" I think father has it."
"you gave the papers to your devil of a father?" I yelled.
"I didn't. he found out and took possession of it around the time I was fighting with my sanity," Ruby replied unperturbed to my reaction.
"why worry about the papers when the one who drafted them sit before you?" Nebulous asked in a smirk, causing us to glance at him.
"how is all this linked together; what does it has to do with wodmax and Lycan heights? Why so much interest in wodmax by the Lycan lords? And what do you mean you are Lycan height in the ships grandpa?"
"so far as you and I are concern, we are coming from the outside. These people are Makilla people. Makilla brought me into all this, she is the ancient one.
But she gave me the scepter, her unconditional love, her kind, the cat people, which most refers to as Lycan, because of their similitude to the werewolf folklore.
Some called them the fallen, because in grave emotions they shed tears of blood. more like a curse when they are closer to turning."
shock and disbelief barb around my heart;
"what do you mean turning? what turning? what.... wha...? turning to what?" my shaking voice matched with my oscillating body.
Ruby couldn't hold her pent up tears anymore as she cover her face with her palms, rocking back and forth.
Nebulous continued; "something happened back in time in the northern part of this continent... and it has to do with your grandma lineage....
more like an irreversible genetic condition.... what ever it was, it was becoming a problem, a big problem as it spreads among the Ananda... the humans didn't want anything to do with them....
but something happened when a prince, offered as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of these catlike creatures, turn to inter breed with one of their outlawed females....
.....the very quality of this prince, the grandfather of this new clan, the first man to love and breed with Makilla, this unique creature who woo and won his love in itself is a story left untold....
Their progeny is now what is called Lycan heights, for lack of better name. this is the love story that kept repeating itself down the generations through the first five children of this two daring adventurers who broke taboo, against their own people to build their own life and order."
I turn to Ruby, but she wouldn't look at me... I dreaded the question I was going to ask, but I have to asked it anyway;
"you killed Blazer that day in the garden. you're the puma...."
"a panther" she murmured in a barely audible voice.
" tell me is not true Ruby. you're not some big jungle cat are you? say no, and I will believe you".
"I can't lie anymore, Kuga. the time is upon me. I had to kill that man.... you've always known I was different. even when I place all the sign posts before your eyes, you choose to ignore them....". she said, her body shivering, her eyes streaming with more blood.
Nebulous passed to her more tissue paper.
I was trapped in a world, where reality existed no more. I will soon wake from this dream...
for now, let me play along, it's a dream after all...
"what happens if a Makilla meets not a toothless Sagittarius human?" I probed.
"in worst cases, they married their own kind and be damn for it or live a desolate life till they turned completely to the animal form, and once that happen they are not coming back…
Ruby was so close, without you she would've turned completely at the end of her 23rd year.
Even it has already started as we speak until you stifled the progress it by claiming her.
The other Makilla will come to fight her to win their way to you although she did claim you. and they attack from an expected angles, kuga."
"since the Makilla with her mate, rule the inner cycle, I being the closest toothless earth dragon close to being a Sagittarius automatically put I and your grandma at the top of the hierarchy until she passed on, and that's why I am here, to hand over the scepter to you two in the league,".
"oh, that's not necessary old father. I think, we will still want you to hold the mantle."
"don't be quick to talk for your man my dear. You never know what mysteries lays in a man's heart," Nebulous said.
"as you can see, I am no more tootheless."
"it's only a symbol, Kuga. it has always been, we called it the tootheless sign. the milk you you suckled in the ship, along with the diet had been the changing factor...."
Ruby glance at me with an understanding tainted with an envy she couldn't hide.
"what does it mean to be part of the league of Lycan lords?" I couldn't help but asked.
"what does it mean to be part of anything kuga?" Nebulous retort.
"what if I want to live my life free from all that. this clandestine ancient order, of family honor.
After all the first couple who started this whole thing had to defy the norms of their people to create their own way of life which you now practice throughout the ages.
I want to live free with my woman. I didn't fall for her because of some wild voodoo compulsion."
"the blood draws its kind together kuga. And until you are able to live and outlive your own kind, you wouldn't find any meaning in living...
just like you are finding your way to life now. and you need the power and the protection it has to offer kuga."
"how old are you, Nebulous?"