hinting at where she might be going.

Ardea rooted her paws firmly on the ground in front of her friend. Inhaling gradually, she released a bone-shattering, irate roar, bearing her ivory canines in aggression. Then, having made it clear that Vanari had upset her, she cast a feral glare at the human and turned around. Tail waving indignantly in the air behind her, she turned and strode back to the clearing, where she parked herself in front of the burnt out ashes of the fire and waited expectantly for the vantha to appear. An air of irritation and of hurt surrounding her majestic form. She had meant nothing violent by her roar, in fact, a roar, in Ardea's case, was usually a positive thing. It was in the absence of such a noise that one should be terribly afraid.

[Vanari]

She stood frozen, having nearly dropped everything she was holding at the sudden, terrifying sound of Ardea's roar. A jar of healing salve fell to the dirt with a heavy thunk and rolled lazily away.

By the time the Kelvic relocated next to their dead fire and sat angrily on her haunches, her displeasure palpable even from a distance, Vanari was still clutching the bundles against her pounding chest, physically restraining her heart from leaping out and bolting back to Riverfall.

The Vantha turned to glance at Korin, relieved to see he had not moved from his spot. Though his hand rested warily on the hilt of his Lakan, the Akalak kept his word and stayed firmly put. Cautiously, the girl bent to pick up the jar, added it atop the pile of goods, and slowly approached the irritable tigress.

After what felt like a whole season of intense silence, Vanari finally blurted, "I'm sorry, Ardea."

She set the clothes, salves, food, and oil neatly on the ground before continuing. "I shouldn't have run off by myself and left you here...I got carried away thinking I could do something to help you and instead I put myself in danger and got you terribly upset. I'm a fool... "

Finished with arranging the items, Vanari hugged her knees and stared miserably at the ground, feeling like the biggest idiot of an entire village of idiots.

[/indent]

[Ardea]

The mighty tigress' vexed gaze softened as she witnessed Vanari's regretful statement. However, she could still sense another human nearby and turned her gaze in the direction which Vanari had come from. Through the wild fronds, she could just make out something blue and guessed that Vanari had brought an Akalak back with her for protection. But what had happened that caused her to need an Akalak guard? Averting her attention back to her companion, she rose onto her sturdy paws and padded over to her. Hesitating only for a second, she nuzzled her friend's neck gently with her enormous maw. A deep, rumbling purr escaped her throat, her way of apologising for her overreaction.

Hoping that her apology had been acceptance and her actions had been at least a tiny bit comforting, she moved over to the bundle of items that Vanari had brought back with her. Casting a quizzical glance over her shoulder blade at the vantha, she nudged through the items, until she came upon the clothes. Huh, so that's why she left. Shifting in a swirl of rapidly moving, blinding lights, she was human once more and crouching over the pile of items. Carefully, she reached out a bare, pale arm and picked up the garments that Vanari had so diligently selected for her. Straightening up, Ardea once more looked to her companion. I should probably put these on. Though she felt no shame in her toned, porcelain figure, society did not find her nudity as acceptable.

Hastily pulling on the clothes, she found that they were a pretty decent fit and looked alright too.
"You know, we could have just pretended that I was your slave. Keeping kelvics as pets is rather common around these parts."She added bitterly, the thought not appealing to her at all. With a steadying breath to restrain her temper, she gave a small nod in the direction of the Akalak,
"I see you brought a friend..." Although her sense of smell was not nearly as strong as it was in her tigress form, she could still vaguely remember his scent and identify it from the smells of their surroundings. Ardea was not particularly fond of Akalaks, though she lived amongst them, they did not often hold kelvics in high regard.

[Vanari]

Vanari closed her eyes as she felt the gentle brush of fur against her cheek. The breath from the tigress's nose felt warm on her skin and the unexpected purr resonated through her bones, soothing away any remaining guilt or sadness.

Then the sensations left, leaving one side of her oddly cold. The Kelvic had moved to inspect the goods and stopped inquisitively at the clothes. One swirl of dazzling lights later, she was back in her human form, crouched as she held up the clothes before her.

