Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Except, of course, this candy corn I'm eating; that stuff is like drugs, man. It's so good. Anyway, I probably should have gotten this chapter out sooner, but you guys don't really mind all that much, right? I hope.
Dark Survival
"Here we are. A nice, cozy leaf pallet for you. I didn't put you in with any of the other cats, because you're new, and they can often be quite viscious, when they want to. But you'll be fine here, and later I'll bring you some meat. Now, just hold sitll, and let me check you for wounds, alright?" Althea smiled, trying to put the panther at ease. It hadn't stopped looking at her with those intense eyes since she'd first led it inside. She began to grow just a little unnerved as it continued to stare unblinkingly, not moving from its spot. "Okay. I'll just leave you here. I have to feed the other cats." She smiled and turned away, walking out of the special room she kept for the more wild cats. She didn't notice at first that he followed her, trailing right in her footsteps.
She left the cabin and stopped first at the enclosure that held the jaguars. They were fierce, often competetive creatures, but all came up to greet Althea as she unlocked the gate and stepped inside. Z wanted to follow her, but the other cats had caught his scent, and were growling in warning at him. So he stayed back, watching.
Caitir came up behind him, dragging what looked like a long deer leg, fresh by the scent of it and dripping blood. The tiger glanced at him before dragging the leg into the jaguar enclosure, snarling at the cats when they tried to get close before he even put it on the ground.
"Thank you, Caitir. Did you already feed the leopards? Good. Next is the tigers then."
Zacarias followed silently to the largest enclosure around; it held more than thirty tigers inside. All of them came up and greeted Caitir, rubbing against his fur and nuzzling him, nipping at his muzzle for attention. He was definately the king of the jungle around here. The largest of them all, and their surperior in every way. Again Zacarias felt that tiny singe of jealousy, but this was more from the cat in whose body he resided, rather than from his Carpathian side. It wanted to be the dominant one.
"Caitir, did you save some for Z, who is...apparently out of his room." Althea spotted Zacarias, frowning a little.
There is just enough of the deer left for the both of us. He replied, tipping a smaller tiger over with his giant paw. It rolled back a few feet.
"Good. Come, then; you can always play with them earlier. I want to give both of you baths, to make sure you haven't picked up any ticks or fleas or anything in the forest."
xx
Zacarias hissed as he glared at the metal tub of water; it was filled with soap, of all things. As a Carpathian, he had no reason to bathe, because he could clean himself with a though, but of course Althea didn't know that, but still.
Caitir had already been washed, loving every minute of it too, and was currently shaking off excess water, not caring where any of the drops landed. He'd gotten Althea pretty soaked, too, from his twitching tail and moving paws. Zacarias wished he didn't have to look at her wet, glistening skin; it tested his control, which wasn't as rock-solid as he wished it were.
"Come on, Z, in the tub now." Althea coaxed, holding out a few fingers.
Zacarias shook his head, growling low in his throat. Althea sighed.
"You can either get in, or I'll pour the water over you. Your choice." This time it was an ultimatum.
Caitir stretched his back and ambled over to Zacarias's form, sniffing loudly. The panther growled lower, but of course the tiger merely ignored him.
He hasn't gotten any fleas, and I can't smell blood from ticks. He will be fine without a bath, for he does not smell dirty.
Althea sighed again, louder. "Fine, I won't give you a bath. Today. But you will get one tomorrow, and I don't want to hear any excuses. Not that you've given any, of course. But it's getting late, so lets just go to bed. Caitir, if you'd get him his meat. I'm just going to dump out this water, then i'm going to bed."
Caitir waited until Althea was gone, before moving so that he was nose to nose with Zacarias. The panther was surprised when he heard a gruff voice in his mind, that obviously belonged to the tiger.
I will warn you now. I can sense a form of darkness in you that, if you allow to spread over to Althea, I will kill you for. And I sense that you are different. You may keep your secrets for now, but do not expect to have them forever. And then he dragged an arm of a deer over to Zacarias, before taking the torso into his own room in the cabin.
Zacarias wondered idly if he truly would have to explain what he was, hten decided he would have to because Althea was obviously his lifemate, and she'd have to know everything about it. That wasn't a day he was waiting for. He grimaced at the fresh meat, the scent of blood making his beast howl, but ignoring it. Instead, he left it where it was, and went into Althea's room, blurring his form so she wouldn't know he was there.
He'd had enough time seperated from her; no longer.
Wow, this chapter was forced, so I'm cutting it short. The next chapter, Althea meets Savannah, and Gregori disguises himself as an animal. I'll most likely make it a wolf. Well, though, what do you guys think? It's short, but I said before, these chatpers will probably be shorter than my normal ones. Please review for me! And, if there are any mistakes, feel free to point them out.
Ayame
