Secret Places {Private Hyper and Accalia}

[Accalia]

Aleila heated the distant seeming call of Xoren, she wanted to turn her head to see him, to see that he was alright, she hoped. As Kantu began speaking once more she fully focused on him again, her eyes hard, her small pupils watching every move he made. She could not beat him, she knew that when she had stepped forward, but she needed to sacrifice herself for Xorens safety.

She stamped down with her back legs into Kantu's belly "I am not a cub." she snarled. She was getting vague answers to some of her questions, but vague ones were better than air. She swiped his face with long claws outstretched "Then pain is a thing of a past for you." she watched as his menacing teeth spread into a grin, her own face displaying nothing but hate and anger. She heard the scream of cautiousness from behind her all to late. She was projected about a foot into the air, her legs flailing. She landed on her back with a loud thump and dull crack, she had broken something, she knew she had. She let out a pale little laugh and slowly pushed herself up from the ground, her paw she had broken her paw, she could still fight. "Why do cause so much death, if loss of life is your curse, it surrounds you. Trees, plants, other beings can you not see them?!" she half growled in amazement. Before slowly hobbling her way closer to him and smearing some of her fresh blood across his face "Pain is part of life. You are filled with it."

[Hypercube]

Xoren watched in horror as Aleila flew through the air and landed with a sickening crack, his own injuries preventing him from running to her side. Somehow though she still managed to stand and walk towards the enemy, her resolve not effected even by the intense pain her broken paw must have been causing her. She was mere inches from Kantu's face when she spoke, her voice emanating with a strength that not even the large lion could posses. "And those who do not feel the pain I do" he responded, not affected by the words of the injured lioness, "live a life I deem unworthy: one that only exists as an asset to my strength. One who cannot feel pain and does not experience it as I have is not strong. These weak, pathetic creatures are nothing but fodder for the beings that have experienced torture similar to my own and have claimed a right to walk this earth. Their souls are too strong for the bodies they inhabit; their souls belong to me!" As the final words of his statement echoed off of the trees and bounced around the forest he lifted an unsheathed claw high into the air, trained on Aleila's neck, a look of pure hatred and blood-lust in his eyes.

"NO!" Xoren shouted as he ignored his injuries and ran towards Kantu with strong steps and tackling him as his attack began. His meager body weight was nothing compared to the bulk of Kantu's huge frame but with one of his legs off of the ground Xoren manged to bring him to the ground before placing one of his paws on Kantu's neck. "Only the weak would terrorize those who have not felt pain;" he said as his own pain shot through his body, "only the weak would prey on those that could not fight back for sport. Pain is not just a physical phenomenon that can only be experienced through cuts and bruises," he continued as he dug another set of his claws deep into
Kantu's underbelly, "it is an emotion response as well. Whoever you are and whatever past you have faced, you will NOT threaten those that I love because you are too ignorant of their past."

[Accalia]

Aleila stood her ground, staring even eyed into those of the monster before her. She did not speak, she simply listened to this lions view on the world, and what a self filled opinion it was. She did not move and he lifted his claw into the air, she just looked at him with small pupils, her fringe blowing back, her white eye revealed. She jumped upwards and pushed his outstretched paw backwards, a dull click coming from his joint. She heard the call to Xoren as she did this and his dull running steps "Xoren no!" she shouted back at him, his body wouldn't survive moving, let alone a fight with a tyrant. She felt a tear spill over her eye, but that just made her more furious, this lion was making her cry, she didn't want him to have emotional effects on her, she wanted him gone. She was knocked backwards as they fought and she growled lightly but deep.

Kantu simply laughed with his sickening teeth showing as he knocked Xoren backwards. His body was bleeding, but he would make them both bleed, and die slowly for their temporary strength. "You two weaklings will never know true pain, for only I have felt it and survived, I must live with it and so I must make others die from it." Kantu growled and walked towards Xoren and tackling him to the ground, his brute weight enough to keep him pinned down. Aleila watched in horror as he grabbed Xorens arm in two paws, and snap. She cried out in pain and leapt on his back, pulling and scratching, biting and tearing at everything she could. Large amounts of blood began to spill down his side but on she went. He had hurt Xoren, continuously she needed him to die, to never be seen again, to be forgotten. She yelled out in pain "Xoren please... Don't go.." She bit down on Kanut's neck and pulled, again and again, her white eye searing and glowing brightly, her teeth almost shinning in the dark light.

[Hypercube]

Xoren heard Aleila's call from behind him but did not listen to her pleas; she was just as hurt as he was at this point. Before he knew what had happened he found himself pinned to the ground, Kantu's body weight pressing down hard as the ground pushed back and Xoren's body screamed in pain. It wasn't only his body that cried in pain though: upon seeing the diabolical visage of the lion atop him Xoren was struck with an intense fear, one that only a creature of true death and evil could possibly instil. He was helpless to do anything but watch in silent horror as the creature slowly, deliberately placed his paws on either side of Xoren's outstretched arm and swiftly forced it in a direction it did not naturally go.

Suddenly the pain of his leg injuries was nothing more than a splinter and the only reality Xoren faced was his troubled breath, intense screams, and an unbearable pain. He wished nothing more than for the pain to end, whatever that meant for him. After what felt like an eternity he found that his breath became suddenly lighter, as if a huge weight had been lifted from atop him. His mind couldn't put together the pieces but he was able to watch as Aleila tore at something large and black next to him, but his pain would not allow him to continue to watch and instead forced his body to give out and fall into shock.

