A/N - Dialogue written as 'Theres a heart on my butt. . .' Is as If speaking in Keidran, due to Fanfiction not letting me use the arrow symbols for some reason. . .

Now, without further ado, welcome to. . .

THE MARKS OF NORA - PART 2: A DRAGON


The New Order

Everything seemed quiet. It was odd but. . . every town, every city that we passed through these days seems to have gone into some kind of depression. Streets were strewn with fog, the sun was high but hidden in the grey clouds above, and there was no one in sight. News has travelled all over; a new Templar has succeeded the old one, not that I care but the stories. . . he doesn't sound like a good person. At least I never knew him as one. . . With a new leader there was bound to be reforms, but I had no idea whether this town was suffering a problem with the reform, or if it was just. . . hiding.

This eerie feeling was disturbing, and I can't believe I was thinking it. . . but I wished Nora was here. Her optimism and her confidence would give some life to this place. . . but one morning I woke up and she was gone. Stockholm took its toll I guess, but with my freedom. . . comes isolation anew.

I felt gentle nudging against my neck. I'm a fool, I almost forgotten my other companion. I reached up and ran my hand through her fur. She was riding on my shoulders because the rains left puddles of mud all through the roads. As the rain began to fall again, I cradled Sicily in my arms.

'Calm down girl, I got you.' I told her, 'I'll get some food and well leave, alright.'

It was hard to fish in this weather, they seemed to be flushed away while the rivers flooded, or they must of migrated when the rains came. Most edible plants seem to have been picked and eaten themselves, so I didn't have much of an option, but I think buying food with gold and silver is better than harbouring it like a dragon. I turned down the first street to see a lone vendor; a single stall with an old woman attending it. As I approached the vendor, I could see fish resting in wood crates covered in ice before the bench.

'Gar Fish, from Black River Streams and ice from north of 'ere.' she informed me, trying to interest me in her wares.

'Looks good, you're the only one selling anyway, so I don't have a choice.' I commented, picking up a fish.

'Well, a lot of folks are scared, worried more Templar's will come through 'ere.' She explained, 'Them Templar are a scary lot, and that legacy boy sounds terrifying.'

'I'm going to be honest: he isn't that intimidating.' I assured her as I handed her the fish.

'What makes you so sure?' she asked as she pulled out sheet of parchment and began to wrap the fish.

'I've seen him, as well as many Templars. And like you said:' she handed me the fish, 'He's just a boy.'

I set a gold piece on the counter and started to walk away.

'Don'tcha want your change?' she asked.

I was about to yell my response, but down the way I was travelling I could see three armoured guards and a Templar mage approaching. They all seemed ready for a fight. I turned down to the other end of the street, but a similar party was approaching. I marched back up to the stall.

'Yeah, alright then.' I told her, putting my coin purse on the counter.

As she began counting coin, I heard their steps approaching. I could hear was the sound of the rain hitting metal, footsteps sloshing in the mud, and the sound of metal plates clashing with metal.

'Hello, Macen.' One of them said, I turned to see the two mages right behind me.

To the left was a young man, practically in his early twenties. To the right was an old, craggy man with pale eyes and cuts all over his face. He looked as if he had seen the underworld and barely got out.

'. . . I think you got the wrong guy.' I told them, turning back to the stall.

'We have been given orders to bring you in. At the request of the New Grand Templar,' he sounded as if he's been eating sand for breakfast, 'and your brother.'

. . . Brahn. . . you absolute ass.

I picked up the coins and the fish and turned to them.

'Alright, you caught me-' I began, but the young mage gave a shout and backed away, '. . . What did I do now?'

'W-what's that?!' the young one cried, and the armoured guards put their hands on their sword hilts.

He was pointing at the moving lump, hidden in my cloak. The old mage raised his hand slowly and it began to glow with a malicious light.

'Reveal your secrets.' He ordered.

I took my time, opening my cloak to reveal. . . Sicily. Her little head popped out of my jacket and revealed herself to them.

'She was cold, just wanted to keep her warm.' I told them, it seemed too honest for them to comprehend by the looks they gave.

'. . . You have been requested.' The old one said, stepping forward, 'but we were told to. . . ask politely.'

And politely they did. Two people I hate have sent people I despised to do something I will loath. I held my wrists out to them.

'Were chains a part of this agreement?' I asked.

'Only should you resist. Come with us.' He ordered, and his thralls all prepared to escort me in a formed body.

Three armoured guards to the front and rear, and a mage in front and behind.

