Axanar had been disparaging about my ancestors, insulting them as failures because they had not been able to dominate the world. I had to admit that it was impressive to see all they had built, and I was envious of them for not having to hide their true nature as we did. Back on Earth, I always had to be careful whenever near a city, for if we should ever be outed as shifters, then we would have been treated as monsters and hunted down. We hid, shrouding ourselves in the outskirts of the world but, up until this point, I hadn’t truly realized what a sacrifice that was. It was just the way of things, and living that way had been a habit to the point where I hadn’t conceived of it being any different. But in this world, things were different. There was a tall tower spreading into the sky as a testament to the strength of these lions. The world revolved around the hunt, and there was trepidation in my heart as I made my way towards the plains.
To illustrate how locked I was in the old ways, you only had to look at how I walked away from these people. Because there were strangers around, I was cautious and paranoid, and remained in human form until I was on the outskirts of their village, remembering then that they were lions too. I was so used to keeping my true nature locked inside me whenever strangers were present, just in case any of them brought the suspicion of the world crashing down on us.
When I reached the open air, I breathed deeply and let the lioness out. It was a joy to feel the release of pleasure as I let my muscles stretch out. My blood burned and the world became more vibrant. I could taste the sweetness in the air. It was far different from the air of home. The ground was softer under my paws as well, and to my surprise, the clothes remained wrapped around my body, shifting position as my body had changed shape. The pants shielded my hind legs, while the top wrapped over my back, stretching across my flanks. The dagger was in a hilt by my hip. I was unable to use this while in lion form of course, but it was useful to know that it was still there in case I needed it in a pinch.
For a moment, I stopped and stared at the world around me. It was open and fresh, and the horizon stretched out endlessly. It was a brand-new world, ready to be explored, with all kinds of mysteries hidden within. I could have sprinted away and forged a new life for myself, finding a small pocket to make my home. Perhaps Axanar and Volkan would have come by to hunt me, picking up my scent on the air, a scent that must have been distinct for them. But to do so would have been to forsake my chance at returning to my world and finding my parents again. As far as I knew, there was only one doorway, and it was in the bottom of their tower. Even if there were more doorways in this world, I could not scour the entire planet in the hope of finding them. I might end up searching all my life without turning anything up, and that would be a life wasted.
No, as much as I hated it, I could not run, and not just for that reason either, but also because it would confirm Axanar’s worst impression of me. If I fled now, then he would be certain in his mind that I was a coward, and that was something I would not tolerate at all. No, I would hunt, and I would bring back a mighty beast to prove him wrong. I would earn their respect and then, I would find a way to get to that doorway and back home, and then, I would make the Night Fangs pay for what they did to my pride.
As I walked towards the plains, it occurred to me that I had not thought of Stevie too much. Guilt flared in my heart, for I thought he deserved more than this. I had been ready to give my innocence to him, but after some space, I was beginning to realize that I had been with him more to get rid of my virginity rather than sharing it with him in particular. He had been convenient and happy to move forward, but there was no deep longing there. I did mourn him, but I knew that I did not love him because my heart had not broken for him.
The grass was long and swayed in a gentle breeze. There were mighty rocks here and there, offering vantage points where I could observe the natural world. I looked into the distance and gazed across the horizon, searching for movement. In the distance, I saw something. I knew I had my target.
My parents had taught me how to hunt a long time ago. I was not as useless as Axanar might have thought. It had been a long time though, but this was in my blood. I was a lion, and we were made for the hunt. I ran to close the distance between me and my prey, before I slowed as I approached, not wishing to alert the prey to my presence with a thunderous impact of my paws upon the ground. I circled around to make sure that the wind would not carry my scent to them, instead carrying it to me. The air was awash with their smell. It was rich and heavy, and I knew I would have no trouble tracking them if they moved.