[Accalia]

Xoren's screams of pain rattled her from the inside out and tears became one long stream down her face. She yelled out in anger and bit down on Kantu's neck, her teeth digging through his thick mane and bursting through the skin. The taste of thick blood filled Aleila's mouth and she bit down harder, her claws digging into his shoulders, holding her in place. Kantu growled and roared beneath her, he had never known anyone to resist giving in for this long. Her paw and eye were burning, the dryness of her throat driving her insane. She tore away at his now patterned chest, large areas of red skin and blood where she had attacked.

He finally managed to toss her off, she flew through the air, her landing awkward and the air escaping from her lungs. She lay there wheezing, several meters from Xoren. Her eyes slowly opened and closed, her mind racing. Kantu shakily walked towards her, his eyes blazing his teeth glowing and the blood from his back dripping down his sides. She looked up at him, his black face looming over her. She took a deep breath and pushed herself up one last time, her cheek swollen and her good eye half closed. She gave an equally menacing smile back at Kantu and leaped up into the air over him, landing on his upper back and gripping his neck between her front paws. "Death is not tradgic unless inflicted upon one who feels."

[Hypercube]

Kantu stood against Aleila's weight and laughed with whatever air he could force past her grip around his neck before speaking in a low tone. "The death of someone who does not feel is not death," he said as the blood coming from his flank fell to the ground in large drips, "it is liberation. Not only will I escape this limited body, but my curse will pass to you, the sweet taste of killing forever engrained in your mind. I may die, but my blood-lust will live in you as I pass from this world." He slowly lowered himself to the ground and laid on the blood-stained leaves, his muscles relaxing and his tail flopping to the ground. "Go ahead," he said to Aleila with a calm yet intense whisper, "become the thing you have set out to destroy."

[Accalia]

She listen horrified, Pressing against his throat harder, "What do you mean?!" she almost cried at him, her eyes filled with hate, but fear. She watched as his thick blood dripped routinely to the floor, her eyes wide. She realised and stumbled backwards, gripping her face with her blood stained paws, "no.... NO!" she cried, her eyes wide and frightened of what she will become, he was far beyond the reach of revival, he was going to die.... She watched shaking as He lowered himself to the ground, and as he relaxed she shakily walked towards him and said desperately "Get up. Get up! Don't die." as she said this she pulled at his limp body feebly, her cheeks wet with tears. "I WILL NOT, I don't want to,.... Why..... No.... I don't want to kill everyone and thing I see...." she screamed out at him and shakily sat back down, her eyes slowly turning to Xoren who was collapsed on the floor "Xoren...." she was full on crying now and let out a small whimper, I don't want to hurt him, she thought desperately, her mind racing and frightened. She looked down at Kantu "You were once like me weren't you. You are the last part of single hate I will ever feel, you are going to die.. Let's make it slow." she said with slick maliciousness. She re placed her paws on his throat and slowly clasped her claws into his windpipe. "You are going to die and you are going to die now, remember what you have made when you return to your natural frame of mind you beast." she hissed at him as his warm blood flowed over her paws and claws.

[Hypercube]

Kantu's eyes became wide and filled with pain from the slow death he was experiencing at Aleila's hands. With a low voice that gurgled through the blood that was filling his windpipe he managed to let out a few words: "You... have... become... me" With this final statement his eyes closed and his body fell limp and fell to the ground. His breathing had ceased and his bleeding continued, the tiny puddle now a small stream that flowed around Aleila's paws and through the dead leaves of the forest floor. A few moments later Kantu's body began to give off a slight glow as ethereal figures of one-living cats came into view and surrounded Aleila.

"You have slain our captor," one of them said with a calm voice, "and for this we thank you." "It has been so long since we have felt the freedom of our own souls" the black panther said as she looked down to her translucent paws, "but I still question if we deserve such a blessing." "It was because of us that Kantu became what he was," said the blue lion that had just attacked Xoren and Aleila earlier, "and it is our fault that this suffering has come upon you." "We have experienced nothing of the eternal punishment we should endure for our actions," a blue-spotted cheetah continued, "but we can right this situation to an extent." The group of spirits looked to each other before spitting into two pairs, one of each surrounding Xoren and Aleila.

They each placed an ethereal paw into the bodies of Xoren and Aleila and closed their eyes as they began to glow with a bright light. Soon their combined luminosity was brighter than the sun and their forms began to fall apart, their tail and hind ends beginning to fade out of existence. "By giving up our souls to the eternal void," they said as a whole, "we will provide health to these two lions who set us free." By the time they had all finished this statement there was nothing but their faces and their extended paws left tethered to the physical world as both Xoren and Aleila's wounds healed, their broken bones and lesions disappearing. "Thank you," said the spirits as the last portion of their existence slipped away, leaving only the two lions and Kantu's corpse alone in the forest.

"Aleila?" Xoren said as he awoke, still sore from the encounter, "what happened? Are you okay?"

[Accalia]

She watched, her eyes flickering between hatred and fright as Kantu let out his last breath and his blood seemed to snake around her body. Her head seemed as if it were about to explode, her brain pressing against either side, she gripped her head with her blood soaked paws, and let out a deep groan, she hadn't noticed the translucent felines now in the air above her. The sound of another voice startled her and he paws dropped from her face, she listened, amazed, as two came closer to her and two others to Xoren she backed away slightly, she wasn't sure whether to trust them, after all their forms had been attacking them for the last few months. "Don't hurt him." she called to the two closest to him, they just turned around and gave her a sympathetic smile and small nod.

