Lethal Beauty

LIII - Metamorphose

[TW: This part contains content that some might find disturbing, reader's discretion is advised]

In their beastly forms, the purebloods were a lot faster, flying over the land that almost blurred Abel's vision. He tried to get a clear shot but was having difficulty in doing so. Even when his vision was now a lot clearer than before after the exchange of blood with Iris. His finger sweat over the trigger and Iris couldn't move any faster for fear that Abel might get thrown off his back.

Civet took them along the side of the cliff now, plunging closely to their deaths. Abel asked Iris to pull alongside and when he did, Abel jumped! He wrestled against Civet in a hogback as the earth sped by beneath them. Iris snarled on the side and had bitten his brother's flesh and the lion howled in pain. With the arrival of the predators in the quiet forestry area, a group of buffalo started panicking, causing a momentary stampede. Civet tilted his body to the right but Abel dragged him from his mane, sending them both tumbling onto the ground.

Buffalos galloping past them on all sides, both Abel and the lion Civet, were dodging left and right, avoiding being crushed by the stampede. As though they were in a freeway and other vehicles raced past them. One of the buffalos raised his hooves and Abel could swear that he was almost squashed underneath the animal if not for Iris who appeared in the nick of time. His body pushing the prey aside, Abel jumped like a parkour master, springing himself back onto his back. The crossbow was pinned in between Iris' teeth and Abel took it, again, manipulating the hunter's weapon and turning it into a spear.

The chase was on!

Iris slowed down but once he saw Civet's golden-brown mane, he immediately rushed forward, bringing Abel closer and closing the gap between them. Using his highly tuned balance, he hurled the spear straight through the body of the lion. It wasn't enough to kill him but it was enough to put his speed into a halt until Civet was forced to leaped across the ravine and---THUD!

Civet hit the ground, and he rolled toward the drop and clawed at the dirt to slow himself.

---he was falling over the side.

...hanging on for dear life by one hand.

The lion's rear end dangled over the air...

A beat. Civet stared at both Iris and Abel in a distance across the ravine.

Iris was enraged, and slowly began creeping towards him, hunkered down in an attack position, growling with eyes filled with bloodlust.

Tension builds between them, but as soon as the lion finally gained his momentum, he was the first to attack.

Iris' paw swerved him to the side, and his claws slashed him across the face, knocking him down. Civet retreated and tried it again, only this time, Abel was right behind Iris and his spear, now back as a crossbow, was aimed directly at his face.

He SHOOTS.

The silver bullet was stuck in his brain and he was thrown backward. Weakening now, Civet had lost control of his beastly form and slowly returned to his true form. Iris did the same and stared down at the man whose smile mirrored his own when he took the lives of those, he didn't deem worthy to live.

"You cannot end it now, Iris. We still have a mission to finish."

Iris sneered and suddenly Abel appeared beside him, his hand on his shoulder. "What kind of mission?"

"To rid of this world of the wicked."

"Today is a fine example of that mission you and your dearest mother concocted."