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

[Calibutcher]

The bottle's glittery content was not of interest to her as it was to him. He took the hint and put the bottle in a bag out of sight. "It would seem so, all that we lost has been brought back to us bit by bit one tiger at a time." Hearing her reasoning for why she suspected she was turning into a tiger bothered him. Her issue of blood royal or not should not be the cause for him to lose his sister or for her to lose her life.

"A cruel fate regardless of who you are or where you came from. Have you thought this through all the way? Because I have been bothered by something. Do you think you are the first to turn into the Silver Tiger? I wonder who else has met this fate."

 

[AEONmeteorite]

As her brother spoke, Alyss let go of the rag and walked to the cot to sit. "Of course I have, I'm the one who--" her eyes opened wide and tail twitched. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees while pushing fingers against her forehead. "Then," she began, but stopped. She had a suggestion and she doubted that he'd like to hear it. Instead she said, "Then that means others have died at the hands of their own people. We carry pelts of humans who've become beasts." And if that was all true, then Alyss wondered if giving up her blood to be drained may be the way to end the cycle. Give back all the treasure and livelihood the Silver Tiger once took. It would mean her end, for certain it would, but in twenty-two years, perhaps the Festival of Legend would be about a new legend. "Be on your way. Take your leave, place the blood and rest. Tomorrow you may have to fight both beast and man."

 

[Calibutcher]

His question sparked something in her and he began nodding along, thinking she had the same thought process he did as well. It was gruesome to hear it said out loud. But now it could not be denied. The pelts they so proudly showed were actually to their shame.

His sister however had a new idea she was not forthcoming with. "Leave? Now? What do you mean I may have to fight both Beast and Man?" She sounded certain. He thought of taking his leave as asked but he was not content to simply leave like this.

"I will take your word for it if you say so. But please do not leave me so in the dark. You have a plan I take it. How can I be of help?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss kept to herself for quite some time. She mulled over her thoughts. What was to happen and how it'd happen. The same crawling wonder returned. If she didn't go to sleep would she change? Now her struggling self trekked down ideas of what may happen every 22 years to unknowing people. "We must end it. The cycle, that is, if people changing is something normal. Either we must find a means to break it ourselves, or you must inform the King and Queen of our discovery and tell the people of our kingdom. If they at least know, then everyone can watch their loved ones and...."

And what? Lock up the afflicted person until they withered to age? "It all depends on tomorrow. Before all else, you must navigate if I am of sound mind, for if I'm not, such a curse must be broken. If it cannot be, then there is still reason to slay the beast."

 

[Calibutcher]

"I agree we must end the cycle though I am not certain what your plan is still. I suppose I can agree, I will see you tomorrow and determine your state of mind." Thoughts of tomorrow frightened him, regardless of what she was planning she seemed to understand how this could end for her. He understood how it could end as well. But he would give her this chance.

Before leaving he stepped up to his sister and embraced her again. "I trust you." He said before he exited the den locked the door and covered the hatch with moss and branches.

He traveled back to his home and began readying himself for the day tomorrow. He would need his rest for whatever came next. As he laid out his gear and equipment for the next day a knock came on his door. He went to answer it but his father came in before he could reach the door. Instantly Amare felt nervous. Father had a stern expression and met Amare's gaze.

"Son, we need to talk. I know."

Amare tilted his head in concern and the king closed the door behind him.

The next morning started like the other days of the Festival. However, it was Leon who stood tall and Amare who was next to him. The next runner-ups from the duel were lined up behind them.

The king gave his speech about why hunting the silver tiger was important and what an honor it was for these people to carry on the tradition. Amare tuned out for most of it. He was itching to get out of here and check on his sister. But he would have to wait. As the winner of the duel, Leon would be given 4 hours to look for the Tiger on his own before Amare would be allowed out and then 2 hours later the next knight.

Before Leon was let go Amare paid enough attention to tell him "Good luck." He said in a flat tone. Leon raised an eyebrow but responded. "Thanks, I wish you the same." Leon wanted to say more mostly to ask if Amare was ok but the sound of cannons urged him to start the hunt. Leon lurched away and took to the woods.

The 4 hours that Leon was allowed dragged by and Amare sulked in the shade of a tent waiting for his time to go out. He was certain Leon would not find the shelter but found himself bouncing his knee nervous all the same. His announcement to hunt came and he took to the woods as quickly as he could. Not towards his sister but in the opposite direction. He had a false trail to lay.

nearly two hours later he was at the door to his secret den. He had laid a false trail and had flecks of blood on him so he could spin a tale about wounding the tiger if he needed to. He reached his hidden den and saw the door broken open. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked in disbelief. "Sister?" He called out softly. Nervous to make his position known and frightened to not know where his sister was.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Swells of voices. Panting. The gallop of paws pounding against the forest floor. Clinging of metal. Wails of pain and fear. So many sounds echoed in Alyss' sleeping head, turning her every which way in her sleep. Her mutters added to the nonsense, up until she heard an unfamiliar voice yell, "Go the greenhouse!" and her eyes snapped open.

