Private Tales NOT just another hunt

[lionman]

location: deep in the falwood forests.


The smell of elf tickles lionmans nose he licks his lips as he looks at the tracks.

"its getting tired, its camp wont be far"

Trent looks at the tracks giving lionman a questioning look.

"how can you tell from just tracks?"

lionman points to one of them.

"you can see here were theirs more indentation and a dragging of the feet. trust me its tired."

leo lionmans second in command steps out from behind a tree.

"your majesty ive checked up ahead theres a camp smelling of elf about a mile from here."

lionman smiles.

"good it hasnt picked up on us fallowing it"

leo looks at lionman with doubt.

"or its waiting to use a spell on us when we get too close."

lionman nods.

"wheres Aarron?" lionman looks around for his other guard.

"hes outside the elf camp waiting for further instructions."

lionman nods for the second time

"ok same as last time surround the camp making as much noise as possible ill go in first leo you and Aarron will enter the camp on opposite sides trent will provide cover from above. now remember no eating not till we get it back to camp i don't need you guys to start seeing things while we are this far into elf territory."

lionman gives his men a serious look.

"remember we aim to wound not kill we need it alive for the long journey back to camp"

the other lions with there orders run off into the brush lionman not far behind. Trent being a young limber lion with very little wight acts as a scout and climbs a tree jumping from branch to branch quickly leaving leo and lionman behind.

they come to a slight break in the trees. not a large clearing but big enough for a tent and fire to be set up. lionman crouches in the bushes. he lets off a loud scream sounding as if he were murdering a woman. his men join in surrounding the camp in devilish screams, a scare tactic thats meant to get in the heads of there prey. lionman watches as the elf stands up looking around frantically as each scream echos off the other.

lionman enjoys this part he likes the look of fear. he lets out another different sounding wail that tells his men to get ready. the screams stop and suddenly the forest is dead silent. lionman comes bounding from the forest as do his other men except Trent who watches from the trees.

 

[Eae]

The day had been long, the walk seemingly even more so.

But, eventually, I had finally made it back to my camp. It was a humble set up; a small tent and a smaller campfire nestled within the embrace of the forest that surrounded it. I felt safe here. There was no one around, no one to judge us, to send vile whispers our way. It was just us, the camp, and the evening under the stars. Ahead of me was just rest, a meal, and perhaps some peace and quiet from the bitch, seeing as even she appeared content today. I even extended my wings as I sat, stretching out the long feathers and fluttering them slightly, enjoying the cool breeze racing through them.

Or... so I had believed.

I had been sitting upon a small log when I heard it. A scream. Instantly I sat bolt-upright, my spine going rigid as ever fibre of my body was pulled taut with anticipation. Blood ran cold in my veins and pounded in my ears. I scanned my surroundings, eyes desperately searching for what had caused it.

But only silence greeted me. The moment seemed to drag on for several, my heard suspended between beats. Even the very forest itself seemed to hang between moments, waiting for something to happen.

Then it did.

All at once, the entire forest seemed to dissolve into a cacophony of screams.

Wails of despair, of horror and agony seemed to explode from the trees all around me. It was as if hundreds were being murdered all at once, their cries directed straight at my camp. I panicked. Leaping up from my log, I looked around frantically, feeling the panic rising in my throat.

"We need to go!" The voice in my head sounded desperate, frantic. eaE usually didn't sound like that. She was the cool one out of us.

"I'm going!" I hissed back, seemingly to the empty campsite.

But... where?

Without thinking, I turned from the camp and bolted for a gap in the trees. Running as fast as my legs could take me, I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed that it was just my imagination.

I'd heard tales of the Lionmen... I hoped they weren't true.

 

[lionman]

before the lionmen could pounce the elf bolted.

"after it!" lionman roars.

Trent raises his bow and takes a shot at the elfs wings unsure as to weather it hit or not he fallow's from above.

lionman and his men follow the elf at full speed weaving in and out of the trees.

"cut it off Trent!!"

lionman yells in his native tongue as to not alert the elf of there plan. Trent speeds from limb to limb trying to catch up to the elf. he can smell it from were he is and it makes him salivate. the young lion sees his opening and drops at the feet of the elf. Trent is only a child and realizes that this elf is almost as tall as he is. they are alone and quite far from the others who arn't as fast as him nor the elf

he can hear his brothers approaching and he freezes hes never been so close to another being before and is unsure what to do.

