Episode 4: Sick Pack
Part 4 of 4
The Forest of Silence...
Pumyra discovered no clues along the riverside. She decided to spread out her search in the trees.
"It's freezing…" She could see her breath as she exhaled; proof the drop in temperature was not simply the Forest of Silence playing yet another mind trick, thank goodness…
She leapt onto a large moss-covered rock for a short rest. Rubbing her arms for warmth, she looked about anxiously, half expecting to see Anubis or some other hostile spirit in every other shadowy crevice of the forest. Her nose caught the faintest hint of smoke. She cautiously looked down. Resting his frail back against the rock with his hoofed feet kicked up on a smaller rock was an old satyr dressed in cheap brown rags held up by a hemp belt. Leafy vines decorated his curled horns. He reeked of nature and medicinal herbs. Smiling, he puffed away merrily on a long wooden pipe, oblivious to the cat crouched just overhead.
The old satyr squinted up at Pumyra. His thick spectacles made his eyes appear much larger than in actuality. "Hello, stranger. You look lost." He observed, raising his spectacles a second, squinting.
"Very Lost." She confessed. "Can you tell me where I am?"
He cocked his head, raising an ear up. "You're a cat, my dear. Some kind of cougar or something."
"No, no WHERE am I?" Pumyra repeated louder.
"The Forest of Silence." He took a short puff from his pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke that resembled a feline face.
"Yes, that I'm aware, but how deep in the forest? Am I heading north or south? Am I near the edge or far from it?" She specified.
"The forest is as vast as it wants to be or as vast as you allow."
Pumyra frowned. "Not to offend, but that isn't very helpful."
"Never seen truffles grow here."
"You're not very HELPFUL!"
"Well you're not very polite, young lady." He scolded. "Demanding directions without first introducing yourself. Disrespectful."
She struggled to hold back her frustration. "My apologies." She slid to the ground and sat next to him to save herself the trouble of shouting. "I'm Pumyra. You are?"
He scratched behind his horns. "I haven't been called by my name in years. My craft identifies me better. I am a druid of these dark woods."
"Maybe you can help then. What exactly did you mean a moment ago?"
He exhaled a lung full of smoke. "What do you think I meant?"
"I think you meant this—cough!" She motioned to their surroundings while trying to cover her nose and mouth. "-Is all in my head. Is that it?"
"Hmm…" He shrugged. "Yes and no."
"What do you mean then? Why is this forest so unnatural? What is this place exactly?"
"At one point just a forest I would imagine, but now? I do not know. Perhaps I will have figured it out when my time is finally up."
Pumyra sighed irritably. "Are you just passing through or do you live here?"
"My wife and I settled here a few years ago to practice our craft undisturbed during our golden years."
"Can you show me a way out?"
The old satyr's forehead crinkled in thought as he took short consecutive puffs. "Well, no, not really. I didn't let you in, did I?" He tapped out the ashes from his pipe, placed a brass cover over the mouth piece and used the pipe as a cane to pull himself upright with. He started to limp away.
"Wait!" Pumyra motioned for him to stop. "Have you seen any other cats in the woods with the past few seasons?"
He shook his head no. "You're the first living creature I've spoken to in years besides my wife. This is a dangerous place for animals without the means to protect themselves. The silence has swallowed souls whole before. You should really try to find a way out. You haven't much left besides your soul."
Pumyra bore her teeth and balled her fists. "Was that a -" She looked down only for a moment to pull herself to her feet. When she looked ahead, the old satyr was gone. "— threat?" No trace of him lingered not even the pungent smell of his pipe. "And...he wasn't really there; just an annoying mirage. Great…" Discouraged, but not defeated, Pumyra fled the area and continued.
In a pub somewhere near the border of Dog City; a few hours after dusk...
"I've got something to say
I killed your baby today
And it doesn't matter much to me
As long as it's dead…"
Kaynar hunched over the bar, singing a vulgar chorus softly to himself like a lullaby. In one shaky hand he held a rock glass half full of top shelf whisky. In his other shaky hand he held the bloody broken top shelf whisky bottle. Set bottle had been used to bash in the head of the bar tender and to put countless large gaping holes in the pub manager, the five pub wenches formerly in his employment and a few customers that had not fled Kaynar's temper tantrum soon enough.
Kaynar wouldn't look at the mess he made, preferring to stare his problems down in the rock glass. He tried to ignore a pounding headache "Damn I wish you were coffee. I need coffee…"
Ma-Mutt seemed to be doing a fine job cleaning up. The more flesh he consumed, the quicker he grew. At first glance the imp resembled a small cuddly bulldog pup, but with black, decaying skin, a pair of bat wings and an insatiable appetite for flesh. His red eyes glowed with joy as he tore out the still heart of one of the pub wenches, clamped down his jowls and swallowed it whole.
Leashed to a support beam were the survivors from Kaynar's take over. A small group of puppies cowered close together for protection. They stared at the imp and his equally unholy "father" with wide eyed horror. Kaynar knocked back his drink in one gulp, savoring the burn of the alcohol mixed with blood. The pups gasped as he turned quickly, looked them in the eyes and held out his empty glass. "Would one of you pour me another drink? Your alpha has a long night ahead of him." He spoke; demeanor seemingly calm and surprisingly sober.
The pups froze for a moment, and then decided to volunteer the runt. The huddled pack shoved forward a short, scrawny yellow pup.
"Ma-Mutt, untie him."
Ma-Mutt reluctantly stepped away from his feast. He sniffed the runt, and then barked disapprovingly, snapping at him. Startled, the runt fell backwards onto his tail. "Knock it off, knuckle head; he's one of ours!" Kaynar scolded harshly, winging the broken whisky bottle off the back of Ma-Mutt's head.
Ma-Mutt let out a pained "YIPE!" then proceeded to untie the runt from his leash as previously instructed. He then sulked back to the kill, frowning. "Tonight, pup." Kaynar urged, shaking his empty glass in front of the runt's nose.
While he still had the nerve the runt took the glass, climbed a slippery, blood stained stool and refilled his drink. "Here you are, Alpha." He squeaked out, cautiously approaching the adult.
Kaynar tipped his glass to the runt. "To ol' Alpha Lykar." He drank. The burn made his head shake. He slammed his glass down, startling the runt once again. He yelped as he jumped back a step, tucking his tail. Kaynar growled. "I'm starting to think nobody around here likes me besides Ma-Mutt. What are you afraid of? You don't think I'd hurt my baby siblings do you?"
The pups whimpered, avoiding eye contact. Kaynar barked at the runt. Startled, he raced to rejoin the other hostages. "And tie a tight knot on your leash! If I have to get up to do it, so help me…" Kaynar added before exhaling a long sad sigh. He had hoped a drink would erase the past few hours from his mind, but the events of earlier kept replaying over and over whenever he shut his eyes.
Kaynar glanced over his shoulder. Next to him, Anubis straddled the corpse of another pub wench sprawled on her back over the bar counter, with his hand far up her skirt. "Tonight…" He reminded the red jackal, wearing a lecherous grin as he fingered the corpse. He did so enjoying the feel of her flesh going cold. "You're due in the pit."
"Yeah, yeah; give me a few minutes. I ran far to get here. I'm tired."
"Rest when you're dead." Anubis chuckled. They both knew there was no rest for him.
Kaynar bore his fangs at the evil spirit. He wished for once the black dog and the rest of them would get off his damn back. They take the fun out of everything. "… Ma, Mutt!"
