Rise Of The Beast Queen: Elizabeth

Ch 50 Reasoning

About a day in a half to two days before the war/slaughter.

Liz was an emotional wreck after being informed that she is pregnant, so when Hank pulled his disappearing act it didn't sit right with her but in her state of mind Liz couldn't exactly place why. It also didn't help that Beau and Jin were telling her not to worry about yet another male, Beau even went so far as to try and make Dylan answer her questions, though he wasn't able to since he doesn't know how to identify the cubs father before they're born, nor was he strong enough to have an ability like that.

Not long later Kephyr awoke and served as yet another distraction. Kephyr was needless to say surprised to find Liz there, not only because she helped tend to his wounds, but she also helped him sit up and personally fed him water from a bowl.

"It's all right. You're safe now. Do you remember what happened?" At his blank/
surprised look Liz explained. "Hank found you and brought you here." She said and his striking yellow gold eyes lit up with realization.

"Hank... Where is he? S... Serena... She..." Kephyr tried to speak but winced painfully and gasped trying to catch his breath. Liz reached out and held his hand, worriedly, trying to soothe him.

"We know. Tabby has Serena. Hank said they were trying to rescue her when they found you." She explained, Kephyr looked like he wanted to say something but before he could Liz's expression turned sorrowful. "I'm so glad they found you. I'm so... so sorry you got hurt... Because of me. B... because you helped me escape..."

"No. No. It isn't your fault. It's them. They're responsible. They're fault. Not you."

"I... I know." Liz stated with a slight nod, she knew what he said was true but, "But if you hadn't helped me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt..."

"Don't think that. I'd always choose to save you, no matter what, even if it costs my life." Kephyr proclaimed, the sincerity and gravity of his words touched her heart and made her blush.

"Don't talk like that. I don't want you to die." Liz said softly as she looked away shyly before meeting his gaze once again, he stared at her in wonder, unable to believe the sweet words she was saying to him, that made his heart beat furiously... Before he remembered something and his expression turned from tender to serious, as he reluctantly looked away from Liz to lock eyes with Jin.

"Where is Hank?" He questioned again. Jin's forehead creased in adjatation but Beau was the one to answer.

"He left. I'm a healer too, what do you need?" He asked but Kephyr shook his head in denial.

"Don't trust him." He said catching everyone off guard. "I... I don't know what he's planning but he told Soren, the terra marked tiger rootless beastman... He's Serena's father... Hank told him that he had a plan to save Serena but... But he had to find you, Liz first." He explained and Liz's brain finally decided to begin responding, realizing why she had the unsettling feeling since Hank left.

"You don't think... Hank wouldn't tell them I'm here... Would he?" Liz asked and the males faces paled.

Being the fastest male in the tribe, Eryk ran as fast as he could in an attempt to catch Hank, unfortunately he was not fast enough. Eryk arrived at the outskirts of the Fierce Claw Tribe in time to hear something rumble underground like a small earthquake, but being a beastman who's spent the majority of his life living underground, Eryk knew that it was likely a cavern or a tunnel collapsing.

The sound drew Eryk's attention and made him remember what Hank had said about finding Kephyr in a tunnel. Because Eryk knew what he was looking for or rather listening for, it was child's play for him to locate one of the openings that led into Kinkade's underground network of tunnels, despite the fact that it was pretty well camouflaged.