A forest emerges across a haze of dense mist ahead of the azure cub. Deep rhythmic breathing sounds in the cub's ears. It's coming from all around her, starting slow and strained, as if the forest is alive but is sleeping. Progressively the breathing grows louder until the azure cub is left trembling without a voice. Without moving, the trees ahead of her grow nearer accompanied by the echoing of distant screaming.
Cry'stel wakes with a start with tears flooding her vision. Her breathing comes out uneven as she chokes back a cry. Before she can even think about calling out for her, the mother tigress is already by the azure cub's side.
"Hush, hush, Cry'stel. It is only a bad dream. There is no need to weep. I am here." The mother's deep rumbling in her throat and chest leaves the azure cub in a serene trance.
"Was it the breathing forest again?" She asks gently.
The azure cub nods her head and sniffles. "It scares me."
"I know it does, love. You know I used to have bad dreams too when I was your age."
"You did?"
"I still do," she sighs. "But you know a dream cannot hurt you. Sometimes we repress certain memories and feelings that bring us pain. That haunt us, because we simply cannot face the truth behind them, nor can we endure the pain that it causes us."
"I don't understand mama."
"Shh, most things take time to become clear. For now, try to put your mind to rest. Shut your eyes and let your thoughts fade." The azure cub snuggles closer to her mother's chest, letting the soothing rumble bring her comfort. After a while, the tigress falls back into her soundless slumber, ending the deep rumbling in her throat and chest, yet the azure cub lies awake unable to drift back to sleep.
Cry'stel's drained eyes watch with gloomy interest at a sky littered with starlight as her thoughts travel elsewhere. The moon's haunting glow sparks the memory of Yùrlynn's story, and as the azure cub stares at the half-moon, she wonders silently to herself if the night here will go still too. Remembering the breathing forest from her nightmare, the cub shifts closer to her mother, letting a deep breath leave her lungs.
The slight crackle of dry leaves quickly tares the young cub's attention away from the sky only to settle onto the darkness cloaking the woods to her left. Something solid but dark moves soundlessly into the brush before disappearing from her view. Cry'stel glances around uneasy and sees only her sister sleeping nearest to their mother. The sister wolves and their cubs have disappeared, along with Dæv'yièl. Their absence suddenly makes her nervous.
Quietly stepping around her slumbering mother, Cry'stel creeps her way over to her sister and nudges her. Ayn'jièlah is lying on her backside curled up to where her tail is nearly touching her nose. Without any real response besides a twitch from her paw, Cry'stel whispers, " Ayn'jièlah? Are you awake?"
"Hmm," she murmurs, slowly opening her tired eyes.
"Where did everyone go?"
The auburn young tigress blinks twice before answering, "The wolves left after mama finished the story. Did you fall asleep again?"
Cry'stel slumps her shoulders leaving her ears to fall back, "I always miss the ending."
Ayn'jièlah yawns and rolls over to stretch, "Don't worry little Azu, mama can tell the story again tomorrow night."
"What about brother?"
"Hmm. What about him?" Ayn'jièlah asks sluggishly as her eyes start to close again.
"Where did he go?"
Ayn'jièlah glances at her sister, still groggy, and mumbles, "No, he's sleeping right over there by the trees." She stares where Dæv'yièl should be still resting only to find it vacant. Slowly Ayn'jièlah comes to her senses and realizes what her sister had been asking.
Ayn'jièlah looks back at her sister and asks, "Where did he go?"
"I don't know. Do you think he left with the wolves?"
She shakes her head no and goes to stand, "No, he's too bitter to stay around them."
"Should we wake mama then?"
"No-no," Ayn'jièlah stammers, "…we should let her sleep." She stares at her mother for a moment longer, deep in thought, before looking down at her sister, "You should stay here with mama just in case she wakes up though."
"Where are you going?"