Aleila's hair stood on end as the touch of the passed away lions gave her a tingle of cool throughout her body. At first she watched them intently, her eye glowing softly as their own brightness increased, however it soon became to much and Aleila was forced to look away. Through the bright light she heard their voices all as one and was amazed by what they were saying, they were giving themselves up to make Xoren and herself healthy once more. She slowly felt the pain in her paw subside and the ache of her body lessen. She looked up at the lions touching her, but there was only their faces and paw glowing. Her eyes were wide as their faces slipped away from her sight, followed by their paws. Aleila stood their, her eyes frightened, her posture rigid, her pupils were small as she slowly turned to look at the corpse of Kantu, then her paws. The lions killed by Kantu may have healed their bodies but had not cleansed them, her paws were sticky with the rapidly drying blood of the monster dead on the floor.

Xorens words caused her head to slowly turn towards him, her white eye still hidden by her fringe, but her normal eye had a small pupil and watched him intently. The lions of the past had done all they could, they had cleansed them of the battle, but they couldn't repair her mind entirely. She shook all over, her body ridged with the events of recent happenings. "Xoren... Stay away.." she half growled, through her eyes appeared frightened, she meant it. She wanted his help, but couldn't bring herself to ask it of him, she was a monster now, a blood lusting monster. Even if the lions had been able to correct her mind, Kantu had awoken the dark part of her and her calm side was pushed down deep within her, it would be able to speak, for now but soon it would have to give in, she would have to give in. Tears began streaming down her face, "Xoren... I'm sorry.." she said quietly as she lost control of her body, her head seeing with pain. "Please go, go." she growled. Her body began walking towards him, her eyes flickering between hate and apologetic appearances. She was the monster within, this was her now, time to give in. She lost the will to hold on as her body sped towards Xoren, all the while her mind screaming for herself to stop, that he was the only friend she had, that he was the one who had kept them safe and alive, her monster was having none of it, she leapt upon his recently healed body and stood there over him for a moment, "I am not Aleila, got it? I am going to kill you just as I did Kantu, only you are weak, you are nothing to me." she said harshly.

[Hypercube]

Xoren stood up and stared at Aleila; something wasn't right. The normal twinkle and happiness of her eyes was lost and her words held a menacing tone to them for some reason. It was then that he noticed Kantu's body lying on the floor, its blood still draining in a slowing stream. Xoren looked back to Aleila with desperation and shook his head as she spoke. "No," he said upon seeing her tears and listening to her soft words, "I will not leave you!" As she moved closer he continued to stand his ground: not out of fear or desire, but simply out of shock and confusion. Before he was able to react to whatever had taken over Aleila he found himself on the ground, a snarling beast standing atop him and inhabiting the body of his best friend.

As much as he didn't want to act Xoren knew that if he didn't he would end up just like Kantu, nothing more than a bloody mess of a body on the floor. For now, he had to fight. "Aleila," he said with a shaky tone, "I know you're in there... I'm sorry for this!" He quickly pushed the creature from her place and stood quickly as she hit the ground. As he stood he clenched his eyes shut and looked to whatever was inhabiting Aleila's body. Inside he saw a black cloud surrounding a dim yellow light which nearly completely smothered by the ominous entity. He opened his eyes and stood his ground; whatever he was going to do, he had to do it soon or Aleila would be lost forever.

[Accalia]

Aleila's current mind state didn't listen to Xoren, she was just concentrated on the warm feeling of blood running over her paws and seeing Xorens sunken eyes as he lay on the floor lifeless and limp. She felt Xoren's paws beneath her chest quickly push her upwards and backwards and she hit the floor with a dull thud and crunch as she smothered the dead, dry leaves in her landing area. Her eyes were filled with a blue fire as she pushed herself up from the floor and flexed her muscles, her claws unsheathed and glowing dimly in the moonlight.

From within Aleila was a mess, what she was now, was not her, it was a monster invading her body, but it was a strong monster. She felt as if she were stuck within a dark room, with just herself. She pressed against the walls, trying to regain control, tears streaming down her light purple cheeks as she watched Xoren from her eyes but unable to do anything. He was her only friend, her first friend, and she was attacking him, wanted to kill him. "I am here.." She said feebly though she was unable to gain control of her body to tell him that. She was scared, alone and weak, nothing more then a figure less mind full of never ending thoughts. She tried to regather her deteriorating mental health enough to attack the monster, but she felt as if she would never be able to, she had only ever had to overcome herself, never a different creature. She let out a loud roar of frustration that carried out into her body and it rustled though the surrounding trees.

Aleila's body simply watched Xoren intently before tackling him side ways, closer to the water, her teeth bore in a malicious grin as she looked down at her prey and side rolled them both over the painful roots that dug into both of their bodies, forcing her body to adopt the shape of the large roots as they came to the slightly damper grass. She continued to force them both to tumble until her head was just laying off the bank of the cool water. She was beneath Xoren and looked up at him with no glimmer in her eyes, her pupil narrow and long. She forced the both of them backwards, the freezing night water flowing through her fur and causing shivers to shoot over her body. She searched the murky water for Xorens body, trying to see if he would struggle. She closed her eyes and shook her head as she had a momentary second thought about killing this lion. She soon dismissed the thought, this lion was nothing to her, he was a worthless being who made and would do nothing in his lifetime.

[Hypercube]

Aleila's furious attacks caused a deep emotional tear in Xoren as his mind and body fought themselves to resist her attacks. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do but part of him knew it was a lurid necessity for the survival of both himself and the real Aleila. As he and his attacker rolled over the painful roots and approached the water's edge he did his best to keep himself in control and not cause too much injury to Aleila at the same time. His efforts placed him above her next to the water were he looked into her eyes and saw the chilling narrowness of her pupils that pulled at his soul like a black hole attempting to swallow a dim star.

