Disclaimer: I don't own it.
A/N: In regard to the shifting. Any shifter can turn into any animal they want. Most people have a favorite that they prefer. Like Rei prefers tiger.
I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and I'll try to update my other stories sometime this week.
Kai carefully brushed back strand of ebony silk, mahogany eyes worried. Rei had cried himself to sleep. Driger was curled on the bed, breath ruffling his partner's thick hair. Dranzer was sitting next to his own partner, carefully preening his feathers, a small pile of them at his feet. Kai picked one up, idly fingering the softness. "What do you two think I should do?"
The phoenix looked up from his task and traded a quick look with the tiger. "The best thing to do would get Rei to his Tribe. As much as he loves it here, he needs to be with his friends." The slate haired shifter nodded and set the feather to one side. "We'll leave as soon as he wakes up. Dranzer get Tala for me." The phoenix disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Driger got up and stretched, green eyes focused on his partner's mate. "Take good care of him Hiwatari."
Just as Tala entered the tent, the last wisps of green smoke vanished. The redhead sat down next to his friend, eyes sweeping over the sleeping teen. "What's up?" Kai stretched, wincing as his back popped in several spots. "Dranzer and Driger both think that Rei needs to go back to his Tribe and I agree. We don't need any divisions between us at the moment. I want you to get Varie and her mate. Right now they're the best people to put in charge. I know I can trust them. And pack."
He ran a hand through his bangs and got to his feet, only to start pacing. "There's no doubt in my mind someone killed Rei's father. If you fail to kill the son, kill the father, throw the tribe into turmoil. You're coming because I need someone to watch our backs. I wouldn't put it beyond that bastard to have someone infiltrate Rei's tribe. Now get going."
Tala got up and bowed, a good natured smirk twisting his lips. "Of course. I'll leave you and your mate." The redhead disappeared and Kai let out a pained sigh and stripped his shirt off before climbing in the bed. He curled up against his mate's back, nose buried in the soft black strands. Slowly sleep over took him.
*****
Rei was awakened to the feel of something cold and wet against his ankle. With a half stifled yawn he pulled his foot back under the blankets, snuggling deeper into the warmth. The coldness moved up from his feet, and warm breath moved across his face, ruffling his hair. Golden eyes opened and the neko-jin looked up to come eye to eye with a white wolf. He sat up and drew his knees to his chest, chin resting on his knees.
The wolf looked at him a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I take it you're Tala's guardian." The wolf made a small half bow, pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Wolborg at your service. And may I ask how you know who my partner is?" Rei pulled the blanket up higher, wrapping it around his shoulders. "I've noticed that Tala has a rather wolfy grin. And remember that partners often reflect their guardian." He yawned and glanced at Kai who was still asleep, blue triangles still in place.
"I should probably wake him up." One hand reached out and stroked the slate strands. "Allow me." The great wolf jumped the bed in one smooth movement and sat down next to the young shifter, white-blue fur shinning slightly in the low light coming through the tent walls. Wolborg leaned down and set his nose against Kai's neck, snuffling at the pale skin with vigor. The slate haired shifter shrunk down in the blankets, trying to get away from the cold nose. The white wolf moved forward, nose right against Kai's ear.
A pale arm slipped from underneath the blankets, hitting the wolf right between his ears. Wolborg sat back, fur shaking as he sneezed. Mahogany eyes stared balefully to the guardian. "One of these days Wolborg. And Tala is not going to be able to do a damn thing to save you. And I know he sent you here." The white wolf yawned, showing fangs to all. "You've been saying that for years Kai. I still await the day. Tala's ready to go. You had better explain to your Kitten what's going on." The great wolf left the tent, tail happily wagging.
Kai sat up, one hand reaching out to brush his mate's cheek. "How are you doing?" Rei moved closer to the older shifter, laying his head on the other teen's shoulder. "Tired, emotionally drained, depressed. What was Wolborg talking about?" Kai wrapped an arm around the neko-jin's waist, pulling the smaller teen into his lap. "Drigger decided it would be best if you went back to your tribe for a couple of days before we even try to get our tribes to live next to each other."
Rei shuddered slightly, a small smile creeping up despite the tears once again filling his eyes. "That's not a prospect I relish. This is going to be hell." Kai smiled, placing a light kiss on the raven strands. "Neither do I, but it has to be done if we want to survive this war. Now let's get going before Tala sends Wolborg back in."