'Alright, but I'm taking the fish!' I warned, strolling after the old mage.

He led us through the outskirts of town, into the woodland I originally came in through. The escort all took form in a circle around me and the mages, each one was preparing for any type of resistance I would bring. This was strange, I have not heard from my brother since. . . a long time ago. He wants me for something. . . I know it, and I fear it. . .

'We need to wait till the rain stops, I will need to transport us a fair distance with precision, and the rain will interfere-' the old mage was talking, as if he was giving a lesson.

'With your Mana. Drain a lot more than you need to if you're going for a long distance teleport, and all the rain dropping in will make it harder to focus, like the change in the enviroment around you. But, I got a feeling the only reason you didn't head inside a shop or tavern is because you want to be. . . discreet about this.' I finished, trying my best to impress him.

I already took that class. . .

'. . . Your deduction skills are. . . as good as your brother claimed, I would be impressed if you weren't on the wrong side.' He told me.

'And what side is that?' I asked, intrigued.

'The side of feral animals, of savagery, this. . . common life. You gave up power, when you were on the verge of something-!' he spoke as if he knew the whole story.

He didn't.

'Dangerous! I was expelled from the order at the cost of two lives and a man's arm. What I saw. . . will never be erased from my mind. . . and what I heard. . . I still hear at night, what I see. . . it's still there lurking. With its voice in my head I became a feral animal, a monster for a time before I was put back together. This common life or power? Just take my power and let me have life. . . I will not bring back that nightmare!' I told him, he seemed dissatisfied with my answer as he turned his attention to the sky.

'Rains stopping, let us go now.' He ordered, and he raised his arms, 'It is a long jump.'

A circle of light apeared around us. Of the six armoured guards, three disappeared in a flash of faint blue light, the rest remained where they stood watching me. He sent an advanced guard so that when we arrived, I couldn't run. Careful and smart. . . but predictable. I fondled the bag of coin in my hand, and held Sicily close in my coat, waiting for it. . .

Around me I could see the sparks beginning to grow in size.

And. . . now.

My hand engulfed itself in a ball of fire, I threw the coins into the air, and down came the fiery slags upon us. The coins were a distraction, for a long distance teleport anything new in the area would make it harder to focus, and getting hit with melting metal would be very distracting. I threw the fish at the young mage, I ran up and punched him hard enough that he fell out of the circle. I turned to the old mage who was preparing a fireball himself. As he threw it, I threw myself to the ground and the fire ball knocked the guard standing behind me down to the ground. Taking my chance, I ran up and punched the old Mage, after he hit the ground, the guards that were left were armed and waiting.

'Wait, wait!' I yelled, grabbing Sicily from my jacket, 'This is a bad way to say goodbye, but I will miss you.'

I kissed her head and threw her up into a tree a nearby tree, out of the danger zone.

'Alright. Let's go.' I said, and the guards moved on me.

The first guard attempted to drive his blade into my gut, I stepped to the side and grabbed the visor of his helmet. I cast a spell and the steel began to melt in my hands. I was careful and precise, the visor fused to the rest of his helmet to the point where the visor was essential a steel sheet over his eyes. I threw him to the side as the next guard attempted to slice down my torso, but I jumped back and grabbed the collar of his chest piece. I threw him to the mud and planted my hand on his armour.

'Aquamentis!' I cast, drawing the mud and water around us into his armour.

I ripped off his helmet, took up his sword and faced down the last guard, who just took a fireball and was back on his feet. He patiently waited for me to strike. Very well, I will oblige you. I threw the helmet at the young mage, who was just getting to his feet and took a stance. I struck high, low, left, then right, and every attempt was repealed with ease. Fighting like a Templar won't do, so maybe. . . Like a wolf? I waved my arms and legs as I danced around him.

'Come on, I don't have a day-!' I was taunting, and he already took the initiative.

He charged and we locked blades. I forced the point of his sword to the right while I seized his collar and drove my knee into his groin. That wasn't wolf style, more like. . . bar style. He seemed unaffected for a while, but he pulled off his helmet showed me the truth. . .

'Y-you're a woman!?' I asked to her face, and she kneed me in the groin.

'And your and ass!' she said back as I backed away.

'. . . Fair. . . enough. . .' I responded, regaining my composure as I took a stance, 'Let's go again!'

I've never seen a female Knight before. It is strange, but progressive. . . but more soldiers, meaning bad things are happening. . .

