“I would have thought that I had earned the right to carry a weapon,” I said, before handing it back to him. Inside, I was deflated that I was unable to keep the dagger, but I tried to mask that feeling. He inspected the blade. I had cleaned it on the grass in the plains after I had killed with it. He nodded and then left me alone, closing the door behind him. I sighed and stripped off my clothes, letting them fall to the floor in a puddle. I then found the nearest bath and slipped in, immediately enjoying the warm caress of the soft water. It stung a little against the wounds, but it was a relief for my muscles, which had been worked harder than they had for a long time.
I sank in the water and let it envelop my entire body. It swam around the curves of my breasts and my hips, while also slipping in between my legs. I murmured with delight as I let it sink around my neck and head, before submerging myself entirely underneath the water. I thought about what I had done that day, and felt a little guilty that I was enjoying something so comforting as this bath when my parents were out there somewhere, possibly still being punished by the Night Fangs. It was horrible feeling so out of control, being a prisoner here when I hadn’t even done anything wrong.
I emerged from the water and wiped my eyes. My skin was coated in the liquid. I reached out for one of the bowls and let it float upon the water. I dipped my fingers in and rubbed the soft cream over my skin. It was fragrant, smelling like flowers, and gentle against me. It also made the water froth and bubble, and it became even more relaxing. I washed myself in this manner for a while until the door opened. My gaze shot up, glaring because I thought it was either going to be Volkan or the arrogant Axanar, but instead it was a woman. She bowed her head and wore a flowing robe. Her long hair was tied back in an elegant ponytail, and when she walked towards me, she gave the impression that she was gliding.
I looked at her warily.
She bowed to me and clasped her hands. Her voice was gentle when she spoke. “I am sorry for intruding as you recover from the hunt, but I feel as though I must speak with you. We should have spoken before this, but Axanar did not tell me that you were with us.”
“I suppose it is the Alpha’s right to keep secrets,” I said bitterly.
She seemed impressed by this. Her eyebrows rose sharply.
“You know of our ways. It is good to see that our traditions have not died out even though you have been far from home.”
“Tradition is the way of the lions. We have held onto them as tightly as we hold onto each other,” I choked up as I said this, thinking about the pride I had left behind and how most of them were dead. “Although I’m still not sure I believe that we are one and the same. How do I know that this is all real?”
“It is real. I am the pride’s wisdom. I have spent my life guarding the stories. Generations ago, we sent lions away to all different parts of the universe in the hope that they would conquer new worlds and spread the might of the lions. It is our duty to rule, after all.”
“Well, we couldn’t rule the earth.”
“And that is a shame,” she said, inclining her head. “What is your name?”
“Kara.”
“I am Tania,” she said, and came to sit beside me, on the side of the bath. “I would love to hear about your pride, your world, and all that you have achieved.”
She looked at me in a way that nobody had ever looked at me before, not even Stevie. There was a sense of awe in her eyes, and I couldn’t bear to see her looking at me in this way, for I knew that I did not deserve it. To her, I was some symbol of a great adventure by the lions, but in reality, I knew that I was not this at all. I felt a little vulnerable, given that I was submerged in water.
“The truth is that I haven’t achieved much. I’m nothing special. I just lived in the pride, that’s all.”
“But you must have done something? You are a lion after all.”
I shrugged. “I wasn’t the only lion. I learned to hunt when I was young. My Mom told me stories. I took my place around the fire whenever we had feasts. I worshipped the old gods, and in time, I suppose I would have taken my place and found a mate, although that’s not something that’s going to happen now. I just had an ordinary life. I wasn’t anything special.”
Tania let out a small laugh. I frowned at her. “Forgive me Kara, but you are special. You are a world walker.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that was just an accident. I don’t even know how it happened. I was just running from the Night Fangs and then I found myself here, and I’m still not sure where here is to be honest with you. I’m not some world walker, I’m just a girl who is lost and needs to find her way home. My parents are back there somewhere. I need to get back to them. Please, you’re the wisdom, can’t you help me? You must see that I don’t belong here. I don’t know what Axanar has planned for me, but I don’t think it’s good. I can’t do anything here. I just want to go home.”
Tania tilted her head and looked at me in a strange way, almost as though she was in a trance. “But you are home Kara. This is where all lions belong.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat. This place almost seemed like a cult, and I had no idea how I was going to escape them. I realized I needed to try something different though. Clearly appealing to their hearts was not working. None of them were going to take pity on me and simply allow me to leave. I pressed my lips together as I thought quickly, and then saw a way out for myself.
“Well, if that’s the case, then perhaps you could help me learn about this power of mine. It must be dormant inside. Would you be able to take me back to the doorway? If I’m close to it again, maybe something will spark within me, maybe you can help me understand how to use this ability,” I said.
Tania drew back. “I would not be able to do such a thing. Axanar has not willed it.”
“I know Axanar is the Alpha, but sometimes the Alphas don’t know anything.”
Tania gasped. “To say such a thing is heresy!”
“Maybe this place could use a little heresy,” I muttered. “Look, you said you wanted to know about the world I come from and my pride? Well, we still have the same structure as you, but it’s not as rigid. The Alpha is in control, yes, but we all have our individual ambitions. We are free to pursue them as long as it does not hurt the pride. The Alpha helps to organize us, and if there is an enemy, then he shall lead us into battle, but in our day to day lives, we are free to do as we please. There were those who even left the pride and went to live in human civilization, and the Alpha did not order them to stay.”
“They left? Why would they leave?”
“Because, sometimes, people want other things. Our world is not like your world. The humans there have built great cities that spread across the land. They are filled with opportunity, and some can’t resist the lure of living with that many people. Some want to become involved in politics or to become artists or athletes or writers, or whatever else they want to be.”
“And would you have left the pride as well?”