Linewalkers

18 | Feline and Insanity Lines

Not Edited 

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Before she could move, something stopped her. 

She held her breath to listen and sure enough she heard something else in pursuit. A rhythmic beat of four feet echoed in the forest. They were softer than that of a horses and she felt the hairs on the nap of her neck stand up. Something else was coming and it wasn't good. 

She pressed up against the trunk of the tree and glanced around. It would be stupid to climb down and she didn't have time to climb up with the approaching predator - or she'd risk being seen through a thin branched area versus staying concealed where she was. She couldn't decide if it was worse than a Fallark, maybe a nasty predator of this world. God, she wished Kreve was with her. He would at least help her discern friend from foe. 

Suddenly, before she could think further, a slender, black mass moved beneath the tree. Her breath froze and so did the creature. Its long body was sleek and powerful. She noticed a tail twitching behind the creature and she assumed it to be a feline of some sort. Not that it made her situation any better. Now she had to avoid a wild animal. 

Flashbacks of the man who morphed into a wild cat bombarded her mind. The creatures of this world were vicious, and it was worse to think that shapeshifting was a real thing. Combined with animal instinct, the ones who did appear human were probably far from it. Her fingernails bit in the bark of the tree, she desperately hoped the feline would continue on its way. 

However, she knew it was searching for someone and she knew it was her. It had an incredible sense of smell and her stomach dropped in horror when its head tilted back. Over its shoulder, amber eyes glowed up at her. She felt the blood drain from her face. Its tail twitched once and then it lurched for the trunk of the tree. 

She panicked. She surely never imagined her life being taken in a tree where her corpse would drop to the ground with resonating gore. Sharp claws scraped against bark and the feline quickly climbed the tree. She, however, was at less advantage to climb as quick. Her palms were cut from the rough bark and she couldn't find a foothold to scramble further up the tree. She considered jumping but then the fall would probably break bones. 

Next thing she knew, the feline was pulling itself onto the branch with her. She felt a scream rising in her throat but it got caught at the bulge of terror cutting her air supply. Nobody would save her now. She was shaking so bad that her foot slipped and her life flashed before her eyes. Though, her arms grabbed hold of the limb and she found herself hugging onto the tree limb for dear life. 

She squeezed her eyes closed and her heart thundered in fear of her fate. The tree limb shifted only slightly beneath the weight of the feline - which she was able to identify as a panther. What a fate she would meet. Trapped in a tree with a panther. 

Hot breath fanned across her back and she squeezed her eyes tighter. Her muscles clenched in anticipation of pain but there was none to come. For several moments, she waited and so did the panther. Confusion filtered through her mind but before she could investigate, she heard thundering hooves in the distance. 

Her entire life was messed up. The Fallarks were returning. Not only did she have to face a panther but with the Fallarks, too, she was dead either way. However, the panther didn't seem to have an interest in killing her and that confused her more. She felt the limb shift again and she assumed the panther had heard the Fallarks coming just as she. Maybe the Fallarks would scare the panther off and she could keep hiding in temporary safety. 

Yet, no such thing happened. In fact, a heavy paw was placed between her shoulder blades and pressure was applied. Her eyes flashed open and she gazed at the dizzying ground beneath her before she closed them again. She felt like pleading for her life but that hadn't worked last time. However, the weight remained the same and she realized that the paw was meant to keep her in place because as the Fallarks drew closer, the panther settled on the limb to conceal her body. 

It was one of the weirdest experiences she ever had in her life but she was in no place to object. She obeyed the weight between her shoulder blades and listened as the Fallarks arrived. There was shouting in a language she didn't understand. Horses snorting and whinnying, pawing and prancing. They drew to a stop but the horses still fussed, their hooves drumming the ground. The Fallarks weren't directly below her but they were close, she was too scared to open her eyes. 

More words flew in a heated discussion and then she heard the horses split up. Multiple different directions were filled with the noise of the horses' powerful hooves. They were scoping the area for her. She knew it wouldn't be long before they stopped searching the ground and started searching the trees. They weren't stupid and she couldn't be either. 

Suddenly, the panther above her moved. The horses drew further away. Its paw was removed from her back and a low growl accompanied the motion. Somehow, her body knew how to react and she pulled her head up to stare at the animal. 

She was terrified. It was a really big cat and its black coat gleamed almost sinisterly. Hot breath fanned across her face and she shivered. However, she noticed how its amber eyes were displaying a different story. They were warm, she would even dare to say kind, and something about them seemed familiar. 

Suddenly, she felt like she could trust this panther, and before she could consider the absurd thought, the panther was descending down the tree. It leaped from the limb, latching onto the trunk of the tree and then landing on the ground. Three quick motions and then it turned its head to glance up at her. 

She knew it wanted her to follow so she clumsily pulled herself onto the limb and stood. She walked towards the trunk and then decided the best way to get down. Eventually, she lowered her body from the limb and found footholds on weird growths in the tree bark and large mushrooms covered in moss. It seemed like an eternity before her feet met the ground and she almost sighed in relief. 

Something brushed against her back and she spun with a gasp. The panther flicked its tail against her ankles and its eyes displayed urgency. She understood why, the Fallarks were close by and they had a window to escape. 

It crouched before her, its slender body displaying tuned muscles, and once again, she understood the nonverbal cue. She didn't even question where she lost her sanity. She swung her leg over its back and dug her fingers into its velvety fur. She had barely gotten situated when it rose beneath her and moved. 

A small gasp escaped her when she realized how smooth this feline could move. As compared to the horse, its gait was effortlessly easy and the ground moved quickly beneath her. She used the knowledge of riding the horse to keep herself balanced on the panther's back. They moved so fast that she couldn't keep her eyes open and she rested her face against the silken fur. 

Never in a million years would she have imagined this moment. Not only could she pet a panther, she was riding it through an unknown world. Her life would never be the same and she took a deep breath of relief as she trusted the panther to evade the Fallarks. 

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I would love to do this, if only it were possible. 

I'm writing a really rough draft so if you spot any errors, plot holes or something that doesn't make sense, feel free to let me know! I'd appreciate it a ton!