Much like before, our fight was leaning her way. She was strong, precise and faster than me. I attempted to break her guard but as I tried to drive my sword into her shoulder, she managed disarm me and slice into my left forearm. After the cut, she kicked me over into the mud.

'. . . Your too good.' I complimented.

'Sure you're not just going easy on me?' she jested.

'No. . . I just perfected magic over swords.' I told her, I raised my arm, 'Aquamentis!'

I flooded her armour with the mud and sludge around us. Her movements were slowed, she struggled to move and as she raised her sword, she dropped it.

'You-little-ah-!' she screamed as she fell back into the mud.

'Relax, I hear mud is very. . . Its uh, full of minerals. . . I think. . .' I mused as she struggled to move.

I was laughing to myself before I turned back to the old man. I turned to see him stumbling on his feet, looking pissed, and an arm raised out. He sent fire towards me, so I casted a shield around me and the guard I just took down. The flames fanned out all around us in a hellstorm. As the fire died down, the forest around us was in ashes, the mud turned hard as clay and the two armoured guards I dealt with before were writhing in pain on the ground.

'No-no-no, what have you done!?' I screamed, rushing to the aid of one of the fallen, 'Just breath-I can heal you-I c-can-!'

I was about to cast any spell I thought could help. Healing chants, cooling charms, anything. . . but before I could help him, he was already gone. He laid there, looking at me, watching. . . His face was seared, his armour blackened and his eyes. . . lost in a slush of tears, blood and ash across his face.

'. . . You killed him. . .' I said, I got up and turned to the old mage.

'He was in the way. If you came with us without resisting, he would still be alive.' He told me, walking towards me, 'It's. Your. Fault.'

He's scolding me. . . he's blaming me. . . I could feel the anger. . . the desire flowing through me. . . I promised I wouldn't. . .

'. . . I would have walked away with no one hurt. . . I renounced killing. . . so you better kill me then, otherwise. . . I will break that promise. . .' I told him and he just stood there, unfazed.

He shot his arm out towards me and I flew back into a tree. I fell to the ground and copped a mouth full of mud.

'I'll tell my superiors that you tried to kill us all, and this was the only way to save the rest.' He explained as he approached me, 'I will spare them the details.'

He slowly raised his arm to me and from his fingertips grew lights which grew and swirled into the shape of a large T made of light.

. . . I'm sorry Nora, it may be wrong, but I may have to break my promise now. . .

There was a rustling, from the tree foliage above me. I looked up and saw Sicily jump Into the mages face, and he started screaming as she clawed at his face

He thrashed around, trying to pry her from his face which eventually he did. He ripped her from his face, taking tears of his skin with her, before he threw her to the ground. . . and he began to stomp on her. . . again. . . again. . . and again. . .

I got up and ran at him, tackling him into the dirt, and like an animal I beat him. Raising my fists and driving them down onto him. Again, and again. . . and again. I didn't stop. . . His raspy breathing and gargling stopped a while ago. . . I could only hear the sound of flesh and bone being beaten savagely. The sloshing of blood. . . the cracking of bones. . . the slapping of flesh. . . either of those noises were either from his face or my fists. . .

I stopped. Drawing my bloodied and damaged hands away as I got off of him. I broke my promise, and. . . it hurt. . . avenging someone with murder. . . does not feel any different. . . than killing as I did before. I picked her up. Sicily's body was broken. She wasn't breathing. Her heart didn't stop. . . it was just. . . crushed. . . without mercy. . . remorse! THIS WAS THE RESULT OF TEMPLAR MEDDLING. . . MY BROTHER SET THIS IN MOTION. . . MY BROTHER DID THIS TO HER. . . WHY!?

'AUGH-!'I screamed out to the sky, but what I got in return was crack and flash of lightning.

I had nothing but a dead companion in my arms and a broken promise. I could hear movement. The young mage was trying to escape, the skin on his face had cuts and it looked like his nose was broken, and when he saw me watching him, he began scampering away. I set her down and stomped over to him.

'NO-PLEASE-AGH!' He screamed, but one punch to his face cut that all short.

He'll live, but the others. . . except. . .

I turned around to find the point of a sword against my chest, resting over my heart, wielded by a young woman. The Templar guard. She stripped out of her armour to her undergarments just to face me.

'. . . Do it. . .' I told her, wanting it.

I closed my eyes and waited, feeling the steel point slowly tear into my garments and break the skin underneath. . . but it was drawn back. I opened my eyes and saw her lowering her sword.

