The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Var stepped forward, the glow of the red rocks adding a certain red color to his fur and his eyes gleaming with their blood-like color. He noticed that several of the roots from the tree stretched down immensely far and would even form arches and entrances to other chambers. Some of the roots however, formed large fences yet obviously were meant to block mortals out. Var stepped forward, the Sodaki in his mouth. Just as he came about to examined the other chambers, several weeds shot from the rock walls and formed a barrier in the way.

"It's the Stone," Ramla said. "Dalmaa won't let us pass until it's gone..."

"I'll wait outside with it," Saber said. Taru looked at him distrustfully. Saber then went on. "I don't really want to go down there anyways..."

Ramla snatched the Stone from Var's mouth and placed it in Saber's paws. It was strange how she was able to transfer it so well. It was as if her vision was a bit clearer down here. Taru shot her a nervous glance that she couldn't see quite well though. But she could feel him growing anxious.

"He won't be going anywhere or doing anything. Don't worry. You need this trust exercise anyways," Ramla whispered to him. Saber then snatched up the Stone and crawled back out of the caverns, gone. The root barrier then loosened and the long wooden limbs detached from each other. Var stepped through, following the long starting chamber which seemed to act as a main route, but Var knew that wouldn't last. There were three chambers ahead, Var eyed them carefully.

"Ugh, they all look like they're going downwards, descending... It might ascend somewhere else. Let's just see if we can sniff Kavis out," he said, opening his mouth to concentrate on the scents of the area. But everything was mixed. Everything smelled... strange. And Kavis' scent was extremely hard to pinpoint in the cornucopia of strange smells. Oddly, Var smelled something he had smelled before... his father. He could smell his brothers, he could smell so many people he knew from the past.

"What is this...?" Taru said. "I... I can smell my mother..."

"You still remember her scent?" asked Ramla. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

"I never forgot, she's my mother. It's a scent you just don't forget," Taru said. "Does anyone else smell familiar scents?"

"I smell my father and brothers" said Var.

Var thought he saw something move in the corner of his eye, but upon inspection realized there was nothing there. He quickly sniffed around the center tunnel and its arch. "I think he went this way," said Var. "Come on." The group began to move through it, though it only led them downwards and finally dumped off into level ground. The water in the tunnel had ran down like a stream and finally dumped here, so it was a very slippery ride. But oddly as it came down here, there were many cracks and crevices near the center of the room where the water flushed too and seeped in, draining most of the room. This room had a high ceiling, and it seemed like many other tunnels fed into this one. There were thousands of strange symbols and markings on the walls, but they were beyond anything even Ramla knew. She stared at them, clearly capable of seeing them. She had a bewildered gaze, unable to decipher any of it. The symbols were so obscure, they would likely make anyone cringe trying to figure them out.

"Those symbols... they can only have been crafted by an Aura. No spirit, no mortal. What they mean, I haven't the slightest clue, and--"

"Shh," Var said tapping Ramla on the shoulder. He saw the flank of Kavis turn and move into one of the tunnel openings. As he finally left, they relaxed. Var set his gaze on these symbols. He noticed that the symbols could not have been carved by claws. They looked like they had been singed and burnt into the rock, an at times he could swear they seemed to faintly glow red. 

Var urged for the others to follow quietly. They took the same tunnel as Kavis, but put a large amount of distance between them. As they continued down these chambers, the water swelled around their paws now. Oddly enough strange black-leaved bushes were growing, much like hedges and garlands in these new, wider tunnels. In some respect it was beautiful, but also very eerie. There were thousands of strange flowers Var had never seen before. Mainly red ones that had a certain malefic shape and form to them. Eventually they turned to a large intersection and through another tunnel. Here is where Var began to grow confused. He noticed many, many moving objects down here, but when he looked at them they were completely still.

He believed he was hallucinating when he saw a path straight ahead of him, but ran straight into something. Upon blinking he discovered he had walked straight into a wall. He shook his head. "These chambers are playing tricks with my mind," he said.

