Dark Pan Histories: from Forever to Never [In Progress]

The Unspoken Truth (Part 3)

Tiger Lily sat at the front of the Elders tent. In her father's absence, she was the one who would leader her tribe. As she listened to the Elders drone on about the decisions for the tribe that would ultimately be left to Tiger Lily to make, she found herself lost in thoughts of her father.

None of Great Big Little Panthers men had come back, not even Running Wolf's father, Standing Wolf. It seemed that the mighty warriors, and her father, had fallen to the darkness.

One of the Elders had suggested a memorial for the lost tribal warriors and their Chieftain.

"I'm sorry," Tiger Lily said. "I didn't hear you."

"Princess," one of the Elders said in a sympathetic tone. "Perhaps you would like some time to more the loss of your father. The Elders can make the decisions best suited for the tribe if you wish some time to yourself."

Tiger Lily knew that she should accept sometime to mourn the loss of her father, but she was certain, in her heart, that her father was not dead. Taking a deep breath, Tiger Lily sat up straight in her father's chair.

"No," Tiger Lily said. "My father did not take time away when we lost my mother. He said that the tribe could only survive if there was a Chieftain to do his duties. I will do as my father would have, I will put the tribe above my own sorrow."

By the time Tiger Lily left the Elders tent she was exhausted. The tribe was going to move further westward, away from the Cannibal Cove. Many of the Elders felt this would be the best way to avoid any more lives lost. Tiger Lily had to agree. There was still nothing to say the Cannibals wouldn't come after them, or that the disease would not spread, but there was little more than could be done.

After much deliberation, Tiger Lily had also agreed to let the Elders plan a memorial for those lost.

As the sun began to sink Tiger Lily left the village and made her way back to the point where she had last seen her father outside of their home. She stood on the edge of their lands and looked up at the mountain before her.

The anger reds and forbidding blacks of the clouds that surrounded the mountain peak held her attention. They seemed to move, ebbing and flowing, with the steadily increasing beat of her heart. Almost like a drumming calling her towards them.

"Tiger Lily."

She heard her voice whispered on the winds. It was subtle, but she had heard it. The voice that called to her was her father's voice.

Closing her eyes Tiger Lily tried to listen to the winds.

"Tiger Lily." She heard her voice again. "Help me."

The voice was filled with fear and pain. The steed, her father's steed, pawed at the ground nervously and reaching over Tiger Lily stroked his mane to calm him. While she trusted the winds, her father always told her that the voices on the winds were not always who they seemed.

Looking back in the direction of her village, Tiger Lily knew that she had made her choice. Long before she had left the village to come to this place before she had attended the meeting with the Elders. She had made her choice.

Reaching up, Tiger Lily gripped the steeds powerful neck and pulled herself up onto the horse.

"We need to find my father," Tiger Lily whispered to the horse. "Let the spirits guide you. Take me to him."

Without another word, the horse began its descent. Leaving behind the safety of her home, Tiger Lily started towards the cursed lands.

The Dark Stranger stood on an outcropping cliff and stared down into the forest below. He knew that she would come, she was but a child and he needed what she had. He needed to take away her innocence.