Felin

Fourth Adian

Kelkera couldn’t bring herself to return to the communal tent and instead idly walked among the streets waiting for the sun's peak over the horizon. She kept playing everything in her head, from the moment the Avians stepped foot into the Day’s End right up to leaving Kicit. Whatever was happening Kelkera resolved herself to stop it, giving herself pep talks as she paced. 

As she walked, a growing lump formed in her throat and fear crept in. So to keep her mind off of everything her pad started to trace the Elemental Ground release Kicit had shown her and whispered the Canto to herself. It sounded crooked to her ears. Off. Odd. It wasn’t doing anything. She kept whispering it to herself and trying to wrap her tongue around its strange syntax and odd sounds. But in her focus she hadn’t realized her wondering had taken her to the outskirts of town. In the darkness of distant dim flickering lamps she could just barely make out the soft soil. All those that had fallen in the battle that felt so long ago at this point lay buried here. Her voice caught in her muzzle. She heard Mathias’s voice singing its pure tone in her head, just as he had that one evening. The words came easily to her, like she had always known them, and as they flowed a sense of immense calm fell over her. Things weren’t good, they seemed to be falling apart around here but those words gave a comfort she longed for. 

Kelkera sat, whispering the song to herself as she continued to weave the patters in the air. Waiting for the light of the sun to peak over the trees.

***

The march of time continued but soon the rays of the sun finally crested over the trees, chasing the darkness away. As the morning land fell on her fur Kelkera stirred. Her heart stopped and her gut fell out from under her. Without realizing it she’d let herself doze off. 

Too late!  She thought. There was no way that Kicit could have held Elacce that long. How could she stand up to someone like Elacce? Or even Tontashi? But as her eyes centered on her clawless pads a resolve filled her. She had to do something, even if it was stupid. Straightening her back, Kelkera made her way back to face Tontashi. 

The Refuge was still in the early stages of morning as most other Beasts had not woken. Good, thought Kelkera, it would mean less people around. But as she turned towards the makeshift prison, her stomach gave way and every ounce of her confidence dropped away. Instead of two captives, Kicit and Sullin, there were nothing but two posts. Only a few feathers and lengths of rope scattered the ground. She was too late! 

“Tontashi!” Kelkera gaped and turned to race towards her small house. There’s no way she would have already done anything right? It’s not possible that she could have taken both of them? And what about Sullin. Did she do something with him? Kelkera didn’t have a strong feeling towards the Esurian, especially considering what they had put her through, but he had been nice towards her, better than Tontashi at the very least. But she pushed any of those thoughts away, they weren’t doing anything now. 

She raced through the Refuge towards the front of the Refuge, right up to Tontashi’s makeshift door. She put her ears up close to the door and heard muffled voices and scuffling. She was doing it in her own house? A growl billowed from her chest and Kelkera pushed with all her might, sending the poorly constructed door to the ground. Tontashi’s fangs snarled as her pads wrapped around Sullin’s hands. He struggled to pull away and Tontashi snapped at him. 

“Stop Tontashi!” Kelkera snarled. The sudden intrusion threw both of them and Sullin kicked with all his might sending Tontashi to the floor. Sullin took a step back and started whispering something. 

“He’s a Mage Kelekra! Stop him!” Tontashi yelled right as Sullin finished and painted a Release in the air. It shone with a brilliant white light before Tontashi’s sword, laying against the wall and in its sheath, flew towards the Canine. She scrambled out of the way as it slammed into the ground where she had just been laying.  

“Must you make a mess of things?” Sullin finally said, directing the sneer towards Kelkera. His voice half a tone lower than it had been and consistent; far different than the sporadic way he had spoken before. He flexed his fingers now that there was some space between him and the Beasts. Tontashi switched her gaze to Kelkera, a harsh bark emanating from deep within her at the Vulpines' inaction. Kelkera still stood opposite of them, still bewildered at the scene. 

