Kogna opened his eyes feebly to meet the stinking burning rays of the noon sun. The sting of the sun on his raw exposed bleeding flesh seems to overlap the stinging ravenous jungle insects eating him alive.
Caught in a hellish trance, Kogna couldn't tell whether he is living or dying. Swollen and heavy with blood, his head throbbed in rythym, a milli second faster than his heartbeat as gravity pull on his reversed hanging body.
Kogna is aware he is alive somewhere, but not on this earth.
"They killed him! they killed him! Nebulous, they killed Nebulous!" he kept on repeating. He had been his silent friend; one he secretly idolizes. "Oxygen choke the bastards when they breath!" Kogna cursed, and swore like a madman....
Within the walls of the haram, the soldiers of Rygna and Lord Kanka watched the vultures circles around the slowly dying man hanging upside down.
They knew he wouldn't make it through another night. If the vulture attacks not by the day, the jackals, wolves or something equally ferocious will come for the carcass in the night. It will be a horrific death.
Their commander, Rygna, kept suprising them with his mounting ruthlessness. He did brought in the ancient they whispered about, Nka. Retrained in chains.
His strength, and condor was becoming lengend and unparellel in the corridors of power in panther society.
To have the Alpha and Nka, in the cell within 48 hours, and Nebulous executed, gave him the reputation as an enforcer that will get the job than against all odds.
Sitting in the middle of the grand hall with Rygna beside him, Lord Kanka obsereved the tall woman in shackles. She is way too tall for a panther maiden. He is curious about her.
"Who are you woman? I can see you are not one of us?"
"I am Tiana, maiden to the house of kong." "how do you get in touch with the man, Kuga?"
"we were on a mission to rescue his mate from Agna."
"Agna?" Kanka and Rygna mused and shared a brief stare.
"His mate? And do you know his mate?" Rygna asked, locking eyes with the raven hair woman from the gorilla clan.
Tiana has a doubtful look in her eyes. She can't remember the Alpha ever reffering to Shilla as his mate.
"He called her, Shilla." Tiana said.
"Shilla is not his mate. If Agna is with Shilla, then she is not in any harm," Rygna said, trying very hard to keep a convincing face.
"Oh, I don't believe that" Tiana said seriously.
"we don't have any problem with you or the house of Kong. Kong is our allies and we intend to keep it that way. You are free to go to your people princess.Tell your father he shouldn't worry about the stray Alpha panther anymore. My men will help you find you trail to your people." Kanka cut in flatly.
Tiana raised her hand to object, but hold herself. All her problems have been solved, she thought.
'I got the man right where I want him. Trapped in a cage cell like the stray cat he is. Let the man rot,' Tiana thought gleefully. But something seem wrong. She couldn't get the the Alpha out of her mind. Damn the snob many many times....
Kuga the Alpha is no more a threat to the tribe of kong. Oh, She have the arrogant Alpha nailed , in his own dungeon. ' I should be thanking these men', Tiana smiled contentedly.
knowing this, Tiana wouldn't let Agna had his way with Shilla, escaping with her as his prisoner.
" I thank you my lords, but I wouldn't consider Shilla safe in the arms of Agna," Tiana offered, undeterred.
"Why will you say that?" Rygna asked sharply, for he knows how twistedly rude his brother could be and he wouldn't want him to lose his head because of a fling for a panther maiden.
"From your reaction, you know what I'm talking about," Tiana pointed out, looking at the expressionless face of Kanka.
Tiana said no more as three soldiers come to work her out. Her mind was in tatters. She knows Magnam and his men might be gone or still hanging out there somewhere. She is hoping they were still there. She will want to create that commotion, perhaps it will help the Alpha escape. Tiana couldn't believe she was thinking this way....
She pinches herself in reflex. Why should she even be thinking this way. She should be thinking about how to get home. The three soldiers where studing her, as she mused.
"Don't worry princess, we will get you to your clan safe and sound."
"thank you." Tiana nodded to the short trim bulky man in gratitude, veering from the path she knew Magnam and his men probably where lurking.
The rebel gorilla clan was getting stronger and bolder. Although, Tiana regards them as an enemy, she is counting on their help to storm the haram, distracting the soldiers for the Alpha to escape.
Tiana want gorilla people to come to gethher rather than fight each other, especially now that they have powerful strangers infiltrating their home and territory. This panther people where a conniving bunch and she didn't want them having any control over her clan.
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