She breathed out sharply and sat up. "W-what.." she wheezed to herself and reached to touch her face. It was not her hand, it was a paw. "N-no, no!" She hadn't transformed entirely, had she, for she sat up as a person would. But her body felt icky and twisted. "No, stop. I do not wish this." She tried to stand from the cot, but buckled to her knees. She could not see herself, nor did she wish to. Her voice cracked more and more. She had just enough time to barely put the cloak she came in along her shoulders and then, she was no longer her.

The dark wasn't dark. She heard better. The air had a smell. She knew this scent. It was the flowers, the vigints. All the way from here, she could locate it perfectly. 'The greenhouse,' she thought and trotted around the room. The soft pitter patter did not help her believe that she had truly transformed. She covered herself as though to believe that hiding her body would prevent the curse from continuing. 'The greenhouse,' she thought again and continued to walk in a circle. What time was it? Had the hunt begun? She had never been able to notice the changes before either due to her slumber, or it being out of sight.

'The greenhouse,' and again, it came, that thought. She plopped on her haunches and gazed at the door. Waiting for her brother to come. Her tail swayed against the ground, kicking up the hem of the cloak. Alyss had to go there, to the vigints. She moved straight forward and pawed at the door. She tried to turn the knob, but two things became apparent. Thumbs were a wonderful invention from the Watchers and her paw was huge. Her size, she was no average wild cat, she most certainly was a beast. Large and impossible otherwise.

She tried more than once before frustration embedded into her attempts. Claws unsheathed and deep cuts pathed into the wood. Then a clunk sounded and the doorknob fell to the ground, but the door still didn't open. 'I'm sorry brother,' Alyss thought and backed up, lowered her head, sprinted forward and rammed into the door. It bust open far easier than she had figured it would, and luckily it stayed on its hinges. However, she couldn't remember if the door originally opened out.

Alyss stopped there, padding back and forth and while she could see find, it was clearly in the middle of the night. The air crisp, but she didn't feel cold. Crickets and the merest of hoots strummed the forest, along with the rattling of branches and leaves. She had never felt so safe, so comfortable, in the middle of the forest. One with creatures and bandits of all kinds. For she knew that the likelihood that anything that wasn't seeking her would attack was low. She wanted to stay there and take in the night in the woods, but right now, she had time to sneak about, so she ran toward the castle.

It came with ease taking each bounding step. Unlikely ease for just becoming a tiger. The Silver Tiger. It felt nostalgic. She wondered why that may be. She hadn't been alive 22 years ago. She hadn't experienced this ever before. The closer she came to the castle, the more familiar it came too, not simply because she lived there, but as though she'd taken this way many times before.

'What?' she said in her mind and skidded to a stop. In the middle of where the gardens must be was a new tower. Rather than it being made of the stone of the castle, it was instead made of the accent colors of the stained glass windows. And she kept forward, as she figured that's exactly where she is to go.

 

[Calibutcher]

He burst into the den sword drawn wondering if she was still hiding inside somehow. But all his liquor and products were there. Only the door was broken out. He left and quickly closed the door again doing his best to cover the entrance. He looked around the entrance and saw a paw print in the earth. "No." She had turned fully and for some reason broken out. Perhaps she truly had lost her mind to the tiger as he feared. He would find no more answers standing here though. He covered what tracks he could find and began searching the forest with renewed vigor. He needed to find Either Leon or the tiger. If Leon or any other knight returned with the body of the tiger, the trumpets would sound to alert the other knights the hunt was over. So far he had not heard anything so at least she had not likely been found yet.

Amare took a light jog through the forest in the direction of the tracks for a time but they quickly faded and could not be found. More worrisome was that the tracks seemed to head back towards the castle. Surely she could not be so foolish though right? By now the next knight would be released. Chances of the Tiger being found would only grow greater with time.

 

[Calibutcher]

The dark cloak helped hide some of her silver fur. It probably looked a tad silly on her, but she didn’t much care, considering a lot of what she was experiencing still felt like a dream. She scoured the walls of the palace and town. It seemed odd how little guards there were, especially considering that the supposed Silver Tiger should be out and about. But, that brought up a fair point. She’d done a fair share amount of research about other Festival of Legend to prepare for this one, and no where did it say that the festivities ended when the hunt began. People were still laid back. Every 22 years their kingdom succeeded. As far as they knew, there’d been no reason to fear, and with celebration happening, the guards were lax. That benefitted her greatly.

She sought out the weakest point that she saw so far, as weak as she was aware and could tell, that is. It had been very much the same location they used to leave a couple nights prior, but how to pass the guards without being noticed once she left the tree line would be sheer luck.