The Vantha would have involuntarily looked away, had she not caught a glimpse of Ardea's wound. It was no longer bleeding, but still looked jarring and painful, a gruesome blemish on her otherwise smooth, porcelain skin. The Kevlic, on the other hand, seemed to pay it no mind and made quick work of dressing herself. Already quite used to the sight of Ardea's nudity, Vanari found herself a tiny bit envious, wishing she could feel as comfortable walking around in naught but her skin.

"You know, we could have just pretended that I was your slave. Keeping kelvics as pets is rather common around these parts."

The Vantha made a sour face at the idea. She would rather get stabbed or go three days with no food than pretend to keep her friend as a slave. What even prompted her to suggest such a disturbing thing? Did it mean such detestable slavery truly existed? In Riverfall?

"I see you brought a friend..."

Oh, petch. The girl lost her train of thought as she realized she had completely forgotten about Korin. "Ahh, about that...you remember that guard we escaped from yesterday? Well, I needed, um, a little help getting back, after I sort of...led a whole pack of glassbeaks to the main gates."

Remembering Ardea's initial reaction to the Akalak's advances, she hastily added, "Don't worry! Korin is good for his word. He helped me all morning getting these supplies and insisted he stay until we made sure you were alright. I even made him promise to stay away so he wouldn't intrude on you. "

Intrude, as in she was afraid he would peek at Ardea's naked human form. But, she felt this could probably be left out, as no harm had been done. "I know you probably prefer not to talk to him, I'll just go tell him we're fine so he can leave. I won't go far, I promise!"

Vanari smiled encouragingly at her friend, then headed back to where she left the Akalak. A few breaths later, she found him sitting on the ground, balancing his Lakan on one finger. He saw her and rose casually to his feet, sheathing the twisted blade with practiced ease.

"What took so long?"

"Girl stuff," Vanari retorted. "She's fine, so you're free to go."

As soon she spoke the words, she regretted them. He had done nothing but help and she sounded so callously ungrateful that it stung her own ears. Korin's reaction, however, was...strange. For a moment, he seemed to struggle with his own emotions, the effort visible on his clean-shaven face. Then he was suddenly composed again, though the glint in his ice blue eyes had darkened.

"That's good to hear, don't get me wrong," he responded with a smirk, "But uh, don't I get some kind of reward for being so heroic and all?"

There it was again--that strange, flicker of emotions across his face, as if he was fighting against...something. From what little Vanari knew of Akalaks, she could only assume...

Korin--or whoever he was--suddenly took a step closer and was leering down at her now, entirely blocking out the sunlight. "How about a kiss? Just a little one?" Before she could even react, he pulled her against him and was leaning in, his face looming closer and closer.

Vanari didn't know what to do. So she punched him.

Or, at least, she tried. The Akalak caught her fist effortlessly, but the intent seemed to jolt him out of whatever--or whomever--had been previously in control. "Oh gods, I'm sorry, Vanari..." Then he let her go, eyes darting as though he wasn't entirely sure where he was, before sprinting the other way, crashing through the jungle as though being chased.

"Nice to meet you too, Korin's other half," Vanari muttered to herself, then marched back to Ardea, trying her best to stop shaking from the encounter.

[/indent]

[Ardea]

She twisted a strand of glimmering hair nonchalantly between her slender fingers, listening to Vanari's words, but something she said made Ardea jolt.
"You got chased by a pack of glassbeaks?!" A low growl emanated from somewhere deeper than her mouth, sounding a little odd coming from a human. It vexed the kelvic to think that she'd allowed Vanari to go by herself in the first place, nevermind now knowing that she was hunted by some petching birds! Ardea was unsure exactly when she had become so protective of her friend, perhaps it had formed due to the horror-filled land that they were now in or maybe it had been there all along, brought out by the imminent danger. In any case, the kelvics urge to protect was as strong as a mother's is to her only child, perhaps stronger, brought not by motherhood, but hardwired into her brain and into her nature.

The Kelvic waited with uncharacteristic patience as the Vantha defended her Akalak friend. Hmph, perhaps. But that's just one side of his personality, have you met the other? Ardea added silently. Nothing Vanari- or anyone- could say would ever make her trust an Akalak. Anyway, she understood what Vanari meant by 'intrude', seeing as the kelvic had little sense of privacy and it always came down to the fact that she was naked. Ardea rolled her eyes. She would never understand how humans could feel so uncomfortable without these- these- garments, surely it was more natural for them to live without being adorned with pieces of cloth twenty-four bells a day?