As I grew closer, I saw that there was a herd of them. They were akin to gazelle, their long legs stretched tightly as they grazed upon the long grass. Their bodies were sturdier than the gazelles I was used to seeing though. I peered at them through the swaying grass. Their heads were dipped as they ate, and so far, they did not seem to see me. So far, this hunt had not been any more challenging than the hunts of home, so I was failing to see why Axanar acted as though it was going to be so difficult for me.
Then the gazelles raised their heads, and I knew they were not simple gazelles at all. Their necks were thicker and their heads sturdier. Protruding from their heads was a dagger made of bone, appearing similar to the horn of a rhino, although much narrower and sharper. It tapered to a point, and I realized now that the animals of this world were indeed more savage versions of the animals from Earth. I had to think about what I was doing. To strike first was the advantage given to me by stealth, and I had to make the most of it. The terrain was flat, so there wasn’t much I could do hide after I struck, so I had to make sure the first strike was fatal. But it was yet to be determined how the other gazelles (I was still going to call them this for lack of a better word) were going to react. In my world, they would have scattered immediately through fear, but these had weapons. Would they stay and fight?
There was only one way to find out.
I skulked forward, keeping low, crawling across the ground. I could feel the soil pressing against my stomach. I dug my claws into the ground and made sure to keep my head below the height of the grass. I came up behind the herd. Most of them had their backs to me. There were five gazelles in total, although now that I was closer I could see past them, and noticed that there was another herd of them gathered together in the distance. That one was bigger as well, with perhaps ten gazelles involved.
I licked my lips and knew that there was never a perfect moment to strike. It was all about making the most of it. I gathered my strength in my hind legs and, when I was ready, I lunged forward, appearing like a blur through the air. I sprinted to the nearest gazelle and attacked before it even realized what was happening. I leaped on its back and made it crumple under my weight as I dug my claws into its neck, sinking them deep into the flesh. I tore through gristle and bone and felt the blood seep out over my forelegs, and I have to admit it felt good to fight after having spent so long in a cell, and after having been forced to flee the Night Fangs.
I held on as the gazelle bucked and tried to throw me off its back. It made an awful cry, a cry that was gurgled as the blood streamed from its neck. It twisted its head around to try and attack me with its horn, but it could not get any grip. I felt its strength leaving it as it sank to the ground, soon becoming lifeless.
That was easier than I had imagined given what Axanar had said about it providing a challenge, but then I looked up and realized that the other gazelles were not running away. They had turned to see their companion being killed, and instead of being threatened, they were banding together and coming forward. There was a horrible ululating cry that I was certain would gain the attention of the other gazelles in the distance, so I knew I had limited time. I extricated myself from the one I had already killed and then surged towards the onrushing gazelles, trying to take them by surprise by doing the unexpected. The four of them followed the same trajectory, so I was able to anticipate their movements and dodge their attacks. They bowed their heads and used their horns as spears, so I leaped over them and attacked them from the rear. I darted between them, slashing wildly as I did so. My claws burned through the air as I tore through the flesh, feeling the hot blood swimming over me. I shifted my limbs and did everything I could to make my movements surprising. They twisted around and tied themselves in knots as they attempted to attack me, but I was always one step ahead of them. My heart was racing, but I was in control. I dragged my claws down their flanks and sank my teeth into their necks, tearing away great chunks of flesh. The taste of it made me alive and it reminded me who I was.
I was not the coward that Axanar painted me as. I was not a victim. I was a warrior, a hunter, a lioness, and I would prove to anyone who questioned it that I was a force to be reckoned with.
The other four gazelles were killed swiftly, but then the other herd was rushing upon me. I could feel the ground tremble under the weight of their galloping hooves. I looked up and saw their angry eyes, furious that I had slain their brethren. Perhaps Axanar was not accurate when he said that all these beasts knew when it was their time to die. They certainly weren’t willing to lay down and take their pain.