"To find our bittersweet brother you silly cat," she says with a smile and paws Cry'stel's arm playfully. Licking her nose, Ayn'jièlah gives her sister a genuine smile before heading towards the trees where their brother last slept. "He probably got thirsty or something so he shouldn't be too far away from us."
"Wait!" Cry'stel twirls around and bolts after here, "Let me come too! I can help."
Ayn'jièlah gives her sister a skeptical glance over her shoulder but doesn't slow, "You're too small to be out in the woods all by yourself. Especially at night. Remember what mama said?"
"But what about Yùrlynn's story? She said it isn't good to wander around in the forests alone and that it's better to stick in groups."
"We wouldn't be much of a group, little Azu," she points out.
"I know but I won't be by myself if I have you," Cry'stel grins extensively before giving her sister the pouty eyes, "please sister. I promise I will not fall behind this time. I swear it! I'll be stuck to you worse than tar!"
Ayn'jièlah sneers, "and what do you know about tar?"
"I know it's really tough to get off," Cry'stel answers with a giggle. "Come on. Please!"
Ayn'jièlah sighs only to shake her head, "Mama is going to kill me if I lose you again..."
Cry'stel's fanged smile beams brighter than a thousand fireflies outshining even the sun's godly light, "Is that a yes then? Is it? Is it?"
"Alright fine," she rolls her eyes with a soft laugh so that their mother doesn't stir. "You and those pouty cub eyes better hope mama doesn't find out about this. Let's go before I change my mind."
"Yes! Ok, I saw him leave this way!" Cry'stel darts over to the spot where she had seen their brother vanish into the trees. With an eye roll, the auburn young tigress rushes after her sister into the dark woods. Their brother's scent is fresh at first until they reach the stream not too far from their sleeping spot. After meticulously crossing its shallow waters, Ayn'jièlah takes notice of how challenging tracking her brother really is. The water must have washed most of his scent away and the nightly air holds other odors mixing with his smell.
"Dæv'yièl must have walked downstream while still in the water. I can hardly smell where he began after crossing," she grumbles that last part to herself.
"Can you still track him?"
"I think so. I just have to find where he left the water and we'll be able to follow after him from there. Come on."
The cool air stirs gently through the trees before growing still. The nightly creatures chatter in all directions while the two cubs wander a short distance downstream. A hoot from an owl startles the youngest cub, reminding her of the story of Heidi once more. The back of her fur stands straight up in fear at the very thought. Blue eyes scan the trees in panic for the ghostly owl, but she finds no glowing birds within the darkness above nor around her. A soft brush against her fur makes the little azure cub jump.
"Take it easy. It's just me." Ayn'jièlah says before reassuring her, "It was just an owl, sister. You're okay."
Even with her gentle words, the azure cub feels far from being okay. Still, she gives her sister a nod and they continue to head down through the water.
"I think he went this way." Ayn'jièlah strays off from their mother's trail heading away from the stream with Cry'stel bravely following her pace. Dæv'yièl's scent becomes easier to locate after so many paw steps from the water, not to mention a few of his paw prints are seen left behind in the mud that leads the cubs farther within unfamiliar woods. After a while of following his tracks, Ayn'jièlah begins recognizing her surroundings. Wherever their brother is going, the trail he is leaving behind seems to be veering back towards the hunting grounds. This is unlike him to be wandering so far off without their mother knowing. He is always complaining about his sister's impulsive actions yet here he is being hypocritical. The auburn cub sulks with every stride closer, silently reading herself to scorn her foolish brother.
As the cubs enter a small grove, they spot Dæv'yièl on the other side nearly vanishing back into the trees. At the same time, a colony of bats spirals out from above the trees in front of him. They let out a high screech as each one passes over him and heads straight for the siblings. Both cubs swiftly duck their heads in response to the bats rushing past them. Cry'stel lets out a wobbly cry when a few of the bats cling to her fur unexpectedly. Her sister instantly swipes at the foul creatures with her paw while hissing at them to flee. Fortunate for her they retreat up into the trees.