"if you run my king will only make your death slower"

he says in as low of a voice as he can. lionman and the other lionmen were full grown and had deep foreboding accents his voice made him sound like a kitten. the bushes rustle as lionman and the others approach from behind

 

[Eae]

I ran.

My legs pounded into the dirt, my robes swishing and rustling about them as I pushed myself onward, away from the safety of my camp, away from the screaming. Already I could feel my lungs burning, my chest heaving as I dragged in breath after ragged breath. My head was spinning, our mind reeling with vicious and terrifying fantasies of what await us if my pursuers caught up.

Then suddenly, I felt screaming pain tear through my wing.

With a shriek I lost my footing, stumbling as I felt the white-hot sting course through my entire form from the feathered limb. Gasping, crawling, and stumbling, I hastily yanked myself back to my feet and kept running. Only now, my face was contorted in agony, one of the two soft brown feathered wings of mine hanging limply behind me, feathers dragging through the dirt.

Not flying out of this one.

"Why the hells didn't you fly away before they did that?!" The bitch screamed at me as I ran.

"Not now, Bitch!" I gasped in response.

Suddenly I stopped. Panting, exhausted, and gasping for air I forced myself to focus on the creature before me. It was... one of the lionmen. He spoke, warning me against running. The sting from the arrow had lulled into a dull, persistent throb, pulsing through me in time with my heart as I caught my breath.

"I can't.... I can't just... Stop..." I panted back to him.

No sooner had the words left my mouth than I suddenly began running again. I threw my weight to my left, making it appear as if that was the direction I would be running, and hopefully leading the lionman to lunge in that direction. However, using my wings as a counter-balance, I spun around to the right, and took off once again into the forest.

I knew I couldn't keep this up forever, I was already tired. But if there was one thing that I knew for sure it was this:

They weren't getting me without first going through every ounce of fight the bitch and I had in us.

 

[lionman]

trent watched as the elf ran into the forest lionman bounds out of the bushes.

"what in the divine war are you doing you had it!!" lionman yells running off in the direction the elf ran not waiting for a response from the young lion

"get after it trent or we will eat you instead"

lionman threatens as he runs into the forest.

trent rejoins the chase from above. kicking himself for disappointing his ruler.

lionman starts to tire days of tracking all worthless and now his scout was an elf lover. lionman could smell the elf he slowed and took a deep sniff. leo stops behind him sniffing the air as well.

"you old cooks tired already?"
Aaron says mockingly as he runs by.

"im too old for this shit" lionman says quietly to leo. leo shrugs.

"its the kings job to provide the elf blood for the ceremony" with that he begins running after the elf once more lionman on his heels moments later.

"why cant we just ask the thing for a vial of blood?"

"your majesty with all do respect your talking like a furrless folk. we dont ask we take the elf is just a scared animal something to be eaten not talked to remember that"

they both continue speeding through the forest.

"im not speaking against the divine im just saying it wouldnt hurt to simply ask. elf meat is great and all but eating elf is a young lions game the smell is great but the hunt makes my bones hurt"

leo lauphs

"maybe you are getting old" he chuckles.

"hey we grew up together your as old as i am"

they both laugh at this leo was assigned to guard the royal family when he was young just young enough to make friends with the kings son.

meanwhile Trent has once again found the elf its running had slowed to a weak gallop he saw now that the elfs wing was wounded.

trent drops down only feet behind the elf.

"stop or ill kill you were you stand"

he tries to say in a better voice than he let out it sounded boyish to him even though he was trying to sound fierce.

his brothers must have fallen behind but he knew that they would be hot on the trail what they lacked in speed they made up for in endurance.

 

[Eae]

The sounds... were they... could it be? I forced out of my mind the possibility that I might be losing them. I couldn't afford the distraction. Instead, I just focused on the path in front of me. Just run, Eae, just keep running.

My whole body was in pure agony. Pain landed through me, coursing from my wing into my fatigued, tortured muscles. My chest ached, lungs begging for respite as they fought a pounding heart for reprieve. My throat burned. My head thumped. My legs burned, trembling as I forced them further onward than they were meant to go. I'm not built for endurance. I'm fragile, frail. We don't have the mindset for long runs, let alone the physical aptitude.