In his shock Xoren was caught off guard and flung into the icy water, its cold nothing to the chill he felt when he saw Aleila searching the water in a determined attempting to find him. Xoren closed his eyes for a moment, not only to calm himself and to see Aleila's aura still contained by the black cloud, but also to give him a bit of peace as he formulated a plan. In his mind he determined there was only one possibility to bring back the old Aleila; something he was not even sure he had control over yet. Xoren opened his eyes and looked intently back at Aleila; this was no time for doubt.

With a swift and fluid motion Xoren swam quickly in the opposite direction of where they entered the water and pulled himself onto the shore, taking a few shivering steps into away from the pool. There he stood and waited for Aleila to attack, tuning his reflexive powers and seeing each and every ripple on the pool as it displaced the water through which he watched her. It's now or never he said to himself as the icy water dripped onto the saturated dirt of the forest floor.

[Accalia]

Lightly glowing eyes watched the orange male as he hovered in the water, her systematic mind carefully formulating a plan to assert her power over him. Her blue eye faded slightly and became a almost translucent colour, her body slowly feeling the deep pain of the black monster within. Her eyes shut and her instincts took hold, her paws rubbing at her face, her claws no longer anchoring her to the bottom of the pool. She slowly floated upwards, towards the surface, her body beginning to burn. Her head bobbed over the surface and as she opened her eyes, the world appeared to be dimmer then usual, her body swimming in intense heat as she floated there for a few seconds.

The world began to return to full colour and she spun around, desperately searching for the orange male. She saw him on the bank, prepared and tense. She gave a sly grin as she sunk back under, pulling herself through the murky water. The freezing water pressed against her face as she pushed through towards the surface. Her body flew from the cool blue and landed right before Xoren, her face cruel and harsh as she stared into his eyes, her own cloudy and unnatural. Her forehead pressed against his and their wet hair touched. Her eyes were sharp as she scanned over his, lingering on any signs of emotion, her own face displaying pure hate and pleasure.

Several moments passed, her body screaming out in pain and her mind burning, but the monster didn't care. She pulled away and began to circle him, the water dripping from his body, echoing as it landed. The world began to move with a seemingly slow pace as her body battled pain and the monster within. The true Aleila began to tare at the walls, making small strips back to herself, her fringe hairs and back hairs slowly calming as she pushed her way back. Her whole body screamed with pain as she battled onwards, she wanted to be free from this, she wanted to be normal, bit she had never known what it was to be free.

[Hypercube]

Xoren stared back into the creatures cloudy eyes, their malicious purpose shaking him to his core and making his mind scream for him to flee and forget about it all. The touch of Aleila's wet fur against his own made him shiver slightly from the thought of the loss that would come if he allowed his inner desires to overtake him. As the lioness circled him he continued to face forward, watching through closed eyes as the skulking figure sized him up, ready to attack at any moment. As the feline made another round towards his front he readied himself for a pounce, his claws reluctantly unsheathed in preparation.

As Aleila's body entered his vision Xoren jumped upon her as quickly as he could, pinning her to the forest floor as his claws sank into her flesh. He could feel her blood mixing with the once pure water that saturated his fur and he could feel his claws pushing through once connected skin as his eyes began to water from his struggle. "This isn't you Aleila!" he shouted towards the creature as leaned in closer, "I will not let you become this!"

As he spoke these final words Xoren pressed his forehead against Aleila's, his eyes clenched shut as he began to channel his own auras. In his determined state he watched as his own aura pulsed slightly differently from the black cloud that separated him from Aleila and forced his own to beat in unison with the darkness. With a pained roar he pushed part of his own aura through Aleila using it to take the blackness from her into him as they mixed together in a cascade of colors. As his own being returned to him he brought along with it the cloud that once smothered Aleila, leaving only her own aura as it began to slowly regain color and vigor.

With her battle complete Xoren rolled off of her as his muscled tensed and he lay with his teeth bared and claws digging into the soft ground. "You are me now Xoren," A deep voice said from within his mind "Kill the weak! Kill the weak! KILL THE WEAK!" The evil voice echoed through his head infinity with the same lurid message continuing on an endless loop. "Aleila..." he said through the groaning of his agony, "I need you to listen to me... one last time... Go as far away as... as you possibly can. I don't know how much longer... how much longer I can control this."

[Accalia]

Aleila watched horrified as Kantu circled Xoren, disguised by her body. She tore at her self from the inside and became distressed and upset, angry and irritated all at the same time, long streams of tears smearing her face. Slowly the Aleila facing Xoren began to cry, though made no sounds. She felt the sharp claws of Xoren sink into her sides, then the hard floor thump against her back. Aleila was trying her hardest and she slowly pushed through the black briefly and said "I know.." Then. She felt. She felt his forehead as they were pressed against each other. Her body screamed with pain and defeat as the black was pulled from her soul, replaced with Xorens own auras.

She was still crying as she lay there, completely herself, no demon to fight. She heard Xorens voice and quickly ran to his side, pressing his forehead against his shoulder, her tears running down his arm. She clenched her eyes shut and took a deep breath in. Her mind fully concentrated on the thoughts and feelings of Xoren. She let him fill her mind and watched as the images flew past, the several emotions filling her, including part of the dark black. She slowly accepted part of the cloud and in its place pushed a message, "No Xoren, I am staying."

She remained there for quite a long while her mind watching the thoughts of Xoren, seeing if he would think of her, her body screaming her to attack him, but her mind was him and so did not respond. Hopefully she had absorbed enough of the demon for him to survive, if not then they could be monsters together, even if it resulted in death, everything resulted in death for that if life.

