1 - Eight Cold Seasons

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"Eudora, slow down." Yelled an older leopard male.

"Papa, the cold season is finally over, we have to go out and play." Replied a now 8-year-old Eudora, her once short tufts of golden hair was now waist length. She was wearing a small brown fur dress that loosely fit her and had a fur blanket around her shoulders, much to her reluctance.

"No Eudora, I need to hunt for, William and Harvey. And you," her father said as he finally caught up to her. For such a young female, she ran quite fast.

"Yes, I know, and I would listen to her until she turned her back and I would go out again." The young female answered, a cheeky grin on her face as she turned around.

Her father grinned back at her, he had the exact same smile as him, although his lacked the mischief.

"Alright, but while I hunt you must bring your brother with you." The leopard male said softly.

"Of course, Papa, but only if it is Harvey," Bartered Eudora, she had many brothers, from the ages 20 to still in the womb, but her favourite was her Harvey. He was a soft-spoken 18-year-old leopard beastman with no stripes. But although he had a weak body, he had a strong mind. He was able to memorize different medicines and how to help different injured or sick females. He was currently only an apprentice under William, the ape beastman who had become a father figure to Eudora.

"Fine, fine, I will drop you off at Williams hut, and come back with some food." The male said, smiling softly at his daughter. Although Harvey was not his son, after Ada kicked him out of their home because he could not gain a stripe. The leopard beastman had taken him under his wing and trained him.

"Thank you so much, Papa, I promise I will not bother Harvey too much." Squealed Eudora, she was excited to see her brother again after a long and boring cold season.

Ada was considered the most beautiful female in the village, and she acted like it too. Any of her children that were not strong or handsome, were cast out and abounded. Her mates wished she was not to hard on them, but they wouldn't help their cubs in fear that she would abandon them as well.

That was until Eudora was born, and Ada in a fit of rage, slapped Eudora when she was only two cold seasons old. From then on, her father had taken Eudora and raised her single with the help of William, who sympathised with him. Ada refused to take Eudora's fathers back as a mate after he ran, so she cut their mate mark.

The only thing that stopped him from dying from sadness was the small giggle of his daughter. Slowly he began to regain his senses and grew to strongly dislike his female, which made her abandonment less painful. The leopard decided to get stronger for his daughter, and he started training harder and longer. He was always away hunting dangerous beasts, or feral. Until he gained his third mark and became the strongest beast in the village. After that he finally let himself rest, he took over as chief from his elder, who was looking to retire with his female.

He regularly visited the Leopard King as an advisor and grew close with William, convincing him to take Harvey as an apprentice. In return he provided the ape beastmen with vegetables to eat and a family to car for.

The four of them became like a family, William, and the Chief the fathers, Harvey the grown brother and Eudora as the perfect daughter. 

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