His Little One (Book 1)

22 Kan-Laon

Panther's prowl into the village. Each of them is wearing gear far beyond what I'd think of. It's loose fitting, their skin mostly showing. The only protection it offers is their lower back, the knuckles of their hands and their cheeks. To kill a panther is simple, cut the skin of their whiskers, and declaw them. The knowledge from the book sinks into my head, the realization dawning on me. The bears work something just as visibly useless unless you know them. The bears wear a large chest piece that covers their hearts. Magic must be the reason for them wearing armor in human form. Before I can stumble through the question, Theo holding me tightly while we greet the warriors, Xavier steps out of his personal car strutting up to us. He wears no armor. Same as Theo, and Slate, "Welcome. Your pride is honored here." A formality, Theo had told me hours before while I hurried to get ready.

I'm wearing the healer uniform. It's a simple gray jump suit, the inner parts of the fabric lined with protective metals. Slate made sure to stuff as much silver in the seams, but with Chas and I being the weaker of the healers, our lack where others prosper. No markings of any kind identify me. I'm meant to blend, be a breeze through the trees, the gray being hard for animals to spot. The uniform also hides any heat signature that wolves could detect. The only downfall being my scent. Slate taught us how to read the wind, dunking in the lakes when we can, and using the dead wolves to coat ourselves. Xavier gives me a once over, nodding at the style.

"She's dressed for battle." No hello, no thank you, a statement. His eyes trace over my face, the blue surrounding his irises growing by the minute. His panther is nearby. I remark to myself watching it die down while he fights it back. Theo rubs his fingers into my arm, a grown coming from the back of his throat, "I simply wanted to check in and make sure that's intentional."

I take the lead stopping Theo from talking, "It's my job to kill the bastard, and I'm not afraid to knock down anyone in my way." The threat leaves me. It's a foreign taste in my mouth. A good taste. The lick of power, a sample still lingering on my lips... Well, I'd be dumb to let it go to waste, "No matter how much someone has helped me."

The panther lifts his chin, eyes going to the cat-like slits I've grown to enjoy, "Then don't let me stop you. Just stay safe, Eos. Carter won't hesitate to go ballistic if he catches, you're scent."

Theo's grip becomes tighter. He's reassuring himself that I'm still here. The wolves haven't ripped me from him just yet, "I plan to bathe in their blood, don't worry about me." The liquid heat burns through my blood. This doesn't feel like me talking, but I know a switch moved internally. If these people are willing to help us, then I can't be a weak hinderance any longer, no matter what I tell myself, the demons that curl inside my head begging for submission, I will drown on the screams of his death. And I will enjoy it.

The panther curls his lips, the fangs flashing, "You seem more alive than ever, Eos. A glow around you I haven't seen before." The pride leader drops to his knee, neck tilted up towards the sky. Both his hands splay out flat, palm upward. Enough of his subjects see him fall. It's a domino effect, everyone falling to the same position. Some pop their fangs over their bottom lip, others just smiling, "And you have the loyalty of the panthers. I trust you to use us wisely."

Tears threaten to spring, but I hold them back. My knees bend into a squat, the bears working their way into a village roar, "Your people are honored here." I whisper only to him. The panther smirks, arms reaching out to pull me into a hug. Theo grunts, but I stick a hand between us to stop him. Xavier would never hurt me, and he's more of a friend than I care to admit. This hug means more than thanks, more than loyalty, this is hopebetween our people. The panthers release their claws in joy, some grabbing each other to join in on the hug. I wasn't expecting them to affectionate people, but now it makes sense. Panthers are nothing without each other. Trust of a cat doesn't come easy, but somehow through the months of tears and anguish I've shared with him, I've earned it.