Alyss lingered in the brush and foliage. Her tail flicked and every time it did, a constant resounding sick feeling weighed on her stomach. She wanted to try and speak, but now feared that she would end up roaring somehow and grabbing the attention of the guards. She couldn’t stay. The closer she would be to the walls when daybreak hit, the sooner she would most certainly meet her end. She began to lift out of the vegetation, taking one careful, slow, breathless step.

“Halt! Who goes there!” one of the guards shouted and Alyss figured this was it, this would be how she ended. “Some of the competitors are trailing into the forest, come on!” And literally, every, single, guard left. All of them. For what, a group of people who decided to start their hunt far before the winner? Did that many guards need to go? Though, Alyss already needed to count herself lucky twice over, those hunters could have run into her.

She moved. Slick. Fast. In long strides and burst right through that open gate. She didn’t stop, she didn’t catch her breath, she didn’t looked, she just moved. Her paw falls plopped all the way through the gardens. The tower was massive, but it seemed only one room existed on it. The stairs spirated on the outside and began at the entrance of the greenhouse.

Move, move, move. Get there. She still hadn’t heard anyone sounding that the Silver Tiger had entered castle walls, and finally, she was on the steps. Alyss felt safe. Even though she only scaled ten or so stairs, she was fine. And to test it, she decided to speak. Loud. She roared. Nothing happened.

-

“The blood trails the opposite direction of the tracks,” Leon muttered to himself. “I did not think I’d need a team, but I worry now.” The winner had spent a good time wandering the forest and had eventually found evidence from both fronts. He followed the blood first, having heard that some of the competitors had shown themselves dishonorable and had already begun their hunt. He figured they managed to get a shot on the beast. After following the tracks for a good chunk of an hour, he found no progress and decided to seek more information. “What if…” he began, but stopped and lifted his sword in the same direction as Amare. “Beast! I dare you to try.”


Amare continued to crash through the brush as he searched for any other clues as to the location of his sister or the tiger. He wasn’t even sure which he would find. His traversal was met by a loud voice. “Leon?” Amare lowered his sword. “Speak for yourself I am no beast.” He said in a haughty tone before walking out of the brush and sheathing his sword.

He looked over Leon and could tell that he had not been in a fight so far. At least not with the famed silver tiger. “Have you found anything so far?”

Leon shook his head. Unsure of what to share. The two were rivals in this matter after all.

A silence fell between the two as neither could decide what to say.

Amare wondered if telling him about his sister would be helpful, or if it would just seem a ploy to try and deceive the knight away from killing the tiger himself. They both stood there on edge for a time looking for the other to start talking.

Leon broke the silence. “Have you found anything?”

Amare shrugged but begrudgingly offered the one real sign he had seen. “Tracks heading towards the castle. Little else.” A partial truth is the most effective form of a lie. “Though I can’t fathom why the Tiger would go towards the castle and I lost its tracks.”

Leon decided since Amare seemed to be truthful he could as well. “I found blood back east a way. I suspect the hunter group that started the hunt early may have tagged the beast.”

Amare considered it was likely the blood he laid out but news of hunters already on the prowl left doubt in him. “Did the trail lead to anything?” He questioned.

Leon shook his head.

“Perhaps we should search closer to the castle then?” It was the best guess he had and Leon seemed to agree. The two began looking for trails closer to the castle.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss, in the midst of night, scaled around the new tower. Going up freely even as guards returned or made their rounds. She was safe. She leapt and padded. Although she was the Silver tiger, this had been the most safe she had felt since the transformation began. Sure, if need be, she could always hunker in the tower. How would she eat? How would she live properly? She could inform Amare, but how would she do that too.

The princess made it to the entrance of the tower. The entryway was large and had no doors, it opened to a vast space that was mostly empty, only two books shelves sat opposite of Alyss, with a single pedestal with a book on top between them. She cocked her head and flicked her ear, then walked in. Her walk became a tumble. Rolling head first into a trip and an audible, "yeep!" filtered out of her. No sooner came a gasp and she placed a hand on her mouth. Her hand. "That was it?" she exclaimed and stood while grabbing the cloak to pull about on either side of her. She turned her body back and forth, and found dissatisfaction in the stripes that hadn't left her skin. "Now I have a chance though." The princess made certain the cloth covered her properly, spun around and walked back through the entry. And she again tumbled. A roar took place the yelp and she skidded toward the edge of the railless staircase. Her claws screeched against the stairs as she flung herself and twisted around, where eventually her claws found purchase and she pulled herself up.

A huff, a growling groan and Alyss went to return to the chamber. This time careful, as her body swooped back to normal once more. "Temporary then." She frowned and clicked her tongue. Her letdown in the situation didn't bear much impact. There would at least be hope. This place had to be for the Silver Tiger. If it followed the stories, this may be the place where the tiger stayed.

Delving further into the chamber, Alyss saw that the books on the shelves were not marked with titles, even the one on the pedestal had a bare cover, she picked that one up first. A hefty book. The pages were yellowed, but in good shape overall. Considering its placement, she could assume its importance, and upon opening the first page, that became even more apparent. The writing held the oldest form of language that Alyss rarely saw in libraries. Only royals were taught it now and it was mostly seen as useless. That is, until now.