So, it was almost a relief when I heard the voice behind me. I recognised it, even difficult as it was to hear above the pounding of my own heart and the wheezing of crisp evening air dragged into burning lungs. The moment I let my body stop, it gave up. My legs turned to jelly, trembling beneath me as they struggled to hold up my weight. My shoulders slumped, long hair tumbling over my should as I dropped my head. My wings dropped, so he would see my hands slowly, shakily raised as high as I could.

My back was still to him, so I turned my face slightly to one side,

"Alright... I'm done... Please... I can't run... anymore."

There is something... humiliating about surrender. Even though I couldn't be expected to do much else in this position, I still felt my cheeks burn as my face flushed. Slowly, I turned to face the feline warrior that towered over me. It was... difficult to meet his eyes, so I kept my head bowed, gazing up at him through my lashes. I could feel my knees shaking, ready to buckle beneath me. But I forced them to hold me as I focused on keeping the bitch quiet... awaiting our fate before the cat.

 

[lionman]

trent keeps his bow raised.

"no tricks elf" he spits not really saying it with as much fierceness as his brethren would have. the smell of elf blood wafts into his nose causing a glob of drule to run down his face and into his chest fur.

leo is the first to come bounding by stopping in surprise but lucky stopping behind the elf. the others took postilions around the elf each with hunger in there eyes.

"dont hurt it" trent blurts out in fear for the life of the elf.

"shut up boy we have no intentions on hurting it not yet we need a live elf for the ceremony."

leo says panting out of breath from th chase.

"why are we standing here talking someone grab it" aarron hisses.

"lets get it back to camp the others are waiting"

lionman grabs the elf before it can run again picking it up and tossing the light fetherd thing over his sholder.

"come lets go. ill talk to you later" he says giving trent a nasty look.

trent looks worriedly at the elf as they start heading back to the temporary camp they set up about a days journey away. the camp houses about 15 other grown lionmen and there family's

they always hunt far from camp so that furless folk dont get a bead on there location when they happen to catch something like the elf they now carries. the lions walk in single file threw the bushes. lionman leads trent follows watching the elf giving a look and mouthing "sorry" at it

 

[Eae]

I shook my head,

"No tricks" I promised quietly.

Let me kill them! The Bitch hissed at me inside my head. I bit my lip, hiding a scowl at her. The last thing I wanted was for these feline warriors to think I was frowning at them, so I didn't say anything to her. Even as the exhaustion began to fade, as my body began to catch back up to me, my heart continued to thump rapidly in my chest. More of these warriors appeared, surrounding me on all sides. As each one did, I spun around to face them, eyes widening as the trap finally closed around me.

The young lion spoke in my defence, promptly told by the one I guessed was their leader to shut up. I winced, but he followed with a promise that I wouldn't be hurt... not yet at least. A tiny sigh of relief slipped through my lips as he said that. Although, the word 'ceremony' did not sit well with either of us.

Someone grab it!

"We are not an it!" The Bitch hissed before I could stop her.

Instantly I clamped both hands over my mouth, eyes flying wide open in shock. Before I could mutter an apology, however, I suddenly felt my world tossed asunder.

Two powerful arms hoisted me off the ground with speed and strength I could never hope to match. I winced as the breath was thrown from my lungs, squirming reflexively as the biggest of the lion men threw me over his shoulder.

"Ouch!" I cried, instantly biting my lip, "... um... sorry."

Apologising? To THEM? The bitch snorted telepathically to me.

"They have our life in their hands," I whispered back, as quietly as I could, "I don't want to give them any reason to take it."

The young warrior, the one that had first caught up to me, met my eyes. Mouthing an apology. As I was carried on the massive lion's shoulder, I managed a tiny smile for him,

Thank you I mouthed back.

I then turned my attention to the creature carrying me. He was enormous; a meaty, muscular creature built for war and battle, draped in surprisingly fine fur. With huge paws, a piercing gaze and a luxurious mane, it was easy to pick him as the leader. My heart leapt in my chest, my breaths quick and shallow as I fought to keep myself calm. He had a paw on my back, holding me in place over his shoulder.

"P-please..." I turned to speak in his ear, my voice soft and mewling, "don't... don't kill me."

 

[lionman]

lionman lets out a deep giggle.

but dosnt say anything. his stomach growls. hunger has caught up to him and the smell of elf did not help his empty stomach. he drops the elf with a thud onto the ground. he steps on its thigh. trent runs over to the elf.

"stop your hurting her" he lets out not meaning to. lionman looks at him in anger quickly lifting his foot and stomping hard on the elfs knee before taking a step back.

"her?" he says in more of an accusing tone rather than a question.

