"Kyera?" Kan gently put a hand on her shoulder when he couldn"t wait any longer. She had stood in that spot for so long and he could sense her emotions conflicting. Since the spirit disappeared, he wasn"t sure what was going through her mind or what even happened. All he truly knew was there was something she didn"t like in the guardian"s words. "Kyera?" He tried again."I… is the fire out?" Kyera asked her eyes still focused on the wind dancing with the ashes. Kan looked at the fire and ash with a discerning eye. There was nothing left but embers from the pyre.
"The fire is embers now… Should we head back to the camp?" Kan asked looking to Kyera. She sighed looking at the sky. Several hours had pa.s.sed since she left for the hunt. There was a good chance there would be trouble when she returned.
"Yes, we need to head back. Keep a nose out for game." Kyera replied turning away from the burning grounds. Her heart seemed to tremble as her hand caressed the b.u.mp of her stomach. Kan followed her toward the gates, unwilling to say much yet. It wasn"t time to start asking questions, as they reached the gate he transformed again, becoming a tiger again. Kyera climbed onto his back and settled into place. "Kan, if anything happens to me, don"t bring me here. If you can, burry me in my backyard, in the center of my brothers." She said quietly and he looked back at her.
"Kyera, I hope you told someone else what you want because if you die on this trip, you won"t be crossing over alone." Kan replied before picking up pace. Kyera smiled softly as her hands gently caressed his fur taking comfort in his nearness. The irony of the moment wasn"t lost on her, nor was it lost on the quiet of the forest as they made their way through. The sound of a cat on the hunt caught her ear.
"Kan.." She smelled the musky wild scent of a wild one nearby, and the pheromones of the hunt. She had a chill run down her spine, for a split moment she wondered why she felt like that. Then the realization dawned.
"Yes." He replied as they slowed to a walk, the feeling of being stalked was intensifying. She couldn"t help but reach for the knife on her belt. Though Kan had no intention of letting her use it, he knew why she went for that in such a moment. Her eyes flicked up to the trees and the flash of gold and red where none should shine gave her but a moment"s warning as the creature launched itself from the branch down on her.
Kan tried to flip away but the creature had already tackled Kyera from his back. The sound of metal contacting earth, and the angry growl of a cat who missed its mark. Kyera"s dagger arm was pressed close to her body as she began to transform. The white and black became a blur as the pregnant tigress battled with the large panther. Her teeth sunk into the creatures neck and threw it off of her. Claws ripped and teared, while teeth coated in blood snapped within inches of each other. Kan grabbed the creature by the tail and ripped it off of her, ending with a b.l.o.o.d.y whip left in his teeth. Tossing the bit away, Kan lept into it again and bit down hard at the Panther"s neck, ripping it off of Kyera and hurled it against the tree. It slumped down a blend of red stained black fur. With a finishing blow, he silenced the creatures breathing and moved back to Kyera"s side.
The white tigress lay quietly on the earth panting hard, blood on her chest and haunches. It wasn"t bad, the blood was barely a trickle from deep wounds. She slowly stood and he placed his back under her chin, offering her some balance half expecting the princess to collapse. "Turn." He whispered knowing they couldn"t be seen like this. Kyera turned her shape, sitting on her hands and knees on the earth. Blood darkening areas of her leather tunic.