'. . . He killed them, not you. I'll. . . I'll report his actions, and. . .' She told me, the look on her face was clear: shock, confusion and fear.

'. . . What is your name?' I asked her.

'. . . Daniels.' she told me.

'. . . I was Templar once, when I thought they were. . . good.' I began, as I picked up Sicily and cradled her, 'And for so long I thought I'd change the world. . . and in doing so I found something that could doom it. . .'

'Why are you telling me this?!' she asked, rather demanded.

'. . . Don't be one like me, do good elsewhere Daniels, for your sake.' I told her, and I walked away through the woods.

'. . . Hey. . . I'm still supposed to take you in!' she warned me.

'. . . Try if you wish. . .' I told her, 'I will bury her first. . .'

Daniels didn't follow me. She seemed to respect that little for me to do that. . . I cared not for where I was heading, just that my feet carried me somewhere safe. Somewhere pleasant. . . To the right place, where I could set her to rest. . .


395 Days. . .

All I could hear was a roaring crowd. Cheers and cries all reached me down here. I was trapped, in a cell buried in the foundations of an ancient watchtower. Stone walls surrounded me. The back wall held a single window blocked with bars. Four stone walls, and a large metal door which had a single sliding slot that allowed someone to look in. I was trapped. . . alone. . . in the dark. I lost track of time. Days passed to the point where I lost count, but for the longest time there was a storm that seemed anchored to this place. I found it hard to focus more and more since it arrived, mana seemed. . . scarce. The longer I remained. . . the more I felt I was failing. . . forgetting why I was here. . .

Remember why you're here, remember. . . don't. . . forget. . .

My concentration was broken as the slot in door opened, and a closed again. A moment in burst three men, armed with daggers.

'You.' The center man said, 'My men told me you're a healer. Found you healing a Keidran we were tracking for days.'

He approached me, as I sat against the wall.

'We put three holes in that Keidran you healed. . . no scars.' He told me, I never found out if he lived or not. . . 'You could have run, but you stayed with the animal. . . very honorable. . . but stupid, seeing how you've been here for weeks, and it is back where it belongs-.'

'Is there a point to this?' I asked.

He gave a little chuckle as he pulled a flask from his belt and took a sip.

'Do you know who I am?' He asked me, I just shook my head, 'Simon Tully, owner half of this. . . enterprise.'

He handed it to me, and I took a sip. Some type of ale, but very rough.

'Wouldn't. . . it be. . . "full owner of this enterprise" now?' I asked, taking another sip.

'. . . What?' he asked, as he ripped the flask away from me.

'You know, since. . . what happened to your brother, not a happy way to go. . .' the look on his face changed erratically: from confusion, to rage.

He grabbed me by the throat and forced me against the wall.

'Where is he?!' He screamed at me.

'Right. . . where. . . I left him. . .'

'Where!?' he demanded, shoving me harshly against the wall.

'In a nest. . . of cheetahs. . .' I punched him square in the nose, and as he recoiled; the other two drew daggers and approached me.

'Infernous.' I chanted, they gave a cry of pain as they dropped their daggers to the ground, the blades glowing a bright red.

Now that they were unarmed, they did not want stick around to support their leader. Tully however was reduced to sniveling in a corner of the cell, so I decided to take my leave. I left the cell and slammed the door shut on him.

'W-wait! What have you done to my brother!?' Tully demanded, thrashing on the steel door.

'Don't worry, I'll take you right to him. . .' I turned down the hall, 'I just have to do one thing before I do. . .'

I remembered parts of the layout: the foundations of some destroyed watch tower from long ago. Basically, this corridor was just a massive circle, encircling a center pit, and holding pens. When I got captured, they brought me through there and I learned the extent of their work. Here they broke Keidran, either mentally breaking them to become slaves or servants, or physically hurting them for sport. . . I knew I had to stop this, and the best way was to take the head off the snake. The heads have been removed for now, I just needed to make sure the body withers and dies.

I found the door to the holding pens. I put my ear against it, but all sound on the other side was muffled by the roaring crowd overhead. I carefully slid the door open enough to glance inside. The room was full of empty cages, there was a loading ramp leading up to a sealed door at the other end of the room, and there was a single guard in the room who seemed distracted.

I entered the room, my presence masked by the noise and the low light, and carefully crept up towards the guard.

'Look at you. . . a bitch of a bitch ain'tcha!' he mocked, running a stick across the bars of the cage, 'Ya know for a vicious monster, ya look cute. . . I could use a pet-.'