"My longtime friend suggested I write a journal to place in the tower the clerics are finishing for me. So here, Reed Rothland, I, write my words of my present and likely, your past."

While it was dark, Alyss' eyes still could make out the words. Upon looking further, above was a glass ceiling, similar to that in the greenhouse, where the moon's light gave her just enough to work with. She continued to read and sat on the ground.

"I was a servant boy for the prince of Selen. Darce Selen was his full name and we were, and are, close friends. I was not a good servant by means of definition or expectations thereof. I gladly took my friend out of the walls and sought adventures with him. The forests around held many creatures, yet we saw ourselves invincible and boundless. One day, we came upon a Silver Tiger. We hid. We had thought it didn't see us. It wasn't the last we saw of the beast and we were certain it knew of our presence too. We continued with our adventures all throughout our lives."

"It transpired two years prior to these writings when we entered the forest and heard a screech unlike we had ever encountered. We should have returned to the castle, but instead delved deeper. We didn't make it in time as we watched that Silver Tiger be stabbed by what we could only assume to be was a poacher with a blade made of corruption. We attacked the man. We even killed him. The wound spread across the Tiger, consuming his stunning fur and turned it into a mucky black. We witnessed the blade turn to silver instead. It would die. We stayed with it until it did. It didn't take long and something miraculous. Its, his, spirit took shape before our eyes and he spoke to us. He said:

'"You feared me. You never tried to kill me. You never sent someone to take me down. You let me be, as I did you. I found myself often protecting the two of you. Watched you grow. Becoming of a prince title and a man. I thought my godhood would never die, I seem to have been wrong, however I was never wrong for trusting you two. Prince, you already have power, I implore you to continue to use it to protect your people. Servant, I wish to offer you mine, so long as you promise that you will also protect each other as I did for you. For I am certain, you would have saved me if you had known of my dire circumstances sooner."'

"Both of us knew at this time, the real reason we never found ourselves in dire circumstances as he, was because he kept watch of us. In that instance, his spirit flew into me, a servant, and I became a beast. I imagine, you have too. I eventually learned to transform at will and I grant you the same with this tower. Instead of learning to transform back, you may learn to do so by becoming the Silver Tiger. Only those without noble blood may be granted such a gift. As noble already have power."

Alyss had mixed emotions. She held her breath and pursed her lips. This wasn't right. Selen? Her kingdom did not hold such a name. She also found herself hanging onto the last two sentences. Noble blood. Then she read back through the information. Supposedly, she could change. How long would it take? She imagined the book gave further offerings of lessons to learn how, but she couldn't sit there for days trying to learn and starve.

She shut the book. She'd have to bring it with her then. Go back to the location where she'd meet her brother and drop it off to him. Then he could figure it out for her. Alyss stood and made a beeline for the exit, but as she passed and changed again, the book slipped from her grasp and fell on the inside. She padded up to the chamber and pawed at the book to pull it out, but a barrier kept it in. Alyss huffed and returned inside for the third time, once her entire passed, she changed again. "I guess this would offer much sense. If the book were to be lost, then so would the past... but the past was already lost."

Alyss opened the book once more, this time flipping through the pages. Eyeing keywords and even saw the time in which Prince, or rather, King Darce Selen, had passed away before his servant friend. Her heart ached. It'd happen eventually, yes, but they never stopped being with one another. The last thing appended to his journal involved his own passing. She placed the book back and turned to other literature. She spotted another old leather and flipped through that.

Another, by the name of Riss Scotfield had transformed and now spent their days protecting the noble and their people. She moved to the next book, this time a man by the name of Victor Halt. To the next and stopped. It read:

"Selen has fallen to the Kingdom Velthin five years prior to my writings. I have made it to this tower after having been forced to serve them for those years. My name is, Taleri Fitston, and I am the Silver Tiger who is first to be hunted by the noble. These noble care little for this deity and now, as my body is mortal, normal swords can slay me and every Silver Tiger to come."

Alyss' aching heart returned and it weighed. Velthin. Her Velthin? She dropped the book to the ground and moved to the next one. The book was small comparatively and consisted more about the kingdom than the actual Silver Tiger who wrote it. It essentially said they'd do their best to live. One book after another, until she ran into the new language people spoke now. It read:

"I do not know what these books say, for I am but a peasant, and barely know to write, but I think I am supposed to, so I will try."

The next book:

"This book is empty, I shall write in it as the last did."

The next book... there was no writing. No other books had writings. They were empty. They were unlearned. Alyss doubted they knew how to write their own name, much less read. The information that Reed wished to offer had been lost ages ago.