*****
Rei slowly shifted back, painfully aware of the hate filled eyes that rested on Kai and Tala. More then one person looked on him with contempt and an unconscious shiver raced through his body, causing his muscles to painfully tighten. Kai moved forward slightly, still remaining behind his mate but close enough to provide support. Rei quickly glanced over his shoulder, golden eyes glowing with thanks.
Tala moved closer also, crystalline blue eyes sweeping over the assembled shifters. He caught a flash of white-blue, a small smirk twisting his lips. Wolborg flashed him a wolfy grin before disappearing behind a second tent, sensitive nose searching for any scent that didn't belong.
There was murmuring in the crowd, starting at the back and working its way forward. One of the shifters at the front of the group stepped forward. He was a big man, one of the tallest in the White Tiger Tribe. His beard was dark and scraggly, leaving him with the look of a wild animal. His eyes were dark with hate and rage.
"What the hell are these two doing here? We don't need Hiwatari's help or any help from his pathetic tribe." The neko-jin quickly glanced over his shoulder. Kai's beautiful mahogany eyes had darkened with anger. Tala was also staring at the older shifter, blue eyes dancing with anger and what looked like a slight hint of humor. There was no doubt in Rei's mind that Tala wanted to see Kai take on Renal, but he couldn't allow it.
"They're here Renal, because I'm here. Kai has every right to come with me, doesn't he?" Rei's voice was calm and low, almost friendly. Many of the shifters however, noticed the thin edge of steel that was hidden in the neko-jin's voice, as though he was trying to goad Renal into doing something stupid. The older shifter lowered his head slightly, flames of hate dying slightly.
"Of course My Lord." Renal spared one last glance at the three younger shifters, black meeting blue. The redheaded shifter gave the grizzled shifter a cheeky smile, eyes sparkling with malice.
A hand rose from somewhere near the middle of the gathering. "What is it Rhyad?" A thin squeaky voice rose into the silence, asking the question that was occupying every one's thoughts. "What are we going to do now that your father is dead? I mean, do you actually expect us to live with Hiwatari's tribe. You are his mate after all." Golden eyes closed and Rei took a deep breath, a silent prayer making its way to Rahee.
"That's exactly what I expect you to do." There was complete silence for several seconds before the entire tribe started talking at once, voices reaching a painful high. Kai moved closer to his mate, leaning forward to make himself heard. "Nice choice of words Rei. Next time try to be a little more sensitive." Rei let out a harsh laugh. He turned on Kai, golden eyes burning with indignation. "You're telling me to be more sensitive? That's rich."
The slate haired shifter laughed, one hand reaching out to stroke the soft tan skin. "Calm down Kitten. I was joking." Rei leaned into the caress, eyes half hooded. "I know. It's just this is so stressing. My father just died and now I have to worry about keeping my tribe from killing your tribe. Not exactly my idea of fun."
Kai, Rei and Tala stood holding a quiet conversation as they waited for the White Tiger Tribe to calm down. Slowly the crowd quieted, eyes turning back to their young tribe leader. "Whether you want to believe me or not, there is a good reason Rahee wanted this union between our tribes. Tomorrow we will meet and I will tell you why. Its getting late and you have much to do before we leave in three days time." The tribe slowly dispersed, groups returning to tents to carry on their interrupted conversations.
Rei led the way to his tent, which was still erected, much to his surprise. "Give me ten minutes and I should be able to find a tent for you Tala." The older shifter shook his head, bangs blowing in the slight breeze. "Don't worry about it. I'll just sleep out here with Wolborg. The cold air is refreshing." He quickly shifted and loped off into the darkness, a patch of light in the black. Kai lit the lanterns and dropped onto the bed, watching as Rei unbound his hair, ebony strands stark against his light clothing. The neko-jin dug through his bag, quickly locating his brush. He had just started to brush through the first clump when warm finger plucked the wood from his fingers. Kai slowly worked through the strands, carefully setting each clump of brushed hair to one side, long fingers deftly removing knots.
