Later, Luz and Gwen were picking plants from the woods.
"Now remember Luz, there are certain plants that can make you sick, kill you, or make teeth grow out of your eyes."
"That explains why I'm wearing protective goggles." Luz said before asking. "But what do you need these kinds of plants for?"
"Because they are needed for tonight's dinner." Gwen said, "Remember, three leaves and have black venom are bad."
"Okay." Luz said as she went back to picking.
'Hopefully my nose can learn the difference.' Luz thought.
Luz heard a noise in the woods.
"Is there anything in the woods?" Luz asked.
"There shouldn't be." Gwen said.
"Go get Mr. Clawthorne, I'll see if I can find out what it is."
"Alright but be careful." Gwen said before flying back to the house.
"I'll try." Luz said before putting her basket down and taking off her goggles.
She walked around and came upon a clearing.
"Something's here." She said.
She may not have been in panther form, but Luz could still sense and smell something or something that was hidden from her sight.
"I don't know who you are, or why you're here, but you aren't welcome here." Luz said.
"I disagree, Human." A voice said from behind Luz.
Luz turned around and saw a golden mask and a white cloak.
"It's you who doesn't belong here." Golden Guard said.
"And…you are?" Luz asked him.
"The Golden Guard, right hand man of Emperor Belos." He said, leaning against a tree.
"Okay, thank you but you are wrong. Belonging here and being welcome here are two different things, like YOU not being welcome HERE in this area." Luz said to him.
"And you're not welcomed in this world." Golden Guard said, "Now come with me, or face the punishment."
"Punishment for what? Just being human? Because where I'm from, that counts as racist or speciesist, which is outdated and horrible!" Luz said to him.
"It doesn't matter what its like where you come from, you're coming with me."
"And if I refuse?" Luz asked.
"Hehehehe, cute but I don't think you CAN refuse. You don't have anything to defend yourself." Golden Guard said as he pulled out his staff. "Magic or otherwise, so just come quietly."
"If you want to capture me..." Luz ran into the woods and was hidden by the tree line, "Come and find me!"
"Hey! Get back here!" Golden Guard shouted as he ran after Luz. "Resisting arrest is not wise!"
Golden Guard ran through the woods, wondering where she could've gone.
"I don't know where you are Human, but I've tried to be nice." He said, "When I find you, you will be eradicated!"
"Then come find me, Golden Boy!" Luz said, her voice echoing through the woods.
"Grrr." he growled before rising his staff, giving off a red light. "Let's see if I can find here footprints."
He did find footprints, but it was all according to Luz's plan. He would follow them and then, she would strike when his guard was down. Luz was waiting in a tree, using her black fur to keep her hidden in the dark forest. She wasn't going to kill him, but she was going to use the mystic vibe she's been given with her spirit animal to scare him out of the woods. The golden guard continued to follow Luz's tracks before finding the end, before a tree.
'End of the line, human.' He thought as he looked up but found nothing but darkness?
"What?" He asked as he looked around for her.
He heard a growl and was knocked to the ground.
"Aaah!" He let out as he dropped his staff.
Golden Guard looked up and gasped, seeing a pitch black beast holding him to the ground with its teeth bared at him!
He quickly scrambled to get away and pick his staff up. He pointed it at the beast, but it was gone. Before he could react, he was hit by a strong punch to the stomach by Luz.
"Got ya!" Luz said before jumping away!
"Ugh! Get back here!" He said, pointing his staff and firing energy as Luz dodged.
'She's agile, fast, strong.' Golden Guard thought as Luz ran up a tree and flipped to avoid his next blast, 'She doesn't move like any human uncle has told me about.'
Luz landed on the ground and lifted her head, briefly displaying her panther eyes before they switch back to Human eyes.
"That all you got?"
Golden Guard thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he saw hers and quickly refocused, continuing to fire at Luz as she disappeared into the darkness again!
"You can't hide forever! I'll make sure of it!" He said as he spun around, creating red energy orbs to illuminate any dark areas of the forest.