"What are you two doing out here?" Ayn'jièlah and her sister lock eyes upon a seething tiger approaching fast. Dæv'yièl growls in a threatening manner once he's reached them, "You aren't supposed to leave mother's side!"
Cry'stel's body trembles not only from the bats but because of the sight of her furious brother. Ayn'jièlah, however, narrows her eyes and steps forth, shielding her sister with her body.
"That goes for you too, brother," she spurts angrily. "The only reason we're out here following you around is to see why you were sneaking off in the first place!"
Dæv'yièl laughs at his sister mockingly, "You're a child, sister. Grow up, and maybe mother will let you wander off as much as you please. You've also chose to bring her prized cub out here as well when mother made it perfectly clear that she's too young to be wandering out in the woods by herself, which makes you even more of an irresponsible child."
Anger flashes through Ayn'jièlah's eyes and with her back hunched up and fur puffed out, a deep rumble escapes from her maw, "I am not a child. I am sick of you acting like you are the oldest. We are the same age for crying aloud!"
He seethes out a harsh breath through his sharp teeth, "I was born first might I remind you?"
"We were born on the same day!" She snarls back. With her tail thrashing from side to side, her teeth press together so tightly, that they could snap bone as if they were twigs.
Dæv'yièl stands to his full height, nearly a head taller than his sister, and in a dark voice he speaks slow, "Not at the same time."
"See! Now you're the one being childish!"
He scoffs and steps forward causing Ayn'jièlah to take two paw steps back, "Age does not define being childish. It is how you act that makes you a child. Mother can even tell you that."
"Stop calling me a child!" Ayn'jièlah emits a low roar that comes out sounding like a whine. Her entire body is twitching now, ready to burst out from rage.
"Then stop acting like one." Abruptly he shoves past her and storms off in the opposite direction of the grove.
Ayn'jièlah, who is still fuming with fury, hurries after him, demandingly asking, "Where are you going now?"
Cry'stel follows them both at a lengthy distance, her tail tucking between the back of her legs and leaving her head as low to the ground as possible. Without their mother to break up her siblings arguing, Cry'stel fears a fight will break lose. As she glances around at the trees, the azure cub's heart sinks at the realization of not knowing where they are.
"We are going home, sister." The way her brother said sister made Cry'stel wince, wishing she had taken Ayn'jièlah's words and remained at her mother's side. She would be resting right now instead of being stuck between her sibling's arguments. What she wouldn't give to be a bird right now and to fly away from them.
"Oh, so now you want to go back?" Ayn'jièlah nips at his heels, earning a backlash from one of Dæv'yièl's front paws fully unsheathed as he whips around to face her. The blow from his claws barley misses his sister's face.
Dæv'yièl's growls are low and threatening, "Back off or so help me I will blind you. Now listen to me when I tell you that I am responsible for what happens to you both when our mother is not around. Now we are going home, and that is the end of it."
Ayn'jièlah goes to speak but promptly holds her tongue. The anger in her eyes suddenly falters and instead they drift behind him gradually growing wide. He turns to his other sister with a bewildered expression as her eyes widen as well, showing more fear than anything else.
"What are you..." he trails off when his eyes meet at what they have been staring at. A pair of luminous rose quartz-colored eyes lock onto the male cub and his siblings with a fixed gaze. A massive silver crown rests above those brilliant yet beautiful eyes reaching far over the low hanging branches of the trees enclosing him. The siblings have never witnessed a Grey Hide of his size, especially one that could surely tower over their mother. His coat color is also a bit different, reminding the cubs of the stripped wolves from earlier. This Grey Hide is lighter with rich, soft silvers lining his backside melting over creamy whites at his underbelly, neck, and cheeks. Once again Cry'stel is reminded of the story of Heidi as the bull's appearance reflected the ghostly owl with the moonlight casting over him. It makes her wonder if the bull is some kind of ghostly creature himself. However, he did not glow in the way she had expected. A few visible scars catch Dæv'yièl's attention as his eyes drift down to the bull's neck. One scar ran up from the midst of his chest to the side of his cheek. His dark ears flicker to every sound emitting from the forest as nightly creatures continue chattering, then he lets out an ominous snort. The noises nearby hush down to an eerie silence.
