Fantasy Tigerborn, and other true stories. (most of the time)

[AEONmeteorite]

It did concern her that she would have to leave the walls. She'd have no way back in once or if she lost her thumbs. She didn't fight it though, she had little idea of where else they may go besides the greenhouse they stood in. "I shall count the knocks," and with that, Alyss left the greenhouse. She strode forward for a time, but for only a short amount, before she turned around to look up. It still appeared blurry there, she dismissed however, as she did not want to worry her brother further.

On her way to her room, she greeted her parents. She told them good night and wished that tomorrow will end the battles smoothly. Once Alyss had made peace with them, she went to her maid. "Lacie, forgive me for seeing so little of you. I have been stressed. I would like to continue to see to myself for this week."

"Are you certain you are well?" Lacie questioned and rubbed her hands along her apron. "Do you feel ill?"

Alyss opened her mouth to deny such, then stopped herself from doing so. "I do not feel at my best. Somewhat feverish and only heated by stress and fear for the Silver Tiger's arrival within our lands. I know we shall be fine, but my mind cannot find ease."

"I am sorry you are unwell, if I had known, I'd-"

"Please do not concern yourself. You may feel my head, it is not warm, I am well enough." Alyss leaned forward just enough to offer her head and her maid obliged and felt for a fever. "You see?"

"I guess you do feel normal." Lacie brought back her hand and shook her head. "Will you at least let me bring a fruit tart to your door. Your favorite dessert may lift your spirits and your health. It shouldn't take long."

Lacie gave a soft smile. "Yes," she said simple. "That would be nice." Alyss turned to go to her room, but stopped once more and looked back to Lacie. "Before you sleep, will you provide me a favor? I will pay you in turn for the extra assistance I seek. Will you go to town and search for a seamstress with the finest silver threads and bring them to my mother?"

Only then did Alyss go on and return to her room.

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare ducked out of the greenhouse after his sister and made certain the door was locked. He quickly made his way to his room and changed into more casual clothing in dark colors. He called upon Cretis who met him within minutes. "We have business outside the walls tonight, and I have a favor to ask."
Cretis was used to keeping secrets with Amare, he was the only other one who knew about Amare's secret cellar outside the walls and his dealing in fine wines and Liquor that he traded and sold in his spare time.

Amare explained that Cretis must stay out of sight for the following few days to help him keep a secret. Amare was scant on details but with gold and persuasion, Cretis agreed and understood the assignment. He asked him to fetch a few days' food as well. With his business attended too all that was left was for Amare to wait. He told Cretis to wake him when the preparations were complete. He went and laid down to catch what rest he could before the he would sneak out for the night.

Cretis returned with food and Amare handed the man some of the promised gold. "Thank you. Now stay out of town for the remainder of the week. I will send for you If I need you sooner. Stay away from the cellar." With that Amare waited for the night to wane even later. The moon rose high into the sky before he crept to his sisters room and tapped on the door 5 times. "It is time." He whispered.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss removed her clothes from off her, taking one final look at herself. Nothing had changed, at least, from what she could see. She went to grab an undergarment fit for a gown, but stopped. Having skirts in the way may prohibit her from defending herself or running. Due to the training she'd attended, she now had trousers of her own. Only two, but two should be fine. She changed into one pair and placed the other in a satchel along with a journal of sorts and something to write with.

The only issue she ran into was the new formed tail. She couldn't cleverly hide it beneath skirts while wearing pants. But, seeing as she'd need to hide her form, the cloak would keep it hidden fine enough. It'd be a wonderful out fit for sneaking. People wouldn't even assume her a woman.

She heard a single knock on her door, only one. She froze. A cold sweat beaded and then she heard Lacie, "Your tart is on the cart outside. Come to take it when you wish."

"Understood. Thank you, Lacie!"

"Of course my lady," she said and while she walked away, Alyss heard her maid continue speaking to herself. "Your tart is on the cart. Tart, cart. Sounds like a children's rhyme."

Alyss giggled some from such fun thinking and then went to the door to retrieve the tart. She spent her downtime eating it all up before the five knocks came and her heart dropped once more. "Let us be on our way," she whispered as she opened the door.