I prepared for their approach and noticed that some of them were breaking formation of the line, accelerating even more swiftly. They formed a circle around me, and I let them, for I had a feeling I knew what they were going to do. I steadied myself and waited, and then my instincts were proven correct. When they had formed a circle, they rushed forward, seeking to impale me with all their horns. In another life, I might have succumbed to them, being speared by their deadly weapons, but not in this world. In this one, I leaped up and avoided their attack. They clattered into each other. I heard whimpers as they wounded each other, reeling back as they realized their mistake, their horns bathed in blood. They frantically scampered and cried out, but already life had been taken.
My work had been made easier.
As soon as they realized what they had done, they turned around and broke apart from this circle, rushing towards me. I shifted to the side and then turned, digging my claws into the flank of one. I sensed another one coming towards me and so I twisted, but my claws got caught in the flesh of my prey. I strained to break free, but it took me a moment longer than I would have liked, and sometimes, a moment was all that was needed in order to create pain.
I felt the horn stab me in my flank, sinking into my flesh. I cried out in pain and then wrenched my claws away. The gazelle that struck me ran past, the wound it left was a gash and blood poured out. Pain blazed in my mind, but it had not struck any vital organs. I turned and snarled, watching as it turned as well. We were like two old knights ready for a joust. I ran forward, blood flowing down my flesh, my sharp teeth locked together. I ran towards it and then I opened my jaws. It dipped its head, but I went lower, rolling underneath its head and then snapping up, tearing away its guts. It tumbled to the ground and lost its footing. It was dead before it hit the ground, its body limp and lifeless.
The ground was stained with the blood of these gazelles and the air was thick with the stench of death, but that was the way of lions. We were savage and we were warriors, and I was not going to avail myself of this strength. It was a part of me, and I was going to show Axanar and anyone else that I was going to defeat anything that was placed in front of me, and one day, I would return home and ensure that the Night Fangs felt the grim hand of my destiny as well. I would spill their blood and I would enjoy it far more than taking the lives of these creatures, for these gazelles were just prey, while the Night Fangs were monsters.
But before I could even think of fighting them, I still had to deal with these gazelles. If I let my concentration slip for one moment, then they would take advantage and might even be able to slay me, and it would have been an ignoble end for me to die out here before I had even worked out the secret of this world. There were three gazelles left. They continued to cry out, but I could not sense other clusters or herds nearby. Still, I was not going to wait here for long enough to fight all of them. I had to end this swiftly.
I ran forward and lunged towards the nearest gazelle. It bowed its head to spear me, but as it did so I wrapped my arms around its neck and swung around, sitting on its back. I raked my claws down its skin and then slit its throat, before bounding to the next one. This one actually managed to get in an attack, for it moved more swiftly than I had anticipated, and it stung my arm. I managed to dig my teeth into its flesh though and it limped away, choking on its own blood.
Then there was just one left. This was the biggest of all. It careened towards me just as I was recovering from the last blow. Its horn was thick, its eyes filled with rage, and for a moment, I honestly thought that I was going to die, but only for a moment. The wounds I had suffered impeded my agility and I was unable to move as quickly, so I could not evade the blow. He aimed right at my heart, seeking to impale me through my chest and leave me writhing in agony.
I was not going to let that happen.
At the last moment I shifted, my body morphing back into my human form. I became thinner and slighter, and I dropped to the ground. I yelped and grunted as the pain flooded my body, for I was always hardier in my lion form, but I wasted no time in recovering. I reached down and grabbed the knife that I had brought with me. In one fluid motion, I jabbed it up, sinking into the belly of this beast. Its guts spilled out and it let out an almighty cry as it teetered from side to side before it eventually collapsed in a heap on the ground. I could taste the guts in the air and I groaned as I rolled around, cradling my wounds. I heaved in breath. Hair was matted to my face by sweat, but I had done what was asked of me. I rose to my feet, standing tall amid the slain prey. I beat my chest and screamed to nobody in particular, believing that I could conquer this world if I so chose. I couldn’t wait to see Axanar again and know the look on his face when he saw me return. I was not going to die today.
I was not going to die until I made it back to my world.
Chapter Ten
Axanar