For sure, alarm bells are ringing in each of the cub's ears, but the unexpected happens. The bull's strong gaze shifts, as if he sensed they weren't a threat, and begins sauntering through the grove. They all let out a breath of relief thankful to still be alive.
"Won't he attack us?" Cry'stel whispers so quietly that only Dæv'yièl hears her.
He shakes his head, "If he wanted to end us, we'd surely be dead by now. Let's head back quickly before he changes his mind."
"He's magnificent," Ayn'jièlah breaths suddenly, unable to tear her eyes from the ghostly bull. As if drawn by the bull's presence, she moves one paw step closer to him.
Dæv'yièl's eyes narrow at his sister before speaking slowly, " Ayn'jièlah, your curiosity about dangerous things will be the death of you one day. Don't you dare make that day sooner than it has to be."
"Big words for a cub." She mutters, giving the whole exaggerated eye roll.
This time its Dæv'yièl who holds back his tongue, "When I count to three, we are leaving with or without you."
Ayn'jièlah ignores her brother and instead finds herself stepping even closer to the massive creature. Cry'stel glances at her sister whose eyes are focusing on the bull dead ahead of her. He is so large and abnormal, yet all fears aside, she can understand why Ayn'jièlah is so drawn to him.
He is beautiful though; Cry'stel can acknowledge that despite the feeling of fear his very presence gives off.
Ayn'jièlah is brave and always has been. She remembers a time when her sister saved her life from a snake that found its way into the cave and slithered up to where she was sleeping. It wasn't poisonous from what their mother had told them, but Ayn'jièlah didn't know that until after. She, without hesitation, batted the serpent to death. Dæv'yièl had been out with their mother when it happened. It's a memory that always comes to mind whenever Ayn'jièlah does something brave or as Dæv'yièl puts it, "irresponsible." That is not how she sees her anyway. Not always.
The bull halts and turns his head back towards Ayn'jièlah who also stops dead in her tracks. Upon shifting directions, the bull lets out another snort that sounded more threatening than before. Ayn'jièlah takes three paw steps back just as Cry'stel's body tenses.
"Ayn'jièlah," Dæv'yièl begins only to hesitate seconds later when the bull takes an unexpected step back. A chilled wind gently rustles the leaves in the trees carrying with it an unfamiliar scent. The bull's posture tenses, his nostrils flaring as the air shifts into something thick and dangerous. His gaze carefully scans the band of thick brush and trees beyond the grove, passing over the cubs who are now huddled together around Ayn'jièlah, their breath still. Loud, hostile grunts and snorts erupt from the bull's throat as his head holds fixated on where his gaze had stopped. A single hoof stomps at the ground three times before he rears up on his mighty hind legs ending with a final blow to the ground. What follows after makes the fur along each cub's hide stand straight up. A low unsettling snarl, followed by a spine-shivering hiss is heard behind the thick undergrowth seven yards from where the bull stood.
"W-what was that?" Ayn'jièlah stammers. The three cubs immediately made themselves small as their bodies lowered to ground level. The lack of brush and their size made it difficult to be hidden from whatever is lurking at the end of the grove. Cry'stel trembles beside her sister with her face nearly buried into Ayn'jièlah's chest fur as she tries to hide underneath her weight.
