The Tiger Within

The crowded dance floor was filled with people and there wasn"t much anyone could do but follow the beat as they went . Vella slipped out of the crowd, complaining of exhaustion and a worried husband, while Clovis slipped out and walked toward the garden for fresh air . To his surprise, Mally walked up to him .

"Clovis can you come outside? Please?" Mally asked and he raised an eyebrow . She seemed to be in much better spirits than last he saw her and that in itself was a relief . He nodded .

"Certainly, I needed a breath of air anyway . " He agreed and continued out to the gardens . Mally didn"t follow, and he found that odd but perhaps Kyera had sent her . That would be normal enough . Excited that perhaps his wife wanted a moment, he took the steps down into the garden a touch quicker . Looking around though, the garden was empty, but he noticed some cloth on the ground .
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A black formal jacket sleeve poked out from under the bench . Clovis bent down to inspect it in surprise and curiosity . Before he even touched the garment, a cold chill ran down his spine . Clovis turned in time to see a large Bengal tiger behind him, teeth bared as though grinning from ear to ear . Those blue eyes cold as ice and filled with intent .

It sprung a leap for Clovis" throat as another orange blurr slammed into it . The teeth of the first tiger sinking into the shoulder of the second with a sickening snap .

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Inside, Kyera smelt blood . Her eyes darted around the room . The princess was with the Empress and The baby was on her lap . No sign of Talis or Kan but Lazren was by their side, his hackles up .

Daxin however was weaving through the crowd to her . It was clear something was wrong . He jerked his nose toward the garden door and Kyera excused herself and hurried toward that sickening smell . Her stomach rolled in turmoil terror started filling her veins like ice . Dred . She knew that smell, that blood… those scents . She knew them well and her heart prayed she was wrong as she burst through the doorway .

A piercing scream of anguish filled the air, causing panic and Kyera forced her way through the doorway . Mally was there frozen in place watching as the large bengal tiger threw the other  to the side . The discarded tiger"s neck was torn open, barely breathing on the dirt .

The next several seconds were a blur . Kyera couldn"t change… the corsets and the dress wouldn"t allow it . She threw herself at the other tiger, pulling a knife from its sheath on her hip . The tiger had advanced on Clovis but instead a blade drove deep into its shoulder causing it to scream in the way of a wild cat .  
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Kyera never realized that scream was coming from herself just as much as the creature she drove her blade into . Clovis had sword in hand now and rushed forward as the creature twisted his hind legs slamming into Clovis knocking him off his feet . It turned on Kyera and lunged . As it did she turned, and tried to avoid and managed to escape the attack but tripped on the voluminous skirts . She fell to her knees with painful thump, but her mind was numb to the pain . The claws of the beast tore at her heart but could not escape .

Verone turned on her, this was it . She didn"t have time to prepare . Kyera didn"t flinch as the air rushed toward her but the teeth never closed on her, nor did the claw fall to her skin . She turned when nothing happened and saw him paw raised but claws retracted . He couldn"t do it and that realization made him growl louder as Kan and Clovis both advanced with swords in hand . Verone was forced into a corner; back against the woods . He turned and ran as the other guards poured out of the palace .

Kyera forced herself to her feet and ran to Talis who lay in human form on the ground now . The shadows had dressed him in a guards uniform identical to Kan"s without being told . Her hands covered the wound on his throat . She forced power into him but she didn"t have enough .

"d.a.m.n it Talis… what happened . " She cursed the sky but she could feel his soul . It was slowly gathering at the base of his throat, ready to be expelled with his last breath . Her energy poured into closing the wound .

A child"s broken hearted scream filled the air as no one thought to stop Raina from coming into the gardens .