She let out a small groan and pulled away from his stream of thoughts and took several steps backwards. She watched his posture and eyes. She stood there, her posture slightly soft and flexed her muscles, closed her eyes and breathed. She doubted that her contact with him had cured him enough to spilt the cloud, but she had tried and if you die for your cause then you die for a worthy cause. Her pupils contracted and expanded and she shivered. She would not give into herself again, she gave a low growl and blinked, she didn't want to loose Xoren, she didn't want Xoren to be trapped either.

[Hypercube]

Xoren heard a voice underneath the commanding message that plagued him and though he could not hear their words he felt them take the place of some of the screaming voices that came with the black cloud of anguish. He knew it must have been Aleila and it pained him to know that she had not heeded his warning. The fight he endured within his own mind was now more than just his own and it was not only his life that hung in the balance, it was Aleila's too. "No Kantu" he said in his mind against the continued assault, "I will not follow in your bloody tracks..."

As he spoke with his eyes clenched tightly an image of Kantu appeared in the blackness that surrounded him, his scarred face painted with a sick smile. "It's of no use cub" he said to Xoren with cold confidence, "the desire for blood is a stronger force than any in this world; it shall overcome you despite your feeble efforts" Xoren stood up against the agonizing distress of his body and mind, his legs shaking and his face still twisted in battle. "That is where you're wrong," he thought to himself before continuing his thought out loud, "the desire to protect someone you would never let go is stronger than any in this world. I will NEVER let you hurt her!"

As these final words echoed through the forest Xoren felt a weight taken from his soul. He looked inwards and found that the darkness, while still there, was inside of his own aura now, its green bastion encasing the blackness within. He opened his eyes to see Aleila standing with wide eyes and a shivering frame. "Aleila," he spoke softly, "it's over."

[Accalia]

She watched his body and as he turned to look at her, her wide eyes took in his eyes, checking for the Xoren she knew. As his words hit her a tear ran down her cheek and she gave a small relieved noise, half resembling a laugh. "We did it.. " she said dumbfounded, her eyes wide and she looked to the floor. Sudden happiness overcame her and she ran for Xoren and buried her face in his mane, tears streaming down her face into his comforting body. She couldn't believe they had done it, they were alive, they hadn't succumbed to the power of Kantu. She was overjoyed and emotional, her mind blind to almost everything other than their triumph.

She pulled away from Xoren and looked into his eyes "We did it... We are alive!!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide, her cheeks wet with tears. She gave a small leap of joy, her face filled with life, life that she could have easily lost several moments ago. She smiled at him and took a deep breath, "Lets leave this place," she said with the hint of a slight smile, she was not going to stay there for much linger without putting up a fight, the events hadn't quite sunk in fully after their victory and she wanted to evade them for as long as possible. She was tired but the energy of life made the ache of sleep depravation sink away into the background and she would keep it there as long as she looked at Xoren. She looked to his damaged body and then realised what she had done, "Oh my god... Xoren..." Her eyes looked over his body, large bruises already covering his whole frame. She didn't know what to think, she was tired, happy yet still slightly frightened of the large dead body that was Kantu.

[Hypercube]

Xoren looked down to his own body after hearing the sound in her voice, the pain of his battle scars only now starting to stand out over the adrenaline. "I'm okay," he said as he looked up with a convincing fake smile that hid his body's fatigue, "we're okay. I think what we need to do now is get out of this forest," he said looking to the massive flesh pile that was once Kantu and then back to Aleila who was also battered from the encounter, "I think we could both do with some fresh air and a safe place to clean our wounds."

[Accalia]

Xorens convincing smile almost made Aleila believe his safety, but beneath that she could feel a nagging tiredness that did not belong to her own body. She gave a smile back and pretended not to notice his lie, it didn't matter all that much, she just wanted to leave. With his comment she looked down to her own body, long streakes of red vibrant against the purple of her pelt. She sighed and nodded, seeing the damage only made the pain that more apparent. She was exhausted, but needed to move onwards she began to walk forewords, hoping Xoren would follow. She took one glance to the misty water, tempted to drink, yet remembered all that happened there and continued walking.

Her muscles soon found a rhythm and despite their numbness they followed it. The trees formed around them, their finger like branches streatching out for them as though they were an unseen object, but Aleila did not notice the trees, nor their swirling voices. She remained within herself, only once in a long while would one of her muscles twitch involuntarily, but she was not frightened.

They had been walking for a good several minuets before Aleila looked to Xoren and said quietly "Thank you." she then looked to the ground again, her fringe shielding her eyes from view, but also the slight tinge of embarrassment filling her expression. She had not wanted at the time for him to remain with her, she was support to live out her days as a tyrant and dye of natural causes, avoiding all life as she had done all those years before meeting Xoren. She tried to remember their first encounter and she remembered the way he had not fully attacked her. She gave a hint of a smile as she continued her march onwards. She doubted even if they split paths now she would ever be capable of forgetting Xoren.

[Hypercube]

Xoren walked with Aleila away from the site of their bloody encounter and didn't look back; those trials were behind them now. As they walked through the forest Xoren noticed that the familiar sights of the forest, including the markings he had made during his previous visits, had returned. While he focused on leading them out of the trees that had bound them for so long he couldn't help but notice the soothing serenity of the silence.

It was Aleila's voice that broke the silence, her words not destroying the beauty of the scenario but instead adding to it."Thank you" Xoren reciprocated with a glance over his shoulder and a genuine smile. For so long Xoren had roamed by himself, searching for any form of happiness that could at least help fill the void of his lost blood. Aleila could not replace his lost daughter but the connection they shared at least narrowed the gaping emptiness that he felt, a connection that he felt would not be able to live without.