---

Leon had been prepared for some awkward interaction with the prince. With the win under his belt and the contest technically still underway, Amare had every right to wish to dismiss him. Training with him and his sister, along with the times they've traded discussion, Leon did not think he would be so rigid, yet so open in the same breath. "May I say your highness, you seem preoccupied. Both now and in our battle. While I wish to pride myself over my win, I fear if I do, I shall learn that your mind wasn't entirely in it." He tilted his head some to look better at the prince and sheathed his sword. "Your highness, I know it is not often this is done, but may I extend an offer?" He stopped and used his toe to point at a paw print in the ground. "Let us create a team. I do not wish to take the crown, but I do wish to stand next to your sister, the princess. We are in the exact positions to make both possible and I worry of you."

 

[Calibutcher]

The initial tension broke but even so the two remained terse with one another. While he did not think Leon would believe him if he shared the truth about the silver tiger, it weighed out well enough in his mind to have the knight help him. Leon was still a friend even if he had beaten him in the duel. “True enough, I am preoccupied. You may not have heard. But Alyss is… ill. It has weighed on me and our family.” Ill was the best way he could put it.

He had made the suggestion to search together merely out of habit. Leon was still a friend. Someone he thought he could trust. His reasoning for pairing with him was simple. Leon was fully capable of killing the Silver Tiger on his own. As such he wanted to be near when Leon found the Tiger as well. It was the best chance to see that he could handle the Tiger himself.

“I accept your offer. Let us hunt the tiger together then. My victory will ensure your position in my kingdom, and I will see you lifted to the proper status to be able to marry Alyss.” He would lift Leon upon the successful hunt of the Tiger, but Alyss's fate was far less certain. Amare sighed failing to hide the heavy nature of his thoughts. “We must find the tiger first to make any of this possible.”

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Books circled Alyss as the rays of dawn striped the floor. Her arm emerged from beyond her cloak, to which she turned it left and right, gazing upon the stripes that painted her skin. She had spent half the night reading the majority of Reed's journal after having skipped many of the pages prior. He had spoken of his duties. They'd range from civilian tasks such as helping in the construction of building, to aiding in battles and war. He spoke of a time that he sprinted across the vastness of their kingdom to bring medicine to a child. He had even, at one point, bled to create a pendant for his friend. King Darce did not approve of such methods, but wore it anyways as a sign of their bond. The Silver Tiger, beloved, not hunted.

The remaining of the night, Alyss tried to turn back into the tiger. Doing just as Reed instructed. How she is to focus and how changing from human instinct to animal was easier the other way around, but she never managed to do it. She should have brought with her the food and perhaps the cot. She could have survived in the tower for longer if she at least had those. "Well, at least I've a journal to write in again," she mumbled and reached for one of the empty journals, and then to a pot of ink sitting on a shelf beneath the pedestal. Upon grabbing it, she saw it was no longer a liquid. Hardened and very much evaporated. "Never mind." She would have to write about her own experiences as a Silver Tiger later.

First she'd have to get out and find her brother, or she had to learn how to transform at that moment. Alyss tried once more. Putting all of her mind into it. An attempt to become the thing that she'd been taught to hate. To no such avail did she change, and in her frustration she yelled, picked up the books one by one, and threw them at the entrance. Each hit the invisible wall there, then fell to the floor. "Why?" she belted. "Why must a kingdom force their way in and destroy wholesome traditions?! Why must it be us that were bad? What happened? I barely even know magic and yet I have been enveloped by all means of, that it prevents me from giving what I know!" She lifted Reed's book above her head, heaving breath after breath, before sinking back and laying on down. It'd been the most un-royal thing she'd done, and it felt good. Her fingers curled around the literature, then she let it go and stood.

It was either die of starvation in the tower or die as the tiger out there.

___

"Yes, I have heard of her being taken by ailment, but I was no aware of the severity." Leon turned up his head toward the castle walls. They were coming strangely close to them. The tracks, though faint in some parts, showed that the tiger had not been deterred by such massive walls or guards. He feared that the beast had indeed made it through the walls. All those oblivious celebrators would be in grave danger if such was fact. "I cannot be let by her side as a ribbon is anything but an official courtship, engagement, or anything otherwise. If I am to be by her side in her hardship, I must prove my valor. You and I---"

A loud horn blew off from a tower at the walls interrupting Leon. "Everyone inside!! Get the citizens inside! Put them in the castle if need be!"

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare wondered how far he should go in explaining how dire her illness may be. Death seemed certain for his sister. Especially considering father was intent that the silver tiger's death came by his hand, regardless of who the tiger may be. It was hard to listen to Leon as he showed such a great desire to assist him in being able to reach the throne. The price seemed so high now. Leon wanted to be happy with his sister. He wouldn't know it but he would help him dispatch his desired bride.

He wanted to say something about it. But father's orders had been clear. No one was to know. As Leon touted his desires they were interrupted by the warning horn. Amare began running as soon as the horn sounded. He wanted to find the danger as quickly as he could. He stormed ahead of Leon and grabbed a guard. "Why has the alarm been sounded?" He shouted at the man.
"I don't know prince, I am only to bring people into the gates." The guard said with a determined resolution. "Go ask the Sergent, he may know."