He felt something poke his shoulder, but nothing was there. Something unseen also seemed to poke Kyra's shoulder. Var turned and saw another path, going in a somewhat low spiral. He supposed that was where the force was guiding them. Here, there were many blocked-off paths. The barrier roots steamed out clouds of white fog through their cracks and these clouds began to fill the air.

"I hope you learned something tonight," echoed what Var could only identify as Snake's voice. He looked back, shook up. Then he continued on. He felt something slither across his paw under the thinning water. These occurrence grew thicker the further they went down into the caverns.

The shape of a black leopard manifested next to Kyra, walking with her. Dalmaa glanced at her and seemed to smile. But in an instant he was gone and immediately appeared on the other side of her. "Welcome to my home,"[/i] his voice uttered out. Quickly his form dissipated into smoke and shifted to the color white, dissolving into the fog.

Soon the group came out to another larger room where the water dumped and drained out. The flowers and hedges had started again and were very, very plentiful here. There was an enormous entrance off at the end of the room, which was blocked off by enormous roots. An archway formed around the entrance, formed of thousands of enormous dead snakes all neatly twisted together. Their bones sleek and glistening from water that drizzled from the roof, down onto them. Oddly there were enormous spikes on the roof that point towards the floor. There were obvious signs of flooding along the walls. Var was sure that at some point, the room had filled with water and carried victims up into the spikes. The symbols along the walls were also definitely glowing now. But for now his attention was fixed on the large chamber entrance.

Ramla approached. "I assume that's Dalmaa's main living quarters. It's a wonder what lies down there... probably a world mortals cannot enter." She whispered. "My vision... I can see perfectly down here. I can see everyone!"

Kavis had come out from the shadows and slid into a smaller entrance opposite the enormous one. He seemed too much in a hurry to notice them, even despite his great senses. He quickly moved through. The archway of this entrance was adorned with beautiful pink-red flowers.

Var looked at the others. "Subira's probably in there. When we find her, we attack him... Alright?"

The others nodded. Ramla looked doubtful in herself, but didn't object. They then continued to move through the tunnel, until they had gone in a slight upwards slope and everything flattened off. Quickly they made it into another room. Not quite as large, but still big. They all made a way to hide behind one of the enormous curtains of black leaves that adorned the walls of this room. They poked their eyes out, observing the room.

The roof was dome-like and had many long, almost beautiful vines that hung down from many roots that stretched into the floor of the room and pulled up to resemble entire trees themselves. There was a beautiful small waterfall pouring out of an opening in the wall and coming down into a crevice to make a miniature "pond" of sorts. There must have been red rocks behind the waterfall, because it glowed red as it poured down.

Var recognized the form of Subira, laying on a rock, looking at herself solemnly in the reflection of the red water. Kavis approached from behind, Subira turning around to view him. She quickly began backing away, in deep fear.

Var shot out from the leaves, roaring violently and with a certain aspect of hate in his eyes. Kavis quickly whipped around, fashioning an equally hating expression. "Var! You miserable rat! How did you come down here?!"

The others were beginning to come out from the bushes and stand beside him. Kavis narrowed his eyes.

"I see you've brought the entire maggot family. Tell me, Var, did you come with intentions of saving your sister?" Var did not reply. Kavis growled. "She was claimed long ago, before she even set foot in your pride. Dalmaa claimed her for me when she was in the Dream Field, and it is crucial I do this."

"You don't even love her!" Magir shouted with an inferno of hate. It actually seemed to scare Var, as he had never seen Magir burst with so much fury. "You'll defile this young female just for the sake of some thing that only might be?"

Kavis growled. "It doesn't matter, because when she's of no further use to me, she will be dead. Just like the lot of you." It was strange, the hate that Kavis expressed. Usually it was odd to see his face move so much as a muscle, to express emotions. Now his lips drew back in a snarl, his eyes narrowed, his nose wrinkled, his teeth bared. And he was not happy.