I slammed his head against the bars, he stood upright for a second before he tumbled to the floor.

'I'll show you a pet you bloody-' I stopped, just noticing the cowering Keidran cub I the cage: a little tiger. 'H-hey there. . .'

She tried to back away as far as she could in the cage, backing into the bars in the back of it.

'N-no, it's okay. . . I'm a. . . friend. . . friend.' I tried to convince her, but she didn't show any signs of coming out.

I wrapped my hands around the lock on the cage and chanted Infernous. The lock fell out of my hands and shattered as it hit the floor. I opened the door and carefully approached her. I reached over to try and grab her, but she sprang up and sank her teeth and claws into my arm. In any other state I would pry her off, but. . . I know how scared it is to be a child all alone. . . and here she was in the worst of places to be.

'Its okay, I won't hurt you. . . please just. . . stop biting. . .' I asked her, and after a while she slowly released me and backed away, 'Okay, what's your name little one?'

I tore off a piece of my shirt and wrapped it around my arm.

'. . . Mi. . . Milo. . .' she answered.

'Are you alone here, Milo?' I asked.

'. . .Mama.' She reached up a paw and pointed to the door at the top of the ramp.

'Ok then, stay here, I'll get her.' I moved away from the cage, but she snagged my hand.

'Will Mama be okay?!' she asked, eyes watering.

'I. . . I promise: I will save her.' I told her.

'Promise?' she asked, fearfully.

I didn't want to leave her, but I knew she would be in danger down here or up there. . . I had to decide. . . I got down on my knee before her, and grabbed her paw. I raised the hand she bit to her.

'It is a promise, sealed in blood. I'm must do it now.' I told her.

I released her paw and ran up the ramp. I slid the door aside, on the other side stood two guards standing before a metal gate. I rushed into them, ripping a shield off one's arm used it to slam the other into the gate. I charged Into the arena, and there was a massive uproar. Wolves, canines and a tiger were all chained down in a circle in the sand. In the center of the ring stood a man with a wolf pelt hanging from his shoulders, a spear in his hands, blood on his face and wolf Keidran lying dead at his feet.

'Stop this, NOW!' I ordered, and the crowd went wild.

'. . . Make me!' The man chanted as I entered the circle of Keidran, he raised his hands and spear above his head, 'So be it!'

The crowd roared as I got a few meters away from him before he spun around and tried to thrust the spear into me. I turned to the side, raised shield and the head of the spear went clean through it. I grabbed the spear head and snapped it from the stick. He backed away, afraid.

I shoved him over and as he tried to turn and flee, I stabbed the spear head into his leg. While he squirmed there, I looked around: the guards at every entrance to the arena moved towards me. I took the shield off my arm and threw it at one of the guards running at me.

'Infernous!' I chanted, throwing my hands to the sky.

I made a ring of fire that circled me and the Keidran, it would buy as a moment at least. I ran over to a chained wolf and grasped the chains in my hand. As I squeezed the chains, I could feel the metal warp and the pieces melt in my hand.

'Free the others!' I ordered to him as I ran to the next Keidran.

I broke the chains of a few others, while the wolf did what he could with a rock. I finally arrived to the last prisoner: the tiger. I grasped the chain and began to break it.

'Hang on I'll-!' The chain broke, and I was immediately met with a claw slash to the face.

As blood ran over my left eye, I was slashed again down my right arm and shoved into the sand. Before I could recover, she pounced on me. Roaring, with paws and claws being forced down onto my chest, but I grabbed them in my hands and held them at bay.

'I'm. . . on your. . . side-gack-!' my left hand held her claws at bay, but my right was failing.

Slowly, she brought down her left paw and her claws pierced my shirt and started to dig into my flesh.

'No-Noo-gah! No - ' I looked up at her, and saw the expression on her face, 'Your daughter - is still - here-!'

There was no change in her eyes, only the anger and the savage intent was what I could tell.

'You - need - to save - her!' her paw began to pull at my flesh, tearing it.

She's gone feral. . . she's lost. . .

I could taste blood in my mouth, I could try and fight back but I could not force myself to hurt her.

A broken mind. . . a broken mind. . . mind. . .

I released her other arm and grasped onto her head with both hands.

I tried to reach out, taking a glimpse into her mind. . . I could see maybe a few weeks of her past. . . she was captured trying to help Milo escape, but they caught her too. . . there where whips and brandings, torture and. . . Templars. . . she roared as the second set of claws were now cutting into my chest. . . I couldn't focus enough to hold on, so I let go. . .

