Born of the Egyptian Night

Six

Tau's POV

"Somthing's wrong. It shouldn't take this long." I was an emotional wreck, the sun had just finished setting and there was still no change in Layla. "Badru, you've seen a transformation before, this isn't right, it shouldn't take but a day."

Layla's body was wracked with trembles, as she lay on the forest floor, alone. If I can not claim her to to lessen her pain, as least I could sooth her. But Badru refused to let me lay a finger on her, much less lay with her. Instead Badru and myself sat around a little campfire, and I was forced to watch her. Watch as she silently screamed and cried in pain for hours. Occasionally she would loose conscienceness for a short while, and her body would twitch and tremble, as it was now. I was coming to my breaking point.

"You will leave her be Tau, or you will never see her again" his, normally, calm monotone voice was becoming tight with annoyance.

"She is in agony! Can you not see it? Or do you not care?"

"I care for every life, how dare you doubt my compassion!" Badru stood from his seat by the small campfire, to turn his fiery gaze on me. "It is you who have brought this upon her. She. Will. Die. Just as every women before her has!"

"Bastet led me to her that night for a reason Badru. Layla is ment for me, she is mine." I began pacing in anxiety, "A male from every generation of my family has been a wildcat, Badru, since the very beginning. We are servants of the gods, created to protect their people, and it is my duty to continue our dwindling race."

"Yes, we are all for Egypt Tau. But we chose this, willingly, and we all knew the responsibility it entails. Tell me Tau, did she get such a choice?" I immediately dropped my gaze to Layla again, but I couldn't find it in me to regret my decision.

"We can not protect the people if we are extinct." I all but whispered, with my eyes still on my Layla.

"What did you just say?" The former anger dissolved to disbelief, "You... you mean to use her as your personal breeder. You want her to bare young." He all but whispered, fisting his hair in what I assume was frustration.

"Imagine it Badru, a race of not only men, but women." I said turning to look at him, then back to my beautiful Layla. "Women who will bare the strong Wildcats of a new generation."

Before I could even register the attack Badru had me crumpled on the ground gasping for air from the blow to my stomach. I looked up just in time to see fist coming at my head, and then everything went black.

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Layla's POV

Pain. Inconceivable pain. My entire body was shaking with it. Every muscle, every bone was screaming pain and just when I thought it could get no worse, it did.

My screams were no longer silent as bones began to pop, twist and elongate. The pain so great I couldn't even form thoughts of question as to what was happening to me. I arched my back one last time before settling into a fetal position, as a geat pain bloomed at the base of my spine. This time when I opened my mouth to scream it was drowned out by the feral scream of a beast.

"My Gods..." a strange voice said from beside me, "this is it."

My breaths came in short pants and my heart raced. Why was this strange man with me instead of Tau? And then he spoke to me, filling me with hope and comfert.

"Layla remember what I taught you," I could just barely hear Tau over the thruming pulse in my ears, why was he so far from me? "Breathe deep Layla, just breathe, don't question. Just breathe."

I did as I was told as best as I could, trying to ignore the pain and just breath, as my heart tried to break free of my chest. I couldn't stop what happened next as my body seemed to move of it's own accord.