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Finding Peace 2 Chapter 4

Lily woke late that morning with a whimper and a soft groan. She pushed herself up and shuddered some as she felt how much her body ached. As she pulled her bedfurs back though she paused and looked down between her thighs. They were stained with plenty of mess but surprisingly... there was even a slight stain of blood on her thighs. She flushed heavily and a hand slid down to test between her soft lips. And sure enough... she felt her maidenhood was gone. She blushed even deeper, though it wasn't entirely unexpected. She stood up and wobbled some on unsteady legs.

"Pull it together Lily" she muttered to herself, trying to ignore the embarrassment creeping up. She washed as quickly as she could and used a few herbs to ease her soreness and to try and mask the lingering scent of her heat. It was still there... or at least it seemed to be. But the overwhelming strength of it seemed to have died off a bit at least. She brushed out her hair and dressed in some clean wraps before heading downstairs. Finding her father already gone she headed outside to see if she could find him or Iris.

She was shocked to find most of the village already awake and in arms. Something had happened during the night but she had no idea what. She pushed through the crowd and found Feugen dressed for battle with his back to her. She bit her lip and called softly "Father?..." He turned and saw her and that's when she saw the bodies on a cart behind him. Some bloodied, others charred. But one thing she recognized was a bow. A bow she'd gone fishing with many times in the past. "P... Papa?" she whined softly and started forward. He caught her and eased her back.

"Don't..." he tried but she twisted out of his grasp and hurried to the cart. She let out a pained cry recognizing the bow and then the body. Even in it's state she knew... she could feel it. The pentagram upon her chest had been burned straight into her body like a brand. "NO!" she screamed with an anguished sob "NO NO NO!" Feugen grabbed her around the middle and forcibly hauled her away from the cart as it was wheeled away. "What happened?!" she suddenly screamed at him.

"I don't know" he replied "she went scouting and... they found them like this this morning... on one of the bridges."

"We... we have to..." she started to say "we have to kill them... ALL of them!" She was beside herself with rage. She'd never experienced a loss so close before. Not Iris... she couldn't believe that she was gone.

"Lily" Feugen said firmly "you have to listen to me."

"NO!" she growled at him "I'm done listening. I'm done training. I'm going to KILL THEM!" she shouted and suddenly was airborne.

"Lily!" Feugen called but she was too fast. She twisted among the branches, grabbed her bow and turned to take flight again. She stopped dead in her tracks seeing a figure she'd never seen before. A silvery wolfess stood before her with tears running down her cheeks. The hesitation was just long enough for Feugen to catch up and land in front of her... then the silver wolfess was gone. "Lily..." he said firmly.

"No Father" she growled "I'm not a child anymore. I'm not going to let this stand."

"Nor am I" he said firmly. She blinked and she looked at him, her ears flattening back. "Lily I cared for Iris just as much as you did. She was like a sister to me. I hurt... as you do... But I will not let you throw your life away in blind anger."

"But I*" she started to protest.

"Lily..." he said quietly "Please... I lost your mother... I lost Iris... don't make me risk losing you too..."

She glared at him and tears welled and rolled down her cheeks. She trembled but she looked away with a growl. She shook furiously and then looked back at him and said "what do you want me to do Papa?... Just wait and watch everyone else die?"

"No" he replied "I need you to stay in case they come here while the war party is away." She blinked and she looked at him. "If they attack while we're gone. There will be no one to defend the women and children except a handful of warriors. And some of them are already wounded. I need you here Lily... Please."

"You're just using that as an excuse..." she whispered "just trying to protect me... I can take care of myself." She stepped back though, admitting defeat and submitting to his command. "I will protect our people Chieftain" she said quietly.

He nodded and said gently "I know you will... and when we know what this is, I'll return for you. I promise." She nodded but wouldn't look at him. He stepped forward and hugged her. He closed his eyes and whispered gently "be safe my beautiful Water Lily."

She winced at first but she hugged him back after a moment and whispered softly "you too... you thick headed cat..." She eased back and wiped her face and looked down to where they were wheeling the bodies. "I'll make sure she gets a proper burial..." she whispered softly.

Feugen nodded and stepped back saying gently "thank you." He turned and flew back down to where the war party was forming. He nodded to his warriors and they grabbed their weapons and set off.