"Don't make another sound and for the life of me don't run, just stay still," Dæv'yièl orders in a steady but strict tone. Neither of the cubs refuses his words, and suddenly the brush beyond the bull becomes alive, startling them and even the bull himself. He kicks aggressively at the ground before him as the brush shakes one after another as if something agile is running through it in some taunting manner. Although she never once feared for her life, Ayn'jièlah's heart clenches in her chest. Thoughts of getting devoured or worse flood her mind. However, the brush stills without warning. The bull grunts a warning call, but in doing so the brush stirs to life again, this time moving reverse. A rigid silence follows as the brush movements stop. There's a long moment of nothing that happens and that freaks out both sisters, even Dæv'yièl himself.
"Is it still there?" Cry'stel pokes her head out from beneath her sister's chest to stare. Ayn'jièlah's voice is shaky, completely unlike her, and in return gets a weary look from her brother. Before he can respond, a slender black cat leaps onto the bull's hindquarters latching on with a deadly grip. The cat practically appeared out of thin air as if it materialized out of nothing. Cry'stel can't comprehend how or what had just happened. While digging its claws into the flesh of the Grey Hide the cat climbs its way to the bull's neck. He lets out a short cry of pain before throwing his hind legs into the air in an attempt to throw the cat off. He kicks the air even harder each time until the cat eventually slips off making quick contact with the ground. As it did the cat's nightly pelt alters color from the impact, but in the blink of an eye, the color returns to being that of a starless night. The panther's movements are so unnaturally quick that before the bull has time to turn himself around its claws are already buried into his thick hide once more, this time much deeper and more aggressive. The bull thrashes around in frantic circles bucking and kicking at the air with all his strength but to no end. It's only until the bull makes a heavy blow using his body like a ram against one of the trees did the panther fall off. The bull retreats a great distance, nearly stumbling, before turning back around to face the black cat who had slowly lifted itself to stand. Its limbs are shaking vigorously to the point of collapsing, yet they still manage to hold. Its breathing is heavy and hoarse as if the cat's lungs are being squeezed with each breath.
Dæv'yièl squints before whispering, "Something's wrong with it." He can feel it in the air, a sickening stench that turns his stomach sour. The bull had to have sensed it too. Bloody gashes could be seen on his hide, but the panther held similar gashes that neither of the cubs noticed before. They hadn't seen the bull inflict any open wounds on the panther. The wounds are deep and fresh, leaving blood trickling down its backside and ankle.
Ayn'jièlah glances at her brother who shares the same look. Something's not right here, he thinks to himself.
In a matter of seconds, the cat bolts and pounces at the bull. The scene is quick and brutal as sharp claws grasp onto the bull's broad neck and chest before jagged teeth chomp down upon his throat. Cry'stel's eyes widen in horror as the bull's screams surge through the forest creating an echo. He rears up on his hind legs and suddenly everything appears to happen in slow motion. In a blur, the panther is slammed down into the earth by gravity as the bull lets his weight fall to his hooves. His pearl-like crown rams into the panther's flesh, staining it with fresh crimson. The panther's body jerks and a painful croaking sound rips through the cat's throat as it wheezes in a breath. Antlers have pierced through several areas including the lungs, neck, and lower chest cavity. Black fur alters again but this time fading permanently from a rich unusual purple with rosette markings to a much dulled-out shade. With what is left of his strength the bull heaves the cat's limp body, throwing it five yards before collapsing himself. The cat hits the ground with an unsettling thud. The side of the panther's chest lifts and falls weakly a few more times before its heart gives out. When its jaw slacks and its eyes hold an empty stare, the fallen bull lets out a horrid cough spewing out dark-colored blood before meeting with the same fate as the panther.
Dæv'yièl is the first to move. He cautiously creeps forward towards the gruesome scene. Immediately Angel bites onto her brother's tail making him jolt back with a hiss.
"What?"
"Don't leave us! What if there's another?" She asks with a certain panic swirling in her eyes. Dæv'yièl has never seen her panic, and neither has Cry'stel.