"How do you suggest we keep them from killing each other?" Rei shrugged, digging through his back. "I have no idea. The only thing I can suggest is keeping close watch over them. That leads to the problem of there are two of us and over three hundred in the two combined tribes. There's... How did this get in here?" Kai looked over Rei's shoulder to find the neko-jin reverently stroking a red feather. The light of the lantern reflected off of the feather, making it glow the colors of a fire.
"That would be one of my guardian's feathers. I have no idea how it got there but it's yours now." He pushed the raven strands out of the way, mahogany eyes focused on the faint scar that marked Rei as his. He lightly licked at the scar, earning a slight moan from the younger shifter. The neko-jin leaned back against his mate, a small cat-like mew slipping from his throat. Kai placed a trail of light, ghostly kisses up the tan throat. Golden eyes fell closed as desire mingled with the need to sleep. Try as hard as he could he found himself drifting off to sleep.
Kai listened carefully, a small smile creeping up. Rei had fallen asleep. He carefully peeled off his mate's top shirt and shoes, setting the feather to one side. He stripped off his own shirt and crawled under the blankets, not looking forward to tomorrow.
*****
Rei pulled the red sleeveless jerkin on over the black shirt, mumbling as it got tangled around itself. "Shit. This is a good way to start the day." He tried to shake his arms, the feeling of pins and needles digging into his flesh painful. "Kai." His voice was muffled and he doubted that his mate could actually hear him.
The sound of laughter reached his ear, causing his cheeks to start burning. Within seconds he was untangled and staring into the warm mahogany eyes of his mate. "I'm glad you think this is funny." Kai placed a kiss between the neko-jin's brows and pulled back one hand holding something behind his back. "I think it's immensely funny."
"What have you got behind your back?" Golden eyes held curiosity as he tried to find out what his mate was hiding. Kai switched hands, eyes lit with humor. "I'm not telling. Now close your eyes." Rei did as he was told and felt something brush against his ear. He reached a hand up only to have it smacked away. "Give me a minute." He could feel Kai tugging at his hair and he let a sigh slip out. "There." The neko-jin reached one hand up, tan fingers brushing against something soft. By craning his head at a certain angle, he was able to see what Kai had done to him.
His feather was twined in his hair, held in by nothing but the hair itself. "It's a phoenix feather. A symbol of good luck and long health. Needless to say their hard to get. Most phoenixes don't appreciate having their feathers pulled out. I'm just lucky my guardian happens to be one."
Kai's smile disappeared and his eyes hardened. "Ready to go Kitten?" Rei nodded and twined his fingers with Kai's, golden eyes slightly tinged with fear. "I'm not going to get any better. We might as well go."
When they entered the tent, all conversations the fell silent, eyes focused on the two tribe leaders and particularly on the red-gold feather that hung from the ebony strands of the neko-jin. Rei took a deep breath, taking comfort from the fact that Kai was behind him and Tala was somewhere near by. "You all deserve to know what is going to happen. War is coming to the tribes." There was a surge of startled cries as all the shifters started talking at once, many of them yelling questions at their head of tribe. Rei shared a pained look with Kai before turning back to his tribe.
"Look, I know that's its hard to believe. We've leaved in peace for years," he ignored the sound of someone saying "Hiwatari", "bar some minor altercations with other tribes. I have proof. Someone tried to kill me, to prevent our tribes from joining." There were more murmurs of disbelief. Rei could feel himself growing angry and he took a deep breath. "Look I have proof." He turned his back on the shifters and pulled both of his shirts up, revealing the still pink scar to the tribe.
"I was the target of an assassin, just as my father was. I was lucky in the fact that I survived. There is a mage that lives far to the south. He is hell bent on destroying us. We need to join with the Drista Tribe in order to survive this war." The tent was quiet and Rei was thankful. "I know that many of you are doubting me but.." Rei took the small bottle that Kai offered him and uncorked the top.
"I have here the Vralti of the assassin that was sent to kill me." Farrah's voice filled the tent and the shifters listened, spellbound.
*****
Rei leaned back against Driger, fingers easily finding the bent page in his book. Kai was sitting several feet away, a whetstone in one hand, a number of daggers and swords sitting on the floor in front of him. He picked up one of the daggers and lightly drew his thumb down the blade, testing the edge. With careful, precise movements the slate haired shifter started to sharpen the blade.