 

[Calibutcher]

He looked over his sister for a few moments but was satisfied to see that she was covered well enough to conceal both her identity and her changing form.
"Good, follow close." He took a quick pace and kept his footsteps soft to avoid detection. He made his way around guards and places where people may watch with practiced ease. Soon they were in the town and away from the prying eyes of guards. Here nobody would mind two cloaked figures walking with purpose.

"So I have a bit of a secret to tell you." He stated flatly. Filling the silence that had traveled with them so far. "I have been smuggling Wine and fine Liquor out of our kingdom. truly exquisite stuff. Strong brews. And just a bit of Skooma." The last few words came with a wince. Dealing in liquor was not a big issue, but the drug known as Skooma would rile his parents if they knew he dealt with it. "We are going to the cellar where I store the products. It is secret and has not been found by anyone yet. It should do well to house you, as you. Change.." He said with a gulp.

"However things end. You must promise to keep my secret."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

The hallways of the castle were dark when they left. The guards weren't as sparse outside but her brother knew how to find his way around them. The town was a tad more lively than Alyss had predicted. The festival was likely the cause and it benefitted them in the end. The people were drunk and foolish, dancing about while others returned home. Enough noise, yet thin of people to give her brother ample space to speak.

"What?!" Alyss shrieked as a girl would and people stopped to view her. She cleared her throat and muttered in an attempt of a lower voice. "Ah, eh, ahem, voice crack, ahem, puberty." People shrugged and turned away, to which she lowered her voice and whispered harshly, "Do not misunderstand me, I find it quite admirable that you would start a business even before your rule. Alcohol is fine, but Skooma, truly? Why must you..." She paused to shake her head. "speaking of doing wrong. Fine. I shall keep it a secret, but I implore you to choose something else with your wine. Perhaps cheese."

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare quickened his pace when Alyss cried out in dismay at his secret business. Her poor attempt at claiming to have a voice crack only made matters worse. People stared and muttered in confusion but they were just two travelers late at night. When they disappeared from view they were forgotten. "Sister, we cannot draw attention to ourselves. I know my business is unorthodox." he shrugged, "but cheese does not sell as well."

Having quelled the majority of his sister's dismay at his side business he was able to return to the task at hand. Getting them outside the walls. They did not head for the main gate, guards who would be attentive and ask questions patrolled there. Instead, he would venture to the less used western gate. A small opening only big enough to allow entrance for one person at a time would be watched by a solitary guard. Depending on who the guard was this night would determine how easy it would be for them to get out.

As he neared the gate he saw the guard, "Good." He muttered. "It's Trent." Amare reached into his pouch and withdrew a single good coin. There was only one guard who would let him through for free, but Trent was amiable and did not mind the Prince having secret business outside the walls. "Say nothing sister and hide your face," Amare called Trent as they approached. "How is the watch?"

Trent stiffened at the sound of a voice in the dark of night but upon recognizing the voice and seeing the familiar silhouette of Amare he relaxed some. His eyes widened at the sight of a gold coin. Trent extended his hand to accept the coin but paused. "This isn't your usual company.." The guard queried.

"No, it isn't," Amare said slowly. "Is that an issue?"

Trent grunted, "s'pose not, so long as it doesn't mean any extra trouble for me. Not a wanted fugitive are you?" He spoke to the hooded and cloaked figure. Amare rolled his eyes, "A gold and a silver then."

"Just let the folk answer for themself." He insisted

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare appeared to be all too familiar with the routes he was taking to get to their designation. Sure, cheese didn't sell as well, but she dared to wonder why he would care that much for some extra funds to line his pockets. Now wasn't the time to further the conversation, but she planned to once all of this was figured out. She nodded to Amare when they approached the guard, planning to entirely keep her mouth shut.

Upon being asked if she was a fugitive, she slightly shook her head, but she supposed not enough for him to notice. He wanted an answer. She opened and closed her mouth. Debated it over and over, until she noticed this guard tapping his boot. Alyss was taking too long. She cleared her throat, pull her tongue toward the back of her mouth to change her accent, and continued with, "The King wouldn't be too keen on the Prince having a night with a Pineshrew citizen." Preventing herself from audibly dry-heaving was a whole other trial. She lowered her head further, pulling on the hood of the cloak and grimanced. She'd have to hand over all the apologies to her brother later.

