Paws

Paws 1

Prologue

   "Azura slow down you wouldn't want to fall on your face, again would you?" Azura turns around and looks at her mother "I won't fall this time mother!" replied Azura as she ran toward her best friend's den. "AEDUS!!! Let's go play I'm bored!" screamed Azura into the den. No sound was heard and Azura called again "AEDUS!!! You there?" quiet not even a cricket's chirp. "Aedus?" whispered Azura feeling down. Azura's mother walks up to her and nuzzles Azura's cheek "Sweetie it's ok I'm sure they just went out for the day". Together the two walked to their usual sun gazing cliff.

   Not realizing the danger Azura and her mother curls up together at their favorite spot and watched the sun as it slowly sets in the horizon. After a while Azura begins to feel sleepy and slowly closes her eyes. An urgent nudge from her mother woke her up almost flipping her onto her back. "Mother! I was sleeping what is it?" complained Azura groggily. "Azura we must leave now! It's not safe here." said her mother as she picks Azura up by her scruff and ran through the rainforest. Azura watched as the tall rainforest trees flew by.

   They both heard a loud crash and the sound of paws hitting the ground. "What's that!? Are we in danger!?" asked Azura feeling scared. Her mother didn't answer, but sped up zig zagging through the rainforest hoping to lose the enemy on their tail. Sadly, the enemy seemed to be smarter than she had thought. He was getting closer by the minute and Azura's mother was tiring quickly.

   Azura's mother give one last burst of speed using all the energy she had left to gain more ground before the enemy caught up. She turned right and left so many times even Azura lost track. Few minutes later Azura's mother slows to a stop and drops her gently. "Listen Azura mother loves you and I always will. Mother won't let the enemy kill us both so run Azura run for your life and save yourself" Azura's mother said quickly and kisses Azura's forehead. "Mother what about you? I'm not leaving without you mother!" said Azura as tears flowed down her white tiger fur.

   "Mother will catch up with you Azura I promise, but you must run away quickly" replied Azura's mother. "You promised mother so you better come for me!" Azura said as she turned right and ran. Azura's mother watched as her only cub runs out of sight knowing that this is the last time she will ever see her cub. "Mother is sorry Azura, but I might not keep that promise..." whispered Azura's mother as tears flowed down her white tiger fur. Turning around, Azura's mother watched as the enemy catches up and jumps through the tangle of bushes.

   The enemy growls at Azura's mother, Neva. "WHERE IS SHE?!GIVE ME AZURA, NEVA!" roared Neus, her brother. "Never Neus, I will never hand my precious daughter to you!" growled Neva. That's when Neus jumps on Neva and both crash to the ground in a mess of paws and fur. "TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" roared Neus as he slashes Neva across her face. Neva crashes to the forest floor panting, blood dripping from the slash marks "Over my dead body Neus!" snarled Neva. Neus pounces on Neva champing his jaws around Neva's neck and snaps it. "You deserved to die" sneered Neus. He dropped Neva's limp body and kicked it many times before running after Azura.

Meanwhile...

   Azura runs for her life as she cries thinking about her mother. Azura trips on a tree root and falls on her face. "Mother!" Azura cries "Where are you mother Azura misses you. You promised to come for Azura so why aren't you here!" "Who is this crying so loudly in front of my tree?" came a voice. Azura being taught by her mother to fight since young got into fighting position and growled. "Woah don't have to be festy little kitty!" snickered a brown owl that looked as if his feathers had been burnt that color. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" growled Azura. "Nothing really just want you to leave and stop crying so loudly in front of my tree" replied the owl yawning.

   Azura relaxed a bit and apologizes "I'm sorry I shall leave you to your sleep then mister". The owl waves his wings in a shooing motion and goes back to sleep. Azura runs a little more hoping that her mother is ok and they will reunite soon. She was about to stop for a water break when something crashed into her. "OW!" Azura cried out. "I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was running!" replied the cub who was sitting on Azura looking down at her in amusement and concern. "Would you so kindly get off me please" Azura said feeling annoyed.

   The other cub got off Azura and sat there looking at her. "What? Do you need something from me?" Azura questioned getting annoyed. "No, I just thought you looked familiar." replied the other cub. "My name is Aedus what's your?" asked the cub. "Aedus? Did you say your name is Aedus?" Azura asked not believing her ears. "Yea why?" Azura tackled Aedus and squealed "It's me Azura your best friend!" "Azura? No way It's you Azura!" cried Aedus in joy as the two cubs hugged each other.

   The two parted and smiles at each other. "Where were you Aedus? I went to your den but you weren't there" "Sorry Azura me and my mother ran away." replied Aedus with a sad distant look in his eyes. "It's fine, but where is your mother Aedus?" "She... She died trying to give me time to run...." replied Aedus as he cries remembering the bloody scene. Azura hugs Aedus hoping she could comfort him, but deep within Azura was hoping her mother was alive and coming for her. "What about you Azura why are you here what happened? Why aren't you with your mother?" Aedus asked wiping away his tears. "She told me to run and that she would come for me when she was done" responded Azura fear eating at her.

   Aedus nuzzles Azura reassuring her that her mother is ok. "Your mother is the strongest tiger I've seen and not to mention the prettiest with her white fur and green eyes" said Aedus "You are prettier than your mother Azura you have your father's blue eyes and your mother's pelt" Aedus ended up blushing at the end. "Aedus has become a flirt!" laughed Azura "But I don't mind as long as Aedus you are here I know things will be fine".

   After their little reunion Aedus and Azura went hunting. "Let's see who catches their prey first!" challenged Aedus. "I'll win for sure!" replied Azura. The two-split up to search for prey Aedus to the left and Azura to the right. Azura kept low to the ground and followed the trail that was left behind by a rabbit. She spotted a large pump rabbit in the middle of her meal. Oh, she's mine now" thought Azura as she crawled forward getting ready to pounce when out of nowhere a large shadow flew across her view and snatches the rabbit up and kills it.

   Aedus meanwhile tracked down a squirrel and was about to go find Azura when he smelled the scent that haunted his nightmares. Aedus growled and ran in the direction Azura took praying that he makes it in time to save her. "I won't let him kill another person I love!" muttered Aedus as he sped up. When he got there, what he saw was so horrible that he was glued to the spot.