Ardea plonked herself down on the ground, with a loud thud. Brilliant. Just brilliant. I'm letting her go alone again. She heaved a sigh, seeking comfort in the fact that she was no more than twenty feet away and if anything went wrong, Ardea could be there in a heartbeat. However this comfort quickly dissolved as Vanari reappeared, looking shaken. Ardea gave herself a massive mental slap to the face. I knew I shouldn't have left her! With a small grumble, she found her feet. Then, eyeing Vanari's quivering form for a brief moment, she pelted in the direction that her friend had originated from. Blades of grass whipped her legs, the wind blowing mercilessly through her jungle of hair. For a decent five chimes Ardea ran, fury motivating her to keep on going, but whomever the Akalak scum had been, he was long gone.

Narrowing her eyes in hatred, she kept to an abrupt stop. On any other day Ardea would have ripped off her clothes and pursued the piece of shyke, but she was reluctant both to leave Vanari by herself again and to tear the clothes that the vantha had been through so much to retrieve. Glaring furiously across the windswept landscape, she turned and stalked back to the clearing, it took her at least fifteen more chimes when she wasn't running. By the time she got back, she was still in a foul mood.
"I don't know how you managed to get here in one piece." Ardea spat, fuming. But the kelvic regretted the words the moment they'd left her mouth. Though not one to be quick to apologise, Ardea's temper dissipated swiftly and she stood, soaking up the silence.

Finally, her defences crumbled.
"I'm sorry. I just feel... like I'm responsible for all the terrible things that happen to you." Fixing her eyes firmly on the trodden ground, she was so engulfed in guilt that she almost missed the faint sound of hoofbeats crashing into the supple earth. Immediately, she whipped her head up. Drykas. Undoubtedly a patrol come to check out who was foolish enough to trek out into the Sea of Grass. Cursing under her breath, Ardea scanned the horizon, she didn't want to have to deal with some petching Drykas. All she wanted to do was get Vanari safely back to Riverfall! This had all been a terrible mistake, this entire idea had been terrible.

[Vanari]

Vanari flinched at her friend's renewed anger, though she expected no less. The Vantha probably only looked slightly less shaken than she had after narrowly avoiding an entire hoard of glassbeaks, but it was not Korin who unnerved her so badly.

For starters, it was not as though she was entirely unused to unwanted attention--she had disguised herself as a boy before arriving, afterall, as an absolute last, desperate resort.

No, it was something else...Something about the sudden absence of Korin, and the immediate presence of...him. Vanari had seen some unsettling things on her journeys, but never anything quite as disturbing as two souls inhabiting one body. She had watched Korin become helpless in a mere instant, having lost one battle amongst undoubtedly many others to his darker, ruthless half. The look in the Akalak's eyes once he regained control was so lost, so uncharacteristically ashamed, that it dug at the girl's own heart. It took her completely by surprise, even more so than when he had--for lack of a better word--disappeared, allowing an unwelcome stranger to step in. She tried to imagine a life like his, fighting herself constantly to avoid hurting those she cared for, and shuddered.

"I'm sorry. I just feel... like I'm responsible for all the terrible things that happen to you."

Vanari started, looking up in shock. It was the last thing she expected Ardea to say. If anything, it seemed more like the Kelvic was saving her from all the terrible things that happened to her, and not the other way around.

Before she could assure her companion such a worry was completely unfounded, the tigress's head snapped up in alert attention. A few breaths later, Vanari could hear the source of her alarm: the sound of innumerable hoofbeats thundering their way.

"Oh Gods, what is that?"

No sooner had she spoken than a group of wild looking riders burst into the clearing, their powerful horses neighing and kicking the air at the abrupt halt. There were both men and women in the group, all of whom were heavily tattooed, bedecked with vibrant decorations, and scowling fiercely.

Vanari, having never seen anything like these intruders before, took a step back to stand beside Ardea and gulped.

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