The fisherman's hut was almost entirely made of black braúna. It was far from being a shack, it was well structured despite having few rooms and made entirely of boards and logs. On the tile were branches of a tree full of sharp, blood-colored leaves that gave a cheerful but defensive appearance to the humble hut. The floor was made up of well-cut white stones so joined together that they seemed to form a single piece, breaking their harmony was a dusty wooden lid that had been opened by Mahara. As she began to descend through the trapdoor, she signaled for Amber to hurry up.
Amber extended her arm. Andries determinedly reached out his and firmly held his lover's hand.
– Come on – Amber said, pulling him.
They jumped into the tunnel and closed the trapdoor. A blinding blackness surrounded everyone. Amber gave a loud meow and her eyes lit up, clearing the path for Andries. They followed the narrow tunnel. Mahara, who was at the front followed by Andries and then his son, turned around and put a necklace on Andries. The cordon was made of a tangle of contorted brushwood. A circular piece formed from cotton with intertwined threads was attached to the base. After attaching it to Andries' neck, he gave a roar and purple emanations came out of his body, anointing the piece, transmuting it into dark brown wood full of carvings.
– This necklace contains the gall of the moons and will protect you from the emanations of the dismal trees. We'll have to enter the forgotten forest. It's the only safe path for us now.
Around the hut, the religious heard the terrifying roar. Fire arrows were thrown and hit the hut, which quickly became a huge bonfire.
A trapdoor in the earth opened. They were right behind their tormentors. The top of a mill illuminated by the light of two moons was seen beyond the treetops. They left silently. They had already taken a few steps when one of the fanatics saw them and raised the alarm.
The executioners prepared to shoot, but two threatening silver panthers appeared and confused the shooters' aim. The three gained enough time to escape. They headed towards the forgotten forest. The fanatics split up and, confused, chased the two silver panthers and were lost.
As they reached the forgotten forest, violet moons began to form. They stopped to rest. His tormentors have long since lost track of him. An hour passed. Two silver panthers appeared. Amber and her father recognized the scent of panthers. They were surprised. One, who had a violet stripe behind her ear, entered the niche at the base of the tree, disappearing from the men's sight. The other approached and transformed into a man. It was Marinus who emerged naked from transmutation like an elven god.
Having Marinus transmuted and naked in front of him, Andries was fascinated. All the insecurity and fear that he had felt his entire life in the presence of Marinus seemed to have drained from his heart like water draining from a full and sealed sink when the cork is removed. Now only fascination dominated his heart.
– I always knew what you were. – Marinus said.
– Why then did we never distrust you?
– Why? In the underground world, silver panthers belong to a lower caste and do not mix with the other castes of violet panthers. The silver ones are the descendants of the human child that was donated by Caarô. If they had walked more in the low caste galleries in the underground city they would have noticed me. I've seen them many times underground. I recognized your scents in Gehucht. Since then I have tried to stay away from you in the city of panthers. He did not wish to be recognized among men by anyone. As for my blood father, he never left Derrick's side, he never returned to the underground, until a few moments ago.
– Even then, we would have recognized your panther scents.
– Nothing that a good old "spell" learned in the galleries of low castes couldn't fix. And Teunie? Is he protected?
– We don't need to worry about him. He is in the group of fanatics. I smelled him. – Amber said.
– Hmm...
– You saved our lives and protected the deal. – Amber said.
– Until now. Leave Andries here and I'll take care of him. They must return to Gehucht to choose the offering. Soon the violet moons will manifest.
– Too late. They are already here. – Said Mahara.
The gall-colored emanations of the moons surrounded us. A dense and terrifying dark purple nectar left the insides of that bile cloak. It writhed menacingly through the air and materialized into a four-meter-tall violet panther with fiery eyes. His roar made the mountains shake.
– Where is my offering, executor? Tuatu asked in the form of a panther looking longingly at Andries since he was the only human present.
Amber hugged him tightly saying:
– There is no offering here Tuatu.
– So the agreement was broken. – Said the panther, dissolving into the air in the form of purple nectar that soon joined the bile-colored cloak that surrounded the group. The cloak left them and advanced towards the Gehucht mills.
– We can't let that happen. – Said Mahara. – Our existence has always been aimed at avoiding this tragedy. We cannot fail.
– As I said, my father. There are no offerings.
– Yes there is. – said Andries – Transmute me and come with me underground.
We will live there. Or do you really care about living among men?
– And you? Do not do?
– That's not the question now. I will be transmuted anyway. Tuatu will spare no one. So... let it just be me.
– We have to find another solution.
– There is no other solution, my beloved. Time is against us. Every moment we falter the mantle of the moons is closer to Gehucht, we won't be able to get an offering in time.
– Accept Amber. Go! Live in the world of the panthers, daughters of the moons. I will remain in the world of men to ensure the continuity of the legacy. – Said the father.
Marinus was about to say something, but fell silent. He knew it wasn't his decision. Whatever Andries' fate was, he would be on his side.
Amber took off her backpack. She opened it with regret. A poncho that had the glow of green embers was revealed. The nectar that previously went towards Gehucht carried by the mantle returned in a fraction of seconds. The violet panther manifested itself again.
Amber fluttered the mystical poncho that exuded the sparkles of green glow above Andries. Sensing the human's presence, the poncho seemed to have come to life. She cowered in the air like a beast stalking its prey. In a second it suddenly opened completely and advanced on Andries, hugging her body like a hungry predator. Amber approached her lover. She grabbed the edges of the poncho and twirled them.