"A tiger known as Kan decided to take control of the Prosper Lands. He struck a deal with the lion. If he helped him destroy the brothers, Kan would give him Kyera." Verone recited the story closing his eyes to contain the power within. There was anger and pain in them when they reopened looking down at the cabin. So many years had passed since he and the siblings took a meal on that porch. Memories that should hold light, left him with a tinge of guilt.
"I've heard the old ones curse Kan." Talis said thoughtfully. It was common enough in town among generals, and considered the highest insult to be compared to the tiger. Granted Talis had never seen hide nor hair of the beast.
"Yes. They do, because Kan was a coward. He murdered the three younger brothers in their beds. Keenan was the only one to survive the initial attack. The smell of blood woke him, or at least that's what we believe. No one knows for sure how but Kyera or Keenan one run the alarm bell." his voice choked a bit as he leaned against the tree behind him, shoving off the bolder with force.
"We arrived to find Keenan dead, Kan was wounded. Kyera was 10 years old, but came stumbling out in a night dress. She had blood on her paws. Her hand prints are on the porch from where she slipped in a pool of blood." his fists clenched as he closed his eyes. The memory haunted him. He had been 13 at the time. She had been so broken, shocked she couldn't shed a tear. Her body had trembled.
"I see. Keenan wounded him before he could escape." Talis deduced, sighing as he looked at the cabin. He had no idea, but it made sense. This darkness in Kyera's past, why she lived in the tent…. All of it suddenly sprung into focus.
"No. Kyera attacked him, but she was too young. She wasn't a killer. He escaped. You see his success depended on no one knowing he killed the brothers." Verone pointed out "But Kyera waking up, and the alarm being sounded ruined any chance of that. He ran. We never found a body, but sometimes I smell him in the woods." his eyes glanced at the surrounding trees then back at the garden. The moon was rising fast. She should be awake by now he thought.
"and Akim, Akam, Ak-whatever. What happened to him?" Talis asked and Verone chuckled darkly.
"he was punished by his own clan. Either dead or imprisoned but no one had seen him since." Verone replied with a shake of his head, his mane flowing over his shoulders. "Don't mention this to Ky."
Talis gave his brother a look as if asking 'do you think I have a death wish?'. Verone saw the look. Decoded it. Then he shrugged. The urge to attack his brother and pumble him hit Talis fast but he thought better of it.
"So, why are we here?" Talis asked, deciding to change the subject as if his brother hadn't just insulted his intelligence. Verone began walking down the hill.
"Because I know her best. Stay here." Verone instructed before continuing to the garden. Talis sighed, but laid down to wait for his return. There was no point in following his big brother and upsetting his teacher.
Afterall, he had just received a fair bit of news to digest. Nothing so dark had been told to him before. A family befalling so many betrayals… why?
He pondered this question, staring at the cabin without truly seeing it. It was as if he was begging the building to reveal its secrets, and explain the troubled past that he had been told. Why did the brother's meet their end? How did Kan kill Keenan? There were too many questions... For a split second, out of the corner of his eye he thought he noticed four Tiger shadows behind the stone pillars his brother had disappeared behind. However when he went to look, there was nothing there.
Talis laughed at himself. "letting the past get into your head? Stupid boy." he chided himself, but there was a side of him that felt uneasy.