Kavis closed his eyes shut tightly, as if he was in pain. Then he opened them and stared darkly at Kyra. It was apparent in his gaze that everything within him was dead, and hope seemed flushed just as those waters. Kavis growled. "You don't even know what you're talking about, girl..." he said. "You don't have the slightest clue, because this isn't about you or me or the plans I have. This is greater than all of us!" he shouted. "But it has ties to us, and it depends on a number of things. One of those numbers... is this."

Kavis' tail flicked violently across the ground. "Subira never escaped the Dream Field! Dalmaa kept here there until the time was right, then he released her! Subira is weak!"

Subira stood, shaking and speechless, looking rather traumatized. Kavis looked at Kyra again. "All my life I've never showed emotions, or at least, I hope I don't. Because emotion are just a key to someone's soul. I will not allow mine to be swindled again, because if you knew what you were talking about, you would perceive that I have a vast history with these people. Can you not comprehend that this is Dalmaa's will?"

Some harsh cackle sounded from behind. Suddenly, the red waterfall molded in light and quickly burst, transforming entirely into flames. A dark shape manifested in the flames, quickly taking the form of a silhouette of a slender creature. A tall leopard, though distorted by flames and smoke. A dark, warped voice sounded.

"Truth be told, there is no such thing as truth. Yet any truth there is lies in the shadows, and the hurt mind is blind to it. You are incapable of reaching out, you are hurt, you are bleeding. You are trapped..."

Var's heart jumped out of his body at the sight of this new creature lurking in the shadows. He looked back at Kyra, not know what to do. By now, Subira had began screaming and ran off to hide behind a large rock, trembling unlike anything Var had seen in quite some time.

"Dalmaa..." Var said.

"Yes?"

Var couldn't even talk now, he had seen Dalmaa on several other occasions, but only for brief seconds, milliseconds even. Now he was here and Var saw a fiery inferno that spoke a thousand words of sin. Var choked on his words, his paws fumbling. Kavis had his head hung low, his mane hanging between his forepaws.

Var looked nervous again, especially since he was realizing what Kyra was going through and himself didn't entirely understand the situation. "Choose? Choose what? If you mean... a side. I'm always with you, you know that."

There was a certain cackle from Dalmaa's shadow. "It is music to my ears to hear you shouting at me again, Kyra. But know that I never once in my existence lied to you. The visions I showed you were no less prophetic than the ones the other spirits have been feeding your hungry heart. Though now both prophecies are broken and there is nothing you can do to stop the New Prophecy from blistering out."

Kavis had now looked up at Kyra. "Don't you realize it, fool? None of that matters. I'm not going to waste my time thinking about what didn't happen and what can't. Because my will doesn't happen you pathetic thing! Don't you realize it? We're all pawns. It's better that we realize it now, because my will doesn't matter and neither does yours. There is no such thing as free will, not as long as--"

"Be quiet!" Dalmaa's voice rasped. "Less of this talk, and kill them, Kavis. Now."

Kavis looked back at Dalmaa's fire. "But... there's so many..."

"If you don't kill them, I'll kill you"

Kavis looked back at them and seemed to hesitate. He then lunged, tackling Var first.

Kavis quickly flipped onto his back, his enormous weight likely would have done harm to Kyra, before Var took to the side and began pushing him off. The others didn't attempt to attack his underbelly, in fear his weight would kill Kyra. Taru had sprung up and got one of Kavis' hindlegs. Quickly Dalmaa's fires blazed and it seemed that Kavis grew immensely stronger. He rammed his head into Taru's side, which flung him back many meters. As Scar approached with her snapping jaws, Kavis merely gave a kick with a hindleg that flung her into a gutter in the room. Var caught Kavis in the cheek with his claws, causing a bit of blood to spray into Taru's eyes. Kavis took that and raked Taru across the nose. The king's brother gave a loud yelp.