The imp glanced up at Kaynar, bloodied jowls scrunched upward in a loving smile as he wagged his crooked bony tail.
"Don't spoil your appetite."
Ma-Mutt replied with a ghastly belch before licking his fangs and continuing to feed.
Kaynar smiled at him with fatherly pride then turned to face the bar, tapping his bloodied fingers. "I've got something to say
I raped your mother today
And it doesn't matter much to me
As long as she spread…" He continued to sing softly to himself.
Earlier, shortly before sunset…
Somewhere between the deadlands and the boarder of Dog City...
The last jackal pack, remnants of once a numerous and proud breed gathered in their few numbers around a massive bonfire to beseech the rising full moons for dominance. A tall request indeed for the pack lacked warriors in their prime. Set generation was lost to tragedy some years back.
The only jackals "fit" to fight or hunt were a handful of wiry young boys; none a day over 14. The rest of the pack consisted of a few elders, some sickly omega laborers and the bitches, half heavy with pup.
Still they engaged in their traditional pre-battle merriment. The pups danced, waving their spears and axes in the air, laughing. They exchanged practice blows while the bitches poured wine or danced seductively for an extra incentive. It did the elders good to see such vigor in the pack. Perhaps what they had in spirit would make up for what they lacked in numbers or brute strength.
Where is Alpha Lykar on such an occasion? The pack began to whisper when his absence became noticed. They asked, but they knew. Old Alpha Lykar is busy consulting the bones (and the bottle) in his personal tent.
Sitting on a throne constructed from the pelvis, spine and ribcage of a large beast was a wiry old jackal slumping back with a half drunken goblet of wine in his left hand. The right had been bitten off and replaced with a knife blade after a hunting mishap from years ago. He wore a horned ram-bam skull over his muzzle as both a crown and trophy. It masked his intense expression.
Leashed to his throne were half a dozen teenaged jackal bitches, his current "favorite gals". Despite his status the bitches hardly seemed interested in his company. Old Lykar showed little respect for the female gender. The years eroded away any pleasing features he once possessed, including a shiny golden coat now thinning and dull. The years had not tamed his ruthless nature or inhibited his hunting skills however. They remained sharper than his axe.
His harem waited patiently for him to beckon, but their wait would be a long one tonight. Alpha Lykar's thoughts were lost in a gloomy place and time.
He faced a large pile of bones; the ancestral bones of hunts past. A bunch of his youngest bastards dug through the pile, teething on the hard scraps. The designated pack healers and soothsayers, two ghostly hairless bitches of an unfamiliar breed, preformed a ritual dance around the sacred remains.
They shook charms made from wire, pulled teeth and shards of colored glass. Lykar looked bored with the theatrics. "How much longer before you get a vision, bitches?"
The younger of the two witch doctors approached her leader, changing steps to suit a more private dance. "What's the matter, my Alpha?" She asked, leaning forward to scratch the back of his neck ever so gently.
"Nothin', Ah'm prayin' for the dead." He replied before sniffing the air. "Khabra, honey, do you smell anything odd outside tonight?"
She shook her head. "No, alpha. Do you?"
Alpha Lykar kept sniffing the air. He smelled the black dog coming for certain, but he assumed he was coming for only him and dismissed it. "Old nose of mine is playing tricks. Never mind. Just keep shaking that cute lil' furless ass of yer's." He ordered, shoving her off his lap then gave her butt cheek a quick slap on her way back towards the bone pile.
Khabra snapped at him begrudgingly before continuing.
"Chupe," Alpha Lykar addressed the head witch doctor. "What do them bones have to say about our chances of a victory in the pit tonight? You better sniff out something quick."
Chupe shooed away the pups before sifting through the bones, carefully inspecting every crack and contour. She slowly put an old canine skull to her snout then sniffed the empty eye sockets and licked the crown. Her ears drooped. The bones spoke, practically shrieked at her, but she dreaded repeating what they had to say.
"You forget how to read? We has to face off with the other packs by the fifths moon's rise. What they say?" The old jackal urged.
"Well… the message is… mixed."
"Did the message involve us tearing the other five packs a new one?"
"They mention a pool of bad blood and a wave of hellfire. They also assure your pack a glorious revival," Chupe confirmed. "But under the leadership of a new alpha."
Alpha Lykar frowned. "That so?" He leaned back. "We'll have to see about that."
Time crept past like a fog. The night sky blackened and the desert air grew cold. Outside the tent the wind carried an unwelcomed scent.
Lykar twitched. "Intruder!"
The witch doctors motioned for the pups to stay close. A sickening feeling of dread and deja vu overcame the head jackal. He sniffed the air as he reached for his axe. Not a moment after he stood a chorus of blood curdling, alarmed howls pierced their ears. "Stay put, y'all!" The alpha ordered as he charged for the exit.
Chaos swept over the pack. The bitches scattered like roaches, struggling to round up their pups as the males sprung to their defense. Alpha Lykar had to shove through the hysterical crowd and step over several twitching and bleeding dismembered jackals before discovering the cause of the panic, a big raging lunatic swinging a big sharp axe.
Before either of them had a chance Kaynar thrust the spearhead of his halberd straight through one young champion's chest and used the momentum to ram him and the pup behind him. Putting his back into it, he tossed them both into the bonfire like a hay bale. They screamed in agony, fur and flesh consumed in flames within seconds. The other jackals armed with spears lunged after the assailant, but Kaynar, having more muscle and experience, easily blocked them. Laughing he swung his blade back, ready to divide two jackals into four, but Alpha Lykar cut in. Their blades collided with a clang.
"What in the hell do you think yer doin'?" Alpha Lykar snarled. "Back down!"
Kaynar snarled back, struggling to overpower the older jackal. He froze upon feeling several sharp pricks in his side. The pack had him surrounded.
"Lower yer axe befo Ah shove mine straight up yer ass, boy."
"Don't call me boy." Kaynar bore his canines at him as he withdrew his blade. He broke his axe handle over his knee and shoved the broken parts in the hands of the closest jackal. "You got weak, pop."
"And you got ugly. Don't move, goddamn it." Alpha looked about for a quick head count. Save a few teenagers and whoever ran off, the rest of the males had been slaughtered. "Shit! Yer sloppy, but you are quick. Why'd you haffta go and kill mah dogs fer?! We dwindled down to nothin' as it is!"
Kaynar smirked. "Just wanted to piss you off."
"Well, look who came home with daddy issues! This is what I get fer not trusting mah nose. I smelled you comin' from a mile away, son. Ah guess Ah owe you thanks for that..." The elder jackal removed the horned beast skull from over his face, revealing a hideously scarred mess and two gaping empty sockets where a pair of keen eyes once filled. "Ever since ya scratched out mah eyes I can smell perfectly."
"Woof! Put that away. We don't care to see that." Kaynar remarked, scrunching his nose in repulsion and shock.
"You remember what color they were, son?"
"…No…"
Alpha Lykar growled a moment, but then laughed. "Me neither." He smiled warmly before concealing his face once again. "It's been a long time, hasn't it? Come on back to mah quarters and we'll catch up."
