The Tiger Within

The light began to filter through the open window, rays poured over the bed, bringing out the pale pinks and soft fiery color to Talis" hair . His face was mercifully free of pain, but his eyes, those blue pools, were still hidden behind delicate lashes .

He had not woken up, no matter how hard Kyera willed it . Half eye had sent her to bed despite her protests a mere hour before dawn . Mally sat by the boy"s bed, looking down at him now . She was roughly his age, just a little older . She remembered him from the village before she was taken . He was Verone"s brother . Flesh and blood, and yet she had seen him nearly murder the boy .

Advertis.e.m.e.ntHe hadn"t been his aim though . He had been after Clovis . She knew that deep in her heart . Kyera had warned her . . She had said Verone had changed, that he wasn"t to be trusted and yet she had ignored it . The man who looked at her seemed to know her, know what she was needing from him . Then again… Verone had never understood her before, not like that . She had been so easily fooled .

She took the wet rag from the bowl of water and wiped down Talis"s brow . If this boy died his life was on her hands . His blood would stain her fur till the day that she pa.s.sed . Yet, she hated herself for being unable to stop imagining Clovis on this bed . Deep down she knew Clovis would never have made it here . They would have been putting him in the ground long before now . Talis had only survived because he could turn into a tiger, or his neck would have been torn too badly for him to have been healed . If it had been any worse, the baby…

Kyera would have lost the child too . While Mally sat and argued with herself, diving further down a rabbit whole . There was a certain point of no return and tears gathered in here eyes as she neared madness .

"You stop that, Mally . The boy has enough problems without adding your self hatred and guilt . " A sharp female voice chided her mercilessly . The voice came from the direction of the window, and as she turned to look, she saw Akira standing on the window sill, crouched as though she had just slept onto it from the yard .

Her hair was pulled back into a flowing ponytail, showing off her angled features so similar to her daughter"s . The only sign of imperfection was the dress . It was wrinkled and dirty as if she had spent some time in the trees outside the window . Mally frowned seeing her walk toward the medicine table and begin looking over the prescriptions left by Half Eye before he went to rest .
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"You shouldn"t be touching that . " Mally warned her, knowing she couldn"t let Kyera down twice in one night . Akira shot her a glance and read through the prescription before walking over to the boy and sniffing the air .

"Move aside girl, keep in mind who was once the wife of the shadows . " Akira replied with a dark chuckle before she began running her hands over the air inches above his body . The heat of magic swirled and melted under her palm, she could read those interesting little waves as though they were speaking to her . His aura was strong, he had a desire to live . That was imporant but she could also feel the complete self guilt the other girl reeked of .

"I saw what you did tonight . I could smell you on him, and him on you . You still smell like him . Him and betrayal . If I can smell it, don"t you think Kyera"s delicate, wild nose will too? You will have to face up to what you have done . When that time comes, you will find yourself in the same category as myself . Untrustworthy and banished to the edge of existence where only polite noding remain . " Akira warned her, with an erie grin . A shadow aura thrust up from Talis then, shoving Akira back much harder than she expected . That grin she had been shooting at Mally was wiped off her face as she crashed onto her back .

"I thought you would know better than to come here . " Kyera"s smooth, silken voice spoke from the door . There was no sign of weariness in her as she stepped into the room . "Did you think I would sleep before his eyes opened?" Kyera demanded staring her mother down with deadly accuracy .