Like Animals

~ Chapter Five ~

Betrayal. That's the word Ryven had used to describe Shanti's actions. But for some reason, none of it made sense to Kalyk. For some reason, the real traitor seemed to be him. Shouldn't Shanti at least get a chance? Kalyk didn't understand why her friend had left, but she knew that Shanti certainly wasn't a traitor for it.

She let her mind drift back to the conversation the two had had the previous night. 

"I tried to protect you, but it's a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be,"  the leopard had said. Kalyk's blood ran cold as a thought dawned on her. What if this was all her fault? What if Shanti had lied when she reassured her that everything was okay, and that she was sorry. A weight settled over her chest as she imagines Shanti, curled around her, murmuring I love you's and I'm sorry's, all while planning an escape in her head. Did Kalyk deserve to be abandoned? She didn't think so. Perhaps Shanti did. Even the thought of that, the idea that Shanti would brave the unknown, the perils of the other kingdom, the uncertainty of life without Ryven's guidance, all to get away from her, broke Kalyk's heart and sent tears welling up in her eyes. 

Something solid collided with Kalyk's face, a harsh jolt back into reality. She glanced upwards to see Ryven glaring down at her, unimpressed. It was only then that the hyena realized he has stopped walking. Apparently she hadn't. 

"Back to the real world, are we?" Ryven's growl was stern. Kalyk could only nod anxiously. 

I can't tell him about our fight, can I? she wondered. It'll only confirm his theory that Shanti's a traitor. And he'll know I was lying earlier, and he might think I'm a traitor too!

As nervous as she was for Shanti, Kalyk wasn't prepared to take the same risks without any good reason. All she could do is hope their superiors would be merciful upon Shanti's return. 

She didn't have much more time to mull over her thoughts before Ryven spoke again. "Would you be willing to repeat happened in the presence of Queen Vyrian?"

It was all Kalyk could do to nod once more. She knew what she wanted to say, that it wasn't fair to assume Shanti had ill intent, that she might come back. But her mouth felt dry and her mind had gone numb under Ryven's flinty stare. 

As the large wolf held her gaze, she wondered if he could read minds. It was almost as if he knew she had something else to say. She should just say it. Defend Shanti's honor. Kalyk knew that if Shanti were in her position, she wouldn't let Ryven intimidate her. Shanti would speak up for Kalyk's sake, in a bold effort to save her. But Kalyk wasn't Shanti. Kalyk was just very afraid. 

Enough time must have passed in that moment for Ryven to think she was just being her usual airheaded self, because he turned away and continued along the path. Kalyk followed slowly, guilt coursing through her body. 

She hardly noticed when Ryven stopped for the second time, although she was able to avoid crashing into him again. Kalyk felt a rush of fear at the possibility that Ryven would interrogate her again before the two of them entered the base, but he must have decided against it, instead only pausing for a moment to check that she was still following before crossing the threshold. 

Two large serval met them upon entry, and Ryven spoke to them in hushed tones. Kalyk was tempted to eavesdrop but decided against it. Soon the two guards raced away, and she could only guess they were sent to fetch Queen Vyrian. 

The moments that they waited seemed to be a mere few seconds and an whole centuries at the same time. Kalyk wasn't quite sure how much time it took for them to return, with Ryven standing next to her, a massive, living stone. But eventually a regal looking lioness could be seen making  her way over to them. 

Kalyk stood in awe. She knew that the queen must be magnificent, but nothing she had imagined quite compared to the animal she saw before her. For starters, Queen Vyrian was taller than Ryven, who, until now, had been the largest animal Kalyk knew. Her fur was a rippling, glossy coat of bright marigold, fading to a cream and rust patter around her neck and chest. The rust colored markings continued to lace around her broad head and face, elegantly framing a pair of icy, nordic blue eyes. She walked with an unbreakable air of power that Kalyk instinctively shied away from. 

Ryven swiftly nodded a greeting to his queen before he spoke. 

"My queen," he said, bowing slightly. "One of our Falas has gone missing in her final assessment." 

The lioness merely blinked.

Ryven straightened up as he continued. "They were instructed to camp out and return at dawn, however in their absence I set out for them. I found one alone, while the other was nowhere to be seen. We suspected treason."

Kalyk hated that word, especially when Ryven made it sound like she agreed with him, but she kept quiet, the awe and terror of seeing her kingdom's leader for the first time still fresh and trembling in her bones.

Vyrian turned her gaze towards Kalyk, her eyes burning in a way that the young hyena could not describe. "Is this our missing Fala's companion?" she asked, her voice low and smooth, acidic sap dripping from slashes on a tree. 

Ryven nodded, and without him even looking at her, Kalyk could feel the intense energy he was directing towards her. An energy that said behave. Don't mess this up. 

"She may go." The queen's words surprised both of them, although neither dared to show it. Ryven dipped his head once more, with a strict signal for Kalyk to leave. She did so, risking a glance back at them. Her gaze locked with Ryven's, his cold amber stare piercing her, seeming to read her like an open book. 

Kalyk shivered and looked away, quickening her pace towards the safety of her and Shanti's den. Well, it seemed as if she wouldn't get to share it from now on. 

-AUTHOR'S NOTE-

So the bag's out of the cat I see, and my chapters continue to get longer. I'm sorry for my lack of a presence here, I know I haven't updated in forever. But I hope to be more consistent with the updates, and I really want to see the story progress.

I'm not going to be talking much about the story as much in these little sections anymore, and not just because I'm indecisive on how exactly I want this to play out. I know where things should end up, but the getting-there part is going to be tricky, so bear with me.

Whoever is still reading this story, thank you so much for the support, however silent it may be. Believe it or not, I truly enjoy writing things like this and I wish I didn't struggle with writer's block and procrastination as much as I do. 

Hopefully I'll be posting the next chapter very soon! And as always, I'm very much open to suggestions and feedback about my writing :)