Rei set his book down, golden eyes focused on his mate. "You know, you make it really hard to concentrate." Kai looked up and smiled, fingers continuing their work. "I know." The neko-jin didn't answer, instead opting to go back to his book. The tent was silent for several minutes before sounds of shouting reached the two shifters. Mahogany met gold both questioning. "What the hell is going on?"
Kai dropped the dagger and got to his feet, pulling his mate up also. "I have got no idea. Let's go find out." The two shifters left the tent, making their way to the area of bare space that separated the tents of the Drista Tribe from the White Tiger Tribe. A large crowd of shifters was gathered in the open space, surrounding something or someone. Kai and Rei exchanged a quick look before they both plunged into the mass of shifters, using elbows indiscriminately. More then one shifter was about to elbow back until they caught sight of who was elbowing. The two tribe leaders broke through the edge of the crowd to be confronted with two shifters fighting.
Kai reached and grabbed the nearest shifter, who happened to be Hajem. He tossed the older shifter to the ground, mahogany eyes pinning him in place. The slate haired shifter's voice was low and cold, but both tribes could hear him just fine. "We don't have time to deal with petty differences." He rounded on the other shifter. "And I know, you know about the problems Renal."
Renal got to his feet, arms folded across his chest. He sneered, eyes burning with hate. "You're not my Head of Tribe and I don't have to listen. I think this is just a bunch of shit to scare us." Rei stepped forward, golden eyes narrowed with rage. "He may not be your Head of Tribe but I am. This is not a jo."
The neko-jin was cut off as an eagle landed in front of him and Kai. With alarming speed the eagle shifted back to reveal a young shifter. He dropped to his knees, forehead brushing the ground. "My Lords, the mage's army has reached the southern edge of the plains." Kai's hand reached out and snagged a nearby shifter, who turned out to be a member of the White Tiger Tribe. "Gather the old and the cubs. Get the Dragon-shifters and move them to the mountains." The shifter bobbed his head and took of at a dead run.
Kai made his way over to Rei, who was staring towards the south. Hands found each other and fingers tangled together, tan and pale, a sign of a bond formed. Rei said something and Kai quickly leaned forward, just barely catching it.
"And so it begins."
A/N: In regard to the shifting. Any shifter can turn into any animal they want. Most people have a favorite that they prefer. Like Rei prefers tiger.
I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and I'll try to update my other stories sometime this week.
Kai carefully brushed back strand of ebony silk, mahogany eyes worried. Rei had cried himself to sleep. Driger was curled on the bed, breath ruffling his partner's thick hair. Dranzer was sitting next to his own partner, carefully preening his feathers, a small pile of them at his feet. Kai picked one up, idly fingering the softness. "What do you two think I should do?"
The phoenix looked up from his task and traded a quick look with the tiger. "The best thing to do would get Rei to his Tribe. As much as he loves it here, he needs to be with his friends." The slate haired shifter nodded and set the feather to one side. "We'll leave as soon as he wakes up. Dranzer get Tala for me." The phoenix disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Driger got up and stretched, green eyes focused on his partner's mate. "Take good care of him Hiwatari."
Just as Tala entered the tent, the last wisps of green smoke vanished. The redhead sat down next to his friend, eyes sweeping over the sleeping teen. "What's up?" Kai stretched, wincing as his back popped in several spots. "Dranzer and Driger both think that Rei needs to go back to his Tribe and I agree. We don't need any divisions between us at the moment. I want you to get Varie and her mate. Right now they're the best people to put in charge. I know I can trust them. And pack."
He ran a hand through his bangs and got to his feet, only to start pacing. "There's no doubt in my mind someone killed Rei's father. If you fail to kill the son, kill the father, throw the tribe into turmoil. You're coming because I need someone to watch our backs. I wouldn't put it beyond that bastard to have someone infiltrate Rei's tribe. Now get going."
Tala got up and bowed, a good natured smirk twisting his lips. "Of course. I'll leave you and your mate." The redhead disappeared and Kai let out a pained sigh and stripped his shirt off before climbing in the bed. He curled up against his mate's back, nose buried in the soft black strands. Slowly sleep over took him.