Kavis seemed not to be phased by his injuries. It was as though he was never taught how to express pain. He quickly caught Var at the jaw. Var leaped, tackling Kavis. But quickly the Dark King flipped him over and flung him across the room. Magir had finally stepped up. As Kavis turned around, she was in perfect reach and raked him swiftly across the nose. He growled and clawed her at the forehead. She backed up as he was struck at the side by Var who was now biting into hi shoulder. Dalmaa's flames blazed again. Kavis immediately kicked Var off of him.

Kavis got up, fur matted with blood. Var quickly cut him about the flank, beneath the foreleg, which would make it difficult for him to maneuver. Kavis grabbed the side of Var's head with his paw and pounded him to the ground. Var heard a faint high-pitched squeal in his ears as they throbbed. He got back up, his head hurting a great deal. He took Kavis at the side and pinned him down. Taru took this moment to rake open Kavis' flank. A loud roar was heard from the Dark King as he threw Var and Taru off of him. Blood embellished the floor, just as Kavis stood looking back at them. He saw Dalmaa's shadow grow larger and he immediately turned his head back at his enemies and pinned Kyra down.

"I only hesitated because there's so many of you, fool. Don't flatter yourself." But by this point, Taru had blasted into Kavis, taken him by the back. Kavis rolled over and got up, batting Taru in the foreleg with his paw so hard that Taru dropped forward and gave out a right squeal.

The tendon cut, but wasn't damaged enough to cause a severe wound. Kavis let out a loud, low yowl. He then dropped onto his side, out of breath and incapable of going on. Suddenly from the fires steppe forth a slender leopard, Dalmaa, his form nearly undistorted, but surrounded in a strange black and red aura that Kyra had never seen before. He eyed Kavis who was on the ground briefly and shook his head.

"So much time spent training you... so much time spent on giving you fighting lessons and filling you with combat moves... And now you pull this?" Dalmaa growled. "I expected better from my favorite lion. The lion I placed a shard of my very soul into!" Dalmaa rasped, quickly taking Kavis on his check, causing not just a scratch, but a sizzling burn that steamed from Kavis' flesh. Dalmaa vanished. The roots then began to slither towards Kavis, ready to snatch him. Kavis tried to move, but was incapable.

Dalmaa appeared again on a large rock amongst the walls, overlooking the scene. He had two enormous black, feathery wings at his sides. "Lay down and rot, Kavis. I am patient, I can brew another cub just like you. I can wait. But if you respect your life, your very existence as a mortal... you will get up and fight."

Kavis finally managed to sit up, but he was beginning to bleed very badly. One of his eyes had swollen shut. He tried to stand, but only faultered. As Var approached, Kavis had a certain hate in his eyes, but at the same time a certain hunted look.

"Just take Subira and leave..." Kavis said, blood oozing from his lips.

"No!" Dalmaa commanded.

"Where are my whelps?!" Scar shouted at last. Dalmaa smiled. He made a gesture in the air with his paw and a small gap in the hedges opened. Quickly two small baby hyenas emerged and ran to their mother who was grateful to see them again. Scar looked back at Dalmaa who was simply grinning maliciously. He vanished, his wings flashing into a vortex of blackness.

"Just... just go" Kavis growled. "Aziza will be down soon to know why I haven't come out yet anyways. Get out of here," he grunted. "You filthy... things..."

"I'm alright," Var said. As the group left the room, large weeds quickly stretched through a blocked the entrance off, sealing it air-tight. Several of the other doors did the same thing. Quickly Dalmaa appeared again, this time hiding in the shadows and only his eyes visible. Var growled as he heard the harsh cackle of the Aura, racing forth and roaring. "Leave us alone!"

"Save your breath Var! ...You're going to need it..." Dalmaa uttered.