Amare looked back to see Leon catching up. "I'm going to find the Sergent!" he called as he took off again towards the inner defenses and soon he found a group of guards receiving orders from the Sergent. Amare had to jostle his way through the mass of bodies before reaching him and repeating his question from earlier. This time with a bit more respect. "Sergent, what is going on?"

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Leon gave a firm nod to Amare, then ran off the other direction towards people who were gathering into the castle walls. "Please do not push one another!" he called, going into action of protecting the people rather than earning his title. "Is anyone injured? What happened?"

"The Silver Tiger ran right out the inner walls into town!" a lady exclaimed. "Darted right past all the festival tents."

"Truly, the Silver Tiger past the inner walls?"

Many of the townspeople nodded their heads before stumbling into the castle to take refuge until all was settled. Leon stayed with them for a time until more guards came and fulfilled taking care of them. Once he felt they were adequately secured he began to walk, but then stopped. "Excuse me," he said to a guard. "Do you know of a way to send word to the King?"

The guard stopped and turned to Leon. "Yes. Though he is aware of the beast."

"I know that he would be, could you find a way to tell him to let all available competitors to join the hunt? It matters most that the kingdom is safe."

---
"Set up defense on the perimeter of this wall. Have archers on the top here, and--" the Sergeant billowed, but stopped as he heard the voice of his prince, to which he spun on his heel and bowed. "Your Highness." He proceeded to listen to his question and straightened his back. "The Silver Tiger ran right between the festival goers. Didn't touch a single one. Spooking it was easy. It tried every effort to escape, but we managed to corner it for a time. It managed to jump over our forces though and head into the canopy of the forest. We are now putting our efforts in strengthening defenses lest it returns." The Sergeant turned on his heel again and pulled up a rigid arm. "And before you ask, it went out the east, outer gate. Seems like a meek one, never even swatted at my men. Should be easy to take down if you can catch up."

 

[Calibutcher]

Hearing the news of the tiger in the city walls left him as confused as he had been when he hadn't found her in the den this morning. Though hints of Alyss stuck out to him. No one was injured, not even an attempt to harm anyone. Surely his sister had retained her mind as she claimed. Now though was the time for action. As the Sergent took a breath Amare questioned. "What direction?" His question was answered as soon as he made the inquiry. East. He wasted no further words and bolted away. He looked for Leon as he ran and spotted him not far off. He nearly ran into his friend and ally and only gave one command. "Follow quickly."

He ran to the East gate and once outside started scanning the ground for tracks. He would have to track quickly to remain ahead of the others who may try to follow the same trail. He found a print and started jogging along the trail. Soon he was enveloped in the canopy of trees again. He took no head to look around for a pouncing tiger he just focused on the tracks. After all, if his sister was really in control she would not harm him. He would have the upper hand. Especially with Leon by his side.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

She needed just her brother. Just the prince. If he found her, then she could try to explain things, to bring him to the tower, to possibly, maybe, show him the book. If need be, she could hide away longer while he came up with tales of his sister's disappearance, and in that time, she could learn how to transform at will. She just needed to be spontaneous enough to confuse everyone else besides him.

Her sprinting became erratic. She'd jump onto leaves and wild grass to hide her tracks, then step into mud to reemerge them. Climb a tree, then jump somewhere else. Then, she came across a large patch of mud and dirt. He too knew old language, as any royal should, and she chose that to be what she'd scratch in the mud. "Amare, meet me-" she paused. Meet where? His little liquor trade hideout would be far too close to the castle. Surely hunters will have begun gathering there. Besides that, she knew nowhere else. She didn't know the forest as he did. Alyss had hardly left the town, and when she had, it was in a carriage to other towns of the kingdom. She swatted at the mud and destroyed the words. Instead, she wrote, "I am me." Then sat behind the words. She kept careful watch all the same though. If anyone but her brother came, she'd have to run.

 

[Calibutcher]

His pace faltered as he had to pass to find the tracks again. At first, she had run in a clear straight line but now her trail faltered he slid to a halt in the loose mud. He began making circles from the last track he found looking for the next sign. It was a game of patience in a tense time. He forced himself to take a deep breath and slow as he stalked along the ground. He found a broken branch along a tree and before long found tracks again. Several times he lost the tracks but he followed his training to rediscover the trail. When the trail became difficult to follow he instructed Leon to cover their tracks. He would gladly impede anyone else who would try to take the prize from them. Besides, he needed to strike the final blow on the tiger.

He slowed again as the trail grew steady and the tracks grew closer together. Amare raised a hand. He motioned Leon closer and whispered to him. "I think we are close." He took a moment to catch his breath and slow his breathing. "Make your way around the long way. I will try to make the first strike. Chase it to you. We should be near the river. Perhaps we can corner the beast by the bank of the river. If it comes to you try to push it that way." He grabbed Leon by the hand. "We will make our own legend brother." He patted Leon on the back and the other knight took his leave stalking into the woods.