*****
Rei was awakened to the feel of something cold and wet against his ankle. With a half stifled yawn he pulled his foot back under the blankets, snuggling deeper into the warmth. The coldness moved up from his feet, and warm breath moved across his face, ruffling his hair. Golden eyes opened and the neko-jin looked up to come eye to eye with a white wolf. He sat up and drew his knees to his chest, chin resting on his knees.
The wolf looked at him a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I take it you're Tala's guardian." The wolf made a small half bow, pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Wolborg at your service. And may I ask how you know who my partner is?" Rei pulled the blanket up higher, wrapping it around his shoulders. "I've noticed that Tala has a rather wolfy grin. And remember that partners often reflect their guardian." He yawned and glanced at Kai who was still asleep, blue triangles still in place.
"I should probably wake him up." One hand reached out and stroked the slate strands. "Allow me." The great wolf jumped the bed in one smooth movement and sat down next to the young shifter, white-blue fur shinning slightly in the low light coming through the tent walls. Wolborg leaned down and set his nose against Kai's neck, snuffling at the pale skin with vigor. The slate haired shifter shrunk down in the blankets, trying to get away from the cold nose. The white wolf moved forward, nose right against Kai's ear.
A pale arm slipped from underneath the blankets, hitting the wolf right between his ears. Wolborg sat back, fur shaking as he sneezed. Mahogany eyes stared balefully to the guardian. "One of these days Wolborg. And Tala is not going to be able to do a damn thing to save you. And I know he sent you here." The white wolf yawned, showing fangs to all. "You've been saying that for years Kai. I still await the day. Tala's ready to go. You had better explain to your Kitten what's going on." The great wolf left the tent, tail happily wagging.
Kai sat up, one hand reaching out to brush his mate's cheek. "How are you doing?" Rei moved closer to the older shifter, laying his head on the other teen's shoulder. "Tired, emotionally drained, depressed. What was Wolborg talking about?" Kai wrapped an arm around the neko-jin's waist, pulling the smaller teen into his lap. "Drigger decided it would be best if you went back to your tribe for a couple of days before we even try to get our tribes to live next to each other."
Rei shuddered slightly, a small smile creeping up despite the tears once again filling his eyes. "That's not a prospect I relish. This is going to be hell." Kai smiled, placing a light kiss on the raven strands. "Neither do I, but it has to be done if we want to survive this war. Now let's get going before Tala sends Wolborg back in."
*****
Rei slowly shifted back, painfully aware of the hate filled eyes that rested on Kai and Tala. More then one person looked on him with contempt and an unconscious shiver raced through his body, causing his muscles to painfully tighten. Kai moved forward slightly, still remaining behind his mate but close enough to provide support. Rei quickly glanced over his shoulder, golden eyes glowing with thanks.
Tala moved closer also, crystalline blue eyes sweeping over the assembled shifters. He caught a flash of white-blue, a small smirk twisting his lips. Wolborg flashed him a wolfy grin before disappearing behind a second tent, sensitive nose searching for any scent that didn't belong.
There was murmuring in the crowd, starting at the back and working its way forward. One of the shifters at the front of the group stepped forward. He was a big man, one of the tallest in the White Tiger Tribe. His beard was dark and scraggly, leaving him with the look of a wild animal. His eyes were dark with hate and rage.
"What the hell are these two doing here? We don't need Hiwatari's help or any help from his pathetic tribe." The neko-jin quickly glanced over his shoulder. Kai's beautiful mahogany eyes had darkened with anger. Tala was also staring at the older shifter, blue eyes dancing with anger and what looked like a slight hint of humor. There was no doubt in Rei's mind that Tala wanted to see Kai take on Renal, but he couldn't allow it.
"They're here Renal, because I'm here. Kai has every right to come with me, doesn't he?" Rei's voice was calm and low, almost friendly. Many of the shifters however, noticed the thin edge of steel that was hidden in the neko-jin's voice, as though he was trying to goad Renal into doing something stupid. The older shifter lowered his head slightly, flames of hate dying slightly.
"Of course My Lord." Renal spared one last glance at the three younger shifters, black meeting blue. The redheaded shifter gave the grizzled shifter a cheeky smile, eyes sparkling with malice.
A hand rose from somewhere near the middle of the gathering. "What is it Rhyad?" A thin squeaky voice rose into the silence, asking the question that was occupying every one's thoughts. "What are we going to do now that your father is dead? I mean, do you actually expect us to live with Hiwatari's tribe. You are his mate after all." Golden eyes closed and Rei took a deep breath, a silent prayer making its way to Rahee.
