Chereads / The Tiger Within / Chapter 6 - Hunter Traps Part 2

Chapter 6 - Hunter Traps Part 2

The sound of metal grazing across the the leather making a cringeworthy sound. Kyera's ears laid back, her jaw opening showing off her large white teeth as her head rotate as it often did when she roared. Still the spell held her voice ensnared. He laughed and moved closer watching the anger in her defiant eyes. A hint of a frown line on his forehead. She was not afraid therefore his magic was not as strong as it should be.

"Come now Kitty kitty." he crooned at her "if you behave this will only hurt a bit." the knife gilding suggestively through the air made it clear what he meant even if she didn't speak the language fluently. She gashed her teeth at him, a warning to keep his distance. She hoped he would ignore it. He needed to move closer for her plan to work. Just a little closer.

"Bad, Bad little kitty, dont fight me." he coaxed but the cold edge of his voice was more chilling than soothing. Kyera continued to growl, hiding the smirk in her heart. The magic was stinging her skin, attacking her nerve centers, like ants biting along her skin.

The power in her chest swirled and stirred as she commanded its aid. Her father's gift warm against her skin channeling her will into black force. A small breeze circled near the ground fluttering grass close to her feet. He stepped into the circle and froze. Suddenly he felt a taste of his own magic but… darker. There was a sensation of dread moving through him winding its way through his body. Thoughts of death played across his mind as pain began bite his mind.

Confusion lit his face as a strangely human chuckle fell from her lips. "stupid human, you have no idea who your messing with." she purred as black energy poured into her feet, mere seconds passed. Black shadows seemed to appear wrapping around her white paws like a low lying mist. He felt his magic break, a searing pain through the lines of power in his form. Despair filled him as he lost the little magic he had trained.

"Now, What was it you said?" She asked taking a few steps closer to him tilting her head as if trying hard to remember. "Oh yes, this will only hurt a bit." She smiled meeting his eyes. He hardly had a chance to register the words before her paw raised and slashed out. Her claws caught in his skin, and power surged in through the open wounds like lightning filling his chest cavity. His eyes opened wide as the realization of what was to come shot threw him. Nothing in his life was filled with more regret than that moment.

He flew back, body crashing through a tree and slamming firmly into the next. The sound of bones cracking hidden by the shattering of the tree and screams of birds who had been resting in the branches. Blood spewed from his lips as he took his last breath. A tendril of black energy like a serpent wound around him from tips of his toes up to his eyes. Dipping into the windows, the black drew out something from deep inside. A orb that should have been pure white.

She sighed, saddened but unsurprised to see it tainted with black and reds of murder and deceit. Such a poor quality soul, almost not worth sending to her father's hand. The black and purple stone hanging from her wrist glowed for a moment as the soul found itself drawn into the crystal. "Father, send him to where he belongs." she murmured. Almost in response the gentle touch of the wind flowed over her cheek, penetrating her furr as if fingers were caressing her cheek. A sad smile curved her lips as her eyes closed.

"KYERA!" the yell broke her trance. The tigress turned and what she saw made her heart sink.

Worry filled her eyes as she glanced over, realizing he wasn't standing. The tiger was laid out, breathing heavy the trap undone from his leg but that didn't seem to matter. Veron at his side, in human form trying to tend rinse the wound with his cantine.