Lily went down to where the bodies were being prepared. They were being wrapped in fine white cloth and laid in baskets of flower beds before they would make their journey to the burial grounds. Lily wrapped Iris herself and reached up to her hair. She plucked the blue feather she had gotten from the tree all those years ago and tucked it into the silk with her teacher. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks constantly as she knelt beside the wolfess body.

"Why?..." she whispered "why did you have to die?... Why?... Y... You were supposed to be there when I got married." She sniffed and wiped her face some "Who's going to help me when I become a mother?... Papa?..." she almost laughed but it just came out as a broken sob. She lay herself over the basket and just sobbed out her anguish. No one dared disturb her. They all knew what Iris meant to the young Princess.

It was late afternoon when they brought the bodies to the burial site. Each was given a grave and a memorial. Different tribe members left different gifts and offered prayers to the Allmother. Lily just sat by Iris' grave. She didn't eat that day, she just sat and waited, wishing she could change things...

When the evening came she finally got up and returned home. She ate just enough to keep her stomach pains away and went upstairs to rest. She prayed... prayed she could go to the Willow tonight. She sought a comforting touch in arms she felt safe in... and the only other ones were off fighting a war. She curled up under her furs and closed her eyes, letting exhaustion take her once more.

She found the thread immediately and was relieved at first. But when she felt it she froze. It was weakened... and as she looked at it's beautiful blue shade she saw it marred with red and purple... like it was breaking. Her eyes widened in panic and she followed it quickly, bursting into the Willow. What she saw nearly made her heart break.

The sky was blackened, like the night she'd found it storming only worse. Lightning flashed all around, striking the earth in the distance. The land was scorched... not a single blade of grass remained... Where the beautiful White Willow once stood there was now only a charred trunk. It was as if the land had been laid waste to by an army... someone had destroyed this beautiful place... She looked up the hill at the destroyed tree and she squinted. Someone was there... against the tree. "Sirius..." she breathed out.

She raced up the hill and screamed as she got closer "SIRIUS!". She found him bound with his wrists tied back behind the tree. His clothes had been torn away and he had been flogged and beaten fiercely. She didn't understand... this was his place! His world! How could someone do something like this?!... Then she remembered the look of Iris' body... and the others. The charred corpses, utterly destroyed by powerful magic. She reached out a shaking hand to the jackal's cheek... he couldn't be gone... he couldn't be. "Sirius?" she whined softly.

He let out the faintest of weak whimpers to her touch and she sobbed in relief. He was alive. She rushed forward trying to unbind the chains that held his wrists. He lifted his head and whimpered "Lily?... Nnnng...."

"I'm here!" she said quickly moving in front of him "Sirius, who did this to you? What's happened?"

"Lily... run..." Sirius whispered softly "he wants... you..."

"What? Who?" she asked, whimpering softly "Sirius I don't understand. What's going on?"

The jackal lifted his head and looked at her with panic in his eyes "Lily!... You have to run. Get as far away as you possibly can. Do NOT... come here... He'll AHHH!" he suddenly screamed and threw his head back. The marking on his back burst into a brilliant blue light that began twisting to violet.

"Sirius!" Lily sobbed "stop it stop it! STOP HURTING HIM!" She gave a cry as there was another flash of light and then she bolted upright in her bed. She was shaking furiously. But she turned and could feel his thread still there... she could feel him. He was scared... shaken. She couldn't lose Sirius too. She refused. Her father's orders be damned. She grabbed up her wraps and threw them on, then grabbed her bow and spear and was gone in the night.

She followed the thread, soaring through the dark skies as she made her way from the forest to the river and beyond. She'd never been across the river before. She had no idea where she was or where she was going. All she knew was that she was following that thread. As long as it was there... she knew there was hope.

The thread finally seemed to descend so she folded her wings and dove down to the ground below. She landed in a dark clearing and looked around, It was cloudy tonight, so there was no moon, no stars to help guide her way. She saw only darkness at first. But as her eyes adjusted she made out a figure in the distance. They appeared to be chained up to a couple of posts. Her eyes widened some and she breathed out "Sirius!..." she crouched low along the grass and rushed forward.

As she reached the figure she whispered "Sirius it's me... I'm going to get you out of here." She straightened up and grabbed a blade to deal with their bonds but froze when the figure spoke back.

"Lily..." the familiar voice groaned "g... get out of here..."

