The Tiger Within

Sunshine is both amazing, and a curse . Though the sunlight made colors pop and the shadows harder to hide within it also made scents harder to discern . Looking for the shop was a lot harder when the smells of food and sweat filled the air . Kyera sighed looking around wishing she had paid more attention to street signs rather than smells in the area .

She wandered quietly near the Tiger"s Eye shop, the familiar stall was closed, no one seemed to have been there for a while . The door was locked and dust seemed to coat the windows from the inside . Her heart hurt a bit as she realized the tribe wasn"t keeping the income flowing . Not that it was much of a surprise, she never really expected them to . No one was really comfortable enough around the humans to run it .
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Kyera heard a familiar chuckle behind her and turned knowing exactly what to expect . Aggie was watching from nearby, a basket over her forearm filled with all sorts of gla.s.s and vials, most of them empty . The stoppers just kinda resting next to the vials . She offered a sweet smile and Kyera grinned back turning and walking back to her .

"So, your alive and outside the castle gates…" Aggie greeted with a rather large grin . Kyera sighed nodding as she hugged her old friend . Tears gathered in her eyes at the contact, finally able to let some of the emotions rush through her . Here in the village, no one thought anything of it . Two women embracing in such emotion was somewhat expected compared to the right etiquette of the palace gates .

Mally was a connection to the past and all the things that once met so much but there was so much she didn"t know . So many pains kyera was not ready to share, and she wasn"t sure Mally would understand even if she did explain them . Aggie however, she knew the things that had happened, the sacrifices that had to be made just to get this far . It was also how they saw each other . Mally saw the Princess, a strong and robust tigress who was stubborn and capable, and that was almost pressure on Kyera"s shoulders . Aggie however once taught Kyera to hunt . She knew the little girl so terrified after losing her brothers and the pain that flooded her since then . The pressures of ruling were always easier to bear in Aggie"s arms . Now the Pressure of Ruling would be easier than that which it took to survive .

After a long moment, Kyera pulled away and stood straight again . The older woman smiled at her tenderly, like grandmothers often do . Patting her cheek, Aggie took her hand and led her down the path . She hadn"t been far off, Aggie"s stall was just down and to the left from where she had stopped . Eventually, Kyera would have found her way here .

"What do you seek today, Kyera?" Aggie asked as she slipped behind the counter and began removing the curses and hexes that protected her stock . Kyera stood back, knowing full well how dangerous some of those magic"s were .

"Restorative measures . I also need Flint Leaf and Cats Paw . The older on both of those the better . " Kyera replied looking through a few of the herb boxes that Aggie had already deemed safe . Consern found its way onto Aggie"s weathered face . She helped find a few herbs and set them on the counter .

"I see, is there something else ailing the Palace?"Aggie asked as she saw Kyera lay a white bundle on the counter . The white leaves were bundled tightly with silver twine . It was something rarely used in the village but forest dwellers tended to use it across their door steps every night .

"I am not sure . Something seems to be draining my patient of any energy that I feed her . I haven"t seen any clues mind you, but I fear it might be a someone not a something . " Kyera explained as she started packing the herbs on the counter and writing down quant.i.ties on her sheet . Aggie frowned and turned opening drawers and looking through the contents .