Valley of Weeds

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four:

Amur felt as if he were about to drop. He had been looking for Flower all night, and there was still no sign of her. His voice had grown raspy from calling her. He stared at the ground.

I can't give up. Not yet. I'm going to find her and make things right again. I've got to-

His ears pricked up. What was that noise? He strained to hear it again. Yes, there it was! Screaming? His eyes widened.

Flower!

-----

Amur exploded through the bushes, but there was nobody there. He cursed under his breath as he turned to leave. He had been so sure! Perhaps he was beginning to give in to the stress. He didn't expect Flower to answer after he didn't tell her that he was her father, but he called anyway.

"Flower! Flower, where are you?"

"Am-" The scream of a reply was cut off.

Amur ran in the direction of the voice. He skidded to a halt when he reached a clearing. On the other side of it was Searn, holding Flower down with one paw while other was covering her mouth.

Searn bared his teeth when he saw Amur. Flower's tail shot up when she saw him too.

"Let her go!" Amur yelled.

"Why should I?" Searn screamed back. "This is payback, Amur! Payback for making my mother and father drive me away! Do you have any idea how that felt to have the one you idolize chase you away like... like... like vermin?! And what about Atrista and Cassia?! They loved you, they always loved you! No matter how hard I tried to get close to them, their eyes always glowed when they were looking at you! Never me! Never! That's why they never wanted to have my cubs, Amur! That's why I killed them! Because of you!"

"No!" Amur was shaking.

"Yes! You killed them! It's your fault they're dead!"

Amur shook his head violently. "Let my daughter go or I'll-"

"You'll what, Amur?! Tell me! What will you do? Kill me? As if my death, the death of one tiger, will make up for those of every one of my victems? Axel, Atrista, Cassia, her mate and cubs, everyone in that forsaken palace but the runt, Secaro? It'll avenge all of them?"

Amur froze. "You killed Secaro?"

"Yes, that filthy insect was about to let the royals go. But that doesn't matter! I have a deal to make with you. If you tell me where Atha and the cubs are, I will let you have your precious scrap of fur that you call your daughter."

Amur gritted his teeth together. Flower started squirming, so Searn readjusted the position of his grip on her, swearing all the while. Flower growled at him.

"Shut up, you pathetic waste of flesh," Searn snapped.

"Don't talk to her that way!" Amur hissed.

Searn looked back at him and his lips curled into a grin. "Amur, you've grown soft. So what'll it be? Your cub-" He glanced down at Flower, "-Or Atha and her cubs?"

"You won't get either!"

Searn clentched his jaw. "Stupid fool!" He spat. He looked down at Flower. "Now it's time to do what I should've done when I killed that idiot, Atrista!" He began to let his claws slip out so they could drive into the cub's tiny body.

"NO!" Amur screamed.

Searn didn't have time to look up before Amur had tackled him. Amur quickly went down to rip out Searn's throat.

"You killed my mate, you killed my brother, you killed my best friend and her family. They were like parts of me, therfore you killed part of me. So I'm going to avenge them. But before I do, listen carefully. You didn't have to kill Axel. If you didn't, then we could've stayed friends. You were more than a friend to me back then, Searn. You were my brother. But my brothers are dead." Tears ran down from his stinging eyes.

Searn managed one last evil, triumphant grin. "I'll save you a seat in Hell," He seethed.

Amur's long fangs latched into Searn's throat, and his mouth filled with the taste of blood.