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The Tiger Within

In a world left with scars from a great war, the humans rejoice in their victory, but also weep at the cost. Unaware of the blind hatred that led to the slaughter, an entire race was nearly erased from the face of their lands. They believed they had wiped the shifters from the face of the planet, little did they know very few lived on in the very forests they visited, and in the villages they traded with. Forced into hiding, the shifters built a new clan, and lived by the old rules, hiding from humanity. Kyera Shade of the Moon is a Shapeshifter who takes the form of a White tigress with silver stripes. Alone in the world, and carrying the weight of her clan on her shoulders, she attempts to uphold the law she was born to, and protect the remaining of her kind. Her heart decimated by the deaths of her brothers and the absence of her mother, she finds herself caught in a net and unable to break free. In her moment of desperation, a hand reaches out and catches her. A man who threatens to steal her heart away, but can she learn to forgive herself? Can she find love and salvation in another's arms after the betrayals of so many? Clovis of the Dancing Rain is the fourth Prince of the Forest Kingdom. He is a clever man, but had no wish to be king. Perfectly happy to raise is Daughter in peace now that his young wife had passed. There was darkness and secrets in his past, but there was no place for revenge in his future. Not until they took it too far. Pushing his bottom line a need to take the crown lit in his heart. However, he needed one thing more than anything else... the right woman by his side. As if the answer to a prayer, a woman appeared. Beautiful and trustworthy who loved his daughter as much as he did, if not more. Yet her heart was broken, her world surrounded by secrets and shadows, perhaps she was best left alone. However, would he be able to live without her?

Valinteena · General
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699 Chs

Hunter Traps Part 3

Kyera tilted her head to the side, looking the earth over between her and the pair. Dashing across the space, body blurring like softened clay and smooth ivory skin replacing the fur she came to rest at his side. Her eyes found his and she smiled reassuringly before allowing looking down at his wound. Anger flared in her heart as the gruesome wound was revealed to her. Pain pierced her chest, knowing the damage was deep, possibly permanent if he didn't get proper treatment. No young one deserved this, years from now he would walk limped and there was little that could be done. All because of some hunter's greed. She wished for a moment she hadn't killed that creature so quickly.

The skin was torn from the jagged tooth like serrations of the trap. Blood and shreds of flesh hanging pitifully from the arm of a once proud warrior. The bone didn't seem to be damaged much, just a few nicks nothing that couldn't heal with time. The muscles however were mangled and detached from each other, unable to control the paw hanging limply at her mercy. Kyera handled him with care, tilting the paw softly as she looked into the wound. The blood seeming to darken and curdle in a unsettling way However as she looked, there was something off. Kyera's nose twitched at the acrid smell wafting up from the wound. It overpowered the the metallic smell of blood and pain. The reaction of foreign liquid with blood was hard to miss as was the smell of dying flesh. Necrotic or acidic, something was coating this wound.

"What the hell is on that metal?" demanded Kyera as she picked up the offending trap. With both hands she pried it open, snapping the metal in two as she did so. Anger nad adrenaline forcing the jaws apart, then to bending the joint to finally snapping it like a elderly dry tree against the fierce winds of the winter chill. The metal jaws were sharp and jagged, interlocking like teeth of a wolf. The chain was wrapped around the base of a tree and hidden with mud and dirt, now broken from position. Little needle tips peaked out from behind the thick teeth. Flipping it over, A growl ripped from Kyera's throat.

"Not sure, all I can really tell is it stems from those little glass bits." Veron pointed out his own distaste clear as he tried to sooth the wounded beast. The tiger's growl and eyes filled with mistrust warned him of the danger here. Too bad the boy had to be from a different village. At least if he was from home he would know they were no threat. "Calm yourself, I'm Veron. This lovely lady is Kyera. Let her help you." He said meeting eyes with the boy. Kyera ignored their conversation as the boy replied to him. THe pair going back and forth as she further inspected the trap that had caused this deadly mess tonight.

Empty glass vials attached to the needles on the inside. Each had a faint green liquid residue in the tips. Much of the liquid had been forced through the needles and now left in the fleshy wound. Veron poured more water into the wound and Kyera frowned. There was a subtle smell of burning and bubbling in the wound. The Tiger roared in pain as the water rinsed through the wound, turning black as it splashed to the ground.

"Stop, its burning through his skin. We need a antidote but I don't have any in stock. Let's get to the Shaman* and hope she has some on stock." Kyera replied looking at Veron who frowned. The quiet thought that passed between them was not a pleasant one. She tore her dress, tieing a truncate** around the bleeding wound.

"We don't have much time before the necrossis sets into his bloodstream." He says picking him up, forcing the tiger so his body lays over his back the paws folded across his chest so Veron could carry him. Kyera nodded, standing and sniffing the air again before turning to a tiger once more. She began to lead the way across the forest floor.

Sorry this is late, I unfortunatly have seizures and when I do I am unable to do much of anything including think for a day or two afterword. Cotton Brain sucks.

Thanks for understanding and patience.

Vali

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