 

[Calibutcher]

"Ah!" The guard exclaimed suddenly. "Cheeky lad." The guard huffed he pulled at the keys on his belt and turned to open the gate. "I will take a silver though what with the extra guest." He opened the gate and Amare who was too stunned to speak handed over the gold and silver and walked out the gate with his sister in tow. Her bluff worked and he was mortified. He waited until they were out of earshot. "That may become a rumor." He groaned. "But good enough. Your trick worked."

He led her to the treeline navigating only by moonlight even when they entered the trees and the moon could no longer light there path he walked nearly by memory, guiding his sister by the hand and warning her of branches or roots. He stopped as the base of a large tree, he put his hand on the tree and felt around it until he found the mark. He counted steps and stopped. "Here we are." He reached down and moved aside branches and opened a cellar door. A staircase led into a dark room. He stepped down and took out flint and steel and lit a waiting torch.

The basic room was lined with racks of wine and liquor even a simple distillery. The back of the room had several jars of the narcotic known as Skooma. There was a simple cot in the corner. He tried not to stay here if he could avoid it but sometimes it was a good place to get away, with ladies of the night or otherwise. He shook away that thought. "It's simple but you will be safe here. No one else knows its location as long as you are quiet anyone who comes near will not find you."

A part of him wanted to stay and console his sister. But he needed to get back. He still had to rest so he could fight the following day and maintain the cover of his sister being sick. "I must go, you can drink one bottle if you wish but only one. I will come to check on you tomorrow as soon as I can."

 

[Calibutcher]

"Rumor it may be, but it shan't be all too bad. Moreover, those will speak on how you wooed a lady knight. Quite a feat is it not," she spoke in a hushed voice even as they were far from the town. His guiding hand surely helped, but not as he would have thought. She could see quite well. Navigation through the forested area would have been doable on her own if she knew the way. He didn't need to warn her of anything, however, the hand simply reassured her that she was no longer within her thoughts on her own. She had someone to confide in. Someone to comfort her.

"I shall be the quietest I've yet ever been," she muttered and pulled the cloak off her, to which her tail swayed and twitched. Alyss about forgot of it. "You believe me so unwise as to consume liquor? In this dire situation?" Alyss removed her journal from her satchel. "I will await your return to me, however, I may look, please reassure me."

 

[Calibutcher]

"In your situation taking to drink may not be such a bad idea. It would help you sleep if you are too stressed." He shrugged "it's worked for me before and.. well it's just an offer." He knew his drinking habit could be excessive at times, but it was a reliable crutch and he used it as needed. His offer was just for her to have a chance to do the same, maybe ease her suffering.

He set down the sack with food and supplies. "There is enough here for a few days. Try not to eat it all out of boredom." He stood in the space for a moment feeling a bit awkward. He felt the urge to reassure her. Speak ease to her mind, but he did not know what the morrow would hold. If tomorrow she would still be his sister. If she was not wishing her goodbye may only make it more painful to finish the tiger she would become. "I'll see you tomorrow." That was all he could manage. Meager words for a troubling time. He walked up the stairs and closed the door. He lingered here for a moment as well with a lock in his hand. If she was still in control the lock would be necessary and if she was just a Tiger...

He slipped the lock into the door and clicked it closed. He stood and quickly walked away, his eyes wet with the uncertainty that would come in the following days.

The following morning was difficult. He had to spread the news of his sister's illness and assure everyone he had spoken with Cretis who was the sole caretaker of her now as she seemed to be highly contagious. Lacie who had seen Alyss last agreed that she said she felt unwell. She was quarantined as well, Mother and father were beside themselves but with their duties to tend to at the festival and the supposed contagious nature of the illness they were kept at bay, for now. He in turn had to be cleared by the apothecary and Father and Mother were also checked. All in all, his ruse worked and he struggled to keep his act together.

That was just the start of his tiring and arduous day. He still had to fight and as the tournament continued it became clear that he would end up fighting Leon. Leon's fight against Esmeralda had been close, his next opponent was swept away by Leon's will brute force, and excellent form. Amare found himself nervous and when the two of them entered the arena to fight, Amare struggled to focus. Leon was his friend but he needed to win to prove his worth to the kingdom and to be certain that he could claim the crown.