He looked around, waiting for Luz to show up, but to his surprise, the beast jumped out of the bush at him.
"Aah!" he shouted as he held up his staff, blocking the beast and its fangs!
The beast swung her paw on his arm, causing blood to fall from cuts made by her claws.
"Aaaaah!" He screamed in pain before pushing Luz off and teleporting back. "Mangy beast!"
He slammed his staff in the ground to make earth spikes rise, forcing the beast to run and dodge them! It leapt into a tree before disappearing in the leaves! Suddenly, Luz appeared behind him and sent a strong kick into his back.
"Guh!" Golden Guard let out as he was knocked to the ground!
"That's two!" Luz mocked him as she ran away again.
"Enough of this!" Golden guard said.
Gold Guard got up and teleport rushed to Luz, wanting to end this game now!
"YOU'RE DEAD!" He shouted.
He slammed his staff against her, causing her to go flying to the side and hit against a sharp rock, cutting her head open. Luz fell to the ground and Golden Guard put his staff against the back of her head, digging it in enough to draw blood from the back of her head.
"Give up."
Luz let out an inhuman growl, making Golden Guard step back in surprise. Luz stood up and turned, showing panther eyes.
"Wha-"
He didn't finish that as Luz delivered a powerful punch, making him fall backwards and giving her the perfect chance to jump on him and hold him down.
"If you-"
"Leave." Luz said in a menacing tone, "If I ever see you in these woods again, you will never see the light of day again. Understood?"
"I'm not going to listen to some-"
Luz let out a horrifying roar, revealing sharp canine teeth that only animals should have.
"UNDERSTAND!?"
Golden Guard gasped in shock, shivering in more fear than he had ever experienced before in his life! And from this-this-This couldn't be a human, could it?!
"O-Okay! I understand!" He said while shaking his head rapidly.
"Good, now leave!" Luz said, "Or else you won't make it to sunrise!"
Luz moved away and let Golden Guard scramble away, using his staff to fly away in a flash of red light.
"These woods are the Panthers woods." Luz said as she walked back to the Clawthorne house.
In said house, Gwen was pacing with worry as Dell sat in the couch. Both of them were thinking of what could possibly made Luz order Gwen to return home and wondering why she hadn't returned you. It didn't help that they heard a loud growl and assumed Luz was in trouble.
"Somethings wrong." Gwen said, "I need to go see what happened."
She opened the door, and Luz was on the other side.
"Hey…Gwen." Luz said, her hand raised to open the door as her head was still bleeding and her clothes were scuffed with dirt.
"Sweet Titan! Look at you!" Gwen said as she moved to examine Luz's forehead. "You're covering in dirt and bleeding!"
"Luz, what happened to you?" Dell said as he moved from the couch.
"Someone tried to pick a fight with me."
"A fight?! You look like you came from a war!" Gwen said as she looked Luz over, seeing blood coming from the back of her head too!
"I'm fine." Luz said, "I made sure they wouldn't come back."
"That's no excuse. Come on, let's get you patched up and cleaned." Gwen said as she hurried Luz inside and shut the door.
"Still, who was that ruffian that attacked you?" Dell asked.
"Some weirdo in a mask."
"A mask, you say?" Dell asked as he followed Luz and Gwen to the kitchen. "Can you describe it more?"
"It was a gold color." Luz said.
"Gold?" Gwen asked as she sat Luz at the table, summoning bandages and disinfectant. "You mean the Golden Guard?"
"Right hand man to the emperor, who apparently seems it as a crime to be human." Luz said as Gwen applied the disinfectant to her forehead and back of head. "Ow!"
"Sorry, dear." Gwen said.
"Why would the Coven be interested in you?"
"I have no idea. I didn't think having a human here would be a bad thing." Luz said as Gwen finished disinfecting her head and began wrapping it.
This could be a problem.
Before you ask, that is NOT the scar Luz gets on her eyebrow... that comes later, and from the last person you expect. Follow, Favorite, and Review for more.