Lily stared and then grabbed a small torch and lit it with a spark rock. As she raised it up her eyes widened in horror. It wasn't Sirius...

...it was her Father...

"P... Papa?..." she whispered shakily. He was bound by the wrists to two large posts, forced to kneel. It looked like he had been through one hell of a battle already. As she stepped forward a voice laughed from behind her. She whirled around and held her torch high but more started to light all around her, creating a circle and lighting up the clearing. She stared in horror seeing dozens of Kingdom soldiers all around. Some were holding other tribal warriors on their knees with blades at their throats. Others were piling more charred corpses up like dead cattle.

"Ohhh this is just precious..." the laughing one said. She turned her attention back to him and found a wolf with shaggy grey fur and a badly scarred eye. "Here I thought we might have to fight off another pathetic attack... and yet you were actually stupid enough to come alone! You should've trained her better." He taunted at Feugen.

"Let my father and my people go!" Lily snarled. She drew her bow and pulled an arrow back, aiming it right at the wolf. "I don't miss..." she warned.

"Oh... a feisty one" she growled "Even more then your mother was..."

Lily's eyes narrowed and she growled and loosed the arrow. There was a flash of violet light from the wolf's spear and it bounced off of a barrier in front of him. Lily paled some and dropped her bow, grabbing her spear instead. The pentagram upon her shoulder began to glow softly, a mist pouring off her blade, chilling the grass around it. "Let... my people... go..." she warned.

"Ohhhh I'm going to enjoy breaking you..." he replied "I think I'll keep you alive when I take your power... that bloodline is precious after all... And you'd look so good on your knees sucking my cock like a good little bitch..." Lily lost it. She screamed as she rushed forward. A trail of frost followed the blade of her spear as she swept it up towards him. The wolf was ready though and easily blocked the blow, even though a gust of freezing wind followed and chilled his shoulder. He stepped back with amusement as Lily attacked again and again, savagely trying to kill him. She wasn't thinking, wasn't fighting, she was outright just trying to murder the wolf in front of her. But every attack was met with a deflection or evasion. The wolf was taunting her, toying with her at every pass. She was too infuriated to realize it either. Finally he struck out at her thigh and caught her with a nasty slice. It left her stumbling and limping. She rounded on him again and snarled wickedly. "Oh come now... haven't you realized how pointless this is? You're outmatched."

"We'll see about that..." she snarled and her eyes flashed. The wolf blinked and turned as he heard rhythmic thumping behind him. A massive timber wolf launched itself at him and he spun and blocked it's clamping jaws with his spear. He growled menacingly back at the wolf and a flash of violet light sent it flying as a charred corpse. Lily winced praying Gaia would forgive her for it's sacrifice but she lunged at him and nearly buried her spear into his throat. He batted it away again and whirled, sweeping at her legs and forcing her to jump up before jabbing down at him again.

Bane rolled up to his feet with a dark growl "ENOUGH!". He nodded to his soldiers and they immediately began slitting the throats of the warriors all around her.

Lily turned and her eyes widened "NO!" she shouted in desperation. But her moment of distraction cost her dearly. She yelped and stiffened as Bane lunged and his spear went through her shoulder. She dropped immediately, clutching at the wound and staring at her blood... watching as her people were murdered in showers of blood right in front of her. She tried to lift her spear but it felt so heavy... her arm was too weak and in too much pain. She started to shake as the realization hit her. She lost... and people were dying because of it.

She turned slowly and faced the wolf again. He glared at her, clearly upset that she had almost obtained victory. He stepped up to her as she rose to her feet and his fist met her stomach. She doubled over again and sank back to her knees with a wheeze. "Stay down..." he growled "on your knees... where you belong..." She wanted to fight. Wanted to claw at him. But she could barely breathe and her arm felt like it was going numb. She watched as he turned and moved back towards her father.

"P... Papa" she whimpered softly "Papa I... I'm scared..."

"It's okay Lily" Feugen called to her "it's all going to be okay... I promise..."

Bane reached the panther and he shook his head "tsk tsk good sir... lying to your child like that? You really shouldn't do that..." He raised his spear but he stopped. He paused and studied the panther for a moment. "You know... those are some mighty fine wings you've got there..." he said quietly.

Lily's eyes widened and she jerked her head up. "No..." she breathed out.