"this is an it nothing more"

he bellows.

"its a thing to be hunted not a pet." Trent kneels down and pulls out a pouch containing medical supplies nothing fancy just a few soft leaves and some string along with a vile of healing sludge that the healers back at camp made for him for his first hunt.

lionman rears back in anger once more striking the young lion and sending him flying into the base of a tree. right as hes about to charge the young lion leo steps in between.

"your majesty hes only a cub barley out of the den"

lionman growls. aaron has stepped up too but only to keep an eye on the elf looking up at there interactions.

"he called it a her,we dont do these things. and now he wants to treat its wounds?"

he mutters something in cat speak to himself.

leo keeps himself in-between the raging lion king and the dazed young lion.

"your majesty we are all tired and hungry and the smell of elf meet is getting to you my lord. remember elf smell brings out the worst in us. aaron and i will go find something to eat you stay here with trent and the elf. let him treat it so that its blood does not attract anymore predators."

lionman nods leo looks at him then at trent.

"you ok son?" Trent nods

"ok go back to treating it and try to refrain from getting on his lordships nerves i dont wanna come back to find hes eaten you out of anger"

leo dosnt look like he was joking. the two lions disappear into the woods in search of food. Trent kneels back down near the elf glancing up at lionman from time to time who has sat a few feet away and is resting his head against the tree he is sitting against.

leo realizes his head is beading he touches the small scrape above his eye and looks at the blood. he wipes it away and returns to patching up the wing. pulls the arrow out and slaps a bit of the goop from the vial onto it.

"this will numb the pain" he whispers.


"you know if my father knew that one of his sons scouts wanted an elf for a pet he'd come right out of the divine light just to kill you himself, your lucky im not him" lionman threatens from his sitting position"

Trent gulps and begins finishing up his work on the wing.

he begins to put the goop on the cut on his head when lionman growls.

"dont you dare, you let that bleed you can tell your friends at camp how you almost got sent to the divine light by the king himself" lionman says with malice.

the bushes rustle and Aaron appears fallowed by Leo who has a dead human male over his shoulder.

he drops the body in front of lionman who without hesitation rips an arm off and begin to eat. the others wait for permission to dig in as well all lionman does is nod and the frenzy ensues.

"Trent you gonna get in on this?" leo says with a mouth full of blood and guts.

"um no thank you im not hungry"

leo shrugs and continues eating.

Trent was not just hungry he was starving but seeing them tear into that human so monstrously it made him not wanna be seen as a monster to the elf.

before long the human is gone and lionman promptly stands and dusts himself off not bothering to wipe the piece of flesh aging from his mouth nor the large amounts of blood.

"leo you carry the elf im already sick of the thing. and Trent if i here you talking to it no matter what leo does to protect you ill skin you for treason.

he stomps off into the forest. leo grabs the elf throwing it over his shoulder. leo follows lionman once more now with Trent in tow Trent looks at his handy work on the elf's wings.

"i hope my bandage holds"

"eh does it matter son? in a day we will be back at camp by tomorrow night this elf will be bled and the blood will serve as a sacrifice to the divine light"

"cant we take her blood without killing her?"

leo sighs.

"son you have a loving heart and your mother and father would have been proud but this talk is forbidden and our king wont have any of it. this elf is food nothing more. its not a her its an it, get it out of your mind that it has wants or desires. its words are instinct it knows only deception. soulless creatures are like this they are not pure like us now quiet your self"

leo continues on at a faster pace to keep up with king lionman aaron has already passed him sensing that he wanted time alone with his grand son
leo comes to a stop as do the rest of the lionmen.

"you smell that?" lionman says quietly.

they all begin to stiff the air.

"i cant smell anything but this damn elf" aaron says pointing at the elf on leos shoulder.


"it smells like a lionmen."

lionman says the others look around frantically trying to pick up the sent too

leo is the first to catch the wift as the air switches directions.

"that cant be we have no other men in the area"

says aaron who still hasn't picked up on the sent.

"no no i smell it too" leo chimes in.

"do you think someone came looking at us from camp"

lionman shakes his head.

"no i know everyone of my peoples sent's this is not one of my people"

aaron shakily asks.

"then who is it?"

"my brothers men most defiantly and according to the tracks theirs quite a few probably a hunting party like us which means theirs one in the trees too. trent if your done cooing over that pet of yours i could use some eyes scouting ahead so we dont run into an enemy troop"

trent scales the first tree he sees and begins dashing ahead.