Var's stomach seemed to turn upside down, especially when several holes burst forth in the walls. He could feel a gelatinous material forming in the cracks in the floor. His heart sunk. Dalmaa was going to drown them. The waters quickly rose, picking each lion and hyena up. Scar had gained a grip on her whelps, keeping them above water. Var had come to Kyra.

But suddenly... the spikes at the roof shattered, breaking into tiny shards and falling to the waters below. The roof cracked and quickly dissipated, as though smoke as gray light shone through. The waters pushed them up and out onto land, just as they crawled out into the grass. Var looked around to see exactly what had happened. He noticed a gold-colored lion with what appeared to be wings, standing at the edge of the hole in the ground as then it resealed and became normal grass once again. The lion himself had dissipated and was gone.

Var picked himself up. "Is everyone alright?"

Scar examined her cubs closely, and then adding, "they seem alright. But I'm not so as worried about the water... more of how they were treated down there," she said keeping them both close in an embrace. Ramla nodded upon Kyra's question.

"I'm fine. I can't see anymore, but I'm fine. Where is Saber?"

"I'm over here" said a voice as Saber pushed out from the bushes he had been hiding behind, he gave a look back at the Shadingtree which was back behind them. The wind blew around it in a way that made its branches look more like arms. An enormous swarm of bats flashed from the entrance to the Shadingtree den, flying and dissipating as the bats spread far and wide.

Saber dropped the Sodaki in front of Var. By now it was glowing dark red. Var looked at Kyra. "I saw him--" he was interrupted by a loud noise that came from the Shadingtree. Two of the larger limbs moved down and touched the ground as the center rose, much in an animal-like fashion as the head of a large leopard took the center of the tree, and shoulders growing. Many of the limbs formed what looked like the skeleton of bird wings, just as a smoke coated them and filled then with a flesh coat and then a cloak of beautiful black feathers. Dalmaa let out a harsh roar as suddenly two other creatures ran out from the den.

Var knew the best thing to do. He grabbed the Sodaki and quickly swung it at the tree. As it bounced off the trunk that was slowly coating itself in fur, it rolled back to Var. The trunk of the tree shattered, light blasting from its core. Cracks slid up to the strange leopard that was becoming the tree, and quickly the form burst into smoke. As the tree adjusted to this, in the end, the Shadingtree looked just as it had before---but with a long split through the middle, allowing light to for once shine through.

Var then turned his attention to the two creatures that had emerged from the den. One of them, a male lion with a black mane. The other was a female, that was covered in some red liquid. The male turned his head and looked at Var, making his heart jump again. It was Snake. Snake did not allow conversation, but soon vanished.

Belabi on the other hand was letting tears pour down from her face. They were a strange black-gray color. She gazed at Var angrily for a moment, before she as well dissipated. Var looked back at everyone else. He decided not to talk about it. "Uh... come on then. The Dream Field isn't far from here," he said scooping up the Sodaki in his mouth. The group quickly vanished back into the bushes, just in time to evade Aziza who immediately went into the den to see what was wrong.

Subira talked softly, seemingly still a bit traumatized from all of the latest occurrences and trying to grip onto reality. She then spoke, but her voice seemed as though she was pushing with all her might to get it out. "There is so much about the Dream Field that I could not list it all. I spent many moons there, while the only thing keeping me alive were those waters that Dalmaa forced down my throat..." she paused for a moment. "There are wolves there that I can only describe as malicious. They are infested with rabies. Regardless of whether you drink the water or not, you'll see some strange things. It adds a certain surrealism to the environment. It envelops you in millions of emotions, but the most prominent of those emotions... is despair. It will bring some of your worst nightmares and make them into reality. It will bring your bad memories out into the open. And it is filled with others who have fallen victim to it and are trapped there forever. And if you help them, you've invited the enchantment on yourself. The spell is, as far as I know, unbreakable."