'. . . Don't forget who you were before. . . remember. . . Milo-' Words were failing me.

Things were going white for me, and I swear I thought I saw Nora during it.

'Ma. . . my. . .' she began to say, as her claws stopped tearing into me, 'My. . . Milo. . .'

'. . . Y-yes, Milo. . . is here. . . she needs. . . mama tiger. . .' she retracted the claws and I gasped for air, clutching my chest.

'My Milo. . . where's Milo!?' she was just pulling herself back together.

I planted my hands on my chest, and tried a healing spell. It worked, so far. . .

She got off me.

'Follow. . . follow me!' I said, as I got back to my feet.

All the Keidran gathered as I raised a hand and cleared a path through the fire. There were a few guards by the clearing, waiting. . . but, with all the Keidran heading their way, they scattered. I looked around to see the fires spreading into the grandstands, sending the crowds fleeing, but the other guards were coming towards us. Our best option; was to run.


I found myself carrying Tully over my shoulders from the burning ruins towards the end of the night. The other men from the cell abandoned him completely at their first chance, and as far as I could tell everyone else did as well. I dropped him to the dirt and fell to the ground, clutching my chest.

'. . . One more time. . . please. . . I'm not done. . . heal. . .' I used my magic again, and after a while I could breath again. . . the feeling of my chest exploding faded and I took in the cool night air, despite the smoke.

But it wasn't enough, there was still pain, scars and cuts that wouldn't heal. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't heal completely. But it would do for now, it was enough for me to stand.

I joined the pack of misfit Keidran that was gathered, arguing about what to do. All alone in human lands. With all the humans running, and the fire as it is, we were bound to get attention. We had to move.

'Everyone. . . Everyone!' I called out, to get their attention, 'We need to leave!'

I tried to get them together, but they all seemed uncertain and weary. Talking among themselves in different dialects, some were hard to decipher, but not only that; a wolf and a canine seemed to be starting an serious argument with each other.

'We don't have time for this, were in human territory, and were in danger. We all need to-!'

'Shut it!' the wolf shouted at me, he sword his claws and teeth, 'We don't take orders from you, and your not in charge just because-!'

'He helped us, Wolf! He can help us again-' a canine defended me, stepping up to him.

'Just like a dog. . . already a slave. . .' the wolf stepped to him, and they both began to growl at each other, 'Trusting humans. . . will lead you to death. . .'

They stared at eachother, waiting for the first move. . . the Canine pushed the wolf back, and he stepped back up snarling. It was escalating. . . and I stepped inbetween. The wolf stopped snarling and the canine stopped as well.

'I'm not your friend. . . I'm not your kind. . . but I am not your enemy. . .' I told them, 'And If you trust me. . . I know a safe place, and I know you will be cared for. . . If you trust me, once. . .'

The Wolf looked at me, considering this option. The Canine himself didn't seem to be entierly on my side. . . I felt a paw on my shoulder, I turned to see the Tiger with her Cub in her arms.

'We will go with you.' She said, smiling at me.

I nodded to her, and I looked to the group who still seemed uncertain. . .

'I will lead anyone who wishes to come there, its your choice.' I told them, before I turned and walked away.

The Tiger and cub followed as I went, and we walked away into the night. The further we got, the more decided to follow us. Including the Canine and the Wolf.


BadLands

We walked along a dirt road, cutting across grassland within the Azure Badlands. We haven't had any water for about a day, the sun was coming to set but we were all feeling it. We were reduced to a stumbling group out in the middle of nowhere. The Wolf mocked my sense of direction, and urged us to turn back a few times, but we were already too far gone. We were close, and I knew it. . .

'Stop. . .' I quietly said, as I got down to the ground.

There were fresh tracks here, a young Keidran's in the dirt. I looked back to the group, they all stopped and waited for me. I got up and moved forward several paces. I knew what was coming, but I wasn't sure when it would. . . until it struck. It hit me hard enough that i fell into the grass just off the trail. It pounced upon me and I was pinned by a spotted pile of fur.

'Gotcha!' she screamed at me.

'Yes, you did. . .' I groaned, I looked at the little furball sitting on me, 'My gods, you've grown a full foot!'

I reached out and patted her head, her tail began to wag franticly.

'Wow. . . Kota your brothers must be tall as mountains by now . . .' I mused, she stuck her tongue out at me before she sprinted off in a flash, circled around me and tryed to push me back onto my feet.