A begrudged growl escaped his throat in response to the invite, but Kaynar willingly let his father escort him to the alpha's tent. He was greeted by strange looks and distrustful whispers from the alhpa's harem. Alpha Lykar unhooked his bitches from their leashes. "Clear the room, ya'll. We's havin' a father-son talk. Don't let them pups outta yer sight fer NOTHIN'!" He pulled the witch doctors aside and whispered in their ears, "Guard the door. Make sure this sick bastard don' leave…"
They gave their alpha an obedient nod. Everyone left the two males alone as instructed. Kaynar smiled, enjoying the sight of the bitches' backsides as they slipped through the exit, herding the pups along. "You like mah bitches, don' you, son?" He asked, putting aside his axe before taking a seat on his throne.
Kaynar turned his head sharply towards his father, scowling. "You have brass balls calling me son after ditching me in that hellhole."
"Well you got some led ones barging in here and choppin' up mah pack! You dun cost us ten years a good hunting, you realize that?!"
"Useless! Look at that scrawny old bastard, just withering away from the inside out. It's burning through! He's begging to die; do it…"
Kaynar's ear twitched. He struggled to stay focused. "And what exactly have you done for the pack since you abandoned me- besides screw your own daughters to up our numbers?"
The elder pointed a threatening finger at him. "You ain't got no respect fer yer pedigree."
"Ain't isn't a word you drunk desert hic! Gods, I forgot how much I hate your voice. You're a fool and a fucking disgrace!"
*incoherent screaming*
"And yer a nasally little rat fucker! Curse at me one mo time-" Alpha Lykar raised the back of his hand to him. "See how many teeth I knock outta yer head!" He chuckled, amused. "Listen to you correcting mah grammar. Where did you learn to speak all proper?"
"He threatens you AND mocks you! Withered old cur! How long are you going to take that?"
Kaynar frowned. "At the mental pound; where else? They taught me to read too; the only favors those beaky white coat fuckers ever did for me. Still more than I can say about you."
The elder motioned for Kaynar to sit. "No need to be so hostile. We all dogs here. We can discuss our issues like dogs."
"I'll go once you're dead. End of discussion."
"He's old, he's weak! He had his time! Fucking end him!"
Alpha Lykar slumped in his seat, saddened. "Ah figured that's what this is about. Ah know you must hate me. It wasn't easy to leave you, but damn it boy, you had the rabies! Mah only other alternative to Avian medicine was to drag you out in a field on a leash and bash yer skull in mahself!"
"He wanted you to suffer! The whole pack got off on it!"
"Selling me out for medical experiments was better?!"
"What would you have done? Do you remember the night you staggered back to camp all bitten up and foamin' at the mouth?"
"You became a part of our pack. We love you, Kaynar…*incoherent screaming*"
"The last thing I can clearly picture seeing was the crazed look in yer eyes right befo' you leapt fo' mah face and ripped it off. You turned into some kind of hazy eyed cannibal-ghoul; scared the shit right out of me!" He cringed as the memory replayed in his head. "When them doctors examined you they told me you was too far gone. Said you should've been dead days befo I brought you to 'em. When they said there was a chance one of their vaccines could fix ya and Ah took it. Ah couldn't end you mahself, not after losing all mah other boys. Ah didn't blame you for what happened."
"Lying prick! He sold us your soul! Your delicious, tainted soul…!"
"Then why punish me like you did? Do you know what their idea of treatment was at Hound Hill?! Half the week they chained to me to a wall in a dark room within reach of a bunch of freaks and perverts and let us wallow in our own filth!"
"You're still whining about that? Get over it and kill for us like a real dog, you pussy!"
"The other half, they crammed pills down my throat, stuck me full of needles and shot lightening through my brain! I WISHED EVERY DAY you had bashed my skull in!"
"Your life is worth less to him than it was to the white coats."
"Well, NO SHIT! Do you mind?!" Kaynar cried towards a random direction.
Lykar cocked his head then looked behind him, confused. "Who the hell are you talking to?"
"Did you ever bother to go back and check once?! Do you know what I had to do to get out; what I've had to do since?! NO! SO DO NOT pretend to care now!" Kaynar's voice cracked, body trembling as his anger swelled.
"Hound Hill shut down how many years ago? Ya didn't exactly look us up either. You were too busy messin' 'round Dog City hunting animals ya shouldn't, fucking mutt bitches ya shouldn't and getting' yerself into mo' and mo' trouble."
*uncontrollable sobbing and possibly sounds of projectile vomiting*
"Never mind the old cur and his guilt trips! Who is he to judge you? Rape his empty judging eye sockets with a shiv!"
"You been too scared to face yer demons yer whole life and all a sudden you decide to come home and take it out on yer family? Fuck you, son. I should have let your mother eat out your guts when you was born." Lykar slouched a little, kicking himself mentally.
"Why do you keep standing there? We don't have all night! Get on with it!"
So the black dog was right. Kaynar felt crushed, but not very surprised. He tried not to show it, to keep his demeanor, but Lykar knew he struck a blow too low that time. "Thems was harsh words…" His expression softened. "Ah had the whole pack to tend to, try to understand that. Ah don't want to fight mah boy, Ah want to fight beside ya. This pack could really use you in the pit tonight."
"I never needed you in the pit all these years. I don't need you there tonight."
"Fair enough. Ya ain't rabids no more. Yer welcome back into the pack. Ah can't change the past, but Ah can try to help you now. You need help, son. Ah'll find someone who can do it."
"Help yourself to his flesh!"
"If the gods were just they would have plagued every inch of your insides with a cancer. Stand up so I can end your miserable existence!" Kaynar demanded, gritting his teeth.
Lykar didn't budge. "Now you don' mean that; yer just angry. Stay, hunt, choose a pretty little bitch fo' yerself. We here fo you, son. We always was."
Kaynar froze to stare at his father in bewilderment, unable to respond.
"He's not an alpha, he's a turd that needs burying! We'll love to watch. You'll love it too… *several moans of sexual ecstasy* Do it, Blood Pup! *moans of sexual ecstasy accompanied by incoherent screaming* Bleed him dry!"
"WILL EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP?! YOU'RE NOT HELPING ME!" Kaynar cried over his shoulder at no one. "Right now, old dog! Defend your pitiful fucking pack!"
"Please, Ah don't have to defend shit!" Kaynar yanked Lynkar to his feet by the scruff of his neck. He shoved Kaynar away. "Do you hear yerself at all? Yer as crazy as yer mother."
Kaynar unexpectedly smiled as he burst out an obnoxious laugh. "That reminds me. I ran into mom at Hound Hill. Are you at all curious as to what the white coats did to her?"
"Now that ain't fair, ah loved yer mother, but she was completely out of her damn mind. She was a danger to herself and you pups. Ah… Ah did what we thought was best."
"Tell her that to her face in Hell."
"Ah tried." Alpha Lykar cracked his neck. "Yer bite better damn well be as bad yer bark…"
The witch doctors heard barking, snarling and crashing from inside the tent. They burst into the room, tranquilizer blow darts in hand and loaded. As they expected, their alpha and the strange red jackal were ferociously going toe to toe and tooth to tooth. Fist clenched, Kaynar lunged for Lykar. The bitches each drew in a deep breath and took aim.
Kaynar yelped as hollow needles pierce through his fur deep into his shoulder, causing him to miss his punch.
Lykar stepped back, grinning. He assumed Kaynar would pass out after receiving two full doses of the witch's' brew, but the effects never fully kicked in. Kaynar staggered, feeling a little woozy, but rage (and an abnormally high tolerance) overpowered the effects of the poison. Uninhibited, Kaynar yanked out the darts and lunged for Lykar once again.