“Didn’t think the Vulpines would stoop so low to be working with Esurians!” Tontashi snarled as her eyes bounced between Sullin and Kelkera. But Sullin shook his head with a quick scoff. 

“Oh, you’ve got it all wrong, the fox is just stupid and doesn’t understand what’s going on. She does happen to be a pain in the ass, though.”

“Where’s Kicit?” Kelkera blurted, finally getting the words out, and the two others looked at her in confusion. 

“Gone.” Both said in an odd display of unison before looking back at each other. 

“They left for the city.” Tontashi snarled, returning her attention back to the Esurian, her claws in full view. “I’ve just two more problems to wrap up.” Sullin rolled his eyes and sighed, showing no signs of taking her threat seriously. 

“She,” He pointed to Kelkera, “has nothing to do with me.” A flash of understanding washed over Tontashi’s face. But before she could respond Sullin started to whisper his next Canto. The sword that Tontashi was trying to reach for rose from the ground again, just out of her reach. It unsheathed itself before reorienting and plunging towards the Canine’s chest. She dodged the blade and it embedded itself deep within the wooden walls with a loud twang. Sullin’s eyes rolled by what to him seemed another minor annoyance. He heaved a sigh and gently massaged his right wrist with his other hand.

“Almost.” He grunted as Tontashi jumped back to her feet, now just paces away from Kelkera. Her eyes stole a glance towards her but they weren’t filled with the same malice that had colored her interactions before, now they were asking for help. Kelkera’s face gave back fear and Tontashi bared her teeth with a gutteral growl. 

“I knew there was something with you Esurian.” The words seethed through her fangs and her pads flexed, fanning out her massive claws. Kelkera thought back over the last few days, trying to catch any clue of what was actually happening over the last few weeks. 

“You used Releases to untie yourself.” Kelkera said, biting her tongue. Sullin just shrugged with a half smirk. 

“Now she gets it! You animals really have issues, you know that? Can’t ever seem to agree on one thing so push a little there, prod some there and the conflict creates itself. Was honestly hoping for a bit more fireworks after that whole Progenitor’s day thing.” He twirled his hand. “But it got the job done…I think at least. You two hate each other right?” He pointed at the both of them and Kelkera shook her head even though he was more accurate than not. “Damn. Well, I got those pesky birds out of the way at least. The Talor said they would be a problem, just didn’t anticipate them being as powerful as they were. Will certainly be easier to wipe this place off the map without them.” 

Tontashi lept towards Sullin before he could finish his thought, but the Mage sidestepped her. She tumbled into the other wall, sending shutters through the entire house. Kelkera followed, jumping at him to throw off his balance and stop him from performing another Release. 

“Stop him from Cantoing!” Tontashi yelled and Kelkera, desperately wishing for her claws, snapped at the Esurian’s arm with her fangs, catching a finger within her teeth. There was a sickening crunch and Sullin hollered in pain, jumping back and squeezing his hand, blood already oozing from it. A wave of nausea swelled within Kelkera and she spat out the finger. Tontashi dove towards him again, claws fully ready to tear through their target but the thin Esurian escaped them once again, ducking out of the way in the nick of time. 

Before Kelkera had the chance to tear her eyes from the finger, Sullin quickly Canto’d and a massive pillar of water erupted from his hand, appearing like clawing hands racing towards them. Kelkera dropped right as the jet of water shot by. Tontashi tried to dodge the stream as well but her large form didn’t quite make it and it grazed her side, tearing the fur out and slicing through her skin. She barked through the pain and retreated back next to Kelkera as the water dissolved into nothing. Sullin stumbled slightly, his breathing ragged and balance off. 

Kelkera yelled and both of them dashed towards him but he seemed to expect it and, in the blink of an eye, he strung another Canto and Release together, sending a wave of wind that threw them back. Kelkera slammed into the wall, bashing her head as Tontashi weathered the storm. Sullin doubled over in pain as he reached out for balance, his face marked with a scowl. He knew he was getting to his limit of Releases. 

