A Pride of Werecats

Chapter 37

Cale's POV

With everything that was going on Cale didn't expect to hear the door open and close. But he did. The devastation should have kept them all together yet someone had left. Cale wanted nothing more than to sleep away this exhaustion from such a tense day in which he discovered that he was dead to the mortal world. 

Instead, he got up and left his room. Naoko had done the same, her big doe eyes red and tired. 

"I really hope that wasn't Nyarai," Naoko whispered.

Cale's whole body clenched. It could have been Nyarai running back to see Zodwa even though she had been told what would happen. Nyarai hadn't said much to them so who knew what she was really planning.

Naoko walked over to her door and peeked through it. She sighed and turned back to Cale closing the door. 

"She's still there," Naoko whispered again walking back over to Cale.

Cale also heaved a sigh of relief, "thank god."

Then it occurred to him, there was still someone missing, Nyarai was the worst-case scenario but it could have easily have been Alkira or Tahi. Cale didn't know much about Tahi but he knew that Alkira wouldn't be going home but instead somewhere else.

Naoko checked on Tahi, "She's still here."

"Alkira," Cale whispered. 

Naoko's brow furrowed, "Where could Alkira have gone?"

Cale's stomach fell, "I have a really bad feeling about this, I think we should follow her."

"I suppose we could track her scent but what about the others? I don't think we should leave them behind what if they try to go back home or something stupid," Naoko said.

"Wake them up we'll have to take them too," Cale said the feeling worsening. 

Somehow they managed to wake up Nyarai and Tahi. Nyarai was still very unresponsive but her eyes were open and she was standing. They didn't know if she was listening as they quickly explained the situation to her. Tahi, however, was responsive and nodding along, her eyes showed signs that she was following along and when they had finished she asked, "So we are chasing down Alkira off a feeling?"

That feeling was pressing down on Cale even as she had asked that but he explained, "We aren't humans anymore we have strange powers now. Mine is telling me to follow Alkira and I don't think we should be separated either. Especially during this time."

Tahi looked to Naoko for a second opinion. Naoko shrugged, "It's been a long and confusing night but it's not over."

Tahi just nodded, "ok I'll go."

Cale smiled slightly, as much as the crushing feeling would allow him. Tahi hardly knew them but would follow them into the night. Was this the werecat powers once again? None of them truly knew each other but there they were walking out of their dome to follow after Alkira. Cale's skin was crawling and a sense of urgency pounded in his mind. 

He was glad that Nyarai was following even if Naoko was holding her hand to guide her. Cale would have done the same though he was now covered in a coat of sweat.

They followed the scent trail down to the station and to one of the platforms. Alkira wasn't there but a train had just left. And there were ten minutes until the next. 

"I suppose we just wait," Naoko shrugged and lead Nyarai to a bench. 

Cale couldn't sit, he paced in front of them as Naoko offered Nyarai food from the vending machine. Nyarai didn't react, however. Many eyes were drawn to the strange group of teenagers on the train platform but Cale couldn't be bothered by that.

"I hope we don't get recognised," Naoko said.

"I'm sure Pan would have made that difficult too," Cale replied. 

The train soon arrived and Cale nervously stepped out the carriage at each platform to see if he could scent Alkira before getting back in. It wasn't until the very last station and all the others had given up hope that Cale finally scented Alkira. He had kept on the train as the sense of urgency had compelled him to. He didn't know if instincts knew about trains but he knew that they were going in the right direction. 

They all piled off the train and began walking down a country road following Alkira's scent. Cale would have ran but he had to wait for the others. Nyarai looked a little more alert but still, Naoko was practically dragging her behind as they tried to keep up with Cale. Time was painful yet melted away as he plunged ever forward into the darkness of the barely lit street.

Suddenly Alkira's scent verged off to the side and into the thick forest. Cale followed. And there she was. But she wasn't alone. Cale turned to the others and put a finger to his lips while beckoning them forward. They watched Alkira and these two figured in dark and heavy cloaks. Cale's skin crawled again and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. 

Alkira offered them a bag which one took.

"Well?" they heard her ask.

The other reached into its cloak and pulled out a small velvet bag. They tossed it toward Alkira but in the same second the other took out a small gun and fired a shot. Alkira caught the bag but was unable to react to the gun. The bullet hit her in the chest and she fell.

Cale couldn't control himself. He shifted and exploded out from behind the bushes. He noticed Naoko had done the same and they both thundered towards them. 

They grabbed Alkira's body and started to run away from the two giant cats.

The hunt was on.

Cale was not going to let them getaway. He was determined but they were fast, even carrying the weight of Alkira's body didn't slow them down. Despite running as fast as his lion body could carry him he began to fall behind. But from behind him, Naoko's leopard form shot forward. Her sleek body was much faster than his bulky lion. She hunted them hot on their heels. Behind himself, Cale could sense both Tahi and Nyarai's cats also on the hunt.

As much as panic did fill hid mind, it was also exhilarating running at this speed. Chasing someone. He quickly understood why cats loved to hunt even if they were fed. He pushed his body to move faster but couldn't quite keep up with Naoko. Naoko was snapping at their heels. They narrow managed to keep their cloaks away from her teeth. They couldn't keep it up for much longer.

And they didn't have to. 

There was a dip in the ground and the figures fell behind it, Naoko raced to the peak but suddenly stopped and stepped back a few paces before shifting back. Cale stood met her.

Below was a ruined castle, the main structure was there but it was crumbling and most of the detail had gone. Surrounding it was what pulled Cale's attention. There was a spectrum of man to monster and all points of that spectrum were there. They all had one thing in common, eyes like shattered glass. The two figures dragged Alkira inside.

Cale shifted back and turned to Nyarai and Tahi who had also shifted back, "We've got to get her!"

"Ok let's charge in!" Naoko's voice was filled with panic as she looked from face to face. 

They all nodded and shifted. 

They were to be extremely outnumbered but nothing else made sense. So four horse-sized big cats charged toward a horde of demons. One lion, leopard, lioness and tiger. 

But a cheetah darted in front of them to stop them. 

Meow Myths,

Who is this cheetah? Well, we will have to find out next chapter.

Thank you very much for reading, and please remember to vote comment and follow.

First published - 8/11/2019

Next update - 22/11/2019

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