In a desperate attempt to aide their alpha, the witch doctors pounced on Kaynar, their eyes on his jugular. Kaynar elbowed them off. In retaliation he jammed the darts they tried to subdue him with into the chest of one witch and the shoulder of the other.
Not much poison was left on the needles, but it was just enough. The witch sisters dropped to the ground, out cold. Kaynar panted heavily, regaining his bearings. He thought about playing with their unconscious bodies, but the flames were spreading quickly leaving no time for play. He remembered his primary target. Kaynar barely turned his head before Alpha Lykar surprised him with a powerful left jab to the face. The impact knocked Kaynar back a step. While his balance off kilter and stomach was exposed, Lykar swung his prosthetic hand, cutting a long, clean slash across Kaynar's stomach. "You asked fer this, boy! Ya dun pushed mah buttons!"
Kaynar whimpered, holding his wound. Luckily for him, Lykar's aim was off. The blood trickled through his fingers and ran down the front of his clothes. It looked bad, but he quickly realized the cut wasn't fatally deep. A huge burst of strength pushed him to keep fighting. Before the elder could react, Kaynar tackled Lykar on his back, sending his trophy-mask flying off. They wrestled, breaking already broken furniture and catching a tapestry (and soon after the walls of the tent) on fire. Kaynar managed to pin him on his back.
Lykar attempted to block with his right hand, but Kaynar took a death hold on his wrist, and twisted it away from him. Forcing all his weight downward, Kaynar slowly pushed the tip of the prosthetic blade towards Lykar's chest.
Lykar grunted, resisting as long as he could, but his strength failed him. He felt the cold sharp point puncture his pectoral. It became clear at that moment he lost. For the first time in his life, he admitted defeat to another dog. "Ah'm sorry Ah handled things so poorly. You pups deserved better." Lykar's scowl softened to a frown."Kaynar, Ah love you. Please, look aft-RRGHK!"
Teeth bared, Kaynar forced the blade deeper, pulled backwards to rip the wound open farther. Lykar choked up a mouthful of blood as the knife punctured his lung. Kaynar twisted the knife around until Lykar stopped twitching.
He froze, feeling rubbery and lightheaded as he stared down at the mangled mess he at one point called family. Crawling back on his knees, he choked back a few dry sobs of relief which shortly thereafter turned into giggles. Then the giggles twisted into hysterical laughter, then into animalistic cries of rage. Unable to stop himself, he ripped out large hunks of flesh and organs from Lykar's body and strewn them all over the place like a one-year-old eating his first birthday cake, staining everything around him in fresh warm blood.
When not much else was left besides his skeleton, Kaynar broke off Lykar's lower jaw from the upper with a hard downward stomp. Starting at the muzzle he tore along the seams of his father's body from his upper jaw down to his mid back. Grunting, he peeled off the skin and draped it over himself like a hooded cloak. He panted heavily a moment, wiping away the blood that kept trickling into his ears and eyes.
It took a few moments of processing, but tears swept over the jackal like a storm. Closer to his father than he had been in years, he looked to the sky and let out a long, mournful howl.
Meanwhile: Inside Mumm-Ra's pyramid.
Kaynar's howl echoed off the ceiling.
Mumm-Ra cackled, amused by the terrible scene unfolding before him in the casting pool. "It's time! Quickly!" He snapped his fingers. "Let us begin the conjuring."
A lizard priest approached Mumm-Ra with a small item hidden under a dusty white sheet. The priest knelt before the mummy, revealing a gold platter on which presented an ancient dried husk of a mummified feral dog. Mumm-Ra smiled as he gently picked up the dusty offering. Cradling it like a baby, he stroked its cold, stiff side. "I missed you, my pet. You missed me, didn't you?" He turned to idol of Anubis, raising the offering over his head as he genuflected.
Anubis's eyes glowed red. Mumm-Ra took his cue to begin. He placed his mummified pet into the waters. The pool bubbled and steamed as the corpse sank under and dissolved. Mumm-Ra stood, dramatically outstretching his arms to the wicked gods. "Ancient Spirits of Evil, by your will and, the evil in every beating heart, breathe life into my vicious pet once again!" An icy wind whipped through the camber leading an ominous energy. "Transform this decaying dog into the hellhound, Ma-Mutt, the ever ravenous!"
Meanwhile…
Still choking back tears, Kaynar pulled himself from his knees to his feet. He stepped over Lykar's carcass and limped to the throne to claim his place as Alpha. He left a trail of his and his father's blood with each step. He grabbed Lykar's axe, shocked the old dog didn't try diving for it during the fight. He used the handle as a post to lean on as he caught his breath. The burning tent started to collapse around him. The smoke burned his eyes and nose, but he ignored the flames, struggling to clear his thoughts. "Looks like I'm the alpha dog now, bitches." He mused to himself, half chuckling, half choking.
A gust of icy wind blew in from nowhere, extinguishing the flames. It carried a foul stench, even fouler than Lykar's disemboweled guts. His nose crinkled and he gagged. He couldn't identify it or describe it, but gods be damned what an awful stench! Harsh incoherent whispering filled his ears. He held his palms over them, but he couldn't block out the voices. "What else do you want from me?!"
A sharp pain ran through his stomach. He doubled over, clenching his throbbing stab wound, suddenly festering. His blood thinned, spilling out more rapidly than a few moments ago. As he looked down, he noticed the puddles of blood somehow creeping towards each other into one large pool beneath Lycar's carcass. Is this really happening he wondered? No, he wasn't seeing things. Not this time...
The disgusting red mess started to bubble on the ground, hissing and popping as it lumped together into a solid mass and took shape. A minute later, a bipedal canine-like creature emerged. On his chubby two legs he waddled around, testing his balance while stretching out a pair of fully functional wings. He inspected his new surroundings with delighted curiosity and noticed Kaynar out of the corner of his eye. Wagging his tail, he waddled over, eager to greet him. Kaynar leaned forward. They sniffed each other hello. A warm smile instantly formed on Kaynar's muzzle as he outstretched his arms and dubbed the pup, "Son."
The pup replied with a cheery yelp and a tail wag before returning the hug.
"What's his name?" He asked Anubis, who against Kaynar's wishes, hovered close beside him.
"Ma-Mutt."
The pup's empty stomach growled.
"I love him..."
"We knew you would…"
Presently…A few hundred yards outside the pub…
"Made good time." Brindle noted to herself inwardly. "Nothing weighing me down." The thought of her sled brought a permanent scowl to her face. She would regret it, but she had no choice but to keep her word to Pumyra. After all the strange things she had seen over the past week or so, walking away from Mumm-Ra's operation didn't seem like the most prudent course of action. "I wonder if Kitten Lips is having any luck?"
Thinking of Pumyra reminded her of Tabbothy, the poor lost ragamuffin from Thundera. She prayed her hairball was alright by himself, though her hopes on the matter were not high. The memory of her dear friend managed to tug a heart string. She missed the kitten badly and hated herself for letting more harm come to him, but there wasn't much she could do for him out in the middle of the desert.
Brindle wiped away a tear, inwardly scolding herself for outwardly emoting. Now wasn't the time to dwell on her feelings. She forced them down into the pit of hers stomach for the time being. She had to, as much as she hated the idea, meet up with Kaynar. How far ahead did he manage to get anyways?
