Chapter 3: Unexpectations at Dawn

One paw, then the other. Don't stop to catch your breath. Don't stop to think. Enemies, invaders, foreigners, strangers, unauthorized travelers. No chance to call reinforcements. The nearest town was too far away; the iron-carrying people were up ahead. No thoughts, no second chances. They had to act fast. Only a couple of strides were needed, long and lean strides, powerful strides. No time to catch your breath. No time to seek aid.

The gray-blue tiger looked up at his blue comrade up ahead. He also seemed lost in the thrill of the hunt. If they could call it such. Hunting, the roles of prey and predator were clearly established. Here, they were unclear, and the number of the other party was unknown. How very troublesome. He had received the finest training his country had to offer but two tigers alone would still have trouble if confronted by a large group of foes. If these invaders were, in fact, foes.

How very hard to believe. Foes, enemies. They'd fought a major goddess to restore order into the world. They'd done the impossible to save a chaotic continent. Yet, its inhabitants insisted on breaking rules, in creating strife. He did not want to admit it, but he could, to an extent, understand Ashera's feelings towards the lack of peacefulness they, as a territory, could achieve. More so, the conflicts appeared without prior notice mostly all of the times.

That day was exemplary. He'd been visiting an old friend he had not seen in the longest time, mainly due to the different lifestyles each led. Mind you, when one was such a diligent, dutiful soldier he had no time to skip around the forest. Mordecai could, he loved nature and the outdoors, wildlife and trees enchanted him, whereas he was more fond of interaction, more joyous around well-defined discipline.

Kyza jumped over a hedge, twigs scratching his underbelly as he did so. There is also that, he thought. He, his species, could handle and find their way through the forest with relative ease, but it wasn't a comfortable place to be in. At the very least, he personally did not consider it so.

He caught a scent, ears perking up as he did so. The aroma was one he had not smelled in some time, he was familiar with it, but could not quite place it. Judging by Mordecai's ears, he also had recognized it. Nevertheless, they kept running with the same speed. They were close to some of the strangers, stragglers who'd wandered some paces away from the rest of their crew.

Mordecai growled.

Kyza bared his fangs.

The pictures Kyza saw were too clear. All their running had come to an end, they were about to see the first of those who'd stepped into their territory, armed. Paw, after paw, the gray tiger witnessed his blue colleague sprint into the road that they both knew lay ahead. A thump was heard, and a subsequent yell. Using his nose as a guide, Kyza followed Mordecai´s movement, albeit in a direction slightly different. He was to land on the other straggler.

He jumped, claws at the ready. Just like that, he landed on a scrawny man, a redheaded young beorc male. In his tiger form, the laguz's common sense barely worked, everything was reduced to the fight. He raised a gray paw, thinking nothing of the man he was about to take a swipe at.

"Mordecai?" He heard, a female voice asked. Confused, Kyza lowered his nature-granted weapon and stared in the direction of the blue tiger.

Underneath him a young woman was sprawled, purple-haired and green-eyed. She was looking up at the tiger suspiciously. If she hadn't uttered his name, it was factual that Mordecai would've finished her off. The blue tiger snarled, but his eyes were fixed on the beorc. It took some seconds for the recognition to come.

Mordecai shifted back to humanoid form. A grin was already in his face by the time the transformation was complete.

"Mia!" He exclaimed. The beorc woman beamed.

Kyza looked confused, even in tiger form. He looked down at the man below him. Indeed, he did bear some resemblance to a young beorc he had met in the Laguz Alliance-Begnion war. He, too, shifted back.

Mia looked happy as ever to see both their tiger friends, more so Mordecai. The man who Kyza had tackled, however, was trembling, though he did appear as if he was trying to smile. Some beorc, the gray tiger thought, truly are weak of heart.

"Good afternoon, Lady Mia." Kyza started after they'd all dusted themselves off. Mia stared back, grin stretched over her face. "With all due respect, I wish to inquire as to why you are here."

At this, Rhys – the bishop Kyza had tackled – spoke up. "That-That's my fault, Sir Kyza. I asked Mia here to take me to Greil's Retreat. I. . . there's something I wanted to, uhm. . ." Ostensibly, he was trying to put the blame on himself. Kyza stared at him, waiting to hear the end of the excuse.

Mia elbowed Rhys in the chest, action that earned her a wince of mild pain from him (to which, of course, Mia was oblivious to). "Don't be silly, Rhys!" She half-scolded, half-joked. "We came here, Kyza, because it's the first step in our journey across Tellius!" Mia smiled again. Mordecai laughed. Why? Kyza couldn't guess.

"Let Mia and Rhys off, Kyza, they only traveling," Mordecai managed to choke out in between chuckles. His dominion over the modern language was not the best, but his efforts were slowly bearing fruit. However, now that he lived in the forest, alone, the big laguz did not practice it as often as before.

Kyza examined the two members of the Greil Mercenaries. Their surroundings went quiet. In a silence broken only by Mordecai's good nature, realization coursed through Kyza. "Lady Mia, Sir Rhys, you said you were traveling by yourselves, correct?" He questioned. Both of them nodded. Mordecai understood the implications of that then.

"We are not alone." Mordecai stated. Rhys and Mia exchanged confused glances.

Kyza answered. "Indeed, we are not." He meditated for a second. "You are not the only beorc we smelled before." He informed them. Trained as they had been as professional Gallian soldiers, the tigers ran for the cover of the nearest vegetation. Surprised at the mercenaries' not doing the same, Kyza signaled them to join them in hiding.

From the bushes they could see the clearing in which Gebal castle was built, as well as the castle itself. Kyza raised his nose, smelling the air, trying to find a clue as to where the other beorc where. No such luck, the wind had died down.

Neither of them dared move, neither of them dared make a sound. In this hesitation though, Kyza could only watch as something caught Mia's eye. Curious as to why the object she had spotted gleamed in the dusk, Mia moved to inspect the castle.

None of the men moved. Rhys was so pale, Kyza found it strange he had not passed out yet. The three pairs of eyes followed Mia. As she left the vegetation. As she walked through the forest clearing. As she walked up the steps to Gebal. And as she picked up a lone, black object.

Mordecai whispered, "That. . . that's a raven's feather."

Kyza's eyes widened. For whatever reason, the feather laying down sure could not signal anything good.