Leon however swept Amare away in a flurry of attacks he could not find a successful counter for. The fight was brutal and fast. Amare came away with bruises from the multiple strikes he suffered. Leon was nearly unscathed. It hurt his ego more than anything but there was a small part of him still happy for Leon.

He was declared the winner and would get the first chance to seek out the silver Tiger.

It took a visit to the apothecary and more persuasion with his Father and Mother but eventually, he was able to leave town and return to his secret cellar. With his sword at his side, he tapped at the door 5 times. "Sister? Are you there?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

"Good night brother. I shall see you tomorrow." Alyss said softly and took in a long breath as she watched her only source of aid leave her in an unfamiliar place. She let the air escape gradually, then plopped down onto the cot with a thud. She rubbed her fingers beneath her eyes. A wash of dreariness settled into the crannies of her thoughts. What was she to do now besides sleep? She knew. He knew. They both knew that tomorrow, she'd be all the more different. She'd rather be asleep during such a process. She moved to the sack, pulling out some of the food and then removed a blanket and placed it on her person while she laid down. "Good night Velthin."

She was sure she had slept in. With no one to wake her, no light to cascade down on her closed eyes like her room would or a festival to worry about, she continued to slumber well into the morning. Finally she stirred. Turning about beneath the blanket as her tail curled up and around her legs and the unfortunate remind that came with it helped her open her eyes wide. "Can I speak?" she said aloud and she could. But, her mouth felt crowded more than usual. She reached to touch her teeth, only to see little points cutting through her gloves. She removed those, and saw what would be the human equivalent of claws. long, sharper nails. They felt more sturdy, and it would seem her canines grew too. But what baffled her was her skin. Her eyes grew, somewhat enamored by it. Aristocrats would pay for skin as silvery and white as this. Her fingers wiggled as she turned her hand back and forth to look it over. "Oh my..." Alyss whispered and could just barely make out fine, silvery hairs all over her hands as well. She hadn't grown fur, yet.

Eventually she got up and walked to bottles of wine. Their reflection giving just enough show of her face and upon seeing it, she never felt so alone before. The same silvery appearance, but now the stripes had taken her face. Her hair, she could have sworn had become more thick, as it was poofy like a lion's mane and it too was entirely white. Her eyes now held a grayish-blue hue. From her new mane, tiger ears popped out, no longer her own. This was the extend of her transformation and she wished someone was there to comfort her.

"I am otherworldly now," she croaked. If anyone had seen her like this at the castle, they'd hunt her down right there. "Mother wouldn't even recognize me... I don't recognize me."

Alyss ate. She wrote. Breathed. Kept up with tasks to entertain her mind. Distractions. Then, at some point, she stood and walked to the door. And she stood, and stood, and stood, and stood. Her tail swayed behind her and her ears kept perked upward. There was something beyond that door where she needed to go. She wanted to open it. Wished to leave. She needed to leave. Alyss' hand moved to that door knob and as she pushed against it, knocking sounded along with the voice of her brother. "Amare?!"

 

[Calibutcher]

He was not certain he would be greeted by anything that even sounded or acted like his sister, even as his one hand tapped at the door his other hand gripped the hilt of his sword. He braced for battle but prayed it would still be his sister in the cellar. She did not keep him waiting and the sound of her familiar voice greeted him. Perhaps not entirely normal. A new sort of slur blurred her voice but it was enough for him to take his key and unlock the door. He flung open the door and for a moment wondered if perhaps his sister would be better and this could all be a bitter memory, he recoiled at the sight of her and unbidden his hand reached again for his blade. He took several steps back and was in a fighting stance trying to catch his breath. "Alyss?" He questioned between breaths. What should have been his sister was now a struggle to identify. Silver skin, ears atop her head, and claws from her fingers. She looked more like a witch from a fairy tale told by her mother. The realization was worse, she bore all the markings told to him of the mythology of the Silver Tiger. Velthins enemy taken over his sister.