The moons hovered over Dog City full and deathly white, with the exception of the fifth moon. Until midnight Dobo's Pit arena would partially block her pale glow. Brindle sniffed the air. Several packs of dogs gathered towards the city. Open walls welcomed in spectators eager to watch the big fight. A chorus of howls from the Wolf and the Coyote packs sent a chill down her spine. Not being too popular with either pack, she hurried along.
An icy gust of wind blew in her face, carrying with it the distinct scent of blood. She turned her head and noticed a pub close by with the front windows busted open. She knew instantly to go look closer.
Ma-Mutt swallowed a mouthful of entrails, sniffed the air then barked at the front door. Brindle gasped as she entered and took a good look at the damage. The shock quickly wore off. As expected she spotted Kaynar sitting at the bar with his back to her.
"- As long as she spread…Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Come sweet death, one last caress…"
The leashed jackal pups whimpered at her, wide brown eyes begging for help as she passed by. She shushed them gently, assuring them in a whisper everything would be alright. Ma-Mutt jumped in front of her path, projecting a deep, guttural growl. The imp opened his jowls wide, gathering a tight cluster of hellfire in his throat.
Brindle gasped, startled. She backed away slowly, inwardly eager to run, but somehow found herself entranced by his red unblinking stare like a helpless rodent facing a cobra. "Ma-Mutt…" Kaynar waved a scolding finger at him. "Back off."
Ma-Mutt smiled up at Brindle then cheerfully continued with his pre-meal snack. Brindle cautiously took a seat on the stool next to Kaynar. He growled under his breath. "What are you doing here?"
"I would keep heading north, but YOU lost my sled in the geysers."
"Do you have any coffee beans I can grind? My hands keep shaking."
"No, you ass! You lost my sled! My clothes, my false tags, all my money and my provisions were on that sled. So until I am reimbursed, you're stuck with me and no luxuries." She explained irritably. "You just had to drag me back into your shithole of a life, didn't you?" She eyed the fresh kill draped over Kaynar's backside. Blood dried into his fur, attracting insects. "Holy… That's…? What did you do?"
"Went home;" He answered casually. "Paid my pack a quick visit. It could have gone better. This is my father, by the way." He motioned to his new fur cloak.
"There's a strong resemblance." She noticed aloud, studying the carcass.
Kaynar exhaled a short, insulted growl. "He went down easily enough. It didn't do a thing for me." He sighed, disappointed. "After fantasizing about killing the old dog for so many years I was expecting some closure, you know?"
"Was he the alpha?" Kaynar nodded. "So you're the top jackal now? That's, wow, that's great! Where's the rest of the pack?"
"We got a little carried away." He admitted. "Just him, me and them now." He motioned to Ma-Mutt and the hostage pups. "Most of the adults are rotting in the sand back at camp. I dragged a few bodies with me for the pups to snack on if they get hungry."
"Why did you kill them?" She motioned to the pub staff.
"That stupid bitch over there asked for my tags." He pointed to one of the pub wenches. "I have no tolerance for bad service."
"That's all she did?"
"Do I really look like I need to show proof of age for a shot?! I've had one hell of a week and I have a VERY short fuse right now." He argued in his defense.
Brindle shook her head in disbelief. "I thought the whole reason you came out here was to recruit dogs for Mumm-ra's army! Dead dogs can't fight! What are you doing?"
"Don't nag me, bitch. It's MY pack; keep your nose out of my business."
"Thanks to you YOUR business IS my business! Dobermans, Boxers and Rottweilers are patrolling the area! You're going to get us both hung."
"Relax, I didn't kill anyone of great use to Mumm-Ra. What are you worried about? He gave us a license to kill remember?"
"That doesn't justify all THIS! You never take responsibility for anything! Being Mumm-Ra's brainless attack dog doesn't mean you're immune to consequence! What were you thinking, Kaynar?"
"I CAN'T THINK ANYMORE! The fucking voices never shut up long enough!" He paused to take a deep, calming breath. "It wasn't all my doing. I asked Ma-Mutt to round everyone else up, but he got hungry. He's growing; he needs the nutrition. Can't be too sore at him."
Brindle looked over her shoulder at the feasting imp, cringing. "Where did you find that hideous thing?"
"He's my son! The black dog sent him. He bled out of my belly." Kaynar informed her, rubbing the makeshift gauze wrapped tightly around his torso. "I thought you'd be happy for me. I always wanted a litter of my own and you never-"
"Stop…We're not having this conversation. Whatever that is, it is not a dog and it did not come from you. Or… maybe it did. Just don't let it come anywhere near me."
"If you have nothing nice to say about my pup then go fuck yourself. Ma-Mutt and I have each other. You and your desolate, cankerous womb can get lost." He pointed towards the door.
She flashed him a hateful stare. That was a harsh, even for Kaynar. She growled under her breath. Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her fur. "You're a mess. How do you expect to last ten seconds in the pit against the other alphas?"
"I'll manage just fine."
"Have you even figured out a way to get in the arena?"
Kaynar took a long, uncomfortable pause. "He really messed me up tonight, Brin."
"Ma-Mutt?"
"NO! My father!" Kaynar choked a little. "He welcomed me back into his pack…He…He told me he loved me right before I killed him. Why? Why would he say that?" He doubled over, sobbing silently.
"Maybe he felt sorry for you."
"Well, he can go fuck himself." Kaynar threw his father's pelt to the floor. Ma-Mutt immediately snatched it up in his jowls and began gnawing on it.
Brindle tried to place a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, but Kaynar jabbed her away with his elbow. "Don't touch me, whore!"
She pulled back. "Suit yourself."
Kaynar shifted moods unexpectedly as he often does and pulled her in for a tight hug. Brindle resisted at first, but she knew it was wasted energy. She returned the embrace, softly patting his back to comfort him.
"I miss my pack…" Kaynar buried his face in her bosom, putting pressure on the stab wound he put in her earlier.
"I know how you—yelp!" She winced in pain.
"Oopse!" Kaynar eased off a bit. "Oooh, that looks nasty. What happened?"
"You know what you did. You are at the very top of my shit-list."
Kaynar's ears drooped. "My bad. I won't do it again. I'm sorry, Brin."
She didn't pay much attention to that song and dance anymore. "I'm alive. No harm no foul."
"I really didn't mean to. I love you. I'm so sorry..."
That L word again; disgusting. "I'm… sorry too."
Kaynar shook his head. "No you're not."
"Not for everything." She admitted. "But I am sorry for some of things I said and did earlier. And I'm sorry for barking at you a moment ago. Barking at you isn't helping…"
"It will all work out tonight." He assured her. "And after the dogs help Mumm-Ra conquer everything he wants to conquer we'll take our spoils and make a pack of our own somewh-"
"NO." Brindle cut him off. "There will never be an us, Kaynar. It wouldn't work out."
"If you-"
"But I will watch your back in the pit one last time. After that, I only stick around long enough to find the second name on my shit-list. When I go please, PLEASE let me go. Don't follow me."
"Alright; if that's what you want…" He nodded in agreement then pulled away from her embrace. Without warning, Kaynar swiftly smashed his rock glass over her head, knocking her out cold. "Told you once, bitch. We don't need you. But since you offered…"
Kaynar and Ma-Mutt exchanged sideways glances. A sick grin formed on the jackal's face. "It's about that time. Sick em', Ma-Mutt."
Ma-Mutt's eyes started to glow brighter. Head cocked and body twitching, he started to foam at the mouth. Growling, he dragged the unconscious Samoyed to the floor by his canines. Kaynar half snickered as Ma-Mutt tore into her calves and thighs. He kicked Ma-Mutt off her when his snout poked a little too close to her tail. "That's enough." He scolded.
