A Tale of Three

Chapter 2: Hope

"See that lion to your front left, that's Brutus. He's not the brightest fellow, but he's really nice once you get to know him." Brutus started to growl. "But he's also extremely strong, and brutish, and all this other stuff!" Brutus was quiet at that, seemingly satisfied.

"Kratos is the tiger across from him. He's not particularly nice, but he is great friends with my brother. Then behind you to the right is Rana. She's a jaguar, so don't call her a leopard. We actually lost a soldier last time someone called her that. Feluna wasn't pleased. And then there's Nasinga! She's the cheetah to your back right. She's like super nice and my best friend," Kiki then gasped as if she had horribly offended Sheila. "Not that you're not my best friend, you're like my best friend too!"

"You killed my mate." It was the first words Sheila had spoken in two days. Kiki's eyes widened, and she quickly stepped away from Sheila.

"Kiki, no one cares about your friends. Now I would appreciate some silence!" Swiven roared, his eyes locking onto Kiki like he was about to attack her.

Kiki finally closed her mouth, tears starting to brim in her eyes. She quickly lowered her head as if she were trying to hide the tears from the rest of the group. The trek once again became silent.

Sheila walked with her eyes on the ground. She counted every piece of grass she crushed, every pinecone, and every step she took. Anything to get her mind off that night. Her swollen belly swung as she walked, pulling at the skin around her shoulder. Sheila knew that the wound was getting anything but better. She'd be surprised if she lived long enough to give birth to her cubs once infection set in.

Her mind froze on the thought of her cubs. Ephemer had said they were in some prophecy. Maybe that was why all this had happened. The felines must be as crazy as Posterus. Maybe Posterus had told them the same prophecy, and they had come here expecting it to be true. Sheila knew there were mysterious workings on the island, but she had never been one for prophecies. Sheila looked up at her captors, and for once, really looked at them.

They were all well fed and healthy. In fact, they almost looked too healthy. Sheila took a closer look at Rana and Nasinga. Her head reeled in confusion. They were perfect. They're bodies envied those at Muses. No scars seemed to line their bodies, and each muscle was perfectly filled out. But that was impossible. They weren't in Muses. Sheila looked back at the males. They were the same.

Sheila shook her head. It just wasn't right. She looked back again for some flaw, but there wasn't one at all. It was like their bodies at never been outside before.

It seemed they had been walking for a week by the time the moon rose. It rose across the sun streaked sky, bringing the sunset into darkness. Around her the felines began to lie down. Sheila nervously lowered herself, darting her eyes around her guards. They didn't seem to care that she too was lying down, and Sheila couldn't suppress her relief as she hit the forest floor. They had been walking for two days, and somehow it was the first time Sheila felt tired. The panthress stretched, preparing to sleep. As Sheila looked up at the forest of stars, she felt a whimper escape her throat. She hadn't seen the stars in so long. She wondered if Ephemer was up there. Sheila remembered the stories she'd been told as a cub, and how that when felines die they join nature. They become the stars, the leaves, and even the trees. She hoped Ephemer hadn't been stuck as a star. That would've been too boring for him. He would've wanted to be the wind or the river. He'd never been good at staying still.

Actually, he would have wanted to be alive and meet her cubs.

Sheila started to cry. Her cubs would die now, and it would be her fault.