"lets move"

the three lionmen start to run a little harder than before they seem scared but what could scare such large and formidable beasts?

 

[Eae]

I was suddenly dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Oof!" I winced as the wind was knocked out of me.

However, before I could react at all, even process now being on the ground, the enormous lion stood over me, stepping down upon my thigh. Instantly, I winced, reaching for his ankle as his weight caused pain to scream through my leg. I threw back my head, the agony of my wounded wing momentarily forgotten as the warrior made sure--quite violently--that I couldn't run anymore.

Gasping for air, I felt a tiny mote of relief as the brute moved to step back... until he stomped down on my knee.

There was a sickening CRACK! A crunching, squelching sound that made the skin crawl sounding throughout the clearing a split second before my wail of utter terror and agony sounded alongside it. My hands flew to my broken knee, every fibre of my being pulsing with pain and fear as I leaned over the limb, sobbing and clutching at it. Every beat of my heart seemed to make it worse as the agony coursed through me.

Blood pounded in my ears, tears streaming down flushed cheeks as strands of hair lay across my skin. No longer knowing or caring what was going on around us, I clung to my wounded knee as the men talked, trying to keep my cries soft enough that they wouldn't see fit to do this again.

The bitch was fighting to get out. I could feel her wrestling me for control. She wanted to lash out, to fight them, to try and limp off into the forest. But the younger lion man, the one that had been kind to me, began to tend to my wounds. His paws pried my fingers off my knee with surprising gentleness and he wielded his kit with skill I hadn't expected.

I wiped my eyes, biting my lip and trying to keep the violent trembling to a minimum, but watched him as he worked. Occasionally I'd let out a soft hiss as his touch caused a fresh wave of strength-sapping pain to shoot through my body. But mostly I tried to just stay quiet as he worked. To my surprise, he tended my wing as well.

My eyes stayed turned to the ground, but I listened as the lion men spoke to each other.

Blood? My blood? A ritual?

I winced, a long shiver racing down my spine. But before I could speak, I was again thrown back over the king's shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut, stifling a whimper as I was jostled about, but otherwise stayed quiet.

They had eaten a man. You saw that limb, those guts. They killed a man and ate him. Let me take over or they'll do it to you too.

The Bitch was hissing in my ear, her words only I could hear but ringing with desperation. For now, though, I ignored her. I needed to have my focus solely on what was--

The lion men went still, talking about an unfamiliar smell. I stayed quiet, hoping to simply melt into the background.

Then they ran.

The pain of being injured and jostled about on the lion creature's shoulder paled in comparison to the fear of the idea that these men were running...

from something else.

 

[lionman]

lionman leads his men into a clearing, they had been running for some time. they stopped and started sniffing around the clearing. looking for signs of life.

"this is were we will make camp we cant be stumbling in the forest all night. besides avoiding my brothers men is best done during the day. knowing how they operate there probably drunk by now which means they'll be less likely to move in the morning"


leo carefully sets down the injured elf beside a log. Aaron begins making a fire. Leo sits beside the elf quietly.

"this is the way the world works elf" he says very matter of factually.

be fore pulling out a small half finished carving and beginning to work on it

Trent comes down from a near by tree and kneels beside the elf.

"huh Leo you ruined my splint" he says as he begins re wrapping the elf's leg.

"i cant help that elf's are so weak, and that your bad at being a healer" Leo chuckles

Trent gives the elf a worried look.

"don't worry you will be fine" he pulls out a small bottle filled with blue liquid.

"when the pain is too much drink this it tastes like goblin blood but it will help with the pain"

Trent gives her a little smile before scurrying back up a tree.
lionman scowls at the elf from across the clearing his one good eye glowing in the light of the small fire. Aaron joins lionman and they begin talking in a cat dialect.

"im unsure what to do about that boys hes too soft...maybe i should make hime slit your throat at the ceremony huh?" he laughs. not really meaning to talk to the elf but rather himself

 

[Eae]

Whatever it was... I think we outran it.

One way or the other, we soon came to a stop at the lion men's camp. I was set down beside a log, surprisingly gently. As the massive warrior sat down beside me, he spoke. I hugged my uninjured leg up to my chest and rested my head on my knee. I could feel the bitch rolling her eyes before I spoke.

"I... I know," I murmured, "I'm no stranger to horror."

... I just hoped I wouldn't die today.