He didn't know what to do anymore. She would be lost to the tiger surely. But she still had his sister's eyes, and now. They pleaded with him. "Are you?" He started unsure of himself what to say. "Are you OK?" He forced himself to put away the sword and step toward her. "It doesn't hurt does it?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

A deep frown etched through as she saw her brother so apprehensive to approach her. She pulled her hands behind her back to hide the claws, but not before tucking silver hair behind a furred ear to try and hide it. "I am well," she said, her chest ached though. "If I do become the silver tiger. If I am to be hunted. If they do succeed, then perhaps my pelt will be the most silver, glossy fur anyone has laid their eyes upon!" Alyss smiled. She laughed. That laugh faltered, distant from her feelings, and fell into a series of tears instead. "I-I'm so scared."

 

[Calibutcher]

It was an ugly truth, she claimed to be well, but her demeanor spoke the truth. She was silver more than pale and as she claimed her pelt would be a worthy addition to the collection of Velthin. Therein lies the issue. Again and again, they hit the same ugly truth that in the end, her death is what this would lead to. Her tears and her fear were enough to sway him even despite her looks. He could distance himself no longer he closed the gap and embraced her. "I'm sorry sister. I don't know why this is to be. Or how this is to end but I will be with you."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

She gave a slight hiccup of a cry as his arms came about her. She pushed her lips together, her bottom one quivered as wrinkles formed in her chin. She sniffed once and a second time, then finally rose her arms. Her fingers carefully grasped at the back of his shirt while she sobbed into his shoulder. Tears rained down. For a time, she stood shaking and praying that once she'd finished her wail, that she'd be all normal again. Louder. Her voice grew as every piece of understanding sunk into her thoughts.

She may die. She may not. She may roam alone. She may never hear her mother's soothing voice again. The dinners, the laughter, teases, her kingdom, her people, family, one way or another, it would be gone. Her future she had pictured for herself folded and crumbled, quaked just as she did, until it'd only be bitter remembrances of what she could have had.

And the only person who may hear her was her brother, and she did not mind it.

Her volume steadily decreased until she calmed entirely. Hardly able to breathe with a nose so filled with mucus. "Tomorrow," she squeaked out and cleared her throat. "When you begin the hunt, you must claim this spot. But do not come inside until weeks end." Alyss asked such from him, but she simply assumed that he had been the champion this day.

 

[Calibutcher]

It ached to hold his sister like this, he had seen her sob before. Look forlorn or even angry. But this sorrow she carried now. Was deeper than all those things combined. She feared for her life. The life she would lose as a princess and for her very existence. He did not know how to console her sufficiently in these final hours. Tomorrow she may not even be the same person at all. He still didn't know if her transformation would take her mind, though for now. She was still in control.

Her aching sobs and shaking faded with time and she found her voice through the anguish.

"Tomorrow, I am not the first to come looking." He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back slightly. His eyes met with hers. "Leon won today. He will come searching." Leon's victory was something Amare still had not truly come to terms with. He wanted to claim many things as to why he lost. The distraction of his sister turning. The lack of sleep, anything. The result was still the same. Leon had bested him. "I will be the second to search and I will claim this area."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

"What?" Alyss merely whispered as she learned of the results. An ember of pride prodded at the corner of her mouth. It slightly raising into a half smile. Sir Leon had been her choice. Her ribbon. Her probable future. She had chosen right for more reasons than she'd predicted. The smile never became fully clear though at that clear, twisting realization that her brother wouldn't be the first to hunt. She hadn't thought about asking her mother when soldiers were given allowance to hunt, thus she didn't know just how long she'd be without guard of Amare. "Could you not, at the very least, sneak to this location and protect it until you are allowed to truly hunt?"

 

[Calibutcher]

Even with her changed features, he could spot her favor at hearing Leon had won. Her short-lived joy still stung him slightly as he was still feeling a bit bitter at the loss.

Her following question was met with a frown of his own. "I will not be able to leave the castle. In order to keep it fair, all the knights are to stay in the castle allowing the winner to have there allotted time. Just stay in the den here. You will not be found."