'Get up-get up-there's a feast tonight!' she said as she put all her strength into it.

'I'd like that, but. . . gravity. . .' I flopped over the way she was pushing and hit the dirt.

'No-no-no-get up!' she groaned as she hopped on my back and started walking on me, 'Get up-get up-get up!'

'Sorry, gravity has spoken.' I mused, just before she started to hop on me.

'Get up you fool.' A familiarly dreadful voice interrupted, 'No time for games.'

I looked up and saw many cheetah Keidran stepping out of the long grass.

'Kierra. . . I'm-' As I tried to get up, Kota got under my arm and started to help me up.

'He came for dinner!' she interjected, 'Oh, and he brought friends!'

'. . . Friends?' Kierra asked, she leaned to the side and took a long look at the stunned group I lead, and the captive chained up among them.

'Well. . . he's. . . not my friend. . .' I told her, gesturing to the human, 'But the others are. . .'

She stared at me, she seemed unimpressed like she always did when she had to act like the chief. Eventually all she did was: nod, wave her hand and walk away. The cheetah Keidran grabbed Tully, and all together the group was led after her.


A roaring fire, music, food, drink and dance. The village was full of life tonight, and it was showing. Each tent and hut were lit, children played and danced as the Keidran band blew into their instruments and beat on their drums. Its not an orchestra, but it was the best music I've heard in a long time. The Tully brothers were reunited, in chain and rope, together again to serve time in the most ironic prison I could comprehend: Slaves to Keidran. I sat and drank to my own satisfaction. When a feast started here it seemed to never die until the morning light, I just hope I didn't die until then.

I looked around the see the group uncomfortably being forced to mingle with the Cheetahs. The Wolf and Canine, Skullen and Drei, were back to back as they were surrounded by a bunch of female Cheetahs who were trying to force them into the dance circle around the fire. I saw the Tiger and Cub, Miria and Milo, playing with other mothers and children of the tribe. I took another sip from my tankard. The strange ale was potent, and it eased the pain remarkably well. I looked around to see different Keidran together; feasting, and mingling with eachother. Wolves, Cannies, Tigers and Cheetahs. All together, forgetting what kind they were. Forgetting any primal disputes or grudges they would have once had. They all seemed to be happy, despite the discomfort some were showing.

'Macen~!' Kota sang as she raced up to me, 'Let's dance!'

'No-no-no, just go one without-ME!' In the blink of an eye she grabbed the drink from my hand and headed towards the dance floor.

'I'm gonna drink it~!' She threatened me.

Its my drink. And if her mother sees her drink it she will have me pay for it. I got up and raced after her, she handed me the mug and took my other hand. It was hard to dance with Kota: a creature of half my height, and around five times my speed, she was the one leading me. It was cute and painful. . .

When she tired herself out, she left me on the dance floor and ran to her mother's side on her large stone. Kierra sat there, staff in her hand smiling at me.

What is she smiling about-?

Another Keidran came out of nowhere and grabbed my hand.

'Don't stop now, it's just starting~!' she said as she began to move wildly, dragging me around with her.

I would have tried to keep up with her, but. . . considering how much I drank, my legs couldn't take it. After a few wild flailing minutes, I was released from the dance floor. I wasn't at the side I started on, but I was on the side where the Tully brothers were being held. They both were chained and roped together between two great stones. I had nothing better to do, I decided to have a little chat. I approached them, when they noticed me they spat at my feet.

'Nice.' I mocked.

'Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it. . .' One of them offered, it was getting hard to tell who was who at this point.

'They pay me with this: fun, music and a good meal with people I actually like.' I told them, 'Can you give me that?'

I smirked at them, I took a sip from my tankard, and held it out to one of them.

'After so long among humans, I despised Keidran. After so long with the Keidran, I despised humans. Funny that, don't you think?'

I left them with that but as I walked away. They were to be punished for their crimes; fetching water, building huts, and other odd tasks that they'd be put to. It won't be too hard, but it will be long for them. I would know, because my first meeting with the Tribe put me where they were before. . .

As I walked away from them, I saw Kierra standing on one of the paths out of the village. She gave a motion with her hand: follow me it meant.

'. . . Not good. . .' I said to myself, as I followed her call.


We walked outside of the village, a few hundred meters away from the fun that was happening there.

'You've been busy.' She said, in english.

'I promised you I'd stop them, so I did. They shouldn't be coming back now.' I assured her.

'I'm glad we didn't eat you know.'