Ma-Mutt growled, twitching and staggering. He sniffed the air then turned to face the leashed pups. They backed away as far as their restraints would allow, cowering at the sight of the imp. Licking his bloody jowls, Ma-Mutt charged.
They screamed, helpless as he mercilessly tore into their flesh. A madness quickly spread through Brindle and the pups. It consumed their minds and twisted their being into howling monstrosities. Fully transformed, they flocked to Kaynar, ready to begin the end…
And all he could do was laugh…
Earlier, The forest of Silence.
Pumyra frantically combed the treetops. Lynxanna was still here in some form somewhere, she knew it. Focus was key, but not easily achieved. Rough bark scratched her palms and feet raw as she leapt from branch to branch. The cold stiffened her joints, making it difficult for her fingers to grip properly, but still she searched on... with little success. The entire forest consists of a blip on the map, yet it seemed to stretch on forever. How? HOW?
Her cunning and resourcefulness would have to match the assassin's if she hoped to find her. The lynx put her Prowl training to good use. It quickly became painfully obvious that Lynxanna had covered her trail. Or perhaps the trail was too cold to follow. Perhaps Kaynar was correct and Lynxanna had gone mad and was dead and rotting on the forest floor somewhere. Too soon to determine or was it? Jaga help her, was it…?
"How long have I been here?" Pumyra wondered. It felt like days. Darkness and silence consumed her thoughts, making it impossible for her to judge time. "I'm due at the Pyramid; Mumm-Ra will tear me in half if I keep him waiting much longer! There has to be something here!"
The Forest of Silence appeared completely untouched by any creature in centuries. The only concrete evidence of life Pumyra found thus far was that horrible river fish. It scuttled along the rocky bottom of the Despair staring up through the black rapids, waiting for her to slip on a branch and fall in. "You won't get any of this, ugly…" She taunted the beast inwardly as she crossed the river.
Pumyra climbed higher. At a loss she decided to go to the very top of the trees for a clear view of the surrounding area. Maybe then she could determine just how much ground she had covered and how much was left to search through. Pumyra hissed irritably as the branches and leaves sliced every inch of her not covered in clothing. Persistence paid off. She could see the warm golden glow of the sun through the leaves as she clawed upward. Only a few feet remained before she could see the top. Right before her fingers touched the highest branch the trees burst into flames.
The branch beneath her feet snapped, burning. She dropped, screaming. Blinded and choking on smoke, Pumyra desperately reached out for something sturdy to grab a hold of. She caught a branch, but it snapped in her grip and she fell once again.
Something wrapped around her ankle, breaking her fall. "OMPH!" Pumyra looked up. The flames magically extinguished as if they never existed, but her foot was caught in some kind of tree snare. Pumyra pulled out her knife then bent upwards, struggling to grab her ankle and cut the cord.
"A cat built this trap. Lynxanna was here." Pumyra concluded inwardly. Tightening her core, she bent nearly in half. She could almost reach with her blade when she heard a thin woosh overhead. Someone cut the cord.
Pumyra snarled, barely landing on her feet at the base of a tree. She turned around, raised her fist instinctively prepared to throw a punch. A black kunai zoomed down out of the trees, piercing straight through her wrist and pinning her arm to the tree trunk behind her. Hissing, grimacing in pain, Pumyra reached to pull the blade free, but in the corner of her eyes she caught a shadow; a quick flash. She blinked then right in front of her a masked cat in black appeared, holding a kunai tip to her jugular with one hand and twisting her free hand in an arm lock with the other.
"Keep still." She ordered. "Did Mumm-Ra send you?"
"How did you know I was here?"
"I've been shadowing you for over two hours now. Indiscreetly."
Pumyra's eyes widened, surprised. "I've only been here a few hours?"
"The madness takes over quickly. You'll get used to it." She shrugged. "Or perhaps not. One last time, honey," She applied a little more pressure with the blade. "Did Mumm-Ra send you?"
"Lynxanna, you failed to report in for too many seasons. I have orders to bring you back to the pyramid." She explained. "After all the shit I've been through you better come quietly."
She eyed Pumyra's wrist carefully through the holes of her feline-face mask. There was a lot less blood-spill than she anticipated. Her captive's flesh started to heal around the blade. Mumm-Ra didn't send a normal cat for her.
Pumyra snarled, ripping her wrist free. Using the momentum she clawed at Lynxanna's face. The impact knocked off her mask and caused her to drop her kunai. Lynxanna quickly recovered and retaliated with a swift backhand across Pumhyra's face. Pumyra struggled, but Lynxanna grabbed ahold of her free wrist and pinned her backside to the tree. She pulled back then quickly butted heads with Pumyra with all her might.
The world went black for a moment then Pumyra awoke on her knees. She tried to crawl away. When she glanced over her shoulder. Lynxanna glared down at her with cold jade eyes before pinning a kunai deep between her upper vertebrae with a flick of her wrist.
She immediately lost all feeling from the shoulders down and fell face first into the soil. Lynxanna kicked her in the stomach for good measure. Pumyra cocked her head to spit out some blood and dirt.
Lynxanna recovered her other blades, wiped off the blood on the lip of her boot and tuck them away in their sheath. "You can't kill me. Literally." Pumyra warned. "I'm taking you with me sooner or later."
Lynxanna snatched her up by the cheeks, making her lips pucker. Her own thin black lips curled upward in a taunting smile, making her gaunt face appear all the more hollow. "Poor little abomination, damned if she does or if she doesn't. I know ways around Mumm-Ra's magic. A hatchet and a big enough fire pit would rid me of you nicely, but staining my hands would compromise my search." She sighed. "What to do, what to do…?"
Lynxanna removed one of her gloves and stuffed it inside Pumyra's mouth. She dropped the young puma, allowing her to fall face first into the soil once again. She then bound her wrists behind her back and then her ankles. "I'll burry you for now. By the time you dig your way out I will hopefully be far away from this miserable forest." Lynxanna hoisted Pumya over her shoulder. "Only problem left is where to dig the hole." She jeered, kicking some dirt around. From what seemed like a great distance a bleating cry of an equine echoed through the trees. Lynxanna froze, pupils narrowing. Like a mother hearing the cries of her endangered cub she dropped Pumyra and raced into the woods.
Pumyra cried out as she hit the ground stomach first. Gritting her teeth with humiliation and frustration, she watched Lynxanna scale up a tree and vanish. She snarled, unleashing a burst of strength just powerful enough to pull her wrists free. She reached behind her back for the kunai wedged between her shoulders. She nearly popped her arm out of joint, but she managed to reach the handle and pull. Without the blade severing her vertebrae, feeling in her extremities quickly returned and she pulled herself to her feet.
Without hesitation she spit out the glove then scaled up a tree after her. What was that about? What is it she found here worth betraying Mumm-Ra over?"
That same pitiful cry echoed through the trees, much closer this time. Pumyra stopped. Just below her in the brush she spotted an animal caught in a similar snare she had been caught in minutes ago. It was a young feral horse; coat shimmery white. On its forehead the nub of a singular platinum horn started to grow. It kicked, snorted and bleated, desperate to run free. Was it really there? It was certainly loud enough to be real. Pumyra cautiously approached it.
