They got up at three thirty in the morning. Derrick accompanied Mahara and Henrique to the exit of Vilar where the forest that surrounded the river around which the Dutch village had risen began. The black of the night was blinding to Derrick, but the gold of the hybrids' eyes brought enough light for Derrick to find his way around. They took off the white clothes they were wearing and transmuted themselves. Derrick picked up his clothes and returned to the Village after lighting the crimson lamp he had brought. It was an oil candle trapped in a small glass and iron crate painted red.
Panthers were very agile and fast even in a dense forest. They advanced quickly. Mahara did not think it possible to convince the mystical panthers to help the Dutch Vilar. The high caste would not support it.
When they reached the forgotten forest Mahara jumped into a niche followed by Henrique. It was all pitch black, but the vision of the mystical panthers allowed them to see in the deepest darkness.
There were labyrinths of endless tunnels that connected the niches to each other and to the underground city of the panthers. Their keen sense of smell helped them find the right path. The mazes were never the same. The tunnels kept intertwining in different ways. Only a panther would be able to make it all the way to the city. They advanced deeper and deeper into the ground. Until they emerged into a large hall.
Mahara looked confused for a few moments. It was as if a flood of knowledge entered his mind. Henry looked around. Everything, the floor, the walls and everything else you could see, was made of a white material that looked like ivory. There was light. Henrique tried to identify its origin, but found nothing.
It was a constant, homogeneous light in the air, it was omnipresent without a specific source. Henrique noticed numerous holes in the walls of the room. These were the access points to the tunnels that led to the niches on the surface. He saw that several holes were closing and new ones were constantly opening. There were constant changes happening in the tunnels.
At one end of the hall there were two statues next to each other.
In the middle of them an entrance.
– See those two statues? – began Mahara. - The panthers of the upper caste say that this is what they look like when they unite with Tuatu. But however this happens, we have never seen any member of the upper caste transmute into a form other than a violet panther body. Some of us believe that they cannot transmute into anything. That the panther body is the only one possible for them.
– I'm intrigued by all this light. Where does she come from? – I wanted to know, Henrique.
– As soon as you arrive here, you get the impression that it is simply in the air, that it is high caste sorcery. But later...
– What material is this floor and everything around here made of? It looks like ivory.
– We call the underground the city of ivory, because everything here is made of the material you see, but in the world of men there is nothing like it. We nickname it ivory because that's what it looks like.
– What does the high caste say about this? – Henry questioned.
– There are many things here that we forget when we leave the underground city, for our own safety and for the safety of the city. When we leave we believe that everything here is the work of witchcraft, but when we return and our memory is reset... Well, you will find answers in time.
– Is it always light around here?
– No. It's only light when it's daylight outside. When it's night there, it gets dark here. – Said Mahara.
– Those tunnels we passed through are intriguing.
– You followed me so you didn't have any problems. But it's good to learn. The smell of the familiar place is not enough to guide you through them. Your nose gives you direction, but it's your concentration that keeps the tunnel open. You have to focus on where you want to go and then the tunnel stays in the desired direction. But this is not easy to do.
Henrique looked in awe at the statues. They had a human body, panther tail and a face mixed between panther and human.
– Where does the entrance that is in the middle of the statues lead to?
– Here the castes are divided. Each one has its territory, its galleries. The entrance leads to the territory of the upper caste panthers. If we follow the sides of the statues we will find on the left the entrance to the galleries of the silver panthers that form the lower caste. On the right we have the entrance to the territory of the violet panthers belonging to the middle caste.
– My mother told us that panthers fed on tree roots. Is weird. Aren't they supposed to be carnivorous?
– I don't know if they should, but it's from the roots that we feed. All it takes is a roar against the wall and a tasty root comes out of it. Some are tastier than others. But I must go ahead. It's not about roots.
– So, what is it about? – I wanted to know, Henrique.
– Well... For now it's easier to say that it's a food created by high caste witchcraft. – he laughed inside. – After some time here you will understand better. There are things here that are very difficult to explain and also to understand, only time and experience can help you with this.
– How did the lower caste emerge? I didn't pay much attention when he said it.
– The human child delivered by Caarô was transmuted into a silver panther. When a silver panther is crossed with a violet from the medium variety, a silver panther is always born. So they grew. The Silvers have no decision-making power in the city of Panthers. They cannot even participate in the council. The impression I have is that the high caste invented this rule to keep power over the city even more in their hands. The less panthers from other castes have a say, the more it is to the taste of the high caste. They like to retain the decision-making power for themselves.
Mahara sniffed the air.
– I smell Andries and Amber. They've already sniffed us out too. Let's take the right entrance.
They penetrated the territory of the middle caste from the right. Wide corridors gave access to the caves where the panther families lived. They arrived in front of a cave and roared. Amber appeared and invited them inside. Inside, Andries was waiting for them, very happy to see them.
– This is Henrique, my nephew and heir to the poncho.
After the celebration, Mahara let them know what was happening.
– Don't be fooled. Said Mahara. The high caste will not approve Gehucht's request for support.
Andries was distraught.
– Even if they don't approve, I will support Vilar. My family and friends are there. – Andries said.
– If the high caste does not approve our request, any panther is free to help Vilar if that is his wish. But don't expect memberships. What the high caste decides is followed by everyone. The wishes of the high caste are to the will of the underground as one is to his reflection in the mirror. If you move an arm, the reflex also moves. If you sigh, the reflex does it too. – Explained Amber.
– Well, then it looks like I came out of the mirror. I will make my own decisions. – Andries said decisively.
– You are one of the few in this underground who cannot do it, Andries. – Said Mahara.
– I don't understand.
– No, you don't understand.
– Then explain.
– You are the offering to Tuatu. Everyone who was offered at the end of each cycle can only leave the underground on the night that Tuatu returns. This also includes the high caste panthers. None of them ever left the underground.
Andries already knew that. He had resigned himself until then, as it was the fate he had chosen, but now with his family in danger...
– What if I disobey?
– Not even if I wanted to. The high caste controls the "sorcery" that makes the tunnels change all the time. They wouldn't let him leave. Maybe there's some way out other than through the tunnels. Isa once did it, but she never talked about it with anyone. Whether there is another way to the surface is closely guarded information. – Said Mahara.
– Don't worry Andries, I will go for you to help protect Vilar and I believe Marinus will too. – Amber said.
– Where will I go? – Said Marinus, entering.
– I thought silverfish were prohibited from traveling in this territory. – Henry observed.
– Except Marinus. – Amber started. – Because I saved the executioner's life and helped him keep the pact, the high caste allowed him to visit our cave whenever he wants.
They explained to Marinus what was happening.
– Of course I will. I need to protect my human father. I'm sure my blood father will too.
– Well, then there are four of us. – Mahara concluded.
– Not four, five. – Said Henry.
– That's out of the question, Henrique. You will stay here until everything passes. Your mother wouldn't forgive me if something happened to her. If it's any consolation, there is a mental connection between you, Amber and me. You are the heir to the poncho and we once were. Part of Amber and me is permeating this poncho in the same way that it contains part of all the executors who came before us. You will hear from us.
– It's a consolation. But it didn't convince me.
A stern look from Mahara made Henrique lower his head and give up any further arguments.
Respect among elders was a strong characteristic in families in the village of São Paulo. Henry swallowed his words and did not disobey his uncle's authority.
– The board will hold its weekly meeting tomorrow. – Amber said. – This is when we will be able to present our request. For now... – she roared towards the wall.
A new environment was formed by expanding the cave.