Subira paused a moment. "There are leopards there that watch over the activities of the fields. They still have their sanity, they still have control over what they see and what they do. They obey Dalmaa... And there is a large lake at the center of the fields. It is very beautiful, and magnetic. When I drank the water, it caused me to play around in the leaves, thinking I was play-fighting with someone else. I spent the night there thinking everything was so much better, and that I would be in peace forever. But then as I fell asleep next to the lake, under all those big trees with their long, beautiful vines... I woke the next morning completely paralyzed, and coughing up blood. Vulture and ravens tapped at me, and I was only barely able to scare them off. All the while I could just hear a voice in my head, telling me why I was so pathetic..."

Subira nodded. "The leopards hardly show themselves. I only saw them a few times in all my days of living there. In fact the fields are very desolate entirely, but when you do see someone, it's best to avoid them. The wolves are possessed by very powerful dark spirits, rabid and depraved. Dalmaa sends his servants into them."

Subira twitched an ear. "It will take us about a day or two to get through it, so we may have to spend the night there, which isn't exactly ideal. Otherwise we could keep pushing through, but with hyena cubs and a blind Seeress..." she shook her head. "It will be dangerous."

Subira looked at Kyra for a moment, having grown an understanding smile. "I can relate, Kyra. I knew the entire time Dalmaa had been the one to manifest into all my fears. All three of us will be affected the most. We have the greatest knowledge of Dalmaa. Through the Dream Field, he will attempt to drive us over the edge of our sanity. All of this, in the hopes that we'll trip over that ledge and find no ground below, only to find ourselves falling and falling into what can only be described as insanity, or despair. That's what he wants us to feel. Agony, despair, and sadness. He wants to cut us off, make us feel cold and alone, like we'll never feel happiness and that nobody will ever love us. And then, only after he no longer feels amused by our displeasure, will he end our lives."

Subira looked back at the ground. "It will be harder for him to do this, to you. You have Var, and you have that special aura in your life that arrives when you find your mate. That aura that makes you feel that you'll always have them, that they'll always love you no matter what... But for Ramla and I... it isn't the same. Ramla already has a feeling of loneliness. Ramla, being a Seeress, is much different than most people. Therefore a lot of people don't exactly know how to take her, how to socialize with her, how to... adjust to her. Shebla, I believe, was the one person who knew her well. But during my time in your pride I saw Shebla become wrapped up in her own life, and the problems bordering it. This left Ramla to remain in the care of the lionesses Jali appointed to assist her."

Subira's ear twitched. She shook her head. "I, on the other hand, am just a lost cause. I've never seen love before, and after that ordeal with Kavis, I'm just having doubts. Not even romantic love, but simple friendship I have trouble with. I'm not good at trusting people. In fact, had Var not been in your pride, I never would have settled there at all. You know, it's surprising how many of us are all alone. If only we could all just come together, but I see that that may not work out, with certain disagreements that surely would form. But anyways, I'm rambling. Dalmaa will try to make you feel desperately alone. He'll cause everyone to get in fights and arguments until you just have that feeling... you know? That feeling that just makes you feel disconnected from the group you're with. He might even split us all up, and add to that effect."

Subira sighed. "When we get there, you stay with my brother and you never leave his side. I don't even know him that well, but I know that he loves you a great deal and that he would rather die than allow Dalmaa to rip the two of you apart. I'm going to stay with Ramla and help her, instead of Taru. I want to be with her during this. Everyone needs to be with someone at all times."

As the group moved on, they eventually came to a stop. A creek, a crevice separated them from the fields. The sun was beginning to set already. A red glow fading in the horizon. There was already a dark shadow cascading onto the fields below the purplish sky. There was some sort of human-made structure rising from the dirt. It was obviously made of wood. A long pole and several planks nailed to it. It was what a human would call a sign. And on the sign were many humans symbols, the symbols that the lions and hyenas could not read.

"What are those?" asked Var.