"That's exactly what I expect you to do." There was complete silence for several seconds before the entire tribe started talking at once, voices reaching a painful high. Kai moved closer to his mate, leaning forward to make himself heard. "Nice choice of words Rei. Next time try to be a little more sensitive." Rei let out a harsh laugh. He turned on Kai, golden eyes burning with indignation. "You're telling me to be more sensitive? That's rich."
The slate haired shifter laughed, one hand reaching out to stroke the soft tan skin. "Calm down Kitten. I was joking." Rei leaned into the caress, eyes half hooded. "I know. It's just this is so stressing. My father just died and now I have to worry about keeping my tribe from killing your tribe. Not exactly my idea of fun."
Kai, Rei and Tala stood holding a quiet conversation as they waited for the White Tiger Tribe to calm down. Slowly the crowd quieted, eyes turning back to their young tribe leader. "Whether you want to believe me or not, there is a good reason Rahee wanted this union between our tribes. Tomorrow we will meet and I will tell you why. Its getting late and you have much to do before we leave in three days time." The tribe slowly dispersed, groups returning to tents to carry on their interrupted conversations.
Rei led the way to his tent, which was still erected, much to his surprise. "Give me ten minutes and I should be able to find a tent for you Tala." The older shifter shook his head, bangs blowing in the slight breeze. "Don't worry about it. I'll just sleep out here with Wolborg. The cold air is refreshing." He quickly shifted and loped off into the darkness, a patch of light in the black. Kai lit the lanterns and dropped onto the bed, watching as Rei unbound his hair, ebony strands stark against his light clothing. The neko-jin dug through his bag, quickly locating his brush. He had just started to brush through the first clump when warm finger plucked the wood from his fingers. Kai slowly worked through the strands, carefully setting each clump of brushed hair to one side, long fingers deftly removing knots.
"How do you suggest we keep them from killing each other?" Rei shrugged, digging through his back. "I have no idea. The only thing I can suggest is keeping close watch over them. That leads to the problem of there are two of us and over three hundred in the two combined tribes. There's... How did this get in here?" Kai looked over Rei's shoulder to find the neko-jin reverently stroking a red feather. The light of the lantern reflected off of the feather, making it glow the colors of a fire.
"That would be one of my guardian's feathers. I have no idea how it got there but it's yours now." He pushed the raven strands out of the way, mahogany eyes focused on the faint scar that marked Rei as his. He lightly licked at the scar, earning a slight moan from the younger shifter. The neko-jin leaned back against his mate, a small cat-like mew slipping from his throat. Kai placed a trail of light, ghostly kisses up the tan throat. Golden eyes fell closed as desire mingled with the need to sleep. Try as hard as he could he found himself drifting off to sleep.
Kai listened carefully, a small smile creeping up. Rei had fallen asleep. He carefully peeled off his mate's top shirt and shoes, setting the feather to one side. He stripped off his own shirt and crawled under the blankets, not looking forward to tomorrow.
*****
Rei pulled the red sleeveless jerkin on over the black shirt, mumbling as it got tangled around itself. "Shit. This is a good way to start the day." He tried to shake his arms, the feeling of pins and needles digging into his flesh painful. "Kai." His voice was muffled and he doubted that his mate could actually hear him.
The sound of laughter reached his ear, causing his cheeks to start burning. Within seconds he was untangled and staring into the warm mahogany eyes of his mate. "I'm glad you think this is funny." Kai placed a kiss between the neko-jin's brows and pulled back one hand holding something behind his back. "I think it's immensely funny."
"What have you got behind your back?" Golden eyes held curiosity as he tried to find out what his mate was hiding. Kai switched hands, eyes lit with humor. "I'm not telling. Now close your eyes." Rei did as he was told and felt something brush against his ear. He reached a hand up only to have it smacked away. "Give me a minute." He could feel Kai tugging at his hair and he let a sigh slip out. "There." The neko-jin reached one hand up, tan fingers brushing against something soft. By craning his head at a certain angle, he was able to see what Kai had done to him.