"Shhhh…" She motioned for it to stay calm as she reached for the snare tightly looped around its ankle. It snorted, shaking its head at her. "It's okay. I won't hurt you." Pumyra assured it in a soft whisper. The unicorn fell limp, panting heavily. It stared helplessly up at Pumyra with watery brown eyes. She knelt down, eyeing her surroundings for any sign of Lynxanna. Convinced the coast was clear, she pulled out her knife.
Not a moment after she revealed the blade a throwing star pinged it out of her hand. Pumyra summersaulted back a step, readying her crossbow. Another star flew out at her from the shadows. Pumyra released the bow, dodging it with a pellet.
Lynanna revealed herself and lunged at her. "Piss off, I found him first!" She snarled, claws swinging.
"What do you want with it?!" Pumyra dodged, then snatched a tuft of her mane and yanked.
Lynxanna elbowed her off. "Not your concern!"
Pumyra dodged a few more swipes, but her reflexes failed when Lynxanna threw a kick for her chest.
Pumyra held her torso, winded a second. Consumed by fury, she flashed her canines and drew her claws, ready to strike, but a faint glimmer in the distance made her hesitate.
Lynxanna looked over her shoulder. She too spotted the massive adult stallion coming out of the shadows. He glared at the cats, scraping a groove in the dirt with its massive hoof. Getting ready to charge, it snorted, lowering its long (and lethal) horn.
Without warning Lynxanna jumped towards Pumyra, using her shoulders to spring upward and disappear in the trees. Being the only target left, the unicorn galloped towards Pumyra at full speed, eager to impale the stranger.
"Stop!" Pumyra begged, shifting out of the unicorn's path just in time. He kept running a moment before he realized he missed then turned around to charge once again.
"I'm trying to free your baby!" Pumyra barely missed the horn this time. She reached for her belt and pulled out a thin leather sling with two metal bearings tied at each end. As the unicorn charged for her a third time she aimed for its legs and winged the sling at them. The sling wrapped around its left back and front leg. The bearings tangled around his ankles and the unicorn flopped over on his side at Pumyra's feet.
It kicked, snorting in anger. "Relax!" She scolded. "I'll let you go too. Give me a second…"
She turned for the young unicorn. "Back off." Lynxanna greeted her with a kunai blade pointed at her nose. "Nobody sees me coming unless I want them too."
Pumyra frowned at her, nose crinkling with contempt. She backed away as Lynxanna inched closer. Thinking quickly she swung her arm, knocking the kunai away from her face, but Lynxana reached for her shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.
Pumyra hissed as her body went numb and her knees buckled out from under her. "What are you doing to me?"
"Trade secret." Lynxanna kept a firm hold on her shoulder. She forced her to bend forward, crammed another kunai blade between her vertebrae then let her drop, paralyzed once again.
Pumyra watched Lynxanna kneel down beside the baby unicorn. "Finnally… You eluded me for so long..." Lynxanna forced leather reins around his muzzle and neck before releasing it from the trap. "They're so beautiful... and easy to break." She yanked on the reins, forcing the baby unicorn still before sticking a kunai deep into a tree trunk.
"Don't hurt them!"
Lynxanna hissed. Using it as a hitch she looped the reins over the blade. With the baby securely leashed she proceeded to bind the stallion. Being much feistier than his offspring, the father jerked its head at Lynxana as she approached him, nearly impaling her. Lynxanna snarled in his face. Grabbing it by the horn, literally, Lynxanna straddled the unicorn stallion and wrestled with it until it tired and allowed her to put reins on him.
Lynxanna hog tied Pumyra doubly tight this time before tossing her over the back of the stallion. She tied the baby to its father then gave them a quick smack on the back thigh. They trotted forward so lightly their hooves never clipped or clopped, nor left prints. Lynxanna kept a loose but firm grip on the reins, allowing the unicorns to guide her. "That's it…" The lynx cooed softly. "Go to your keeper…"
"Where are they taking us?"
Lynxanna flashed Pumyra a vexed glance over her shoulder. "The unicorns always return to the Unicorn Keeper. He's a very aloof, but powerful wizard who guards the last unicorn herd. Word far west of Thundera is he can summon spirits from the Astral Plane. He was last seen guiding the herd through this forest. Grune suspected he possessed a power stone and sent me to investigate, but I have my own agenda now."
"What do you want with the keeper?"
"What Mumm-Ra failed to deliver..." Lynxanna clicked her tongue twice, signaling the unicorns to halt. They complied. Lynxanna bent down to eye level with Pumyra, face frozen in scowl. "Grune was the only and I mean ONLY male on Third Earth I ever respected or loved. Mumm-Ra promised him glory and a mighty kingdom we BOTH knew he was destined for. Where is he NOW because of that demon?!"
"Grune fell because of his own incompetence."
Lynxanna snarled, scratching Pumyra deeply across the cheek. "If he chooses to revive a lowly bitch like you and leave his best general stranded in limbo then I reject him and his war! Let the animal kingdom tear this mud ball apart!"
"You'll live to regret this and no longer." She vowed.
"Shut up." She removed her other glove and crammed it into Pumyra's mouth. "Everything is finally coming together. The last thing I need is a bratty kitten spoiling everything." She gave her a playful pinch on the nose then ordered the unicorns to proceed.
The unicorns led them across what seemed like an eternally long and winding trail through the accursed forest. Evening came upon them. Trees, underbrush and shadows melted together in the night after so long. The unicorn's tail flicked Pumyra in the face. Her eye twitched in anger. She feared much more time spent draped across a saddle would cause her to lose it. She cursed Lynxanna venomously in her thoughts. In the back of her head, buried somewhere deep beneath the loathing, Pumyra did feel some shred of sympathy for the female. After all, she went through all this hell because she loved Mumm-Ra. She could understand Lynxanna's desire to do the same for Grune…
Hours passed. Morning came though without much notice. Pumyra noticed a faint trickle of daylight shining through the treetops. She sniffed the air and for the first time since she arrived was able to detect the surrounding scents. The trees themselves appeared gentler and the colors more vibrant. Some produced fruit which Lynxanna plucked and fed to the unicorns as a reward for their obedience. "This is it…" She exclaimed, excited. "This HAS to be it…"
Other unicorns started to come out of the woodwork, trotting through the trees merrily. The leashed unicorns followed behind them as quickly as Lynxanna permitted. They eventually came to a giant tree stump. Lounging comfortably in the center of the countless rings was an elderly satyr male, the same peculiar goat from before. Through a notch in the cane he burned sage, cleansing the air.
His eyes widened as the strangers approached him. "Halt!" He stood, motioning for them to stop, demeanor much less feeble than earlier. "You are trespassing on hallowed grounds. I am the unicorn keeper. This is their home. Come no further and state your business in our sanctuary."
Lynxanna waved the smoke from her face. "Please, don't be alarmed. I'm not here to hurt you or your herd. My name is Lynxanna from the fallen Thundera. I've traveled far and sacrificed much to meet you."
"I'm flattered. Greetings, Lynxanna from the fallen Thundera. Your persistence is impressive." He raised his spectacles a moment, squinting at her. "The silence drives most to suicide before they ever reach our sanctuary. I would be glad to assist you in any way I can, but may I ask what you are doing with my unicorns and who is that feline with you?" He motioned to Pumyra, trying not to smile.
"She did not travel with me. I'm not sure who she is, good sir, but I did catch her trapping these two a few miles from here. She must have been trying to harvest their horns or meat." She lied through her teeth.