Amare stood and found his palms very sweaty suddenly. The realization of what was to come struck him hard. He was to kill his sister regardless of her state of mind. The tradition must continue. "The tradition of our fathers must continue," he whispered to himself. He strode forward following the tracks. He had been correct it was only a few more minutes of walking before he pushed his way through a brush that led into a small grove of trees. There in the middle sat a silver tiger. Any fear of his sister not being in control was pushed away. "Alyss?" He whispered as he peered at her. He noticed strange markings on the ground in front of her. Writing he realized. A bit difficult to read but the message was clear. I am me.

A faint grin came to his face. His sister still lived in that body. There was no doubt. "It is you." He whispered. He crept closer holding his hands out from his side slightly. "we do not have much time. Leon is near." Step by step he drew nearer to her. He was tense and watched her moves trying to figure out how and where to strike.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Any sound made in the forest set her on edge. Multiple times her body flinched and she figured it may be best to keep running. She kept though. Alyss had confidence that her brother would find her. Her tail swayed, moving along dirt and causing pebbles to tumble.

A rustle in the brush and a warrior emerged. She slicked down her ears, but soon they popped up again. 'Amare!' she both said in her mind and attempted to out loud, but simple chirps echoed from her as she shifted back and forth between her front paws. He approached and read the ground. Her head looked at his face and back to the ground over and over, but then her ears fell again at the information of Leon being on his way. She shook her head and patted at the ground. She stood and did it some more before writing again as fast and frantic as she could. The first few words being, "I found something."

 

[Calibutcher]

It was curious to think of this beast as his sister but it could not be denied as she began writing more In the dirt. He squinted as he struggled to read the words for a time but eventually understood her meaning.

"You found something?" He parroted the question. "Is that why you were in the town?" It was the only reason he could think of as to why she would wander into the guarded city. He stepped closer still standing over what she had written his hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he looked between her and the words she had just written.

He knew the past silver tigers had been large but he had not expected her to be as large as the others. His sister was small this tiger however was anything but, scoring a single successful strike would prove difficult. He would need to get so close, catch her off guard.

^^^

Leon continued his efforts to stay as stealthy as possible. every branch or leaf he stepped on made him cringe. He could only imagine how easily the tiger could likely hear him. He began to wonder what signal would alert him to Amare's finding the tiger. He supposed he would hear the sounds of a fight. He paused for a moment but heard something else. Speech, is muffled by distance and trees, but who would be out here talking? Foolish hunters perhaps? He began to creep towards the voice hoping to identify the potential cheating hunters or his competition. As he drew closer though the voice started to become familiar. It sounded like Amare. But who would he be talking to? He kept creeping along hoping to see him.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss nodded a few times at his question of her being in town. She sat up straight for a time, thinking of how best to write this quickly, but then realized that she was wasting time thinking and got to clawing at the mud. "I can transform. I found--" from there, her claw stopped, ears flicked, heart quickened and she looked over to where Leon hid. She didn't see him, but she could sense something there.

 

[Calibutcher]

He was within range now he could draw his sword and in a step run her through. He inched closer still he wanted to finish it in a single blow. She moved again writing something new on the earth. He paused and tilted his head to read it. He felt a chill run down his spine. His father's words struck him.

"When you have the chance you cannot wait. The people cannot know the truth. Your actions will secure your rule and the secret must be kept lest power is able to shift in favor of the Silver Tiger once more."

Those three words, 'I can transform' confirmed what his father told him. The secret could be broken. Her focus shifted to something in the trees. His chance was now. He drew his blade and struck out at her in a fluid motion, trying to slice across her great meaty neck. He was nervous though and his attempt was not clean he slid on the loose ground and his sword went awry. He would not obtain the killing blow he wanted, but surely he would wound the beast.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Alyss wanted to talk about the book. The information of the past. She wanted to have conversations on how they may fix their ancestor's transgressions. Her attention returned to her brother as he moved, and no sooner pain erupted from her shoulder. Pain sprung out her throat and she leapt away. Her claws, on their own, unsheathed and pushed into the mud as she huffed. A bloom of foggy air puffed out due to the autumn chill around them competing with the heat of her breath. It showed the pain she was in. Panting, yet not having run.

Her eyes declared her emotions. Betrayal. Hurt. Mixed with the utmost mourn. So she was alone. It wasn't so much that he attacked her, rather that he had lied. A step back. Her back paw shook while a front one hovered over the mud. Her vocal chords thrummed in desperation to weep. She was a tiger now. That depth of emotion couldn't show anymore. Alyss didn't stay much longer, she spun, whipping silver blood onto the ground and sprinted.

Once she broke through the tree line, she zigzagged her way through the forest. She'd run. And run. And run. Keep going. Eventually she'd learn how to transform. And what then? Keep running?