Bane slowly moved behind the hybrid, reaching out and running a hand along one of his wings. Feugen looked at Lily with not an ounce of fear in his eyes, only sorrow. "Look away Lily" he ordered her.

"N... No Papa please!" she sobbed, trying to stand up again. One of the soldiers kicked her back down to her knees.

"Look away..." Feugen ordered again.

"Oh yes you'll want to for this next part..." Bane chuckled "and don't worry if you want to cry big guy... I'm sure this is gonna hurt..."

Feugen breathed heavily through his nose even as blood dribbled down from it. Bane smirked and grabbed one of his wings... and a hatchet. He raised it back just as Lily lifted her head... and brought it swinging down. There was a sickening crunch and the sound of a blade hitting flesh. Feugen's eyes widened and his entire body went rigid. A pained groan escaped him but he didn't open his maw. He didn't cry out. He couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks though. Not from the pain... but the look of horror on his beautiful baby girl's face. Another thwack... then another... and finally with the fourth... his left wing was removed. The wolf tossed it aside like he was sheering a sheep, and turned casually to the other. "Sorry about that..." he said "forgot to sharpen this thing..." He took a hold of the other wing and it came free with three more swings. He tossed it to join the other and patted the panther on the shoulder "they'll make good trophies. Can't let them go to waste."

Feugen was shaking as he knelt between the posts. Lily sobbed and screamed in anguish as she was forced to watch her father endure such torture. Just the mere sight of it made her own wings curl and shake in agony. Bane moved around in front of Feugen again and smiled "Now then... you know what I'm going to do next?" he said "I'm going to bring your little girl back to my palace. I'm going to drain every ounce of magic she has in her. But don't worry I won't kill her like that bitch Iris. No... I'm going to keep her alive. I'm going to torture her. Abuse her. Break her. And rape her. I'm going to breed so many little dragon blooded babies with her she'll be nothing but a used up whore by the time I'm done with her. And then I'll give her to my men. And she'll die somewhere along the way. And in the meantime?... I'm going to burn... your forest... down. Just as her grandfather should've done years ago. How does that sound?" Feugen slowly turned his gaze from Lily to Bane. He looked the wolf in the eye. He searched for a long moment and then he smiled. He actually... smiled. Bane blinked and he smiled back and said "sounds good doesn't it?... yea... why... are you smiling?"

"Because..." Feugen said quietly "My little girl... is going to kill you..." Bane blinked and Feugen looked back at Lily. She lifted her head with tears streaming down her face. Feugen looked right at her and said "you're the future of our people Lily. Don't ever... stop fighting this man. Promise me..."

"I promise Papa" Lily said shakily. Bane growled and drew his spear back.

"I'll say hi to your mother for you" Feugen said just as the blade of the spear stabbed into his chest. He threw his head back with a grimace and then sagged as Bane yanked it free. He glared down at the panther's body.

"Put her in the wagon" he barked at the guards and they scooped her up and dragged her towards a caravan of wagons waiting. She looked back at the lifeless form of her father with broken tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't know what she was going to do... She didn't protest, she couldn't. They just dragged her to one of the wagons and threw her into a cage in the back, locking her up like a wild animal. She sank down against the bars and tried... not to die. Most of her wanted to, right then and there. She just wanted to slip away into nothingness. But she had promised her father... so she held on. She refused to die...

"You did good son..." she heard a voice say up ahead. She blinked and she looked up out of the cage towards the front of the caravan. She squinted through the bars and what she saw made her blood run cold. Bane patted a young male on the shoulder. A young male wearing rags... with bloody streaks along his back from being whipped. A young male with blue hair... and blue fur... And when he turned, she saw familiar blue eyes. He looked at her with absolute torment in his eyes, in his soul. Bane had used him... to get to her. That bastard... was Sirius' father.

Lily sank down in the cage just staring at him. She felt like her entire world was being torn apart. Like this was all a nightmare and all she wanted to do now was wake up. But she couldn't. She watched as Bane yanked the jackal's arm and pulled him to another wagon and he was out of sight. Moments later they were moving... and all she could do was watch the torches in the clearing die down and go dark, leaving her father's body behind.

As the wagon bumped and jostled along she closed her eyes, resting her head back against the cage wall. She felt the thread... the broken blue thread. She felt it lead to the front of the caravan. And she reached out to cut it...