It takes him a moment to respond as the thought didn't occur to him until now. Swallowing hard he assures her, "It'll be fine."
"You hesitated…" Ayn'jièlah murmurs, her voice sounding frail. He doesn't like seeing her this afraid. For once his sister is being cautious rather than curious, so why does he feel the need to investigate?
"I'm only checking. Just stay here. I'll only be a minute, nothing less," he says softly trying his best to sound reassuring. Ayn'jièlah responds without words, her eyes looking doubtful. Looking down at his other sister, she doesn't look doubtful, scared, or anything. She looks lost.
Cry'stel is not looking at her siblings. Instead, her eyes are fastened to the bodies lying motionless on the ground. That faint breathing returns to her ears accompanied by distant screaming. Something in the back of her mind stirs but never reaches the surface. Her blank expression bothers Dæv'yièl greatly and seeing both of his sisters acting so out of character makes him shudder.
"Be careful then," Ayn'jièlah unexpectedly whispers.
His upper lip twitches into a forced smile, "I'm always careful." Though this time feels different. This time fear catches at his throat in a different way. This time he is afraid.
Both corpses of the bull and panther remain motionless as Dæv'yièl approaches, keeping a cautious eye out for a danger he fears will come running out from his subconscious. Fear festers inside his chest sinking like a heavy stone as his heart races alongside the sickening feeling of dread. Blood soaks into the earth encircling the corpses, yet the smell is different from the kills their mother makes. Just like the air, it holds a stench of sickness that makes his stomach turn. He is brave enough to get closer to the bull and inspect his lacerations, but not so much the panther. Its slackened jaw and glossy stare is haunting to look at even at a distance. The blood around the bull's body is murky and smells of putrid flesh. He gulps and backs away from the corps quickly.
"What's wrong?" Ayn'jièlah hisses quietly.
"They're both dead for certain," he gulps, "but the bull seems to be infected with a sickness mother had mentioned to us. I think… I think the panther infected it." Dæv'yièl stares uneasily at the corps of the panther. His eyes broaden now that he's able to see the creature clearly. Regardless of his tense behavior, somewhere deep down his gut was telling him not to step any closer to it. He can see the panther's blood from where he is standing, which looks like smoldering tar as it bleeds out from the wounds. The blood looks thicker than the bull's blood, and the panther's flesh seems to be melting from the hot black liquid, making its bones stick out freakishly.
"Is it night sickness?" Dæv'yièl hears Ayn'jièlah ask a little louder, and he struggles for words not knowing what to say.
"I… I don't know what it is… that wolf… or Mother, they never really explained what night sickness is," He finally answers back.
Ayn'jièlah gulps when her brother falls silent again. "Can we leave? I don't want to be here."
"Neither do I," he mumbles low to himself. With a shaky breath, he starts moving away from the corpses and tells his sisters, "Alright, I'm coming back."
A rustle of leaves causes the sisters to freeze in place along with Dæv'yièl who comes to an abrupt halt after hearing the sound directly behind him. The strong scent of death washes over him in waves, each one heavier than the last. Dæv'yièl turns his head slowly as a deep, low growl vents out from the bushes behind him. A black paw emerges first followed by another, then the dark snout of a cat much larger than Dæv'yièl pushes past the dense vegetation as a pair of crimson eyes gape out from within the darkness. They look down at him in a frightening gaze. The beast stops halfway through the brush, leaving the dark bulky fur across its throat to shroud the rest of its body before baring its teeth. Doing so, its rib cage expands and falls with a heavy roar. A roar that formed deep within the beast's chest and projected out with so much force that it could be heard for miles. The rumble which follows shakes the bones in Dæv'yièl's body and he can only imagine his sister's fear from where they stood. The hammering of hooves against the hard soil fills the air in a rally of drums and thunderous terror as the beast standing before the black cub with red markings steps forward with powerful strides with others of its kind emerging from the sidelines. Along with them blazes a hot raging fire.