A/N: To go on with the adventure.
Delilah crouched, her coat spread amongst her that it was nearly difficult to keep an eye on her. Being much older than River, the Change wouldn't have taken long. Cloaked by her coat, Delilah struggled less and though pain tinged every limb, her body accepted it.
River clenched her jaw, tilted her head back, and took a breath. She felt as though her body tumbled backwards and became light as air. Her fingers tried to capture the wind between them and though she found the Loup-garoux near, River could not stop. The Change occurred. What was skin had torn and split to reveal moistened fur. Unlike the Loup-garoux, River's body shed its thin layer of skin, it was a constant reminder that she was not normal; never would be.
She fell forward onto her knees, collapsing on the concrete and caught herself. Blood trickled from eyes signifying that going back was too late; she was too near. Her bones twisted, reshaped beneath lean muscle, and joined. River arched her back at the final turmoil and gave a roar as the product of the transformation ended. She stood in her glory as a Dyir, a black leopard, strong and true. River never needed to wait for Delilah had completed her own and began to circle the younger leopard.
River kept her eyes on Delilah, and though they appeared identical, she shone her mannerism different. Her body moved fluidly ready to counter Delilah when needed. They had an audience before them, the Loup-garoux. River decided to no longer be bashful, she would not allow Delilah to intimidate her. River moved first; Delilah swiftly dodged to swipe River along her back. River had not planned her attack; what she thought of was her mother and that alone gave her enough motives to rip away at Delilah. She wondered of her father anticipated such treachery from the woman he fancied. Or, was he that blinded.
Delilah leapt onto River's back and bit down, River shook her off and snapped her jaw onto her combatant's arm. She'd stagger a moment from the surprised laceration. River focused more on wounding Delilah's limbs than anything else, without balance, Delilah would fall giving River the edge to end it.
The two leopards fought beneath the moonlight. Rafe stood captivated and silent. His father could say nothing and avoided the scene by staying close into the shadows, as did the other Loup-garoux. River yelped as Delilah again bit the same area. River parted, her blood spattered amongst the concrete. Delilah shook her head and her own spattered; River managed to wound her face, nearly wounding her eyes. River lowered her shoulders, revealed blood stained teeth as a warning. Her ears lay flat against her head. She was not one to toy with.
Delilah dashed forward as did River. She pinned her making one last attempt to wound her, River swiftly moved and tackled Delilah, her mouth clamped to her throat. When the taste of blood spilt into her mouth, River found satisfaction; and just as the woman she killed, River pressed harder to suffocate Delilah. Suddenly, River was thrown to the side. Her large form slid onto the asphalt and thudded against a gated tree.
Gabriel had intervened, Delilah was grateful for that. She lay with her head on her paws, her breathing shallow. One more second, River might have won. Now, she rose onto her paws, limping from both the laceration and the landing to the gate. Still, Delilah bled. With both leopards fighting and without distinct separation, Gabriel could not figure who was who unless by scent; however, their scent was mixed as was their blood. The Loup-garoux approached River believing her to be the other.
River shown her warning even when Rafe approached her in his own natural form; his eyes gave him away and as he came closer along with his pack, she refused to approach. The Loup-garoux advanced while Gabriel examined Delilah. She had little to give and hardly moved.
Being outnumbered left River to do one thing; flee. She tried to find a way out, even the slightest break in the circle would have giving her a chance. One of the Loup-garoux took its chance and bound towards her. Not one to accept it, River responded, her claws dreadfully sharp wounded the female. With her back vulnerable, two more bound for the leopard. River found no way of leaving unscathed by the Loup-garoux; a part of her never expected their sympathy.
The animals within the cages reacted in a frenzy. River shook her body as a lace of blood swept from her wounds. She hadn't killed them, wounded them but left them with their life. And as Rafe came, River backed away again. He growled in defense and warning. River tried not to appear frightening. She backed away again, the Loup-garoux advanced, trapping her. With the way her body swayed, the leopard relinquished its threat. She grew tired and weak but was not going to be stopped there. She gave a roar then leapt into the tree, traveling as she traditionally did as a shadow amongst the night.
River forced her injured body to move faster without turning to see if any Loup-garoux followed. She traveled further throughout Bucharest, her blood dried over the wounds at her shoulder, River seemed relieve of it. Still, she ran further into the woods. Out of breath, her large body collapsed onto the ground. She traveled far from the city limits, protected and guarded by the woods. River lay on her side, wounded and tired. Her visitation was not supposed to go that way. She was sent to study them and the turn of events surprised her indefinitely.
By morning, Delilah passed; the proud beast shifted back into its human disguise, not allowing the world to know the existed. Gabriel discarded what was left of the woman and swore under his breath. For the second time, River escaped.
"Have you found her?" He asked Rafe when he, along with his friends met Gabriel back at the lounge.
"No, there is no trace of her we can't risk going back to the zoo."
"What about the others?" Gabriel swallowed a shot of liquor; his fury thick in his voice.
"They are fine, just wounded but they'll live."
Gabriel turned to look at Rafe. "I want that girl back here by tonight. Send whoever is willing to search for her, do not take her lightly. We can outnumber her here, she has no where to go."
Rafe's friends took their leave, climbing the stairs and exiting the lounge while Rafe stayed there. His expression was passive for the moment. "What are you planning?"
Gabriel served himself another drink. "To talk to her. She said a lot last night; I have every right to question her, if she objects, she dies."
"You can't honestly go forward with that."
"Why not, do you care for her?"
Rafe swallowed back his answer. "Not really, I just don't think you should be so harsh."
Gabriel slid his shot glass across the bar and turned to his son. "Rafe, you are not thinking. She is dangerous, even more so by herself. She will be caged until I'm satisfied of what she tells me. I've had enough of her toying with the strings. In fact, she should not have come to Bucharest. Now, go and find her."
Rafe licked his lips as he went into thought. The zoo would be the last place she'd return to, but she did run. He needed to think of finding her before the others. River was marked and not in a good sense. With his friends, Rafe went back to the zoo to the tree she climbed in to flee. His eyes scanned the grime-coated ground for traces of blood. He found a small path leading from the zoo into the alley. After a while, the trail of blood ended leaving him to carry on by her scent, the true scent that clouded his mind. Rafe waved for his friends to head in the direction his pointed while he continued on foot.
Lead by her scent, Rafe stepped into the mouth of the woods near the Gathering. Had she gone there? Rafe carried on with the search. No one called his phone to report anything, he admitted that River was good at hiding, most times; he had luck for simply finding her. He went inside alone, every step familiar, every musk repetitive. The Loup-garoux gathered at the stone entrance upon every hunt; unlike then, the grounds were for the taking; River was their prime target. Rafe ducked under low branches as he entered the field of trees. Light penetrated through the canopy very little giving Rafe the chance to use his senses. Her smell radiated with each breeze, thicker and thicker.
He drew closer. He lifted his eyes to the trees as he went further, deeper into the woods. Where did she hide, he asked. Her scent was everywhere, touched every leaf. She was clever enough to create confusion whether or not she thought to. Then, as he listened to the creek feet away, he saw her. His heart suddenly stopped at the sight of her nude body curled to the tree, her arms crossed to shelter from the cold. Rafe stayed frozen in place, any further movement would wake her. He reached into his pocket for his phone, though unlikely it worked from there, he let it go. Rafe crouched behind tree to use that time to think.