But it pulsed when she touched it. That familiar warmth. Tears welled once more in her eyes. She reached out and grasped that thread... holding onto it. "Please..." she whispered softly "please tell me you didn't do this..." He couldn't respond... he never had the same ability to connect with others like she did. But what he did have... he gave. She felt the pain in her shoulder start to ease... slowly. She started to sob softly but the wound slowly closed and healed. Every wound on her body, old and new... was gone after some time. She was still in more pain then she thought possible. But she refused to die.

The caravan finally stopped and the soldiers climbed out to set up camp. She was thrown some bread and water which she ate quickly. She didn't care if it was from them, she needed her strength. Her sharp ears picked up the whimpers and male grunts from up ahead as Bane made use of one of his slaves. He would be distracted... she had to escape. Had to get away.

There were guards outside her cage. She watched the way they moved carefully and slowly... quietly... stripped a piece off of her waistwrap. She wound it around one hand and waited until the right moment. When one of the guards turned away she looped the strip around the other's neck and yanked hard. She pulled him back against the cage, strangling him without an ounce of remorse. Her father had wanted to spare her from the horrors of killing. But that time was gone now. Innocence was a luxury she didn't have anymore. Bane had to die.

She cursed as the guard's flailing alerted the other too soon and he turned back. His eyes widened seeing his companion being strangled. She reached down to grab a blade when the other suddenly lurched and fell forward, hitting the grass softly with a blade in his back. Sirius stood there, beaten and broken... but still fighting. He hurried forward with the blade and silenced the struggling guard, grabbing his keys and quickly working on the lock to the cage.

"You have to go" he said shakily "you don't understand how strong he is now... you have to leave now and never come back."

"I'm not leaving without killing him" she replied as she climbed out and grabbed a blade. Sirius grabbed her wrist and pinned her back against the wagon.

"Lily!" he whispered to her "I know you're angry. I know you hurt and I can never... ever be sorry enough... ever. But you cannot beat him. Not now... not like this. You HAVE to run..."

She glared at him and almost bit him in the face. But she knew... she knew this wasn't his fault. She knew he'd been used to bait her and like an idiot she hadn't listened. But that's why it hurt most... it was her fault. She trembled and said "come with me..."

"I can't..." he said "he'll just use me to find you. You have to go. Go back to your people and leave this place forever..." He said and then let her go and started away from her.

"Sirius..." she whispered shakily. He looked back and she gazed at him and said "you're more of a man then he could ever dream to be..."

The jackal hesitated but he turned and started for the front of the caravan again. Lily snatched up one of the horses and started off immediately into the dark. Sirius walked up to one of the guards and quietly stabbed him in the stomach. The one next to him was so surprised he didn't even grab his sword as the jackal slit his throat and continued on. The others started to catch on and sounded an alarm and Bane roared in frustration as he shoved his whore to the ground and stormed over.

By the time he got there 5 guards were dead and two were holding the jackal. Bane stormed up to him and looked around at all the bodies and then back at him. He looked towards the back of the caravan and started breathing heavier and heavier. Sirius looked back at him and a smirk touched his lips. "What's so funny?" Bane snarled.

"I had her..." Sirius replied "and you never will..." Bane growled in fury and then punched the smaller jackal. He hit him again and again until the blue furred jackal was unconscious, still smiling. "Call the generals..." Bane growled "we finish this in the morning. No one survives..." He turned and headed back to where he'd left his slave.

Lily raced her horse back down the road. She barely knew where she was going... but she could hear the whispers guiding her, guiding her home. When she reached the clearing she lead the horse into it and stopped, climbing off and moving to her father's lifeless body. She didn't cry this time. She looked at him and saw the proud Chief, proud father he had been... that he was. She touched his face and whispered softly to him "let's go home Papa..."

She cut the ropes binding his arms and managed to haul him up onto her horse before setting off again. It was nearly dawn by the time she returned to the village. As the tribals woke and came out to find their Chieftain slain... they began to sob. Feugen had been a beloved leader among his people. Lily brought him to the center of the village and got help laying him down. When they saw his wings were removed they were even more horrified.

Ember came out of her hut to investigate the commotion and stiffened seeing him. She swallowed sharply. Lily looked over at her and then away. She walked to the nearest bow and spear and picked it up before turning to go. "Lily!" Ember called. She paused and turned back.

"I'm going to kill him" Lily growled firmly "I promised him. And I'm not going to fail him... not again."

"Lily please..." River said, stepping closer "you can't go. Not like this..."

"Yes I can!" she growled, turning back to Ember "Who the hell do you think you are?! My father is DEAD. That makes me Chieftess! I can do whatever I WANT. And what I'm going to do is KILL that bastard and end this once and for all!"

She turned to go again but Ember lunged and yanked her quiver away. She tossed it away and Lily turned and growled at her. Ember stood her ground. "You're not leaving..." she said firmly.

"You're going to stop me?" Lily snarled "you're nothing. You're not my mother. You're just the girl my father fucked when he was bored." Ember didn't even flinch. She stood there and Lily shook her head and started around her. But the vixen shoved her back. "Dammit Ember!" Lily roared at her. She threw her spear down and chose to forgo her weapons. She swung at the vixen who ducked and shoved her back again.

"You think I don't know that?" she scoffed at the angry princess "You think I don't know that I would never be River? He would never be Rail either. But that doesn't mean he wasn't my friend. My CHIEF!" She growled. Lily snarled and lunged at her. Ember twisted and threw her away from her, sending her into the dirt.

"He was my FATHER!" Lily roared at her. She threw a rock at the vixen who raised her hand to deflect it and Lily took the opening to tackle her to the ground. "I'm going to avenge him! I'm going to rip that monsters throat out and save ALL OF US!" She pinned the vixen and wrapped her hands around her throat "and you won't STOP ME!"

Ember tried to pull her hands away but she was too strong. When the others stepped forward she waved them off. She looked up at Lily and choked out softly "You're going to kill... one of your own... just to get... your revenge?... What would... he think?..."

Lily growled down at her but her eyes widened. She gasped softly and released the vixen's throat. She looked up around them and saw everyone else. Most were still crying... but they were staring at her... frightened. She looked down at Ember again as she coughed and sucked in air. She looked up at the vixen with sorrowful eyes and whispered "you can't lead in rage... Your people need the real you..."

She looked down at her and she shook some. She stood up though and then held out her hand. Ember took it and Lily hauled her up to her feet. "Thank you..." Lily said softly. Ember nodded and stepped back. Lily looked at her people and said "I... I'm sorry to all of you. I'm sorry that I couldn't save my father or Iris or... anyone else." She bit her lip and then said "and I'm sorry that I let my anger overcome my judgement. But we are in danger... The new King has power I have never seen before. And his son... his son risked his life so that I could escape. But he is coming for us. So we have two choices... we can fight... or we can flee."

"Where would we go?" someone asked.

"Over the mountain" Lily replied "I don't know for sure what we'll find on the other side but... we cannot stay."

Ember looked at her and said "the King's son... how do you know him?"

Lily bit her lip and then said "I met him in my dreams. He... he's been my friend since I was 10. He's the one who taught me magic... He's... my mate." Ember stared at her and the others began whispering with uncertainty. Finally the fiery vixen grabbed her spear and said "we're warriors... we do not flee. If we're going to die I say we die in combat for the glory of the Allmother."

Lily smiled at her and said "I was hoping you'd say that." She looked around at the others and called "Anyone else?" One by one... the warriors gathered their weapons and stepped forward. Followed by the hunters, the gatherers. Everyone who was able bodied grabbed a weapon and accepted their decision. Lily turned back to Ember and nodded "I need to ask something of you..."

"Name it" Ember said without question.

"I need you to lead the attack" Lily replied. Ember blinked in surprise and Lily said "their King is powerful. But so is his son. If he's still alive... if I can get to him. We'll have a real chance. Without their king the men will falter. I need you to occupy them and give me as much time as you can."

Ember hesitated but she nodded after a moment and said "we will hold them my Chieftess."

"Thank you..." she whispered softly. She turned to the others and said "no more hiding. No more waiting on our side of the River. No more using the forest as a shelter. This day we take the fight to the Kingdom. This day we fight for ALL our bloodlines... not just the dragon blooded. This day we take back what is rightfully ours." The tribe cheered as Lily turned and took the skies. Ember gave a whistle and they set off, marching through the forest as one single group. A massive swarm of warriors ready to die without an ounce of ear. Something any soldier would be rather terrified to bear witness to.

The rest who were left behind tended to the Chief, and lay him with those who came before him. They erected a monument that was befitting one so loved by the people. A statue in his honor... With his beloved mate at his side.