"We're almost out" he said to Aleila upon seeing the final set of symbols and the light that shone from the outside of the threshold of the forest. It was only a few more steps before they exited into the open expanse of the savanna, the sun shining down on them as Xoren felt the dust kicked up from the wind sting in his wounds. He wished to lie down and take the longest rest he had ever taken but he was aware that they needed to find shelter for the night as the sun slowly crept towards the horizon. "So," Xoren said to Aleila as he turned to meet her, "which way shall we head?"

[Accalia]

Aleila could not bear to look behind her, the pain of the past to near. However once they were a considerable distance from the site she was able to absorb the silence and let the whisper of the trees consume her. With Xorens words of how they were almost out her eyes light up and she took several fastened paces towards the escape of the memories. The brightness of the sun dazzled Aleila for several moments, but her mouth was spread into a wide smile. She didn't listen to the nagging pain and ache of her body, but in the back of her head felt Xorens pain. She turned to face him but decided that it might be best not to bring the fact of their wounds to the surface of their minds, the pain is easier to deal with if not the only thing on the mind.

She watched as Xoren turned to face her, his question made her think for a second and she scanned the bright landscape. There wasn't much close by but she could see a clump of tall trees only a few miles away. She nodded towards the trees and said to Xoren "How about those trees? There may be a small cave around there?" Her voice was calm but hopeful.

The sun, she noticed was slowly making its way for the hills and she had a nagging feeling of urgency to reach the possible safety. She looked to Xoren, hoping to feel the same kind of emotion in his eyes.

"We should hurry.." She said slowly as the sun progressed across the sky. Her body began to move again and she headed for the distant trees. Her mind was racing, but continuously avoiding the subject of the demon within. She feared that part of herself and never wanted to have the monster resurface and lash out at all that she cared for.

[Hypercube]

"I agree" Xoren said as he followed the other feline towards what seemed to be the only safety in the surrounding area. While he was more than happy to find shelter for the night there was no helping a nagging feeling brought upon by both of their subconscious thoughts. As he moved with Aleila Xoren closed his eyes and looked to her, watching the little bit of black dance around inside of her, laying dormant within her. He looked within himself only to quickly open his eyes upon seeing the same in his own body. He knew Aleila would be able to feel his anxiety but he forced himself to remain silent as to the reason; they both needed one night free of the pain they have suffered.

As they stepped foot into the small cave shaded by the trees standing tall around the mouth Xoren looked to Aleila. "This should do for the night" he said with a smile before looking down to his paws on the stony floor, "but we still need to worry about..." Before he could finish his statement his stomach did it for him with a loud growl and he looked up to Aleila with a sheepish grin as it stopped.

[Accalia]

As the cave slipped into view Aleila's eyes lit up and she gave a small run towards it, she needed a distraction and sleep. She slowed down and awaited for Xoren before they stepped inside side by side. When he looked to her and his stomach gave a loud growl she laughed, openly. She felt wired using those muscles that had gone unused for so long, but it also felt good. She smiled and looked into his eyes "Well that is a problem!" she gave a moment dedicated to thinking of a solution but it was interrupted by her own stomach vibrating and letting out a loud noise of dissatisfaction. She giggled and said quickly "I'm going to see if I can find anything to eat." She turned around and walked out into the cool breeze of the late dusk, her eyes glowing dimly as she sniffed the air for prey. She turned to see if Xoren had followed, she didn't mind either way, they needed food before they slept, well she certainly did, the pain in her stomach was becoming nearly unbearable.

After several moments of smelling and intense watching she had managed to stalk and kill two meerkats checking for predators, but she had altered the others in the process and was only able to catch one more. Thoughts during her hunt would not die down. She continuously thought of how far she had come since Xoren had first found her alone in the forest, and although the memories weren't always the happiest she could help but smile as she wandered back towards the cave, the dark of the night not long set in.

She arrived the cave and smiled at Xoren, placing the small meal in front of them, then the smile slowly left her face. "Is it going to be enough? I can always go hunting again in the morning." her voice was concerned, the meal looked extremely small beside the two of them and the meerkats would barely suffice for a snack and right now she could eat a whole zebra. Her eyes trailed from the meerkats to Xoren and back again before she slowly haunched over her paws into a sitting position, her eyes exhausted and her body even more so. "We have come so far!" she said lazily as the cool night air blew in and ruffled the long fur of her back. The hints of a smile played at the corners of her mouth as the distant chanting of the trees outside drifted in. She was beyond tired and felt as if she could sleep for an age, but she wouldn't, she would wake up tomorrow and continue heading onwards, she needed to.

[Hypercube]

Xoren chuckled along with Aleila as she commented on their hunger and smiled as she turned to the mouth of the cave. As she moved into the cool night Xoren followed, intending to hunt along side her but instead becoming lost in watching her motions instead. The way she stalked her prey in the moonlight was something he could not interfere; it was to much of a beauty to see such a normally clam and cheerful creature become a hunter. Aware that it would seem strange if she were to see him watching from a distance he turned and slowly moved back into the cave, sitting down and allowing his eyes to meander to the stony walls as he became engrossed in thought.

Even now, after they had been through so much, Xoren could not believe how lucky he was to stumble upon the friend he had made. For far to long he allowed himself to fall deeper and deeper into a dark place, his heart loosing its light as each day passed without what he thought was the only light out there for him failed to appear. The time he had spent with this lion seemingly changed all of that though. Rather than reflecting on what was still lost to him, though it still pained him greatly, he found himself able to focus on each day one at a time and allow the happy moments to penetrate his own stony walls left from his past.

