Wed Dec 25, 2002 2:59 pm
“We’ll be safe here.” The smooth pantherine voice spoke softly in the shadows of the cave. Brown eyes studied his mate intently for several moments after.
“That’s what you said last time, dearling.” The females voice drifted through the air as she settled before the flames of the fire. Her fur was perfectly white, unmarred by anything. She was beautiful, everything about her more graceful than anything he could think of. Snow White perfection. And yet..
“I was wrong. Sue me.” But he laughed softly, engagingly. Well to her ears.
“Yes, my love, you were.” Laughter too echoed from her muzzle before she pushed to her feet and turned to face him. A sassy look was upon those feline features. “So, are you going to go get us food like the -hunter- you’re supposed to be?” Eyes glimmered brightly and humor was written there.
Even as her words were spoken, however, his body was changing. Two legs became four as the majestic beast rose. A shake of his head was given and further laughter lifted from his lips. “I’ll see what I can do.” From the cave he ran, her eyes followed him with great emotion glinting within. And yet something else bothered her about this realm.
He ran swiftly through the snow that night. A ghost and little else. Deer he saw and thoughts of venison stew wafted through his mind. The feline of snow drew himself to a halt and slowly began to creep up upon the deer. It wasn’t to be. A noise startled the animal and its nose rose into the air. Sniffing as it did only to take off at a moments notice. Cursing his luck the cat sniffed the air as well. Something was amiss.
He turned and twisted until he caught sight of something moving through the trees. Eyes widened with the thought of what it could be only to narrow in relief as he noticed the difference. Human. So they exist here too. The thought went through his mind and then was shoved aside. Where humans went so did the Wars follow.
A deep breath he took, only to watch as crystalline water fled in the form of mist. No, he wouldn’t let them take her. But he thought of this and visions of the wars flittered through his mind:
They were surrounded by the Keetasi, those dreadful demons of human guise. The battle raged around and was taking its toll upon both sides. Cats fell left and right, but even halved the Keetasi fought on. He was breathing heavily, great rents torn through that lustrous fur and blood of crimson flowed over his body. Three, four, a half dozen surrounded him but he didn’t give in. Five foot long blades flashed and struck, Keetasi warriors fell at every interval. Yet, she stood there alone, looking almost lost as he saw her through a gap in the crowd. Their eyes met and a roar was given. She responded with a roar of her own and ran toward him as swiftly as she could. In those moments she opened the conduit and his roar of triumph shattered the sudden stillness. Humming shook forth and fire bolts launched from his presense. The Keetasi fell by great numbers and the battle was won. The battalion was virtually annihilated, however, but as he dropped to his knees her powers of ’Love’ swept over him...
His head shook quickly with the reverie only in time to see the human take sight. Horror was written on the ghost cat’s features before he launched off and disappeared against the snowy background. That can’t happen again, but the war wounds remain so utterly. Another deep breath was taken as he brought to a stop and swallowed deeply. “Can’t do that again, White, for Shakara’s sake if nothing else.”
The hunt continued and a deer was returned to the lair of the ghost panthers...