Linewalkers

19 | Unhuman and Crewmen

Not Edited 

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The panther almost seemed to dance with the forest. 

It moved soundlessly and effortlessly over the land, dodging obstacles and navigating debris. She was just a passenger along for the ride upon its mighty back and she dared not make a noise. No matter how hard her heart pounded from the fear of uncertainty. 

They came to close encounters with Fallarks and the panther would cleverly avoid them. Sometimes, they'd pause in the shadow of a boulder or tree, midnight fur blending effortlessly, and then the panther would be sprinting with ungodly speed when the coast was clear. She was amazed with the creature and its ability but she also worried what it had planned for her. 

Soon, they left the forest behind in a blur of color and she couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her. For the most part, the Fallarks would remain in the forest in search of her before they realized she wasn't there, more or less buying her time to escape. She had to think fast but she could not do so until the panther decided to let her go. 

And it had no such plans because although it slowed its pace, it did not allow her to dismount. She felt its sides heaving slightly, trying to regain its lost breath, but it kept moving. She was helpless to whatever it wanted and she hoped for dear life it wasn't taking her back to a den to become dinner. 

She scanned her surroundings with the slowed, yet steady, pace and she noticed buildings. They were running parallel to a dirt road and a few moments later, the panther paused. She took the opportunity to slip from its back and she landed in the grass with a grunt. 

The panther remained still, its eyes focused on something in the distance, but its tail swirled behind it in a form of agitation. She came to realize, from her view on the ground, that the panther was indeed a male. She knew that male predators could be more vicious and she didn't knew whether she could run or if she'd be dead in the new few seconds. 

Eventually, he sighed and amber eyes stuck her in her spot. She was almost breathless. There was intelligence lurking in those eyes and she doubted it was merely animal. There was much she didn't understand about this world and she wondered if she could possibly be face-to-face with a shapeshifter. 

On that thought, she spoke, "Where are you taking me?" 

His ears twitched, a pink tongue darting out to lick its lips, and then the panther turned away from her. Before she could move, he bound away, leaving her on the forest floor. She gaped. But, she assumed it couldn't have gone any smoother. She was alive and that's what mattered but she was hopeless to navigate this world without Kreve. 

As if the mere thought summoned him, she was startled when Kreve appeared beside her. 

"What?" She blurted in surprise, "Where did you come from? How did you get here?" 

"We have to keep moving," Kreve said, brushing aside her surprise, "It won't be long before the Fallarks pick up your trail again." 

She instantly connected the dots. His amber eyes, the panther's, and the uncanny personality. She allowed him to help her off the ground, "You have a lot of explaining to do." Was all she could say. 

"Another time," He grunted, "We need to gather supplies from the Harbor Markets before we head out to sea." 

"Wait, we're going on a ship?" 

He glanced at her, "Yeah? What, are you easily seasick?" 

"No," She mumbled, "I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything."