#spear of Leonidas | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

an-idyllic-novelist · 1 year ago

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Leonidas with Yoriichi Tsugikuni!fem!reader platonic headcanons

Warning(s): RoR manga spoilers up to ch. 78, historical references, violence, KNY anime spoilers, established relationship, strong language from Leonidas, ooc.

Collab work with @deathmetalunicorn1. Special thanks to @enryegotrip and @themoonisrising for their feedback in the drafting phrase!

Before reading this piece, however, I strongly recommend you read this story, as it acts as a part two. The link will be here.

With that being said guys, sit back, relax, and enjoy the chaos that is about to unfold :)

King Leonidas knew the gods existed and he hated them. Apollo, the arrogant little shit who was worshiped in Delphi all those centuries ago, is the god whom he despised the most. His men knew why but they were wise enough to never speak about the patriot of the arts in front of him. He did not, however, know that demons existed in Valhalla too…until that fateful night.

He and his men were settling in their campsite, bellies full and ready to resume their training or take the first watch and make sure no one tried to sneak past them…but someone did. It had been an old man, whimpering and cowering with a large lump on his head and wearing tattered clothes. Just when a soldier barked at him to leave or die where he stood, brandishing a spear in his direction…the old man’s body split in half, then half again until four young men began attacking the campsite. All hell broke loose, and Leonidas had no idea what the fuck was going on or how to kill them.

Guns didn’t work on the winged one because he was too fast in the air, the swords and spears of his men snapped in half when making contact with the bodies of the blue-eyed one before he impaled them with a halberd. The one wearing red robes possessed a staff that could create lightning within a seven foot radius, and the green one used a fan to blow away his men with a single swing. He used his shield when the latter and the winged one attacked, but it could only do so much against a sonic wave attack.

When shit looked like it was about to go sideways in the worst way possible, she showed up seemingly out of nowhere. She zigzagged across the field, dodging the winged one’s attacks and swiftly decapitating the halberd-wielding bastard, his head flying off and landing in the mud with a ‘thud’. That was when King Leonidas noticed something odd about the opponents…no, it wasn’t odd. These sons of bitches knew who exactly you were and they were afraid.

The horned demon in red raised his staff in the air, preparing for another lightning strike when she appeared in front of him. She inhaled sharply through her mouth and raised her sword above her head, the blade becoming ignited in crimson flames before striking him down, his body splitting in half. It was after taking this monster down that she addressed him.

“My lord….there is a fifth demon…heading northeast. That is the demon’s main body. If it is destroyed, then the other four will cease to exist. My comrades…they are on their way. They will be here soon, and provide aid.” She then looked him straight in the eye, calm and level-headed as if this wasn’t the first time she had fought against these things. “Normal weapons cannot penetrate a demon’s body…but seeing that you are carrying firearms, use this.” She pulled out three cartridges of ammunition from her robes and handed them to him. “Aim for the head. I must go…before the main body gets too far away.”

She then darted away from the campsite, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. Leonidas is a proud man, but even he knew not to look at a gift in the horse’s mouth. He unclipped the magazine in his pistol and loaded in the new ammo, opening fire but making sure that these bullets would not be wasted.

Just as the woman said, reinforcements arrived. All wearing robes and carrying swords, moving across the battlefield as if they were dancing and not fighting against these creatures.

Spartans are bred for battle and will die for battle. Never give up, never surrender. That is in their blood. However, a smart Spartan realizes the difference between an ally and an enemy, and that the flow of time constantly changes in the mortal realm. From politics to fighting techniques, if it can be used to take down an enemy, King Leonidas doesn’t give a flying fuck about anything else.

When his second magazine was on the last bullet, all of the demons disintegrated into ash. The soldiers shouted in Grecian, raising their bloodied spears in the air and smiling victoriously. Their mysterious comrades either relished in the moment or simply walked away from the battlefield, sheathing their swords with a grimace. A little while later she returned to the campsite, expressionless and covered in blood that was not her own.

She bowed deeply to him. “I apologize…my lord. If I had been sooner…there would not have been so much damage…and you would not have lost so many men.”

Leonidas just shook his head. His men were prepared to die in battle if it meant glory and victory in the name of Sparta, they trained to go up against even the most powerful of opponents. But what he could not stand is not knowing what he and his army are fighting…so what the hell were those monsters? He wanted information, and he wanted it now.

To his surprise, she was more than compliant to sit and talk with him. One of her associates, a tall brat with a large sword strapped on his back, barked at her, saying that it's against the rules to share confidential information with an ‘outsider’ but the woman replied that he has a right to know. He is the commander of these men; would it not be better to tell him and prevent this situation from happening again?

Furthermore, she is an unofficial member of the organization, so the rules do not affect her as much as it does to him or the others. When her associate turned away with a scoff, she asked him what he liked to know.

“Everything.” He snapped.

She nodded. “Of course.”

As the men cleared the debris and buried their dead, Leonidas fired question after question at the swordswoman, whose name he learned was [First Name] [Last Name]. Demons were nocturnal in nature, and consumed human flesh to gain strength. Their bodies were extremely durable; normal weapons cannot harm them, and they can only be killed by decapitation. Her sword, a nichirin blade, forged from Scarlet Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore, both of which can be found in high mountains that perpetually bathed in sunlight all year around.

Sunlight was the only thing that could kill a demon for good. The bullets she gave him were created from the same materials, designed for a Hashira that preferred guns to swords. A Hashira is a very strong Demon Slayer, and she is one herself: the Sun Hashira, which is why her blade ignited upon attacking the demons. The Breathing Style is…difficult to explain and to learn, but it is effective.

The Demon Slayer Corps had existed for over a thousand years, and it was revived in Valhalla under Lord Hades’ command. Another human soul, Nostradamus, destroyed the Bifrost and demons have been crawling their way into Valhalla ever since. The one he and his men came in contact with is Hantengu, a powerful demon who once served under Muzan Kibutsuji.

Muzan was the original creator of the demon race, and she had encountered him once many years ago.

“I wish I could tell you more my lord,” She bowed her head to him. “The only thing I can offer is to give you the name of the person who can create these bullets, though I must ask that you keep his identity a secret. Muzan might have perished all of those years ago, but seeing one of the Upper Moons here in Valhalla and still possess their powers…the possibility that he might have regenerated in Helheim cannot be ruled out. If he still wishes to destroy the Demon Slayers, he will make another attempt to kill the craftsman who creates the weapons that can destroy him and the other Upper Moons under his command.”

Lenoidas nodded. Makes sense, He thought. Keeping a supplier safe is crucial in war. The less an enemy knows who or how their opponent is getting their weapons, the better. Cut off the supplier and supply route, these people wouldn’t have the swords or bullets needed to destroy the demons. Still…

“Is it possible to meet the guy who made these?” He asked, holding up the empty cartridge. “I know that’s asking a lot from a stranger like myself, trust me, but just having the basic info on an opponent won’t help me or my army be prepared if this situation happens again. You said you’re an unofficial member of this organization.”

“...I am. However, to meet the creator of the bullets…I would need to speak to Lord Ubuyashiki first. He is…very protective of us all, like we are his children. The secret location of the swordsmiths had been exposed once before, when the organization had been on the decline in the Taisho era. You may have to speak and present your case to him as to why you wish to know the suppliers.”

“How soon can that be?”

“When I return to headquarters, I will go straight to him myself…though I am sure no one will want that. He has…not been well as of late.” [First Name] looked to the side, blinking at the large crow perched on her shoulder. “I will send you a message through this little one, should he allow this meeting. Is that acceptable?”

Momentarily surprised that such a large bird suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Leonidas cleared his throat. “Yeah, that’s fine. I look forward to hearing from you…through your bird.”

The Demon Slayer nodded, bowing to him before she left the campsite as quickly as she had appeared, stunning the war general with her agility. Huh…were women soldiers in the Demon Slayer Corps always so sneaky? He’ll have to ask next time. Right now, he had to direct his mind and think about his next move. For now, it seemed going north would be the best choice; there was a Greecian military base there, so his men could rest until they were called to the next war. He’ll also need to let his wife, Gorgo, know what happened as well.

Gorgo remained Queen of Sparta when he was away at battle, in life and in death. She had just as much authority and political power as he did, so he knew their home in Valhalla would be well-protected in his absence. If he hadn’t known that these demons existed until now…could he truly say that their home is fortified against every single threat? No. And she deserved to be aware of the situation.

They were husband and wife for fuck’s sake.

A week flew by until the army reached the base, and another when the messenger crow flew through the window in his study one sunny afternoon, a scroll tied around its neck. Hoisting himself up from his hammock, Lenoidas marked his spot in the book he’d been reading and set it down on the floor. He walked towards the window and untied the rope around the crow’s neck, unfurling the parchment to scan the contents.

The meeting will take place in four days. A member of the organization, a kakushi, will personally escort him to the lord of the manor on the morning of the meeting. To ensure everyone’s safety, he must wear a blindfold the entire time until he is given permission to remove it.

Lenoidas’ brow twitched. You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. He thought, annoyed, before he sighed deeply. [First Name] had promised him that she will try to persuade the clan head to speak to him in regards to the suppliers. This would be his first and only chance to negotiate peacefully.

He couldn’t allow the Sun Hashira’s hard work to go to waste…so he’ll play along.

Time passed quickly as he made the necessary preparations. Before he knew it, a fellow dressed from head to toe in black with a cloth concealing his face waited at the city’s gates. The kakushi blindfolded the king of Sparta, and then they departed.

But it wasn’t just one kakushi that escorted him…there were many of them, each with a different voice and mannerisms, switching him off at a designated post. Some were polite, curt. Others were skittish, can’t really blame them honestly. When he’d been granted permission to remove the blindfold, Leonidas was…surprised to see a young man smiling serenely at him, dressed in white and purple robes. He was flanked by two small children, and a woman sat behind him.

Safe assumption that these were his heirs and wife, but the Spartan general kept his comments to himself as he observed the lord. His eyes were clouded, unfocused. Blind. Probably caused by the rotten skin that’s spreading on his face.

The man and his family bowed their heads to him. “Welcome to our humble home, Lord Lenoidas of the Spartan Army.” He said softly. “[First Name] has spoken highly of you since her return. A courageous leader who remained calm in such a dire and unexpected situation…though you wish to meet the ones who have supplied my children with the necessary weapons to protect themselves and others from the demons who prowl at night. May I inquire why you wish to have access to our resources? How can I be sure that you will not spread this information to others?”

This was it. One chance to either get the information he seeked…or to lose it all, and his men would go back into battle unprepared. Leonidas inhaled a deep breath, and spoke.

He didn’t sugarcoat his intentions, plainly and respectfully to Lord Ubuyashiki. To his surprise, this brat didn’t get pissed off or talked down to him. Instead, the young lord understood where he was coming from. There have been more reports of sporadic ruptures in the Bifrost; try as they might, the Demon Slayer Corps cannot be everywhere and protect everyone. Lenoidas’ armies were the largest within the Grecian district, rivaling only that to Chinese militia, so it would be beneficial to supply the war general with the necessary anti-demon artillery, but only to his armies.

Right now, he was the only human leader outside of the organization who knew about the demons’ existence. As much as he wanted to help everyone, there were too many cons rather than pros to take another gamble with the supplier’s secret location should anyone else be aware that there were weapons that can kill demons.

As much as Leonidas wanted to protest…the brat had a point. The less people knew, the better. No good in causing a panic among the public. The gods could go fuck themselves, of course. The war general wasn’t too concerned about them so much as his fellow mortal comrades.

Then the meeting was settled. He along with the Sun Hashira would be escorted to the swordsmans’ village to meet the bullet crafter, and talk about business as needed. Lenoidas thanked the lord for his time…and politely asked to give his regards to [First Name].

That was the last time Leonidas saw Ubuyashiki. Within the following week, he and the Sun Hashira embarked on a journey to the suppliers alongside the secretive kakushi. He saw how the bullets were created, negotiated the amount needed to a fair price, and things propelled from there.

He also came to enjoy [First Name]’s company. She wasn’t a talkative person, though she had proven herself to be insightful and open-minded when they spoke on the way back to Sparta. She had agreed to go with him and his men on an expedition under the condition that she would teach them everything she knew about demon extermination. She warned him she was not good at explaining more complex Breathing Styles, and it might not be suitable for his men. There might also be questions that even she cannot answer fully, though she will do her best.

Leonidas said he was well aware but at this point, he was willing to take a chance with the Sun Hashira; these men were under his command, so he knew them like the back of his hand. Whatever Breathing Styles or demon exterminating techniques she knew and was willingly to teach would be appreciated. Hell, if there was a way to implement it in his army’s battle formations and even his own fighting style, Leonidas will take it for what it’s worth.

Leonidas grinned as he watched [First Name] training his men from the rim of his book. She had proven early in their journey that she was not to be underestimated or her lessons to be taken for granted. She’d saved their asses, helped them secure a supplier for a fair fee, and showed them how to combat against lower-level demons if they ever came across them at night. Didn’t even complain about the long hours spent walking or hiding up the mountains.

The only downside to this arrangement is that when it was time to restock their weapons with anti-demon bullets, spears, or shields, Leonidas had to go get everything himself.

Pain in the ass, but worth it in the end.

The war general wondered if he should consult Gorgo about adding women who can fight to the army’s ranks would be more beneficial and boost morale, or would just make things worse, when a scout shouted that a god was approaching the campsite. Lenoidas narrowed his eyes, getting himself out of his hammock again because shit was about to go down. Once he grabbed his spear and shield, he darted towards the enemy with [First Name] following close behind. The men were already in the phalanx formation, acting as a barrier around the campsite to prevent the intruder from taking another step further.

Lenonidas stared at the god. Tall, muscular, couldn’t be more than seven or seven and a half feet tall. Black tank-top with a weird ass rabbit on the front, orange robes tied around his waist and hands. Sunglasses, long blonde hair, light blue orbs…is that a fucking lollipop in his mouth?

Who is this punk?

“Buddha?” [First Name] said.

Lenonidas blinked once, then twice before he swiveled his head over his shoulder to glance at the slightly stunned swordswoman. “You know him?” She gave him a brief nod, then looked straight ahead with a confused frown. The war general followed her gaze and saw the son of a bitch standing right in front of him, his shadow almost towering over his own. The god blinked, munching on the lollipop with his oversized canines.

“Yo. You’re that war general from Sparta, right? Nice to meet ya. Soo…sorry for the sudden visit, but I’m takin’ the Sun Hashira back with me. Ya dig?”

“And what gives you the right to treat her like an object, shithead?” Leonidas growled. “This is why I can’t fuckin’ stand the likes of you or any others in the pantheons.”

The god stared at him. “Old man…I respect that you wanna protect her, but you should know more than anyone that she’s more than capable of defending herself. You’ve seen her in action, right? That’s how she met ya. And why she decided to go with ya on this trip. However, she’s been away from home for far too long.”

Buddha then walked past him and gathered up the swordswoman in his arms, with one hand under her legs and the other around her shoulders. “C’mon sunshine, we’re headin’ back to paradise.”

[First Name] blinked. “We are? But the men still need more time to be properly trained - ”

“Six months.”

“Hm?”

“You haven’t been home in six months, and ya had the guts to leave your husband all alone in a cold bed.” He puffed up his cheeks in annoyance. “I might enjoy hangin’ around the bodhi tree when you’re not around, but I wanna cuddle with my wife more than once before she suddenly heads off on a mission without sayin’ good-bye! You could’ve woken me up before ya left so I know were you’re goin’, you silly rabbit!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ya should be! I almost had to call Kintoki and ask him to track ya down if your crow didn’t drop off a message beforehand! Think things through before you run off into action, darlin’!”

“Okay.”

Lenoidas and the army stared at the pair with slackened jaws at the sight of a god pouting like a child as he scolded the Sun Hashira, who has identified himself as her husband. She was married to a god, and didn’t say anything to them?!?

[First Name] looked over Buddha’s shoulder, waving her hand at him. “I’ll be going home, Lord Lenonidas. I’m sorry this trip has to be cut short, but feel free to send a message to my residence or Lord Ubuyashiki’s if you have any questions or concerns.”

The war general felt a headache coming on. “Yeah…sure. Don’t worry about it or the training, we can handle it from here. Just go home to your…husband.” He muttered. “And don’t be a stranger either, all right? You’re always welcomed in Spartan territory. If any of ‘em give you a hard time, I’ll knock some sense into them.”

She nodded, offering the barest hint of a smile before she looped her arms around Buddha’s neck. The god looked back at him and inclined his head. In an instant, the pair were gone, returning to wherever it is that they called ‘home’.

Bonus Content:

Soon as Lenoidas received word that the Sun Hashira had come to pay him and his family a visit as she promised she would, the war general invited her to sit at his table for dinner.

Gorgo was delighted to finally meet the swordswoman who had earned her husband’s trust and saved the men’s lives. It is rare to meet a skilled warrior who is not a goddess and is humble.

Leonidas received the second shock since meeting [First Name] when she quietly revealed that she is, in fact, a divine being. Well, not exactly. More like a mortal soul who had received the blessing of a god.

She had met Buddha shortly after ascending to Valhalla. They were good friends for a long time before marrying almost two decades ago, though the enlightened one mentioned he should have done so sooner.

Something about rivals for her affection?

When his wife pressed on what [First Name] meant, the swordswoman’s calm face briefly pinched into an uncomfortable expression. Inhaling a deep breath, she answered Gorgo.

The Grecian representative of the Sun, Apollo, had approached her on the pretense that they were a perfect match because they were affiliated with the same celestial orb: bright, warm, and influential. In his mind, he believed Fate brought them together. [First Name] did not, and politely declined his proposal of a courtship.

Apollo did not give up. He was persistent in the coming days, and Buddha had almost intervened on her behalf. But it had been her own mess. So in the context of Buddha’s “lingo”, she “wiped the floor” with him.

Leonidas had trouble breathing as he howled in laughter. That fuckin’ shithead had actually gotten his ass beaten by a divine being who used to be a mortal.

Good. The prick deserved it.

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olivescales3 · 10 months ago

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The Forgotten Legends of Chima Episode 3

[Episode 1]; [Episode 2]

I’m at the lion temple’s entrance hall, surrounded by statues of lion warriors, who gaze at me gracefully in an action of ferocious protection. Each and every one of them are unique, sculpted in such a way that they look real, or like they could be real– and that’s because they’re meant to. They represent the glorious warriors that protected our temple long ago.

It is truly a comforting sight, to be safeguarded by my ancestors, the ones who swore to protect Chi. Then, a disembodied voice, monotonous yet mellow, whines from the distance, blended in with nervous footsteps.

“You know, man, this canine craze is wild. Like, they went bonkers out of nowhere!”, cries Leonidas, mumblings on his words.

As I tiptoe near the guard, hiding myself behind one of the statues, Longtooth leans on the temple’s door frame. He sighs, pushing down his beanbrows– one scarred from top to cheekbone. While he crosses his arms and hides the huge claw tear on his bare chest, he whispers,

“I know, sweetheart.”, He opens up his damaged eyelid, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll sort it out– together.”

A moment of silence slips in the middle of the conversation, a minute of peace and thought. Leonidas slides slowly near the brunet lion, getting his thin and delicate body near his mate’s fluffy mane, then shoves his muzzle inside it.

Accidentally, a meow escapes from my mouth, and the lion couple notices me, happy about my presence.

They turn around and march towards me; Longtooth then crouches on the floor, just to pat my head with his dark tan paw.

Beneath the fierce bodyguard’s canines hides a smile that loosens his serious, headstrong expression into an almost submissive frown. When his watery eyes try to shed at every blink, but that only makes them shinier.

As he brushes my cheek, I utter, “Longtooth… are you alright?”, my voice cracks a bit.

Leonidas tilts his head, his banded orange mane falls down from his shoulder. He presses his lips, hiding the malformed incisors that stick out of his mouth.

Longtooth delicately puts his hand under my arm and holds it– the wounded limb has already recovered, and the only remains of the injury are ugly scabs in the shape of claw marks. His agonized concern is enough to make me understand— even in silence—, that nothing is over yet.

I can see Leonidas’ concern for his partner, but also his fear for what might happen; he’s right– what’s been happening during these last days is wild. Of course, to say the least. In reality, words can’t encapsulate the weight of this tragedy.

“Alert, alert! Close the main gate and stand in your positions!”

This powerful roar rumbles throughout the castle and beyond, attracting our attention to the howls penetrating inside the temple.

“Your Highness– please remain still.”, he murmurs, while skimming his eyes to the side, before dashing away.

Leonidas soon stumbles forward, behind him, while wielding a spear.

I wonder for whom the bell will toll today.

Lagravis wanders in small but hard steps across the Throne Room, staring at the ground. His face recoils in doubt, as he murmurs to himself whatever is in his thoughts.

The Lion Temple was invaded, this morning, by a pack of a hundred wolves. Warriors were able to protect our fortress and control the damage caused by the invasion, but it wasn’t enough– blood was still shed in our territory, whether from our people or from the Wolf Tribe.

I sneak into the room, patiently waiting for him to notice me. Or, do I even want to be noticed? Dad’s posture this week has been worrying me a bit…

He sits on his throne with a loud thud. “I can’t believe this!”, he shouts, throwing his arms forwards, before leaning his face onto his hands, “Even with my guards in the Wolf Lair…!”

My dad’s shock resonates with my feelings, I’m also confused, too. I witnessed him ordering guards to surveil the wolves; lion tanks and buggies were scattered all across the camp’s radius, monitoring every move!

Lagravis roars, once again, “Someone has to be involved in all of this! These events are too organized for a bunch of mindless ferals.”

Uncle Lavertus passes by, waving his hand at my dad. Perhaps he also wants to check up on his brother, just like me?

“Hey, buddy! Big bro, whatever! How’re doing?”, says Lavertus, with joy brimming from his glistening eyes.

Dad doesn’t even move an inch, but instead scowls in frustration, not willing to loosen his mood. His gray-haired muzzle is starting to look more grizzled than normal.

“Aw, Lagravis. I noticed your attitude’s quite bitter recently. Stuff sucks and all, but can’t ya at least keep up with a smile?”

The king gets up, his blue scarf swings violently. As he clenches his paws and sticks out his claws, the muscles from his tanned torso tense up. He can’t go forth, because the Sacred Pool of Chi is right in between him and his brother, scattering blue light throughout the room.

“…Tell me about the necropsies, Lavertus. Be serious with me!”

My uncle grabs a piece of fibrous paper, with notes written all over it, from a pocket on his tunic.

“Want me to—”

“Just tell me already!”, Dad screams.

After a few eternal minutes of silence, just enough for doubts and fear to haunt us, Lavertus begins to read the notes out loud:

“All of the lion guards assigned to monitor the Wolf Lair were found dead during the sunrise, with the sunlight hitting Mount Cavora’s east side. The deaths happened approximately at dawn, as the corpses smelled fresh, but blood was dry.”

The Throne Room begins to smell with adrenaline. No one has noticed me, yet.

He continues, “A necropsy exam began soon after the discovery of the bodies– their thoracic cavities were mauled with distinctive bite and claw marks. All organs situated in this area of the body were found to be severely damaged on gross observation. Therefore, the cause of death was diagnosed to be acute organ failure due to physical trauma.”

Dad nods, understanding the situation. Whispering about his shock at the wolves’ strength, he sits on his throne again, with his paw placed under his chin.

I shrink and curl behind a lion statue. What an abominable act of violence that was… and in such detail too!

“And what about this morning’s incident, brother?”

“Exactly the same thing. It’s safe to assume that the wolves from now were the same from before.”

Lavertus marches around the Sacred Pool of Chi, as the chains that adorn his tunic hitting against one another, then lends the two necropsy notes to his sibling.

After a quick glance on the papers, Lagravis raises his eyebrow in concern. “Chi was found near the dead wolves. Do you have any ideas about why that happened?”

“They were after our Chi, Lagravis. We found crystals inside the wolves’ bodies. That’s how they managed to destroy our guards back at the Wolf Lair— all with the power of Chi.”

Dad quickly turns his head upwards. This shocking revelation petrifies him: his breath starts to hiccup, and he places his hand on his chest in agony. Such horrors tear him to shreds, a pain so sudden and terrifying that his face deforms into the scariest snarl imaginable. Cough after cough. Bulging eyes, awkward skin folds, menacing teeth…

He roars, “Chima is in danger, our people are in danger! My son is in danger!”

Lavertus presses himself onto his brother, petting his back while humming a comforting melody– my uncle’s voice softens and… Dad begins to cry.

That melody brims with the warmth of nostalgia; I recognize the notes, the emotions it brings, because my dad would sing this to me when I was a baby. A heartfelt reunion of both past and the future, the contrast of simpler times against the unpredictable war of tomorrow.

I know this feeling— It’s anxiety.

Between sobs and desperate coughs, Lagravis reaches his face near Lavertus’ ear and whispers something. My uncle glances at me in reaction, before nodding to my dad with a layer of resentment.

Maybe it’s time to leave; I can’t let this slaughter to prevail– and I will find what’s truly going on.

This noon’s ambiance feels heavy, and quite haunting too. Even if the sky continues to be blue, I sense a presence behind me– of the lives who were taken away by that purple moon.

I have returned to the Forever Rock with my friend. This time, however, we aren’t going to play. We’re going to do something else.

Cragger rests his back on the big rock. He briefly looks at me, before turning away and crossing arms.

“Laval… I’m scared.”, he mutters.

My heart starts to race. We’re just kids, after all, we can’t do much. Maybe this– or I– might fail, but silence now is not an option… right? As a prince, it’s my duty to help my father in situations like these.

The crocodile returns eye contact for another short moment. There was doubt in his pupils.

In second thought… what if I get hurt? Will I only get in my father’s way? It might all just be adult matters, like Lavertus said— but for me, it doesn’t matter. I won’t leave animals behind.

My stomach churns in a whirlwind.

“Don’t worry, Cragger. It’ll be worth it in the end…”

He waddles up to me. I rest my head on his shoulder. Struggle will dawn on Chima, but I’m sure we’ll prevail.

Then, from the deepening jungle, two Speedorz emerge; it is at this moment, while the hanging leaves are pushed away, that I encounter Wakz in a worrisome state. His skin folds are heavier than usual, flopping at each panting breath. Drool melts off his tongue and drips on top of the vehicle.

Worriz’ eyes look damper today, too, sullen by his hanging beanbrows. He’s holding onto Wakz’ thin fur, not ready to let go. I’ve never seen him like that… It breaks my heart.

They parks before us, followed by Winzar stopping his Speedor besides them, alert, almost in judgment. The wolves remain still, and they’re staring right at our souls. A chill runs down my spine. I don’t know what they expect from us; perhaps, it’s that I don’t know what to do.

Worriz soon lets go of his father, though hesitant on stepping his foot down. We can notice that his eyes are quaking between blinks, as he trembles while getting down the Speedor. The pup walks in our direction with his tail between legs. It’s horrible to see such a young kid be anxious like this— I don’t know how could a child still be standing after witnessing deaths upon deaths, especially of their own kind.

That’s why I called him.

“Hey, Worriz… I’m sorry for your loss…”

He stares down at the grass, and doesn’t budge. A small tear crawls on his face; it shines all the way down his chin and onto the ground.

I slowly get closer to the pup, then kneel in front of him.

“Look. Everything is going to okay.”, I hold him with my arms, “Just give me time to solve this.”

He stares down at the grass, and doesn’t budge. A small tear crawls on his face; it shines all the way down his chin and onto the ground. I slowly get closer to the pup, then kneel in front of him.

“Look. Everything is going to okay.”, I hold him with my arms, “Just give me time to solve this.”

Worriz stares at me, his right eyebean raised. As the pupils twitch around, they shrink and grow in size, before pinning their aim right at my soul— a speck of dust submerged into a pool of honey. It is the dirt inside cynical sweetness that catches my attention; right underneath those golden eyes, moves resentful lips that drool spiteful words, and they shine from the saliva coating them.

“I doubt that someone like you could achieve anything. Stop acting like the hero you think you are”, his gray, delicate snouts pushes itself right in my view, the bare teeth of his snarl leak drool.

I push my hands on Worriz’ chest, putting a distance between us. Those words… how— no, why would I think of myself as a hero? What is the point he wants to make? This is outrageous, to assume the worst of someone in this manner— an act of sabotage! Huh… Nope… Perhaps his reaction was genuine and out of fear, or did I just phrase myself wrong? I can’t piece anything together.

“What do you mean? I just want to help—”

“That’s what I’m talking about, idiot”, he interrupts me, whispering in a sharp tone of voice. “Hundreds of wolves died by the hands of your tribe, and a gold adorned crybaby is not going to stop this slaughter!”

My body flinches in reaction. It recoils backwards.

...

All is silent. Even Cragger himself keeps his mouth shut, holding his jaw tightly so that he doesn’t utter even a single word. He’s clenching his fists, too. None of the adults behind us say something either— I need to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. Their reaction rubs me the wrong way.

“Is this what you think of me, Worriz?”, my voice breaks the unnerving quietude that haunts us. “Do you truly believe that I’m doing this for myself?”

Worriz stops for a second, analyzing my body, then returns to swab his snout aggressively. He snarls worse than before. “Friends, family members, acquaintances are all going insane because of this moon. Do you know how it is to see someone snap, kill, die, with no salvation? We live knowing that there’s nothing else able to be done.”

“Did you even understand what I was trying to ask?”

Argh! It was short, but I failed to keep my mouth shut; the thoughts from my mind spewed too quick. It has now placed me in a tough spot— one that, in reality, I believe isn’t that tough. It was merely the truth!

The pup locks his stare onto me. Those golden eyes brew with fire from the sun.

“I said that a golden adorned crybaby is not going to solve this issue!”

A howl dissipates out of thin air throughout the Forever Rock; it soothes down everyone here and alleviates their tension. Worriz, however, stares at the sky, attentive. His ears sprout upwards. The cry repeats once more, as if it’s a cue for the wolves to leave.

From afar, I notice Wakz moving his wrist at himself and it attracts my friend’s attention. I stay quiet because I know that there’s nothing more to be said. Worriz wouldn’t lend an ear anyway.

He groans again, “You got lucky, unlike us. Keep your mouth shut.”

Then, the wind turns colder and brings a strong breeze that rattles the leaves all across our land, its noise concentrates as the foliage whips around with force each minute passing. Cragger and I can’t listen to our surroundings properly, we’re stuck watching our guests chatter for a bit before they mount on their Speedorz. Though, something keeps rubbing me the wrong way— Cragger is besides me, yes, but it doesn’t feel like it, I can see he’s observing them, processing each and every move they take. His eyes focus on the wolves’ lips, while also moving his mouth following their movements. It forms: “Fu… ne…”

“Are they going to a funeral?”, he finally speaks, muffled down by the incessant atmospheric noises.

My body twists in shock. “…Care to explain?”

It’s obvious… with the melancholic howls, depressing mood, and countless deaths, that a funeral could be foreseen, but I couldn’t help myself from asking. I want to be sure. I have to do something, now.

“Do you think I know what’s goin’ on?..” We notice them moving away from us at a slow pace.

Cragger smirks, uttering, “Better find out!”

He sprints at his vehicle and hops on top of it, before drifting to my side in a break. He tilts his head towards my own Speedor. Without a doubt, this is the opportunity waiting for me…

I don’t know what I expected when I came here; maybe it’s the dry air that’s making me sick, or the weight of witnessing a funeral… Probably both.

Cragger and I are standing behind a spike at The Fangs, as we witness wolves stand in a circular formation around a huge hole on the ground they dug up; an entire graveyard made out of one single grave. None of those who died will have the peace of rest, but instead, seems like they’re going to be piled on top of each other. Everyone keeps waiting for the corpses to arrive— and they do, carried, inside a container, by Wakz’s Pack Tracker. Then, the vehicle brakes in front of the hole, ready to dispose of the bodies.

The wolves bow, they open their muzzles, howling harmoniously underneath the hidden moon; next, elders stand within a hand’s reach near that pit, ready to throw there little bits and pieces of fruits and herbs clasped between their claws. Inspired by darkness surrounding them, they grasp the ground and pay attention to their elders’ words. Prayers of perseverance, pleas to the moon— all tears from those who suffered, but still continue to ask for help during their pain; they cry a shower of flowers in loyalty to it, even if it was the one to doom their brethren. Soon, those tears blend, after the elders open hands, and it turns into a colorful curtain, a flowerbed for the dead.

Winzar makes his way towards the container. Vibrations smear out of his footsteps; they are strong– I can feel it with my whiskers–, intimidatingly imposing silence. When he opens that container, it drops forth the piles of bodies as they tumble and crash into the void. Everything ends when those corpses, muffled by their fur, scream ‘thud’ at the pit’s bottom, the sound pounding on our eardrums.

Cragger looks at me, terrified– jaw open, and eyes smaller than a speck of dust. The crocodile clings onto me; I’m held hard enough by my friend’s arms to feel the intense heartbeat punching from his chest.

He sobs in a whisper, leaning at my ear, “Is… Is this what happens to us after we die?”

A tear crosses down his face, slowly touching my fur. I pat him on the head, but the crying only gets louder, as loud it can get. While under my breath, tears begin to flow down from me too. Water brims out of Cragger’s daffodil eyes; for the Fangs’ crust, it is a precious gift, one that brings life to this lifeless land– a second chance for those who rest. If only we— all tribes of Chima— could’ve helped prevent this massacre… All we can do is go forth and protect those in danger, starting with the wolves who might soon succumb to their next night. Alas, those losses happened inexplicably, and might’ve also been unavoidable… Is this such work of a king?

In the meantime, we begin to hear a melancholic melody flowing out of the pack’s voices, and it blends against Wakz’ humming; must be their final goodbye to the dead, memorialized into a ritual. Then, Winzar, along other pride mates, push the dirt back where it was dug up from, and thus finishing the ceremony.

We can’t, and shall not, be caught here; it would be quite rude of us to appear uninvited at an event like this one. Neither of us had thought on an ‘escape plan’, because it never came to our mind up at this point. Since we came here behind the wolves’ car, it wouldn’t be wise to repeat that again– it’s unlikely that the vehicle goes away from The Fangs, as the Wolf Lair is camped near the burial. Though, not a lot of choices are available to us. I’m afraid we might have to find someone, and hope they don’t suspect a thing.

After we turn our backs, the fogs of sadness blurring my mind dissolve away; with it, the real silence of steps and murmurs returned. Passive noises of a beetle’s buzzing elytra tick me off, and I whip my hand to swat the bug— fingers fetch on the recoiling paw at my back.

Worriz stands behind my arm while clutching it, then lets me go as he positions himself in front of our path. He puffs up and growls. A tough look like his is never a good sign—

Cragger rushes behind me. He’s scared of what the little wolf might do. Size might be lacking, but a sharp tongue is nonetheless an efficient weapon, capable of lethality if used properly… And, coming from Worriz himself, there is no doubt that he won’t leave it without causing ruckus…

I look at my surroundings, but can’t find any Speedor in sight. Even that pack tracker behind the ground’s hole has begun to leave, too! Bad luck for us, because this time I didn’t even bring anything. Worriz points fingers at me, “Never mind how you came here. What did you say last time back at the Forever Rock, Laval?” he snarls while licking his snout.

My heart bursts into flames, and the combusting adrenaline riles up through my veins. This face… it means no good. What if he uses whatever happened earlier, against me? It wasn’t much, but he’s taking it so aggressively that…

The rhythmic lung movements, breathing in and out, bump onto each of the rib inside my caged chest. It needs to get free; I need to escape. Do not succumb to Worriz’ ruthlessness.

“You idiot! Can’t even remember your thoughtful words. Disgraceful.”, he pulls on my tunic, “Fine, I’ll ask it instead; tell me how you’ll help us, and how long it’ll take for you to do it.”

I instinctively place myself distant from him, but he persists to close the gap between us. As I move backwards, my torso hits a land spike— and Worriz pins me his hind paw. I push the wolf’s toes aside, still holding it with a though grip.

Nothing is possible at this point. Cragger’s whimpers only get worse and it riles up the pup even more… until he waves his hand at me, like a sign for me to wait; though his awkward smile expresses uncertainty, or maybe even fear.

Within the blink of my eyes, I managed to capture a drastic change of scenery, during when these two kids had begun fighting each other.

…It didn’t stop at that blink; they’re still tumbling on one another with cascades of boundless punches really close to me. The crocodile immobilizes Worriz on his back; I roll away from them in the short time frame before the wolf breaks free, hiding behind the fang of dirt.

A few seconds later, I hear a pathetic growl from behind.

“D— don’t pick me by the scruff! Argh! Laval, just answer my question already, you coward!”

My heart skips a beat, I try to remain calm, but the sight of my friends tearing each other apart— it hurts badly.

I wanted to help his people. It felt wrong to stay silent during all of this terror; even as a cub, there’s always a way for me to help… for I am the prince of the Lion Tribe. Something can be done. I just… don’t know how to help. I fear of turning everything worse, or being in the way of help. Instead of placing myself as a possible obstacle…

“I’ll use my position of power as prince to extract information and opinions from animals.”

He recoils, confused, staring at me in mockery.

“Then, I’ll analyze whatever was collected, and use that for guidance. It might not lead me to the solution… but it’ll help our leaders with their strategies, and avoid as much confrontation possible.”

Worriz seems suspicious… though, he looks at me with a serious face. “You’re kidding me, right? A child like you can’t possibly do all of that”.

I push myself forward, just before Cragger lets go of the wolf. My lips rise with strengths I never knew of having, revealing my growling voice.

“Why are you doubting me?” I reach closer to him, exposing my teeth bare.

His eyes immediately shrink. Somehow, I managed to intimidate him— it was out of my control… but it went to my favor.

Worriz whimpers, “Go back home and do as you said.”

Time is of the essence. …Did I say that right? Ah, forget about it, it’s my dad that says these kinds of stuff… I need to concentrate on my work, a survey I thought out. What was the deadline Worriz set for this? I don’t think he said anything about that yesterday.

The sun hits the open window of my room, sizzling my fur. It’s too hot in here and I can’t think of anything! Do I need to drink some water? Again?

Pen in hand, paper on the table, I sit in front of what might be able to help us in this dire situation. It’s blank, but it’s the key we need—

It’s blank.

The pencil sitting between my paws waits for the moment I push it onto my project and begin to write. Its tip, made out of charcoal, shines in faint tones of light— it was sharpened not long ago, too.

I look outside; I sigh in relief at the sight of a bright, early morning. But the clock continues to tick, click and swing. Clouds swim throughout the horizon, almost in synchrony with the noises snapping each second.

Again, the paper continues empty. Nothing will be done at this pace! Think, Laval… think! What is of utmost importance, something that needs to be highlighted and questioned, right now? My hand begins to tremble, but I know it’s no use to be still!

…Yes! I need to ask about Chi first. It’s powerful and important to all of us… but is it harming the wolves? Uncle Lagravis said that they were after it, and that it was the reason for them becoming strong like that. What if I try finding out what lions think about this— or, what to do about this?

The noises of friction on the paper start to itch my brain. I can feel the ideas rushing from my thoughts straight to the paper.

About the wolves… It’s important to know how my people feel about them. We can’t run into trouble against those who are suffering through something we don’t understand yet. I don’t want to risk my tribe of growing resentful, especially when our biggest event of the year was interrupted by wolves… It all started with me, the prince, getting attacked, so this will also influence the answers… but it’ll be all revealed later.

I sigh, fatigued, but relieved as well, because I finally managed to strip all of my questions and place them into the survey.

Now… it’s time to leave.

I step down the lion temple’s stairs; a once bustling place, the Chi Market is now empty. Of course, today isn’t Chi Market day, but the absence of lions who would rest here, laying their torsos onto the , sitting on top of abandoned barrels and relaxing, gives off a disheartening melancholy. Though, it’s not just simply melancholy– I can sense their dread, one that stems from today’s annihilation, a wound so fresh that no one knows how to cope with it, but I think I can tend their injuries…. starting at this door!

I give the door a slight knock. For a few seconds, my gaze points at the text I had written, at the wobbly handwriting whose ink is engraved into the fibrous plant remnants we call paper. The wolves, the Chi, the lions, my family, my father, me. We are all in danger. If I’m not able to pull this through, I might not—

“Oh, a lost cub…”, a sweet and tender voice whispers beneath the noises of the opening door, “Do you have something for me?”

I hand over the questionnaire and the pen to this lioness, who reads it with attention, seemingly surprised by what’s written.

“So I just sign what I think?”

“Yes… exactly that.”

She moves the pen, pressing it onto the paper, hesitating on what she’ll answer. What is she confused about?… I touch my forehead– that’s why she’s looking at me like that; I forgot my crown at home.

After a long minute of wait, she returns my materials while smiling, though she can’t hide the awkwardness leaking from her muzzle. In the end, I got to see someone’s opinion on the matter. Now, I need a few more participants to get a result.

At another house, I knock on the door, waiting patiently for a reply. My hind paws balance forth, as my tail wags in eagerness. It seems the papers are a bit out of order, so I organize them back in place. However, time still passes by. Waiting isn’t the problem here— it’s the difference in responses that piqued my curiosity, and as far as this knock goes, no one has come. I tap again, now with my knuckles hardened, and the noise of the hits echo through the door. Then, it opens faster than I could’ve expect, revealing to me a short brunet lion. His tan body is quite muscular, with a Chi holder strapped around his shoulder and torso.

“Laval… is that you?”, his voice rises in happiness.

I proceed to hand over my papers. “Yeah, I mean… Wait— how did you know that?”

He picks up my item and flips over the pages. “Of course I do. I work for your father!”, he giggles.

Yikes…. what a dumb question. The harness on his chest is worn only by lion warriors! I should’ve seen that coming. Furthermore… having a lion warrior give his opinion on my survey might help me out a lot. His tall smirk would soon dissolve at the last page.

“Oh… you mean that, right?…”

The smug expression on his face had completely dissipated into a state of terror. He signs on the papers then hands me my materials, before whispering mournful words and closing the door.

The study, with over a hundred participants, has been completed. Whatever opinions my people wrote down here will change the trajectory of this mess. This might be the only way I can know if the Wolf Tribe is in danger.

‘What was your perception of the Wolf Tribe before the occurring incidents?’ Out of 150 total answers, the majority of them were neutral; 25 were ‘positive’; 28 were ‘negative’; 8 were ‘overly positive’; and 6 were ‘overly negative’.

‘What is your perception of the Wolf Tribe now; is the tribe innocent?’ 26 votes were ‘wary; neutral’; 14 were ‘wary; innocent’; 17 were ‘positive; innocent’; 30 were ‘wary; guilty’; 53 were ‘negative; guilty’; 10 were ‘overly negative; guilty’. There were no overly positive votes.

This is not looking good so far.

‘Is Chi in danger; should it be protected? Should the Lion Tribe still host events such as Speedorz Racing or the Chi Market?’ ‘Chi is in danger; withhold it at all costs’, 45 votes; ‘Chi is in danger; make smaller and safer events’, 54 votes; ‘Chi is for everyone; continue everything as is’, 18 votes; 33 votes were null.

From the corner of a discreet alleyway, an orange chunk of fur wiggles in every way possible, and it shakes to the sides while vibrating. Whenever I get closer, even if it’s just a tiny bit, the fluff stops for a second– before returning to its funny dance. Fluffy, moving… thing! I– I can’t take my eyes off it!

My legs project forwards and I pounce onto the worm-looking object; my teeth pierce it, but it screams and turns around in a violent curve, throwing me onto the ground. The paperwork slips off my hands, making a high pitched noise. My survey is all over the ground.

“Argh! Hey…!”, it shouts.

As I begin to observe what’s in front of me, while dealing with mild pain from the thud, the ‘thing’ walks up to me, tapping their toes on the ground!Everything is a bit blurry…

They— an animal that reminds me of a fox— stare at me; their eyes are so dark that I can’t see their pupils. Oh, wait… that’s a real fox! I thought their tribe went extinct.

He grips his tail, snarling pathetically. Pathetic isn’t enough– he falls flat onto the floor, curls up like a baby, and begins to cry. “Can’t believe I found a mean… mean cub! Get your teeth out of my tail.” I sigh and drop my shoulders. Who is this guy, and why is he making fun of me being a kid? Does he even know I’m the prince of the Lion Tribe, son of Lagravis?

Such ignorance is unacceptable, telepathic words from Dad sprout in my mind, his deeply angered voice sends chills down my spine. I won’t let that slide. Even if I sound brittle…

“Tell me your name. Present yourself before—”

My vocal chords crack.

That pesky fox stares at me again, then opens his jaws wide to burst out laughing. An act of absolute disrespect towards the Royal Family.

“Name’s Furtivo. Or Furty, but you’re not my friend. Shoo!”

Furtivo regains his upright posture the moment I start to pick up my sheets of paper– the orange shadow runs around, and my project disappears from my sight.

While flipping over the pages with swift fingers, following the text in his mind, he pauses everything and instead fixes attention at a specific part of my survey, as he sticks his snout up close to it.

Furty’s muddy iris turns up and down, diverging between the paper and I. The animal squints at me. He hisses, “What do you have against the wolves, huh?”

I hop at his hands, but he lifts my project out of my reach.

“First you bite me, then you ask others if they hate wolves. What’s wrong with you? Coward!”

How audacious! You were the one to start this whole mess, mocking me unashamedly!

“Targeting the young lion prince is the cowardly action here. Return it to me, or I’ll call the guards.”

An interesting turn of events happens; Furtivo is caught off guard, surprised by the reveal– his cynicism gets shut down, tail between his legs.

He hands back my possessions, then he reaches closer to me, whispering in my ear, “Let me work for you as your secret agent– I got deep connections with the Wolf Tribe, and they might help you sleuth the truth.”

Humph… Snarky attitude aside, his emotional attachment towards the wolves seems quite strong. Might as well test him out, but I am not too fond of belittling jokes.

I nod. “Let’s meet up here later. Grab as much information as you can about this. We can’t let this slaughter continue.”

Cragger and I tussle on the soft, moist dirt, leaving depth marks on the ground. I push his body aside, though he grabs my arm, tugs me forth and puts his mouth on my face. As he pulls me around, I place my paw on his head and tap him, before he wiggles his head and takes it off me. After wiggling around for a bit, sending friendly kicks, I manage to nip his tiny tail– he cries loud in reaction, but not in pain.

“I told you to not grab my tail!”

His crispy and brittle voice catches me off guard; I’m unable to hide my sudden giggles, even if I cover my muzzle.

“Ah… Sorry, Cragger. It’s just that…”

“Just what?”, he cracks his voice.

Ah– haha… He’s so adorable. Can’t say that straight to him, though!

“You’re funny. That’s it”

He growls, stomping on the ground as he gets up. Moist dirt gets all over his toes.

“If you think that’s funny, then watch this!”, he kicks a ball of mud onto my chest, in a pitiful tantrum.

The ball splatters all over my already dirty tunic. It spreads a moist, musty smell that makes the swamp’s humid atmosphere even more unbearable.

We sprint at each other; the moment I pounce on the air, Cragger dodges my jump, and I fall down. He cackles, making fun of me, as he hops around uncontrollably.

Amusing for him, but I don’t find that funny. The mild pain aches a bit everywhere; I hit the floor with my entire body, and the impact hurts. Agh!

As awkward as the pain is, I can’t take my attention away from the sky. The sun was setting the entire time we were playing; now, a moon rises from below, while radiating the horizon with a violet tint– it seems to block something else — a bright satellite — behind its shadow. Before the light disappears, a glimpse of shine reflects itself onto the muddy water, mirroring the image from above us. Every bit of heat turns by itself into light; Cragger’s eyes become ghastly in contrast to his cold, pale scales, between the masses of spectre terrain.

This entire scenery sends chills down my spine, the manifestation of a déjà-vú, an omen of horror. However, it’s a warning I can fully understand: the purple moon.

Grimey footsteps echo splashing sounds– unnerving, for sure, but the anxiety still remains, sprouting as sweat from my skin.

A feminine voice emerges in the middle of the noise, screeching, “Your dad has been calling you for an hour, Cragger!”

From amidst the hanging vines and crooked trees, a small crocodile marches up to us, her dark green scutes blending in with the background, as her pink eyeshadow stands out.

“I don’t get it”, she whines, “you want to be attacked or something? You act as if you’re five.”

Cragger groans, “B- but I’m playing, aight! Stop butting in my life.”

“Our parents babied you for long enough, and not for you to almost die again! Ungrateful brat!”

She picks up her brother by the tail, pulling him through the dirt. He slaps the ground in anger, shouting and screaming, in vain.

Somehow, he manages to break the clinch by throwing himself at Crooler, making her lose her grip. She crashes onto the mud and screams in shock.

Her long pink dress, raggedy from overuse, is now covered in dirt and moss. She stares at the pink trail of makeup smeared in front of her, as her anger spills, leaving only sadness to be felt.

Cragger frowns, arms crossed, wagging his tiny tail.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen them together, but she has changed quite a lot since then… Resentment is in the air, strangling the relationship between the twins. They’re fighting with their sharp tongues, each word at a time pinning on one’s weaknesses.

Crooler holds her breath, claws clenched, before she starts to sob, “Why are you like… this? Why do you always need to make things hard for me?”

“If you stopped crying, ‘nd saw the animals around you, maybe things would get easier…”

Her eyes shrink in fury. She tries to say something, but her words hide themselves behind her teeth, so she storms out of the woods.

I grab Cragger’s hand.

“I think it’s best for you to see your dad.”

In this swamp rests a kingdom, one so small yet so lively, where crocodiles are constantly fishing, building, training, and overall living their lives. It’s almost like the embodiment of the Chi Market, except it’s only crocodiles. However, what strikes me the most out of everything here is that they embrace a state of being ephemeral, as they live in function of the swamp’s natural cycle. They possess barely anything, because they already have happiness, whereas my homeland is covered in gold, but very closed up when you get to know my people. The trees around here are scattered sparingly, enough to create a comforting shade on the landscape. No wonder everyone here is so peaceful.

I… I feel like this was where the Legend Beasts lived— surrounded, and shaped by pure nature, with no concrete walls to hide behind. The varying shades of green blend with the dark dirt into a soothing mix of colors.

From the corner of my eye, I see a crocodile merchant selling toys. How interesting! Maybe should I check his products out? It won’t hurt to explore a bit. Unfortunately, there is a huge influx of crocodiles scuttering across the thick mud. I’m too small to be noticed and I get pushed around by the crowd. After finding a breach, I stick out from the masses.

As I get closer to the seller, his charismatic voice grows louder, shouting tempting words like: “Bones to chew on for cheap! Better than those you see for sale in the Chi Market! Come and buy them!”

I look at the sky and notice the sun has changed position.

“Thank you very much, but I now have to take my leave!”, I say in a hurry.

I dash across the migration herd of crocodiles, mud splatting at my toes with every step. As they get farther away from me, I brake my run and stop to breathe.

What exactly was I waiting for? I don’t remember having a specific schedule for today— Oh. Cragger!

I begin sprinting in the direction of the village’s castle.

At the castle’s entrance, I lean myself. My panting is too loud, it’s not good etiquette to enter royal property like this! Even worse, my blue tunic has been muddied into oblivion.

After a few minutes of recovering my breath, I observe my surroundings. It seems that there are no guards around here. Strange.

I enter the castle and notice Crominus holding his golden cane and gently tapping it on the floor. His children are starting at him. Maybe they haven’t noticed me yet, or did I just come here late?

By making noise with his cane, the crocodile king reignites what looks like his kids’ already exhausted attention.

“My children…“, he sighs, “Even if I explained everything, I can’t expect you to take extreme safety measures, in the way I’d hope.”

The twins glance at each other, seemingly tense because of whatever conversation the three had while I was late. They stiffen up, gazing at their father and paying attention to his words.

He adds, “It’s hard to take care of you all by myself. Please understand where I’m coming from.”

Crooler tilts her head and freezes her tail, in an almost state of shock. I peek a bit more from behind the cave’s walls; I can sense that the princess is distraught, as her eyes twitch up and down at Crominus. She’s paralyzed.

Cragger looks at her while beginning to itch the palm of his hand. She, however, doesn’t even look back. It feels like sympathy isn’t enough to calm her down. They’re concerned, anxious, silent, holding themselves back and waiting for the right phrase to come. But it doesn’t.

“…What about my mother?”

She stares at the floor, head low.

My mouth falls open wide. I… don’t think I should be here…

Crominus hugs his daughter during the blink of an eye, then curls her inside his arms. The thick eyebrows on his face furrow down the eyelids. He’s not ready to let go. She did not hug back. Instead, her entire body collapses onto his grasp– waves of uncontrollable emotions take control over her, drying her eyes up until the last tear she can drop.

“She won’t change, Crooler, at least not soon. I’ve also been waiting for her, just like you, but only time will tell.”

Though, the crocodile princess refuses to listen. She’s revolted, angry, holding herself to not burst into flames; it’s all made transparent through her snarl. Beneath her aggressive posture, my eyes can’t stop noticing some kind of jealousy...

She bawls, her desperate screeches echo across the cave, “Cragger always gets everything, but I can’t even have my mother! My pain is never understood!”

Crooler pushes Crominus away— I dive backwards as she dashes all the way outside the cave. The noise of my fall got muffled by her incoherent words. Those sobs echo around the room. Her relatives have been left behind, worried in silence.

She took off so suddenly… and left behind dust. Nothing else is there to do. They both return to wherever, but not to where she went.

I can’t believe… I never knew Cragger had personal issues in his life. He doesn’t look like the type of animal to—

I sigh. Guess his family also has their own problems to deal with…

This revelation is too sudden. For me, at least… Maybe he’s already used to it? What about his mother?.. To be honest, I don’t recall much about my own mother either.

The hall has been emptied. It hurts to be alone. But I don’t know how it is to be consumed by resentment, the way Crooler was. Every single piece of tasty crumb we leave for those we love, fulfilling and sweet affection, disappears without a trace, they’re devoured by the feeling resentment. It blinded Crooler. It might blind someone else as well. They stuck to me, the devastating cries and weepings of a lost child blinded by rage.

I think I have to leave now. Ah… If hopes and wishes could—

Sweat has been crawling on me, dripping over metal chains… Chains that tie me up to a cut tree trunk. It’s tight, so tight that it hurts, and blood can’t get around in me well. My stomach turns upside down, as it chokes every breath I take.

There are almost no light sources here. Air is damp and it drowns my lungs, as multiplying noises from my gasping haunt every corner of this mysterious lair.

No… how could this be? What even is all of this?

I’m confused, I can’t understand what happened for me to be here. I can’t concentrate either, the pain is too much to handle.

I force my eyes shut, then begin scouring through my blurry memories; what was it… before the agony of this torture…?

Nothing.

I can’t even remember how much time I’ve been here. Everything is pitch black. The area stinks of mold and old, still water.

“Dad…”, I whisper, but silence is the only one to greet me, with despair tapping at my shoulder. "Dad!"

Tears flood down, flushing away on my crushed body. Everything is too much to handle, and even if I face forward, even if I try to persist… only darkness can be seen, and the shadows reply back with the reflection of my deepest fears. In nothing, there is no place for reality, as the emptiness distorts even the most rational of thoughts. This feeling… It crawls between your nerves.

…

My mind suddenly clenches onto the most excruciating thoughts possible: what if they think I’m dead? Cragger, Dad, Uncle, Eris… What if they think I’m gone?

The pathetic disappearance of the Lion Prince– a life Dad fought so much to flourish is now captive. I wonder how he will die… if it is even death at all. The anxiety of not knowing one’s destiny is enough.

Only one can wonder… I want this to end. Please.

My lungs ache, I’m unable to fill them, as my throat can only cough– it contracts violently; a cannonball of warm liquid surges there and drops all over my chest.

I yearn for warmth… but… This smells like blood.

“Ugh— stop yapping…”, a lanky creature abruptly rises from the depths, holding a burning stick, “I won’t hesitate to end your pity show.”

A voice, something I hoped would lead to my salvation, instead brings my attention to this grotesque figure, of olive green scales, tall enough to hit their head onto the caves’ ceiling. That dancing light reveals everything: the height of this basement, the pool of my own blood, the hanging fish skeleton from that crocodile’s loincloth. On top of their sully look, there’s… a creepy, sadistic smirk that spreads all across their mouth. While the flames of their torch ignite a shine on my splattered blood, the fire gets closer to me, small steps at a time. I try to not inhale any longer, but can’t hold for much longer, and the ashes go through my nostrils, forced to breathe in fumes inside this musty cave.

“And… you’re covered in blood. You already did half of my work for me.”

Those amber eyes… A familiar face!

I shout, drooling, “Are you the one who pulled the trigger at the Speedor Race?”

The reptile recoils, offended by my words. He slaps me— in the blink of an eye. It hurts a lot, blending in with the aching of my body.

A sharp nail pushes onto the cartilages of my neck, slowly crawling up to the chin.

“If you don’t hand me that survey of yours, I’ll kill you.”

Blood shoots from a cough to his face. In reaction, he pulls the nail, cutting my chin. Tears fall off my eyes.

All of this for a survey?… What sur—

Oh.

“But… what do you have to do with it?”, I whisper.

He shoves his empty hand on my neck. “Think you can take information from me, naive cub? …Either hand me the survey or burn it!”

The crocodile analyzes me from top to bottom, as his previously angry expression melts into that creepy smile. He throws the torch away– it sizzles from contact with muddy water– then goes behind the tree trunk and unties me. My body falls onto the ground from exhaustion, everything going to black.

Thorny giggles echo inside the cave.

A husky voice interrupts the laughing, “This is taking too long, Crawley. If you keep making noises, the king might come here.”

“Didn’t you block the entrance with your personal guards, Cruz? Shouldn’t they be enough?”

“His Majesty’s wishes are above mine”, the voice sighs, “Put this kid somewhere else, before anyone notices. I’ll clean up this mess.”

Personal guards?… Wait– if a guard was willing to follow this kind of order, then… Is someone from the Crocodile Tribe actively involved in this, or worse, someone who has enough power like that? This is war!

My body is already dropped on the floor, but I try to loosen myself enough to look unconscious; pain might be sufficient to do this trick. … Then, I wait…

Breathing flows on top of my head and ears, followed by sharp fingers poking me. I’m flipped over to the side, as the filthy water underneath begins to moisten my fur. Ew.

“Ehh. I think the cub is unconscious.”, Crawley grunts in a high pitch, “I’ll get rid of him, while you do the rest.”

Air feels dry and my throat is stiff, aching slightly as it moves. Sore eyelids begin to open up after the sunlight hits through the retina, but it’s too bright, making my tear ducts water up. I can’t even see properly anyways…

Coughing slips out of my mouth, forcing my lungs to squeeze, and projects my neck forward. I squirm in pain.

Just before I can react, everything starts to look normal again.

Ehboni sits down besides me while holding a cup of tea. The vapor that steams from the warm liquid dances around in a trance, as it dampens my breath. She then leans forward, at my left.

“Please, drink this tea I made. It’ll ease your pain.”

A strong odor startles me. It definitely comes from that beverage.

“But— Ehboni… is it acerbison?”, I stutter by moving my frail vocal chords.

With hesitation, she pats me on the forehead, and lends the cup very close to my face. I drink the liquid from it, its bitter taste shocks my tongue, I snarl hard in reaction, but this is numb compared to the pain piercing me. It’s for my own good, anyways.

My throat trembles while I feel the liquid itch down to my stomach with its bitter taste. It’s horrible. I don’t even want to look down and stare at my bruised body. Dad doesn’t want to see it either. Though, there he is, his eyes unable to understand the wounds on my neck, the redness scattered throughout my skin… Or the damp fur, too.

“My son…“, he kneels before the bed, “How could—”

His voice froze while speaking. He’s terrified– I can see his paws twitching.

Dad cries, “I failed you.”

No...

The wounds on my neck writhed and my breath whistled under moist lungs as I heard those words. I clench my eyes shut. However, I can feel Ehboni caressing my forehead, brushing her fingers between the hairs of my growing, wet mane. I am able to listen Dad’s sobs, and to the nurse’s calming whisper:

“It’s not your fault.”

“How is it not my fault? Look at my son! Look at the state he’s in!”, he bursts into tears.

Lagravis’ sorrow becomes louder than before, enough to hurt my ears. He’s… roaring, his voice brimming with anger.

“Someone is trying to murder my child, my prince!” Then, his voice lowers into whimpers near me, “Who did this to you?… Another wolf?”

I open my eyes. My heart skips a beat. Two battles should not be happening at the same time… And yet…

I haven’t told my dad about the survey– it’s about the wolves, but I accidentally got Furtivo involved… followed by crocodiles? Yes, the one who disrupted the big race of weeks ago. He was with guards too, who were commanded by someone also directly—

Dad interrupts my thoughts, “Son?”.

“It’s a long story… Dad, please bear with me”.

Each word I stutter under my moist breath seems to terrify him further. The naked truth is disheartening, and not even the bravest of kings can handle it.

“The crocodiles are also involved in this too?”

I sigh, “I think so, yeah.”

He touches my hair, rolling it with his fingers.

“How terrifying… An unexpected turn of events. Your damp fur already attests this.”, he pets me while crying, “I will find those who harmed you.”

We feel the stones and gravel crunching beneath the royal tank’s caterpillar tread. My eyes are barely open, but I can notice the faint moonlight hitting them, while thousands of blurry stars shine in between the sight of my eyelashes. I also feel the vehicle rocking sideways from time to time— it’s a soothing motion, combined with the warmth of my father’s arms wrapping around me. I am barely awake— the pain was too much for me to handle—, though I know my presence is needed for now.

Meanwhile, the trees that pass behind our view begin to appear more and more scarce, as I start to regain vision. They look paler by comparison. The air becomes sharper to the nostrils, too.

A serious voice rises from nearby, “My king, we are getting closer to our destination”. It stops silent for a few seconds, but speaks once again, in a whisper, “I wish you the best in this. For Chima.”

“For Chima, Longtooth. For Chima.

Lagravis turns his head to the side. “Wakz. Do not fail us. Tell them everything you know.”

Are we returning back to The Fangs?… I hope not. Besides, it doesn’t seem like it either way— we’re surrounded by life, even if they look like the tiniest of shrubs. Our surroundings are vast, with a mixture of pale green and brown, dry but still livable.

Surely enough, we’re face to face against the tall Eagle Spire— far away, though. It’s huge, shaped like an eagle. Houses branch off that mount, sometimes built on top of its cliffs. The yellow tip piercing the sky is supposed to be a sculpted beak, shaped to meticulously that I can notice this from the distance.

Then, a cold, yellow hand holds my wrist, catching me off guard. Ehboni has been by my side the entire time… She lets go of me, picks up a piece of paper and, without uttering a word, takes notes on it. Lagravis receives it before sighing in relief.

My eyelids start to fall down again…

I wake up being held by Dad inside a large library, similar to a big enclosure.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty and sir Wakz”, a blue eagle smiles as he opens space on the bookshelf and returns the book between his claws.

Wakz bows in response, “Good afternoon, Ewald. We need your help.”

The sapphire eagle pauses himself, book midway inside the shelf– his wings curl and hide his body in a state of shock. He proceeds to finish what he’s doing, then turns around, establishing eye contact with the elder.

“P-pardon me, please continue…”

“Could you please lend me your wife’s studies of the Purple Moon?”

Ewald’s pupils shrink, he raises his eyebrows, afraid. Eris— who has been near him meanwhile— and I freeze; perhaps she knows what’s going on, or how serious is this matter, but I don’t– his distraught face was enough to make my heart race.

…Oh, wait, a purple moon? Sounds familiar, maybe I’ve—

“My son had a dream with a purple moon once, where he was attacked by a wolf.”, sighs Lagravis, “It seems that both wolves and this moon are intertwined when causing terror.”

Wakz explains, “Yes, that is the case, Your Majesty. We are currently going through the Hundred Year Moon.”

Makes sense, of course, because whenever it gets dark, chaos breaks loose. However… this feels too simple. Hundreds of wolves died. Blood was shed, lives were taken, animals are in danger– it has been three days already, three days too many.

“Such events have been occurring ever since my son was attacked. The patterns are very obvious here, but if we don’t prepare ourselves, he’ll become the first victim of this terror”, Lagravis weeps.

Ewald moves his head, searching for something, but with his despair growing by the minute, it feels like he has nowhere to go. What could he be looking for in such a big library?

“Oh dear Phoenixes… please lend me your strength”, he mutters.

“Humph. What is it, mister Ewald—”

“We don’t have much about the Hundred Year Moon."

Lagravis, while slowly moving his tail, glares at the eagle, arms crossed. His eyes pinpoint down on Ewald’s anxiety, ready to inspect whatever possible when necessary; however, what is there to inspect? What is there to be questioned, when the Eagle Tribe knows even what they don’t?

“Elaborate.”

Ewald starts to point his nails, rubbing them on his sharp scales, grating them at a fast pace.

“We don’t have any studies about the Hundred Year Moon, Your Majesty. There are only a few sightings archived in our library, written in ancient language.”

“And can’t you translate them?”, Dad hisses.

“We’ve tried, but the records are in bad shape…”

An awkward silence slips into the investigation for a few solid seconds.

“Therefore… you have no idea on how to solve this. Your wife was a renowned astronomer, Ewald; maybe her research could give us any clues.”

The blue bird’s feathers close his body tight, and his elongated head shape becomes more obvious, unlike when it was behind a puffy cloud.

Eris tugs the waist of her father’s delicate tunic; she whimpers in soft chirps, blinking to wipe off the tears that shine from her golden eyes.

Ewald caresses his daughter’s forehead, while he whispers soothing words to her, but to no avail.

No one dares to interrupt this moment of grief, one that every father can sense from the bottom of their hearts: an aching loss of a loved one, the agony of no longer being able to see someone you cared for.

I’ve… never seen Eris like this before, trying to hide her sadness– or feeling sad at all. Sunshine doesn’t remain forever, as cloudy days are to come when you least expect it.

I leave my dad’s side and get closer to my friend, hug her and hold her tight with my arms.

She cries, “I’ll do it. I’m going to solve this, just like how mom would’ve.”

[NEXT]

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