Kyera watched as he slid the sleeve of the dress all the way up to the shoulder, revealing the bandage she had fashioned over the clawed skin. His eyes flashed dark and her sense of fight or flight kicked in. She knew he was angry, but she hadn't wanted to worry him. In all honesty he had been so worried about the kid that she didn't want him to feel bad for not following her to town.
"Ky, I won't ask again." Verone warned her his eyes flashing with emotions a mix of pain and anger as he looked over the bruises and began inspecting the other arm. The defensive wounds played across her skin as his instincts started piecing together the puzzle before she began to explain.
"I had a disagreement with several jackals who thought they could challenge my authority and live to tell the tale." Kyera replied with a shrug. She ignored the deep set ache that motion caused. Truth be told these wounds were fairly minor. Yes a few hurt like hell and one or two she was pretty sure were going to scar but that was the nature of the beast.
"Why would Jackals cause you trouble?" he asked massaging along a few of the bruises to loosen the muscles. He could tell from the number of wounds and marks that she was outnumbered. Several of the bruises trailed over her shoulder and once her hair was gathered to the side he could see they traveled down her back.
"They were not looking for trouble with me. They more… stumbled into it. They were about to start a battle that we couldn't win." Kyera began to explain. She left nothing out, knowing she could trust him. After all, if anyone would have her back, she knew he would.
"Battle? They would have started an all out war. Touching the little princess would have brought us back to the light again, the blockheads." Verone growled, he had seen the damage that had been done, the slaughters of their kin at the very end of the last war. Kyera had been a newborn, and wouldn't remember most of it. He however, remembered the village being torn by war, and blood bathing the paths. A village of 150 Tiger kin became a ruin of 60 in less than three days. He was only 3 at the time, but there are somethings even that young of a mind can not escape.
"I know. That's why I stepped in. We would be destroyed completely this time." Kyera added soloumly. Verone nodded, his anger was slightly soothed as he saw how tiered the lady was. Her eyes were warm but the pain in them was clear enough. There was exhaustion in her, and it was no wonder as to why. Nearly 24 hours had passed since she had slept. It was time for the pair to head home.
"Kyera, I think we need to go get some rest. Tomorrow there will no doubt be fall out from the Jackal clan. We can't risk you being tired." He pointed out and slipped her cloak around her shoulders. She nodded.
"I agree. I didn't have another choice. You know how important the laws of the council are." She pointed out, as if trying to defend her actions. He nodded slowly kissing her forehead before taking her hand gently in his. He lead her out into the night.
"Better a disagreement within and a culling of those who will challenge the peace than for man to hunt the woods till each and every one of our kin are dead." Verone replied soothingly leading her home. "The council would have agreed with your decision."
When the war had ended a council met deep in the forest to discuss their future. Rules were made to protect them and keep them from provoking the humans again. The elders had been wise and decided to hide themselves away in the deepest parts of the forest and hide their abilities to protect the youth who were still alive. The war left an age gap and now, almost all the elders were gone, and Kyera's Generation was left to rebuild and keep the laws they set in place.
The rules of the forest were simple, and clear. Children did not pay for the sins of hte parents. Shape shifters were not to attack humans or Kin without being attacked first. They could never return home once they reveal their identities to humans unless they never left the forest again once they returned home. The most important rule of the forest, at least to her, was Never Betray your Kin.