His feather was twined in his hair, held in by nothing but the hair itself. "It's a phoenix feather. A symbol of good luck and long health. Needless to say their hard to get. Most phoenixes don't appreciate having their feathers pulled out. I'm just lucky my guardian happens to be one."
Kai's smile disappeared and his eyes hardened. "Ready to go Kitten?" Rei nodded and twined his fingers with Kai's, golden eyes slightly tinged with fear. "I'm not going to get any better. We might as well go."
When they entered the tent, all conversations the fell silent, eyes focused on the two tribe leaders and particularly on the red-gold feather that hung from the ebony strands of the neko-jin. Rei took a deep breath, taking comfort from the fact that Kai was behind him and Tala was somewhere near by. "You all deserve to know what is going to happen. War is coming to the tribes." There was a surge of startled cries as all the shifters started talking at once, many of them yelling questions at their head of tribe. Rei shared a pained look with Kai before turning back to his tribe.
"Look, I know that's its hard to believe. We've leaved in peace for years," he ignored the sound of someone saying "Hiwatari", "bar some minor altercations with other tribes. I have proof. Someone tried to kill me, to prevent our tribes from joining." There were more murmurs of disbelief. Rei could feel himself growing angry and he took a deep breath. "Look I have proof." He turned his back on the shifters and pulled both of his shirts up, revealing the still pink scar to the tribe.
"I was the target of an assassin, just as my father was. I was lucky in the fact that I survived. There is a mage that lives far to the south. He is hell bent on destroying us. We need to join with the Drista Tribe in order to survive this war." The tent was quiet and Rei was thankful. "I know that many of you are doubting me but.." Rei took the small bottle that Kai offered him and uncorked the top.
"I have here the Vralti of the assassin that was sent to kill me." Farrah's voice filled the tent and the shifters listened, spellbound.
*****
Rei leaned back against Driger, fingers easily finding the bent page in his book. Kai was sitting several feet away, a whetstone in one hand, a number of daggers and swords sitting on the floor in front of him. He picked up one of the daggers and lightly drew his thumb down the blade, testing the edge. With careful, precise movements the slate haired shifter started to sharpen the blade.
Rei set his book down, golden eyes focused on his mate. "You know, you make it really hard to concentrate." Kai looked up and smiled, fingers continuing their work. "I know." The neko-jin didn't answer, instead opting to go back to his book. The tent was silent for several minutes before sounds of shouting reached the two shifters. Mahogany met gold both questioning. "What the hell is going on?"
Kai dropped the dagger and got to his feet, pulling his mate up also. "I have got no idea. Let's go find out." The two shifters left the tent, making their way to the area of bare space that separated the tents of the Drista Tribe from the White Tiger Tribe. A large crowd of shifters was gathered in the open space, surrounding something or someone. Kai and Rei exchanged a quick look before they both plunged into the mass of shifters, using elbows indiscriminately. More then one shifter was about to elbow back until they caught sight of who was elbowing. The two tribe leaders broke through the edge of the crowd to be confronted with two shifters fighting.
Kai reached and grabbed the nearest shifter, who happened to be Hajem. He tossed the older shifter to the ground, mahogany eyes pinning him in place. The slate haired shifter's voice was low and cold, but both tribes could hear him just fine. "We don't have time to deal with petty differences." He rounded on the other shifter. "And I know, you know about the problems Renal."
Renal got to his feet, arms folded across his chest. He sneered, eyes burning with hate. "You're not my Head of Tribe and I don't have to listen. I think this is just a bunch of shit to scare us." Rei stepped forward, golden eyes narrowed with rage. "He may not be your Head of Tribe but I am. This is not a jo."
The neko-jin was cut off as an eagle landed in front of him and Kai. With alarming speed the eagle shifted back to reveal a young shifter. He dropped to his knees, forehead brushing the ground. "My Lords, the mage's army has reached the southern edge of the plains." Kai's hand reached out and snagged a nearby shifter, who turned out to be a member of the White Tiger Tribe. "Gather the old and the cubs. Get the Dragon-shifters and move them to the mountains." The shifter bobbed his head and took of at a dead run.
Kai made his way over to Rei, who was staring towards the south. Hands found each other and fingers tangled together, tan and pale, a sign of a bond formed. Rei said something and Kai quickly leaned forward, just barely catching it.
"And so it begins."