Aleila's question caused Xoren to jolt ever so slightly as she woke him from his thoughtful state and caused him to look down to the catch she had brought in. "It's better than nothing" he responded with a chirp as he smiled at the now sitting feline. "I would have to agree!" he said after Aleila's next statement finished bouncing off of the walls of the cave. "Aleila," Xoren continued feeling a lump growing in his throat, "I don't think I've ever told you how much your friendship has meant to me..." With this preface he stood and walked next to her as he stared out of the mouth of the cave and into the endless expanse of stars far above their heads.

"For so long I have felt like life... was nothing more than a disappointment." Xoren said after a moment of silence, "I often asked myself what kind of life worth living would cause me to lose not only the love of my life, but the only thing that I loved more than her too?" Tears began to stream down Xoren's face at this point, the starlight becoming fuzzy as each drop rolled down his cheek. "I've been falling into this void for so long, the only light that I have been holding onto racing further and further away like a lightning-bug over the horizon. If it wasn't for the brightness you have inside of you," he said as he looked to Aleila, "there is a strong possibility that I would have been..." Xoren could not stop himself from the sobbing now as the tears fell like rain onto the floor of the cave and his breath echoed through the cave and into the coolness of the night, "content with placing myself into nothingness - stopping the torture of waiting for whatever light I still head to snuffed out anyway..."

[Accalia]

Aleila turned her head to face Xoren, the smile still remained on her lips as she listened to his echoing voice. As he walked towards her she followed his line of vision to the night sky. She didn't not quite know what Xoren was trying to say but she listened, her mind tranquil as the sounds of his voice were prominent over the music of the world around them. His words stared to cut into her and she turned to face him, her own eyes reflecting his pain. As their eyes met she felt as if she could simply stop existing, the emotions in his words and within his mind were overwhelming and she briefly lost the ability to determine which emotions were separate. She had always known his background was dark, yet she never knew that things were so bad for him. She lost herself in his eyes, the complexity and deep mess of them was easy to drown in.

Her eyes glistened with the hints of tears as she said to him softly "Xoren... I had no idea that your life had been so bad that you would even consider.." She stammered and was unable to finish her statement, she could not imagine her world if Xoren had not saved her from the depths of her mind, she refused to. A tear rolled over the lip of her eyelid and slid down her face. Slowly she leant over towards Xoren and rested her head against his shoulder, the tears flowing in thin lines down her face in silence. His pain felt worse then her own and it felt as if he had cut her from the inside. She did not understand why the pain felt so real, but she did not dwell on it either.

The blinking stars smiled down on them, but Aleila's eyes simply watched them in wonder, their light clouding into each other and the world blurring around her. Slowly she relaxed and after several silent moments said quietly "Xoren thank you for saving me." A final tear drifted across her wet cheek and her eye lids felt heavy and it became hard to keep them from closing.

However her body was exhausted but her mind was full of energy and was desperately attempting to determine her feelings. She had been in isolation for several years of her life and had never been a social feline, yet with Xoren conversation seemed to flow so easily and she was not concerned or scared when around him, he was the first lion she could be herself around and once she noticed this she looked up to Xoren with misty eyes for a brief second only to readjust her head back to its original position of his shoulder as her eyes drifted closer to closing. The both of them had been travelling for days and slowly the haze of sleep started filling her and she forgot her hunger as her eyes shut out the world around her, but her mind was still alive and listening as she absorbed the sweet smell of Xoren around her and his soft fur against his cheeks. "Please don't ever leave me." She trailed off through her sleepy state.

[Hypercube]

Xoren barely heard Aleila's voice over his own cries but when he did he looked to her and smiled against the open sorrow that he had just revisited. "I suppose we needed each other more than either of us could have imagined" he said between sniffles and falling tears. "It makes you wonder," he continued with a bit more control over his emotions, "if something such as destiny does exist." Xoren looked back up to the starlight, the brilliant speckles of brightness no longer tainted by tears as he gave a large sigh. For so long it was as if there was only one thing that this world held for him, but his friendship with Aleila had shattered that notion, proving to him that Xoren was worth something in a world that had treated him like nothing.

He gave a small flinch as Aleila rested her head against his shoulder and he looked down to see her heavy eyes staring at him. "I won't he responded with a calm voice, "as long as you do the same for me." Xoren slowly laid his body to the ground, being sure to allow Aleila to follow as his eyes began to weigh more and more as well. As the wind of the night passed through the cave and playfully toyed with the two lions' fur Xoren moved his head so that his and Aleila's met atop his shoulder and allowed the night to take him into a peaceful sleep.

[Accalia]

Aleila let a small teardrop fall onto Xorens soft fur and whispered "I promise." She followed him to the cool ground and felt the wind flowing through her fur and it's quiet whispers in her ears. She felt Xorens breathing fall into a steady rhythm and closed her eyes entirely to let her thoughts envelop her in a deep sleep where she could momentarily escape the real outside world.