Again, my wounds were tended. As I grimaced against the pain I was offered some foul-smelling liquid that was supposed to help numb the pain. However, even as I bowed my head in thanks, I waved my hand dismissively.

"Thank you... but the pain makes me feel alive," I glanced up at the massive Lion man sitting beside me then back to the one that had offered the drink, "which sounds like a luxury I won't be afforded much longer."

I returned his smile before the young warrior scampered up a tree. Now left alone with their leader, I took a moment to steady my breath. He was certainly imposing and powerful. His taut, toned muscles rippled beneath golden fur. In another life I would have probably considered myself lucky to be sat so close to him, that he would talk to me at all.

Are you honestly ATTRACTED to that monster, Eae?! The Bitch hissed. I turned my head and growled at her,

"It's just the nervous energy, Bitch, shush!" I whispered quietly.

The lion warrior's words, accompanied by his deep chuckle, drew my attention back to him. The notion sent a chill racing down my spine, and I took a moment to swallow back the fear.

"... a-about that..." I began, pausing to touch my wounded knee, "... Would you be open to allowing me to bargain for my life...?"

I paused... waiting to see how the warrior beside me reacted to being spoken to by his prey? Prisoner? ... Meal?

 

[lionman]

leo chuckles but stays silent for a moment he glances at his king to be sure hes out of ear shot befor speaking.

"if it were up to me honestly id have slit your throat when we first caught you. but traditionally a blood acrifies has to come from a winged and alive elf the divine realm wont except anything else. as for weather or not you can offer something in return for us not draining you dry? thats ultimately is up to his majesty."

leo gestures towards lionman who seems to have finished his conversation the lion he was talking to runs off into the woods. lionman sits beside the fire opposite the log.

"if you want to beg for your life the king is right here" leo says before getting up and wondering into the woods."

lionman lets out a soft growl. "well it seems leo has been making friends with an elf as well as trent how human of them. im a refined man id like to think myself reasonable and considering the dangers that now lurk this area its gonna take 3 extra days to transport you back to our base. so ask what you need to ask and i will listen but you only get this one chance. your lucky i just ate a moment ago, im feeling calmer less agitated by your smell"

lionman looks at the elf with his one good eye waiting for it to speak.

 

[Eae]

I shuddered, swallowing back the overwhelming panic at the warrior's answer.

However, I forced myself to listen. Anything I might be able to glean from these men or their customs might be useful in bargaining for my life. So I didn't retort, or give the Bitch a chance to do so either. One thing was for certain... I was glad that this particular warrior wasn't in charge. As amicable as he was right now, I felt the sheer power that radiated from his form. My only hope against such creatures would be to fly... or dark magic.

My eyes followed his gesture towards their leader. Majesty. A king? Not like the human kings, I figured. Or at least... not out here.

"Thank you." I said quietly, before my attention turned to their king.

"I am grateful that you'd hear my plea, your majesty," I replied quietly, hoping to show by use of his proper title that I had respect for him. "You... need my blood for this ceremony, I understand? I suppose, it would be pertinent to let you know... this ceremony of yours sounds magical in nature. I am... tainted by dark magic. If you use my blood, it might go... unpredictably."

A pause. That was the first time I'd ever openly admitted it. My eyes drifted to the grass around us, my gaze becoming melancholy. I used to enjoy practising magic, but now... it was too risky. But I couldn't worry about that now. With a grimace, I turned back to the king,

"If... you are set on using it anyway, I would like to humbly propose a trade. I offer my full compliance for these days of travel. I could lend my magic in aid and defence of your men if they need it, or merely a quiet, cooperative thing otherwise. Make your journey as comfortable as possible and offer no resistance during this or... or the ceremony."

I suddenly blushed deeply and turned my head to one side, whispering quietly, "I am not saying that, Bitch, shut up!"

"In return, your Majesty, I would ask for your word that whomever conducts this ceremony would only take the blood they need... and that I would be permitted to leave after it was over and I had my strength back."

Another pause... I didn't want to say what came next, but I needed him to know I wasn't bargaining with nothing,

"The bitch... I... can make the trip most unpleasant, otherwise. If I let her out, she may even kill us with our dark magic, and see how many of your men she could take with her."

 

[lionman]

"hmm.... normally i would welcome you to try. death is an honor not a failure, the great divine will welcome me. but if your blood is truly tainted then it will not bless our people but rather curse it."

he pauses placing a few sticks on the dimming fire.