Squirming in protest, Pumyra tried to shout something, but her gag muffled it.
The satyr took a long uncomfortable pause to look over his unicorns and the strange felines. "Thank you for looking after them. Like the father, the son tends to wander. Not all who wander are lost though." He smiled. "Surely they need time with the herd to recover from such a traumatic experience. I will deal with the poacher myself. Release them all to me."
"Forgive me for playing hardball," Lynxanna hesitated to relax her hold. "But you are known to leave this plain unannounced. Before I release anything into your custody, I must insist you contact someone for me first. I have been grieving the loss of my beloved. His death was untimely and painful. Living without him is living in Hell. Please, will you conjure his spirit and let us be together again?"
He sighed. "Dear Lynxanna, you are a desperate female with clear intentions. My heart aches for your loss. I would gladly conjure the spirit of your beloved if I had such power, but sadly I do not."
Lynxanna's ear twitched. "But you are the Unicorn Keeper!"
The satyr shook his head. "But I'm not the Unicorn Keeper who can help you. I'm just a simple druid- a healer. I only tend to the herd. My wife has both the tool and gift to reunite you your love though. Our family has watched over the last herd for ten generations, hiding what's pure good in places of darkness. Unfortunately you caught us at a bad time. My wife left for the hoofed towns to bless the harvest.
"No. no this can't be! I searched in the dark for seasons-"
"Don't be upset, my dear. All is not lost yet. My wife should be back soon if you care to wait for her." He motioned for her to sit.
Scowling, disappointed, Lynxanna ripped Pumyra off the back of the stallion and threw her to the ground. "How soon is soon?" She asked, grip on the reins tightening.
"Soon, but long after your hand gets tired from gripping"
"No worries. I do not tire quickly." Lynxanna smiled, clinging tightly to his unicorns. "If waiting in the sanctuary is what it will take then here I will wait."
The old satyr plopped his bottom down at the edge of the tree stump. He leaned forward, kicking his hooves. "Perhaps I can reach my wife's thoughts; hurry her home. Excuse me a moment. I'll need privacy to concentrate." A cloud of sage smoke encircled him and within it he disappeared with a passing breeze.
"Certainly. Eternally grateful." Lynxanna exhaled an irritated sigh as she leaned against the stallion.
The other unicorns dispersed. They backed off twenty some odd yards or so then started to form a circle. The leashed stallion snorted, jerking his head. Lynxanna yanked on his reins, forcing him to stay put. Something peculiar was going on. "What trick is this, wizard?"
"It unnerves the whole herd to see one restrained. You make them feel threatened." His voice answered from nowhere. "They don't respond well to threats from strange animals."
"They don't scare me. I will return what's most precious to you once you return what's most precious to me, understand old goat?!" She refused to waver, scanning the area for him.
Pumyra noticed the unicorns moving in, closing the circle. They quickened their pace to a brisk trot. Lynxanna held a kunai to the jugular of the stallion. "Do not try anything cute! I will bleed your precious unicorn out in a heartbeat!" Lynxanna warned.
"You'll be cursed for life." The satyr's voice warned her. "My wife and I do not assist evil people in fulfilling selfish desires."
"How can you say what I ask is selfish?!" Lynxanna scowled towards the sky. "She has been here this whole time, hasn't she?! You've both been toying with me this whole time haven't you? Send out your wife right now or your herd will go without two less unicorns!"
"The deal was never binding by the spirit of the sanctuary. I ask you once nicely, Lynxanna from the fallen Thundera. Leave, take your friend and never return."
She snarled under her breath. "I'm not leaving and she is NOT my friend…"
The herd started to gallop. Pumyra looked up at Lynxanna. With begging eyes she shook her head no. Lynxanna ignored the warning and slit the stallion and his son across the throat. They didn't bleed but rather burst into flames. They neighed, bucking wildly before collapsing and crumbling into a pile of ash. The wind scattered the ashes past Lynxanna's feet. The whole herd turned an ominous black then burst into flames, snorting smoke. The gentile pure unicorns became raging nightmares.
Biting her lip and her swallowing her pride, Lynxanna released Pumyra from her binds and ripped the kunai from her back.
Pumyra snarled out in agony as she ungagged herself. "What have you done?" She glared at the lynx, struggling to her feet.
"I don't know, but unless we call a truce and fight our way out, we're going to DIE. I WILL NOT die in this god-awful forest!"
A smoky image of the satyr hovered overhead, pointing an incriminating finger down at the cats. "Drive out the intruders!" He ordered. "Stampede!"
Before Pumyra could protest the herd started to charge at them. She fired a pellet at one, hoping for the best, but instead the nightmare it struck exploded, catching several nearby trees aflame.
Pumyra stared at the blast, wide eyed. "Shit!"
Lynxanna tugged on her arm. "If we cross the river we might lose them!"
"We're surrounded! We'll never make it!" Pumyra argued. She stared at the flames, overwhelmed with shame. This was it. After everything she failed. This was surely her punishment…
The flaming nightmares closed in tight, lowering their horns in preparation to impale. Lynxanna's ears drooped. The abomination was right, there was nowhere to run.
Things looked their bleakest right before a strong gust of wind from overhead fanned the flames back. The nightmares backed off. The females shrieked in terror as an enormous bulldog/bat creature swooped down and snatched them up by his talons.
It barked at the herd then circled back in the air to spew molten vomit down upon them. They bleated, scurrying away in terror. The demon then flew off as fast as his wings could carry him.
The crackling flames became smaller and smaller in the distance. Soon the whole ugly forest was just a blur in the background. Lynxanna cursed, kicked and squirmed in protest. Pumyra however felt at ease for the first time in many days and relaxed in her savior's rotted, gnarled grip. Mumm-Ra sent this creature to save her. She knew her love would not forsake her so easily, well she hoped...
Ma-Mutt headed for the Pyramid. He passed over Dog City which somehow overnight plunged into total anarchy. Looting and rioting plagued the streets. The strong feasted on the weak and defenseless. Civilians scattered with their fur on fire. The living and more collected frantically tried to sniff out loved ones lost beneath large piles of rubble. Yowls and Howls of the dying and mourning echoed to the sky, chilling her soul. Those without the threshold to bear witness to the devastation threw themselves off their rooftops and bridges.
She spotted the pit. Burning corpses of the spectators littered the audience bleachers as did the parts to a dismantled battle mech. Jackal-like abominations feasted upon the dead in the pit. Kaynar admired his handiwork from Dobo's balcony, enjoying a rather messy victory meal for himself. He noticed Ma-Mutt overhead and howled hello to him.
Ma-Mutt howled back. His call filled the night sky with dread.
The destruction of Dog City would surely please Mumm-Ra, but as much as she wanted to she couldn't share in her love's enthusiasm. The sight reminded her of the night she and Thundera fell in battle…
And Pumyra suddenly wasn't so thrilled about greeting her beloved.
Author's note: "One Last Caress" is by the Misfits. Can you tell I;m a fan? Well, that was uplifting. A very long chapter this time around, but at least a lot happened. I hope the length is not too off-putting because the chapters will probably tend to be longer from here on out. Most likely not this long though.
Thank you for reading. It's nice to finally be able to update again. I've received so many encouraging reviews even though I haven't been able to update in forever. Glad other people are still having fun reading this. Next time we'll glimpse into the future of the Thundercats in episode 5, "Of What May Be." Hope to see everyone there.