As the heavy black of sleep took her an image blurred before her eyes. A dark swirling figure appeared and she saw Xoren a few meters away from her. She began running to his side, but she was stopped by a sudden tugging on her neck. The cool presence of a collar fell around her neck and her eyes filled with fee as she looked down to find a thick black band of material close to her fur. It was hard to see anything as none of it would stay in focus, the colours almost swirled into another. Aleila wanted to close her eyes, but for one reason or another she could not. She gave a quick glance to the scorched black ground before flicking her eyes to the black figure. Tears were streaming from her eyes but they were filled with strength and she would not simply give up. She stared intently into the black abyss of the black and slowly her eyes began to burn and glow. From the corner of her eye she saw Xoren on the ground with a similar collar around his neck, then slowly millions of other translucent figures appeared, their necks not tethered to the black, but their wings bound by dark vines. The sorrow of a thousand filled her and she began to glow with more intensity, the pain of her eyes and body nothing to that of those bound to the black. Slowly the ground beneath her began to sprout grass and their shouts filled her and the grass continued straight towards the dark figure. Birds bees and mice began to appear beneath her, their small bodies armed with grass. They began to head for the large black and she felt her feet walking towards with them. The soft grass was beneath her paws and the dark sky slowly merged with and orange. Suddenly the dark became smaller as a shadow in the form of a lioness escaped. Her body heavily bound by dark chains and vines. Her expression was just as dark as she ran for Aleila, but as she ran for her the yellow light around her became white and as the shadow rested her paw on the light her body flushed purple and her face was soft, but it quickly pulled its paw back. Aleila felt a pulling pain on her paw but ignored it, this was going to end. She continued to walk forewards, her light enveloping the shadow and her face appeared right before her. Half of it was a melting black the other half a purple with a long fringe. Aleila stared into the shadow eye and extended a paw onto its nose. It radiated a light similar light to her own before closing its eyes, a quick heart stabbing pain extending through Aleilas body as the figure before her melted away into nothing. She felt and absence in her mind and gut but she at the same time felt lighter, as if she was one step closer to freedom.

[Hypercube]

Xoren awoke to darkness, a blackness that seemed to stretch forever in every direction. He could just barely make out the silhouettes of other creatures, their bodies only existent as a small contrast against the pitch-black background of wherever he was. Soon after he saw Aleila, her face plagued with tears as something pulled her back from coming to Xoren. It took a moment for him to see the collar that surrounded her neck and for him to realize that he too was bound by the same material. He opened his mouth to call her name but only stood in silence as he failed to produce a sound. Despite his inability to produce a word he was capable of hearing Aleila's screams as she seeming disappeared into nothingness.

"Aleila!" he finally managed to shout as the last of her body left his sight. He pulled hard against the collar that bound him, the chains that were seemingly attached to nothing screaming with each jolt of force. "Aleila's not here cub," said a voice that chilled Xoren to the bone, "she has her own demons to deal with for now." Xoren could not believe what he was seeing as on of the unidentifiable figures slowly became defined and Kantu stepped mere inches from his bewildered expression.

"did you think I was gone?" he asked with a horrifyingly suave tone, "Oh the ignorance of you children; I have never left!" Xoren felt the collar about his neck tighten a bit at his words, his throat constricted with each macabre statement. "You have been told already Xoren: I live through you and her, you have become me!" These final words echoed loudly through the expanse, each syllable an arrow that intensified with each reflection. The collar continued to tightened as Xoren's eyes widened, his breath slowly being taken from him as more of the shadows became visible, their faces containing the same panic as his own. The faces of those that Kantu had controlled, the spirits that they had seemingly freed each suffering the same lack of breath that eventually caused Xoren's eyes to close as he fell to the ground.

[Accalia]

The drowned sound of Xorens voiced pulled her ears backwards, but the ground and air around her began pulling her closer and closer to the abyss. She pulled at her chains, the dark forming shapes from her past and progressively approaching her, becoming closer and closer. Eventually the ever nearing figures of lions and lionesses grew closer and her body was pushed towards them, her eyes glowing and burning with pain and tears. Slowly she felt her back and neck tighten and she lowered herself, she had reached the end of her running and precausions to avoid these lions of the past and the darkness within her mind.

The shadows began walking towards her and Aleila awaits for them to reach her. Her mouth is closed and her legs are holding her in a stance that was calm but prepared. Her ears were turned down as she awaited her fate. She could hear nothing in particular but she needed to be free of her chains. She remained still for several moments but as the first lion approached her she noticed its face was her own and she then released all of the lions around her were her. Fear struck her and the lioness before her snarled with a menacing joy.

She snarled in fear and jerked away from her attacker. Her eyes burned and everything was blurring into one colour and the light intensified and most of her surroundings were blurred from her view. She felt a slash fall across her cheek and screamed in pain as she felt a thick black substance fall down her face in three long lines. A deep pain filled her and she stroke out in fear, striking the lioness before her across the chest. She crumpled to the ground, but the rest of what happened next was all forgotten to her as she pulled her way through the dark lioness figures. Her collar pulled at her neck but slowly an orange blur came past her blinded eyes. Her body felt an attack of scratches and tears, and she yelped out in pain, but did not stop pulling, the black would not take Xoren from her.

[Hypercube]

Xoren's eye's snapped open as they were assaulted by the sunlight bouncing about on the walls of the cave. His pupils were wide and his heart continued to beat quickly as if his nightmare had been reality. It all felt so real to him; every word that beast spoke to him pushing on him like a blast of heavy air while each and every movement was felt through his core. It took him a while to finally close his eyes and slow his sporadic breaths such that he could feel at ease for at least this moment. A soft breeze pulled at his mane from the outside, one section held down by a form he had forgotten about.

He opened his eyes again and looked to Aleila, her head still resting on him as it was when he fell asleep. Her neck was collarless, a feature that Xoren was overjoyed to find absent from his gaze. It wasn't long after that Xoren saw the expression of desperation on Aleila's sleeping face. "Aleila" Xoren said softly as he shook her gently, "Aleila wake up, It's only a nightmare."