The Ropen's Legacy

The Royal Roar

One quiet afternoon, the Forest God and his two brothers in soul, Haru and Juancho, were just relaxing near the river around the forest.

The sun was shining bright in the skies, the crystalline waters sparkled, reflecting the light from above. The wind was light and fresh, the trees nearby cast a good shadow. What a perfect day.

Hoshi slept on a huge rock, making good use of that sunlight that hit him. Haru went for a swim in the river, feeling the freedom that he wouldn't have if he still lived at the city. And Juancho, always very curious as a kid, was observing the bugs, insects and occasional reptiles and fish that made the river their home.

As Juancho watched the creatures going about their lives, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration and wonder. He had always been fascinated by the natural world, and being in the forest allowed him to connect with it on a deeper level.

Something the boy had never payed enough attention to was the pendant on his neck, the gem on it was multicolored, a section was a deep red, another was bright yellow, the next one was cyan and the last one was orange.

When touching his pendant and looking at the water, Juancho recieved a surprise. He saw his own reflection as a tiger, and not himself.

He instantly had to shake that feeling off, as he heard multiple snakes slithering their ways up to Hoshi. The Ropen could be tough, but not when he was deeply sleeping and relaxing. Juancho felt a sense of protection for the one who protected him and ran to the rock Hoshi was using as a bed in that moment.

Those snakes got really close to Hoshi, and Juancho knew they were dangerous. He tried with all his might to get the reptiles away, but more kept coming. Then, he felt a burst of energy and strenght, a feeling similar to when he touched his pendant.

From a sudden beam of light, came out a mighty creature. It had muscular limbs, a strong body, a long tail, short ears, long and sharp teeth, golden accents all over its body, like an armor, white fur and black stripes.

Juancho was nowhere to be seen. In fact, he was that feline. Juancho's counterpart was the Royal Tiger, that changed forms according to the weather and time of day.

The Royal Tiger stood tall and proud, its golden eyes gleaming with a mix of determination and protectiveness. With a mighty roar, it leaped into action, swiftly pouncing on the snakes one by one. Its claws sliced through the air, striking true with precise accuracy. The snakes had no chance against the Royal Tiger's strength and agility.

As the last snake slithered away in defeat, the Royal Tiger's form faded, and Juancho stood once again, breathing heavily but with a newfound confidence radiating from within him.

His happiness was visible. "Hoshi, Hoshi, wake up!" He tried to wake the Forest God up.

Hoshi opened his eyes, rubbing them and adjusting to the light. "Juancho, what happened?" He yawned.

"I found my counterpart!" That was something to be proud of.

"My, that's great! What kind of creature is your counterpart?" Hoshi's eyes sparkled their golden color, proud of Juancho.

"A tiger!" The boy answered excited.

Hoshi got surprised. "A tiger, huh? I remember that the old royal family from these islands were the only ones who held the powers of tigers."

Juancho's eyes widened with wonder. "Really? I never knew about that. So, this ability to transform into the tiger, it's not just a coincidence?"

Hoshi shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, little one. The pendant you wear holds the key to unlocking your true potential. It is a symbol of your connection to the royal bloodline."