The starless night deep in the garden, beneath the canopy the smells of the night and the sounds of the forest were alive. Laying on a tree branch above the ground was a tiger with white fur streaked with silver as she watched the world around her. The sadness in her eyes glazed over with a thin film of tears. She didn"t bother to hide her expressions as no one else would be out so late at night.Mally had gone to bed hours ago, and left Kyera to her thoughts. The quietness in the world beyond the main palace was soothing, Kyera could almost pretend she was back in the forest that she loved. Her eyes found a star she would seek in the woods, and wondered for a long moment. "Verone are you looking to the skies too?" Kyera wondered aloud wishing she could hear his voice. Her eyes closed as she took in the scents that were not quite right.
The smells of the forest here were so similar to the smells of her home but so much was missing from what she longed for. Nothing compared to the fresh and free scents of freshly disturbed dirt after two predators danced a playful dance of dominance. The fresh scent of a summer rain in the bazaar and the meats cooking… the stew she missed the flavors of. Her friends, the elders, everything that her heart yearned for yet she couldn"t go home for. Not as long as this mark was burned into her skin. She growled softly, her golden eyes glaring at the contract"s mark.
Blood. The stench of blood and pain caught her attention, Kyera leaping down from the tree and sniffing the air, hearing the fumbling steps of a creature struggling to survive. She knew the sounds of the wounded and the hunted well, the only question was: should she a.s.sist? If so, which side should she help?
That question was answered when a black wolf half stumbled, half fell into the clearing. Kyera chuffed to get the wounded wolf"s attention before approaching. He tried to back off but she chuffed again and opened her mouth "Calm young one, you are no meal to me. After all, Shifters do not consume shifters." she a.s.sured him as she changed shape, her body nearly bare for mere seconds before the shadows wrapped her like a thick dark dress.
The panting wolf fell, but this time could not get back up. The arrow in his chest had matted his dark fur with blood. Pain and sorrow mixed with anger and desperation as the emotions poured off of him. Kyera approached cautiously.
"May I treat you?" she asked, unwilling to move closer until she knew wich mind controlled the beast before her. He nodded as his body blurry like b.l.o.o.d.y clay and lay human on the gra.s.s. Kyera paid no attention to the man"s face, her mind only held one thing and that was ending his pain.
She set to work removing the arrow and cleaning the wound. Water from the waterfall was in constant motion and unlikely to cause infection so she used it to rise the debris that had clumped in the blood and stuck to the skin. Once she could see the damage she felt relieved. This would not be life or death, or at least not now that he was with her.
The shadow powers flowed through her and sealed the wound as she focused in on it. She waited patiently for it to stop bleeding and she rinsed it again. "I am hesitant to seal it, it may get infected. If i am in tiger form do you think you can hold on as I climb?" she asked looking him over still concerned. His black hair was messy with sweat and blood in a mess beneath him. Pale chiseled features, coated in sweat and bruised though she had to admire his physique. He had toned physical appearance and presences of a warrior though he lacked the sent of battle.
"I might…" he panted still struggling with the pain Kyera couldn"t completely control. She needed the herbs left back at the hide out.