Tontashi, now with an opportunity, pulled the sword from the wall and bolted back to the Mage. Kelkera fell to the ground dazed. Stars filled her vision and everything became hazy. Ahead of her she could only see blobs moving around. At first it hurt to remember as the pain shooting through her head forced out any thoughts. She lifted her pad to her head and felt the viscus stickiness of blood. She tried to stand but her legs stumbled and she could only support herself by leaning against the wall. 

“Do something!” Tontashi called to her and Kelkera squinted towards the blobs again. Did the other one have the sword now? “Kelkera!” It came again then within a blink, it became clear. Sullin stood over Tontashi, about ready to strike down the Canine. There was only one thing to try, the last hope. The sword came down and Tontashi grabbed the blade with her pads, barking through the pain. Sullin’s face twisted into a dark smile as he put all his weight into it. 

“K…Kelkera!” Tonashi barked once more. In that same moment, while the two were locked, Kelkera began to whisper, not the Canto that Kicit had taught her but Mathias’s song.

I’m going there. Across the roughs. Across the whites.

I’m going there. To see them on the shore. 

I’m going there. In the face of my growing fears. 

I’m going there. I’m going home. 

  Almost instantly a power filled her. A hope, unending and continuous, rapped at her soul and she centered her gaze on Sullin. There was only one shot. Her pad moved, following the motions she’d been practicing all night. 

Swallow him whole. 

It was all she thought. Nothing told her if that was enough, but she forced it through and believed it to happen. It was now or death. 

The release shimmered in the dim light and Sullin glanced her way, having seen it out of the corner of his eye. His mouth began to move, curling into a smile as if to say some witty remark. But, before he could, the ground itself parted like an axe to a tree and he fell into the darkness. Without a scream or cry for help, the Mage fell deep within the earth. Sullin was gone. 

Kelkera sat, eyes desperately searching for the Mage as if he were still there. Then a pain surged through every fiber of her being. The dull throbbing in her head sharpened to a point and stabbed between her ears. Her lungs panted, desperately trying to pull in enough air and nausea swirled in her stomach. Every muscle screamed at her as it felt like one thousand needles dug into every inch of her body, but through it she heard a voice. 

“Y…you can cast?” Tontashi gaped, still watching the spot on the floor where Sullin had dropped. The ground had sealed back up as if nothing had happened. Tontashi coughed and picked herself off of the ground. She ripped a piece of her blanket and wrapped it around the deep cuts in her pads. Then her gaze returned to Kelkera. “Why didn’t you tell me that?” She barked but Kelkera sat, unmoved, heart racing and eyes forced shut at the pain. 

“That was the first time,” Kelkera mumbled. 

“Kicit?” Tontashi questioned. Kelkera didn’t really respond, but gave a muted tone of agreement. But before she could say anything further, a crack of lighting, as if the Moons themselves were falling out of the sky echoed through the Refuge. It’s booming thunder forced awake those who were still asleep and others to cup their ears in pain. Tontashi winced at the sound but ran outside to meet whatever it may be. Kelkera forced her weak body to stand and followed, expecting to see some army marching its way in. But instead Tontashi stood in the middle of the street, facing the gate. There was no one, no army, no signs of anything that had happened. In fact, the sky above was cloudless less a few wisps that lazily moved along in the morning breeze. Kelkera looked towards the forest, her stomach dropping out from under her. 

“What was it?” Tontashi called as other Beasts had started to emerge, some with weapons drawn and ready to defend their homes again. 

“It’s Kicit.” Kelkera said. Her body ached. It screamed for her to lay down but there was no doubt in her mind. Tontashi turned back to her, eyes questioning. “I’ve got to go.” Then, forcing her way through the pain, Kelkera bolted into the forest towards the sound.