 

[Calibutcher]

After making a slight noise in the brush he heard a commotion shortly after. Amare must have struck the beast for he heard a huff and as he parted through the tree line he saw the tremendous silver beast running away into the deeper woods. He glanced at Amare who was looking at his blade coated in silver blood, a strange expression on his face for having accomplished such a remarkable feat. "C'mon!" Leon yelled before running after the creature himself.

Amare took a staggering step after him. No time to process what he had done to his sister. No, it was the tiger now. No longer his sister... He had to slay it. His sister had died the moment she had turned into the tiger. He ran following Leon and what trail of blood he could see. He wiped at his face working to push back tears that threatened to surface. He could not risk losing the crown. With Leon on his side surely the tiger would fall now.

It was only a matter of time.

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Fleeting thoughts of returning to that tower at the castle emerged. She found herself slowing to look over her shoulder to gaze upon the licks of the walls that she could see. It'd be useless now. Guards were up, more so than when she first snuck in. Air blew in and out of her while she stepped in place. Trotting in a circle. Which way now? She decided on right and flung her body forward. Surely she hadn't been the first to attempt communication as a tiger, but she sure had planned for it to work.

Images swelled in her mind as wind past her in her sprint. Times where the two of them had snuck the pelt their father had conquered. A sacred relic, but something she'd put over her head and play games with. Now she felt all prickled and sick over the thought of who it may have been. A mother, son, or a sister, just as she had been without a chance to transform.

Alyss skidded across the forest ground, halted by a fallen tree and dug her claws into it. She'd just have to try, wouldn't she? She'd try to transform, over and over until she was found. Right here. Right now. She'd either die, or live. That would be that.

 

[Calibutcher]

Amare was quick and he had the endurance to chase the beast, but he could not contend with the sheer speed of the creature. They gave chase for a time following first the sounds of the beast crashing through the woods then as it got farther away from them they looked for trails and tracks, eventually, Amare jogged to a stop. "It looks like I didn't wound her enough." He huffed. "She is still getting away."

Leon trotted beside Amare and took a few breaths before replying. "Well, we shouldn't stop then. It'll only get further."

Amare nodded. "You are right but we are close enough to the city. You should go back for the horses. Then we can catch her."

Leon raised a brow, he had ignored it the first two times, but thrice now Amare had referred to the Tiger as her. "Why do you call it her?" Even with the question out, he agreed with the plan. Amare was still the faster runner and Leon could return with horses without too much trouble.

His breath caught at the question, he had not noticed that he referred to the tiger as her. Some part of him acknowledged the tiger as his sister. He scrambled for an answer, "The beast- I assume it is a she, nothing more. Now go! No time to waste." Amare jogged away to continue after the trail.

Leon wanted to ask more but the urgency of the task at hand sent him to fill in the request. So little was known of the Silver tigers that gender was hardly a concern. As Amare ran away Leon turned back to the castle.

Amare followed the trail at a jog slowing to reaffirm he was on the right path every now and then. After sufficient time had passed for Leon to be out of earshot Amare bit his lip in frustration and cried out. "Come on Tiger! Face me!" In his mind, he still fought with the notion of who the tiger truly was and what he was to do. Slay the Tiger to protect the kingdom. Try not to miss his sister too much...

 

[AEONmeteorite]

Attempt one, imagine herself a human real, real hard. She pulled up her front paws, leaned back on her rear, wrapped her tail about her, and straightened her back as she would to be seen as a prim and proper princess. She kept there and imagined herself walking down the halls of the castle as a human. Alyss imagined herself taking one step and falling into a human form. She lifted her right, rear paw and... she plopped right down onto all fours as she'd been prior.

Attempt two, stare at her paws and will them into hands. Hopefully the disparity between animal and human features would instill fear into her tiger mind and she'd warp back. She looked, and looked, and looked. Kept up the stare. Waiting for fingers to pop out of her toe beans, but after five minutes she felt silly, and moved on.

Attempt three, pray to the original silver tiger. In her mind, she said, 'Oh dear Silver Tiger, whom I know not is a deity or merely an animal, please rain down your powers upon me so I may wield a human form once more.'

And that too didn't work.

Reed had likely been right. It was probably easier to go from man to beast, than beast to man. If she had known that Amare would lash out at her for no reason at all, she would have taught herself up there. "I already know that," that's the reason she stopped here. She already went through these thoughts. There was no use dwelling over everything that had happened. She needed to focus. She needed to change, now. But why had her brother betrayed her? Why had he taken attack and made her leak her silver blood? "If he would have just waited a single moment longer, we could have figured this out together! Like he promised!" she belted while she circled around, and had not realized that what she spoke were true words. Not chirps or roars, but articulate words formed by only that of a human or deity. "And here I am stuck, hurt... bleeding." Her ears fell and she stopped. She turned her sights to her wound. It had not fully stopped dripping. She needed to calm herself.