"Human markings," Ramla said. "I think it's a warning of some sort. I don't smell humans anywhere near here. In fact..." Ramla said sniffing the air. "It doesn't seem like anyone or anything has been around here in ages."

"Let me warn everyone," Subira spoke, "that this field will test every ounce of your being. I suggest we all stay together, and nobody split up. But, everyone should have someone they stay with if something did happen. Ramla, I want to walk with you." Subira said, taking to Ramla's side.

Taru then moved and walked across the group, spotting Magir. He stopped beside her just in time for her to look up at him. "Want to walk with me?" he asked. She gave a nod to the head. "I'll walk with Magir," said Taru.

"I suppose that leaves me with Saber," Scar said, gathering her two cubs and moving them over to were Saber was standing, eyeing the whelps in a negative way.

"What happened to you while I was gone?" asked Saber.

Scar was silent for a moment, before smiling. "Life happened."

As Var took to Kyra's side, Subira looked at everyone. "I would suggest we camp, but we really should just try to push through it. We shouldn't sleep anywhere around here, unless we absolutely have to. I think we can continue for a while, right?"

"We're fine," Taru said. Subira nodded.

"Then let's go."

As the group hopped over the creek and into the fields, Var could feel a certain unsettling feeling immediately force itself into him as his paws touched the ground. He looked at the others as the last of them made it over and quickly everyone reassembled into their groups and then came together into a crowd. The fields were darkening from the slowly setting sun. Red light was slowly slipped back behind the treetops.

Var felt something odd in the fields. He noticed strange bones tied to the limbs of trees by vines. He didn't recognize any of these bones. Many of them hung from the limbs, much like beads. Only when he saw the skull, did he realize they may have been human bones. There were markings carved in a few of the trees, but seemingly trying to remain hidden. Ramla shook her head when they asked her what they meant.

As the sun finally set, multi-colored glows emerged from the small creeks embellishing the fields. Water, glowing with the strange stones, rested at the bellies of the creeks. Eventually, the grasses grew taller. There were strange flowers everywhere by now, ones that Var had never seen before, beautiful ones. However, soon Var began to smell strange scents. He heard a rustling in the bushes off to the left. He quickly pounced, roaring and pounded down. Nothing. There was nothing there. He began brushing around and searching for the culprit, but no-one.

"Var," Subira said. "There's no-one there. Come on, the Field is playing tricks on you."

_____________________________________________________________________

Aziza growled, pacing in a circle around Kavis as Zalika tended to his wounds. Nassor sat quietly behind, seemingly hiding in the shadows. She snarled, gazing at Kavis angrily. "How could you let this happen?! You're Dalmaa's Champion! You can't just allow people like that to--"

"I tried Mother!" Kavis shouted, quite loudly. Aziza seemed shocked that Kavis had spoken up and in return raised her paw to slash him. Zalika gave a hiss and quickly put herself between Kavis and Aziza.

"He's hurt badly as it is, we don't need you piling on!" Zalika growled.

Zalika began to wrap cobwebs around the soft tissue that connected Kavis' torso to his thigh, and he gave a wince as the herbs settled in. She placed a paw on his forehead as she inspected the long scratch on his cheek. "That doesn't look like it's going to go away. Even if we use some of Dalmaa's healing magic. That'll be a pretty deep scar, Kavis. Who did that?" Zalika asked as she applied a cobweb pad to it.

"Var did," Kavis grumbled. "We have to hurry, they're probably entering the field as we speak," he said.

"You're not actually going back out there are you?" Zalika asked.

Kavis looked at her, a bit angrily. "An what if I don't? They'll bring the Stone to the Talon. I can't let that happen. I know Dalmaa is mad at me, for some reason, and that's why he let me lose. But I have to redeem myself. Would you have it any other way? They cannot survive the shallows of the Fields, and I'll watch them run around with their newfound insanity. I will make sure they do not emerge from those Fields alive and sane."