"the spiritual leaders of my people will look you over they will know what to do. i do not pretend to know what the divine realm wishes of me. i only appease them the best i can in hopes that they grant me access into the divine realm so that i may join the war that wages among the gods"

he looks off into the direction the other two lions went in.

"i-i"

before he can finish his ears begin to twitch. he takes in a sniff. and then another.

" i thought i heard something."

he stares off into the dark for a few moments before continuing.

"if your blood is tainted i grant you your life. however if that is the case i will not free you until you have helped me procure another elf. your kind is becoming harder and harder to find the elf people have caught wind of us we are no longer the fictional beasts that haunt the night. i fear this is do to my brothers clan, they hunt elf all year round. the divine rules forbid such actions." lionman lets out a soft growl at the disdain he has for his brothers clan

"maybe its my old age maybe im just tired. if you had told a younger me that your blood is tainted id have killed you were you sit but im too old for this game too old to hunt too old to smell properly only one eye in which to see with. i have my brother to thank for that....if my men ask i never told you this. your weakness has brought out the weaknesses in all of us"

lionman laughs to himself.
"in no matter of time you will have Aaron spilling his guts to you as well."

he wipes away a tear from laughing. he sighs.silence befalls the camp.

 

[Eae]

A shudder raced down my spine as the king spoke.

There was a sort of power in his voice, the words rumbling from his throat seeming to reverberate like some not-quite-audible roar beneath everything he said. I swallowed, taking a moment to take in a deep breath and let it out again. He continued, explaining why they did this and what was to happen to me. Suddenly, the great lion's attention was pulled to the forest that surrounded us. Reflexively, I followed his gaze, staring off into the trees.

Unlike he, I did not hear, see or smell anything out of the ordinary. In that moment I felt a pang of envy for him. My wings were a blessing, but sharpened sense I'm sure would have served me better.

Whatever it was, it seemed to pass and his attention moved back to me.

He chuckled to himself as he laid out an ultimatum. My dark magic; the curse that birthed the Bitch and the demon I wrestled every day... it was now responsible for my life being spared. But I was to help them hunt another to take my place. A shiver racked my shoulders.

"Hunt another... to take my place?" I repeated softly, eyes on the ground.

I moved to shake my head, to decline. I couldn't do it... I wouldn't go through life with that kind of guilt hanging over me. However, the Bitch, who'd been quiet up until now, suddenly leapt up from the shadows.

My gaze moved back up to the king of the lionmen. I didn't look directly into his eyes, but I did meet his face directly. Eae was weak. She was going to get us killed, so I had to take over. This was not an offer I was about to let her pass up.

"We'll do it." I said with a solemn nod.

I quietly hoped he didn't notice the subtlest change in my voice. Eae is more softly-spoken than I, the girl is sweet, but quiet. I'm... a little more sultry than she.

And right now, I was saving us.

 

[lionman]

"good choice elf"

lionman cocks his head suddenly sniffing once more.

the bushes crunch and rattle but its only leo and aaron back with what looks like a couple wild pigs.

"ah leo. aaron. how was the hunt?"

leo sets down the pig.

"not good. we ran across a lionmen den by mistake. your brother has defiantly claimed this area as his territory"

lionman sighs.

"how far away is this den?"

"about a mile and a half your majesty"

a deep growl rises from lionmans throat.

"how many are in this den?"

leo looks worriedly at aaron

"your majesty we have to get back to our people with the elf"

lionman growls again.

Trent comes bounding down from a tree looking frantic.

"no time for dinner we have some company"

just as the words left his mouth 3 unknown lionmen step out of the forest.

"well look what we have here boys. the disgraced king himself looks like hes got an elf as well. look old man we're gonna take the elf and your not gonna do anything about it."

lionman and his men stand across from the other three lionmen.

"not a chance you will have to send me to the divine first" lionman roars

"very well then, shall we do this like gentlemen?"

says the ring leader of this group as he removes his sword from his back and drops it to the ground his men do the same. lionman smiles.

"yes lets, i want to send you to the divine realm with my bare claws''

he growls
he too strips himself of his great sword as does leo and aaron who have similar swords.

trent sits back standing in front of the elf with his bow drawn.

leo looks at him. "use that only as a last resort its dishonorable to fight with weapons when your fighting kin"

trent nods and glances at the elf worriedly. he knew if he was gonna protect her he would need to shoot one of his own kind.