'Trust me, you wouldn't want that. . . I taste weird.' She gave a small chuckle.

'Now I'm really glad we didn't.' I laughed with her at that.

I couldn't help but look at her. Even under moonlight, I could see it. Her fur was bit grey, she was slower than the last time I was here, and she seemed. . . sad.

'What is it?' I asked her, and she stopped walking.

'. . . When my father passed away. . . His last words were to make me chief.' she reminded me.

'Kierra. . . you don't have to talk about-'

'It's not him I wish to talk about.' She interrupted, she stared out into the grass, 'Since we captured you, we gave your friend a burial, and put you to work. . . yet, you took every beating we gave you, you did every task we forced on you and you were freed. . . and with your freedom you promised to help us further-'

'And that promise is fulfilled.'

'Yes, and now there is no reason for you to stay. . .' she turned and walked up to me. 'But. . . I want you to stay.'

'. . . Kierra. . .' We had this argument before, we never settled it back then.

'You can use magic, you can heal us when we get hurt. You can protect us when we need it, a-and-'

'I can't!' I interjected, '. . . I can't stay here. . .'

'Macen, you-' she was trying to win this argument like she always have, but my answer was already made a long time ago.

'I'm. . . trying to set things right, a-and. . . this path will lead me to the grave. . .'

'Macen, you don't-'

'I must. . . and I will not take you or anyone with me. . .'

'. . . You don't. . . y-you d-don't-' she was stuttering, 'Y-you c-can j-just st-tay. . . S-stay home. . .' She looked at me, tears breaking out.

This was the Kierra I met. A young girl who seemed too scared to put her words together. I brought my hand up to the side of her face, I brushed away a tear from her fur.

'This is my path. My decision.' I looked into her eyes, 'This is not my home. . . every home I have ever had was taken. . . and I won't let that happen to yours. . .'

She lurched forward, pulling me into a hug. She. . . has shown affection towards me before. . . I was there when her father died. I eased his passing, and I watched as the little girl she was became the stoic chief she needed to be. The little girl was still there, and this was her.

After a few moments, we broke away from eachother. And started to walk back.

'. . . You better. . . turn back into the hard-ass cheif again-' Before I could finish, she swung her staff around and took my legs out from under me.

'Does this seem right, fool?' she asked, smiling.

'. . . Yep. . .' I said back.

She held her paw out to me, and I took it.


I jumped awake from a nightmare, clutching my chest. It took a moment, but I slowly got my breathing to slow. It took a second to remember where I was; after the party, everyone came together in a sleep pile. All the cheetahs and the misfits were all curled up together. They all seemed to be drunk enough that predatory opposites seemed to get along enough to snuggle with eachother. Seems the world may be a better place if everyone was drunk. As I slowly woke a bit more, and slightly sobered up, I noticed the tiger cub curled up next to me. Milo purred to herself in a coiled ball just next to me. I gently reached over, and pet her softly. She seemed to enjoy it, by the way she to de-curled a little and her tail wagged.

'She trusts you.' I looked up, there stood Miria.

She carefully crept around the sleep pile, to get close. She got up, and sat next to me.

'I never thought she would be this calm around a human before. . .' she said quietly.

'Well, I'm not a normal human. . .' I told her.

'. . . Then what are you?' she asked, seemingly interested.

'I've been called a few things: traitor, idiot. . . savage. . . fur-rag, but I don't know that that means.' I was cut off as she made a chuckle.

'That's a tiger saying, it means. . . to say you are a tool used. . . like how. . . we bathe.' she explained, trying to hid her amusement.

'. . . Yeah, there are still worse names i've been called.' I chuckled, feeling a jolt of pain I pressed my hand to immediately.

After a moment, when the pain passed, she put her paw gently ontop of my hand.

'I'm sorry. . .' she apologised.

'Don't worry, I had worse.' I assured her.

'Your nearly dead.' she said coldly.

'Yeah, like I said: worse.'

She removed her paw from my hand, and felt around my chest through the cloth shirt I wore. She was deliberately searching and tracing the scars on me. Not just the scars she made, but the ones others did.

'. . . Why do you keep putting yourself in danger so much?'

'I keep telling myself. . . maybe. . . I may see those I lost again. . . If I keep doing what is right. . . the right thing hurts. . . alot. . .' I told her, looking at Milo.

'Was it worth it?' she asked, leaning her head on my shoulder.

'Yeah. It was.' I smiled, closing my eyes, and slowly drifting off to sleep.