"But what about you?" Zalika whispered, looking over her shoulder to see if Aziza was still listening. Aziza happened to be speaking with Nassor, exhibiting an angry scene. Zalika looked back at Kavis. "If Dalmaa targets you, he'd do more damage to you than he ever could to them. I know your past, as you're aware, Kavis. If Dalmaa used those memories against you... you're done for."

Kavis was silent for a moment, before he spoke in a low voice. "He's already used them against me."

Zalika nodded. "I know, but can you really take the chance? I don't want you to be like... the others. Kavis, look at me" she said, directing his face with her paw until he was looking straight at her. "Go around the Fields. I can't lose you. You're the only one keeping me from killing--" she stopped and looked at Aziza and then back at Kavis. This time her face was far darker. "If you leave, Aziza will be dead. And Nassor will run away. Because you know what I want to do so desperately, and you know what I'm capable of. You know that I'm just a paw step from being the leader of Moonrise. Don't make me take that step. Once you're gone, I'll be free to make it."

"I know what you're capable of. But don't underestimate Aziza. She is stubborn, arrogant, and very blind... but she is craftier than you think. She knows you are planning to kill her. She will expect it, and she shall kill you," said Kavis. He was quiet for a moment, looking at his adoptive mother. Then his gaze fell back to Zalika. "I know you and I have become close friends since all of this began, but you must learn to let that go." He continued. Zalika seemed to tighten a fist. "Zalika, I am one to support your lucidity in any way that is within my being. However, I cannot do this for you. My enemies are out there, growing stronger. I must obviate the Sodaki's deliverance. Listen to me."

Kavis shook his head. "Know that this is for all of us. Not you, not me. This is for all of Africa. If I die, know that I did so in great indomitability, and rejoice. Revel in the fact that I have gone on. Should my mind be lost, charred by Dalmaa's fire, simply know that I'm not gone, I'm just somewhere else. I'm just somewhere else."

Zalika nodded. "Let's get you over to the water, Aziza!" Zalika called. She motioned with her head, and Aziza came to the aid. As the two could not help Kavis up, Nassor had to help as well. Eventually they were able to help him walk out of the room and into one with a small pool of water, which he drank from. In an instant, some of his wounds began to seal up.

Var looked around, confused at everything. He wasn't sure where they were heading, but for some reason he knew it wasn't good. And Kyra's words reinforced this premise. "We should turn ba--" Var tried to turn around, but each time he only found himself looking straight back at the path, as though the same image was in every direction. He looked at Kyra. "He..." he didn't know what to say, only that he knew this wasn't good. The others were getting worried, having overheard and were trying to run back but couldn't.

Dalmaa was perched up on a branch within one of the trees, but barely visible matches against the night sky. His wings were gone, but his ebony fur embodied evil as it were. He simply sat, watching. The group stopped, trying to resist. A violent wind blew from behind, nearly shoving them all forward. The group was forced to move on and the wind finally ceased.

Var clutched the Sodaki tightly, watching as it suddenly turned completely black. It was so black that it seemed like it consumed the very light around it. There wasn't even a reflection on its sleek surface, not so much as a glistening. Var grew nervous as it grew colder in his jaws.

The group, stunned silent from the scene. Many of them could not look at the horrors. Scar had to cover the eyes of her cubs and keep them hidden under her. The scene made Magir begin to shed tears. Taru was closing his eyes and keeping his head low. Saber on the other hand, was only repulsed and looking around in disgust. Var looked over at his sister, who simply stared. Ramla was covering his eyes with her palms, and obvious that she could see at this moment. Dalmaa likely made sure that she could see.

Var was shaking and looked back at Kyra. "Kyra... I..." he felt some strange coldness sink into his shoulders. He felt that strange instinct that told him something was standing behind him. He could see something dark in the corner of his eye. But turning, he found nothing to his dissatisfaction. He let his gaze return to Kyra.

"I'm so sorry, Kyra..." he said. "We... we need to get out of here..."