The Beast Within Us

Chapter 14: ↭ Yara & ⑄ Chala

⑄ The night had reached its zenith.

The moon hung eerily in the sky, slim and curved as her own claws. Tonight would be one with very little vision for those without the eyes for it. Chala huffed lightly, her head resting on her paws as she lay on the bench Yara had directed her to. It was long enough to fit her body, and the blankets and pillows made it much more comfortable to sleep on than it might have been otherwise. 

A large yawn gaped her jaws, and Chala raised her head to take in Yara's lightly sleeping form. For a few moments that was all she did, watching the warden's chest rise and fall as she slumbered and contemplated the situation she'd found herself in. She wondered what kind of person Yara was beneath her front and her title. She wondered if she could afford her the same trust she felt she could give Darryn.  In a way she would have to, given their new working relationship. However, the tigress couldn't help but feel that it was...different somehow. 

On a whim, she rose from her bed and moved toward the door of the warden's caravan, pushing the door open with a large paw and stepping out into the cool air. They'd stopped in a wooded area which pleased Chala greatly. Where there was wood, there was prey, and perhaps hunting might clear her mind for the night so that she might rest before it was time to move again. 

Chala sauntered deeper into the forest without worry- finding her way back would be a trivial thing. For now she scented her surroundings, searching for any small animals that might felt brave enough to venture out at night. The scent she was met with was unexpected to say the least.

The hewan girl shifted and whirled around in surprised, and Yara crashed into her almost seconds after. She managed to catch the other girl by her shoulders, and felt her stiffen fearfully in her grasp, struggling a bit.

"Yara," she said, catching the brunette's attention and causing her to finally look at her in recognition. Releasing her, Chala crossed her arms and gave the warden a reproachful look. 

"You shouldn't be running about the woods at night in only your shirt and cloak. I can't protect you from catching a cold." Chala's voice was slightly annoyed, amd her tail lashed in irritation. "Why are you here?" A thought crossed her mind that made her eyes narrow at the other girl. "...You weren't going to meet someone out here for some midnight rendezvous were you?" With the way she put the emphasis on words, Yara would know exactly what someone the huntress was speaking of.  ⑄ 

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↭ Yara gasped as her form crashed into the solidity of Chala. Her near-onyx eyes held the stormy gaze of the tigress as she righted herself and listened to Chala's reprimand. The frigid breeze ruffled her cloak and Yara pulled the comfort of its warmth tighter around her as she placed more distance between the woman and herself.

Her brow furrowed as Chala obviously insinuated her sneaking away to meet Darryn and Yara's blood began to boil at the thought of Darryn betraying her trust to Chala about their relationship. Yara straightened her spine, looking fully into Chala's steely gaze. Was their connection that visible, or did Darryn not respect her need for an honorable reputation?

"I was following you. Where were you going? Were you trying to escape?"↭