Tale of Panthera Regina (Remake)

Chapter 3: Truth

POV: (Rex)

Rex went to bed early that night but couldn't sleep. His mother explained that he should head towards the savanna village in two days or less. The brown tiger looked around his bare room, yawned, then stretched. He stood up and sighed, not wanting to leave his room this soon.

"Well, I guess I should just get breakfast and leave." He told himself as he headed out of his room.

As he walked, his claws often made noise on the stone of the cave, but he didn't care about retracting them for some reason. Part of him wanted to leave in the dead of night. So he didn't have to face his siblings. However, he also wanted them to wish him luck as he goes out into the unknown.

As soon as he took a step outside of the mouth of the cave. He was attacked by something small but very loud. Rex had a feeling of who it was and decided to plop onto the ground and rollover.

He heard a whine, then a whimpered. "Sorry, I can't hear you. Speak up." Rex joked around with his sibling.

"I SAID GET OFF!!!!" Said a small voice gasping for air.

Rex rolled off his back and stood up. A white cat with big spots was trying to catch his breath. "Why didn't you wait until I was on the grass to tackle me?" He said with a smirk. "And also, I am not that heavy." He told the cub.

The cub was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling of the cave. His blue eyes were like the night sky. The 10-year-old Snow Leopard cub had enough and leaped up.

"Where were you yesterday? You promise me that we will hunt." Whined the cub. He paused for a minute, then said. "And yes, you are that heavy." He said with a playful grin.

Rex laughed too, but then his mind turned to the dangerous mission his mom is sending him on. He looked at Velox with concern in his eyes. All he ever wanted was to protect his family. He didn't even take the chance to attack his little brother for the fat comment.

Velox shook his furry coat, scattering the dew onto the stone he was crushed under. Rex looked at Velox again. Unlike most snow leopards, he had more cheetahs in him and hated the cold.

"Well, I am free now," Rex said, trying to see his brother smile once more. "Let's go hunt." He smiled as his brother stood in front of him.

Velox had lessons with prey animals, even his teacher was a whitetail deer. So, it didn't surprise Rex to see his snow leopard brother leaping like a deer.

Throughout Royal's whole territory, only one location was allowed for hunting. This ensures that any prey animal seeking an audience with the king or queen can do it with the knowledge that they won't be attacked. And only Royals were ever allowed to hunt there.

So, when they reach an almost seemingly perfect spot to hunt and teach Velox someone hunting lessons. It came as a shock to him to smell something in the air. Stranger yet, there were tracks on the ground. This made him uneasy because Velox was still just a cub, learning about the world and how it works.

The dew covered the grass, which hid the scent. So, he couldn't know who or what species was out there. But that's when the ambush happened. It was too fast, and he couldn't call for help before being surrounded.

Surrounded by his siblings.

A Snow leopard, two tigers, three lions, a leopard, and a cheetah, were all glaring at him. The only ones that weren't there were the three youngest: Macula, Viola, and Leo, which are often in the nursery. That part of the cave was forbidden from any visitors from entering. Only Bamboo and Mason were allowed in the cave besides, of course, the parents and the siblings.