He was confident the shelter would remain hidden even with the hunters that would swarm the forests in search of the silver tiger.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

The pounding of Alyss' heart kept a speedy rhythm in her chest. Her fears engulfed her thoughts and pried at any hope she had in the situation. Her arms lifted and grabbed at his elbows, where she squeezed for fear of letting her brother leave for the night. "And you shall return? You promise? Even if I be a beast, you shall stay? And when you stay, you shant take my life?"

[Super short post.]

 

[Calibutcher]

It was hard to watch the emotional turmoil his sister experienced. Anything she could find joy in was quickly replaced with the despair of her situation. He could not blame her, he was struggling to find reasons to stay positive himself, even more, troubling was her ask for a promise not to slay the silver tiger she would surely turn into. He tried to ease her fears. "I will return, though not right away. I do not want to draw suspicion." he sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "Beast or no you will still be my sister. I will lead the others away." He reached for his dagger and slowly drew the blade. "Rumor is the Silver Tiger even bleeds silver. If your blood is silver now, I would like to take some, so I may fake a trail for them to chase." He gestured to her arm with his dagger. "May I?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Between his words, Alyss gave short nods. She understood. He'd return, and she had to have faith in his ways of going about so. Her hands dropped from his elbows as she took in a long, deep breath. Clearing her mind and taking into account that there was nothing else they may do. It was only then she noticed her hair had been standing up on end, though it felt different now, and she could only figure why. However, it did not last as she appeared to pale more than she already had. Her eyes flicked down to the blade and back at Amare multiple times before she pulled up her quaking arm. "Oh, but please make it swift," she jumbled out, closed her eyes and turned her face away.

 

[Calibutcher]

She gave her consent and Amare grabbed a nearly empty bottle from a nearby shelf. A fine brandy he had taste tested himself. No longer fit to sell it stayed here in his hideout. "Take a drink." he handed her the bottle. "Just drink some, it'll help with the pain." He knew she would protest and wished to get this over with quickly. As she took a swig he grabbed her arm and make a shortcut along her forearm without warning. Her skin parted to the blade and sure enough, a silver liquid came from the wound. It was just a small cut and did not bleed much, all the same, he took one of the many empty bottles next to him and pressed it to her skin collecting what he could of her blood.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

"I do not enjoy nor do I want to partake in such liquid. If I--" Alyss stopped as the bottle was pushed into her hand and he persisted that she take a swig. Her eyes narrowed, yet as she gazed upon the blade a second time, she tilted her head back and downed some, and then fell into a coughing fit as she felt pain swell from her arm. She tried to jerk her limb back to her, but stopped herself while retaining her poise some. Back still straight, but sweating bullets. She winced and sucked air through her teeth. "What of the color?" Alyss asked, unable to will herself to gaze at her arm. The bottle of liquor held loosely now down by her thigh between two fingers. Her thumbnail clicked the side of the bottle, unable to keep perfectly still. "Is it as glorious as they say? As though all the jewelry from aristocrats and the noble had been melted into a fearsome beast."

 

[Calibutcher]

He was initially distracted as he worked to hold her arm steady while grasping a knife and a bottle at the same time. It was her question that finally caused him to acknowledge what he drew from her arm. It was true silver blood that glittered even here in the dim lighting. "Yes, sister it is as they describe." He was in awe of what he saw but he was also disturbed to see that she was wholly transforming into this tiger. It would seem only her mind was her own anymore. Tomorrow she would no longer look like his sister at all. He pressed the wound and collected some more of the silvery substance.

He did not want to collect too much for fear of hurting his sister. He pulled away the bottle and set it on the shelf. He tied a rag around her arm to stem the bleeding and stepped away to cork the bottle of blood. "It is almost enchanting to look at." He mused, finding his gaze drawn to the bottle again.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

He answered her. She kept still. She kept silent. She waited for the stinging pain to pass. She never looked. Not at the bottle, not at her arm and barely at her own brother. "So it is true then. The pendant I watched the King adorn on my mother upon their engagement is indeed from the tiger he slayed. As the tale goes, 'the Silver Tiger took with it all the shiny things from the people it used, so now we gradually take back what was stolen.' It sounds like a commoner thief. Perhaps that is my sin." Alyss lifted her arm and placed a hand gingerly over the rag. "I was a commoner before a noble. My blood doesn't run with royal blood as yours does, and yet I stay in the walls of the palace."