Chapter 2

The outskirts of Reine City appeared from the tree lines as the sun reached its highest point in the sky. Tianhuo was flying ahead of Pom and saw it, so she went back to inform Pom. When she landed to tell Pom, the sheep ducked down in fear as she landed. Tianhuo shrugged this off and lifted her face.

"Hey, the city is in view," Tianhuo said. "So stop hiding, and let's get going."

"Easy… for you… to say…, predator," Pom said.

"For the last time, I am not a predator!" Tianhuo screamed. "How hard is that to understand?"

"Even if you say that, you still have the DNA of a predator in your system," Pom said.

"Ugh, whatever," Tianhuo said. "Let's just get to the city so we can part ways and never have to see each other again!"

Tianhuo started to walk ahead, not caring about whatever Pom was about to say. Argh, why does she have to be so annoying? Tianhuo thought. No matter how often I explain, she still sees me as a predator. If I were a predator, I would have killed her by now!

Tianhuo shook that thought out of her head. She realized that she was getting angry, which may lead to arrogance. She just needed to focus on the task and not worry about what other beings thought about her.

Tianhuo got up to the gates of Reine City and tried to open them, but they were locked. At that moment, two reindeer appeared at the top of the wall and yelled down at her.

"Hey, who goes there?" the reindeer shouted.

"I'm Tianhuo, a Longma, and I demand to be let in!"

"Another creature wanting into the city," the other reindeer said. "Sorry, but we can't do that."

"Unless you maybe have some milk for us?" the first reindeer said.

"Now, why would I have that?" Tianhuo asked. "I demand to be let in. I am here on a mission!"

"Oh Tianhuo, they won't let you in like that," Pom said, appearing behind her. "Here, let me try."

"Fine," Tianhuo said and backed up for Pom to step forward.

"Hey, you two," Pom shouted to them. "I can get you two some milk if you let us in."

Tianhuo saw the reindeer think for a bit and then leave their post. Nothing happened for quite a while, and Tianhuo was ready to find another way in, but then the gate opened up at that moment.

"Come on in," the reindeer said. "You can bring the milk to the local Inn this evening when we get off our shift."

"Why thank you," Pom said. "I'll make sure to get it to you."

The reindeer then left to return to their posts, and Tianhuo stepped in with Pom into Reine City.

"Thanks, I guess," Tianhuo said. "Now we can finally get out of each other's hair."

"Oh, I can't let you wander here alone," Pom said.

Tianhuo turned to Pom. "And why's that?"

"Because I can't let a predator run loose in Reine City without someone supervising them."

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM NOT A…"

"Shh!" Pom said, shutting Tianhuo's mouth and pointing around at the other reindeer, who stopped to see what was happening. When Tianhuo didn't say anything, they all returned to their routines as if nothing had happened. Pom then released her.

"I think I'm going to stay with you," Pom said. "Unless you want me to blurt out what you are to everyone here."

Tianhuo got angry and shot flames up from her nostrils. "Fine, just don't get in my way."

"I wouldn't plan on it," Pom said and started walking behind Tianhuo as she explored Reine City.

It is a lot bigger than I thought it would be, Tianhuo thought. The Longma usually kept to themselves, so they didn't have much information on many tribes. Tianhuo knew about the sheep and the reindeer but not much about them. The sheep lived in some sort of place called The Meadow, and the reindeer lived in a place called The Tundra, where it snowed all the time. Tianhuo had also heard about another tribe called the cattlekind but didn't know anything other than that.

If only I knew more, Tianhuo thought. Then I can figure out the weakness of each tribe so that fighting their champion would be simple. Tianhuo then turned to face Pom, who was tending to her dogs. Of course, I don't need to worry about beating the champion of the Meadow if I ever need to fight them.

Tianhuo tried to read the signs on every street corner, but she couldn't figure out what any of them said.

Ugh, so annoying how each tribe has its own written language, Tianhuo thought and decided just to go try to ask one of the reindeer instead. Tianhuo still saw that Pom was keeping faithful to her word and following her everywhere, but Tianhuo just wanted to ignore it and focus on her mission.

"Um, excuse me," Tianhuo said to a reindeer standing by a statute. "Could I get your help with something?"

"Sorry, I am waiting for someone," the reindeer said. "He said to wait here by the statue, but I haven't seen him yet."

Tianhuo sighed and walked away. She saw another reindeer across the way at another statue and decided to talk to him instead.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Tianhuo said.

"Sorry, I am waiting for someone," the reindeer said. "She said to wait here by the statue, but I haven't seen her yet."

Really? Tianhuo thought. You two are at different statues right by each other and haven't decided to check the other statute? Tianhuo stormed off frustrated and saw that Pom was smiling.

"Oh, so seeing me get mad is something you like to see?" Tianhuo asked, frustrated.

"No," Pom said. "I just am laughing on the inside since this is what most reindeer are like to any other creature who isn't a reindeer.

"Argh, whatever," Tianhuo said. "I'll find some information on the key myself!"

"Did someone say zey are looking for ze key?" a reindeer said, walking toward Tianhuo and Pom with two winter sprites by each of her sides. Tianhuo noticed that the reindeer had bruises on her, meaning that she must have been in a fight.

"And why does this matter to you?" Tianhuo asked, getting more frustrated by the minute.

"Vell ze only reason you vould be looking for zat is zat you are a Key Seeker!"

"Let me guess; you are one as well?" Tianhuo said.

"Yes! I am Velvet, Champion of Ze Tundra! And you are?"

Tianhuo smiled. "I am Tianhuo, Champion of The Volcano. So I guess you would like a fight? Should be easy since it looks like you've already lost one."

Velvet gasped. "How did you know zat?"

"Trust me; I know what someone looks like when they lose," Tianhuo said. "And I know reindeer love to be sparkly, so the only reason you aren't is that you are upset over your defeat."

"Argh, fine," Velvet said. "I vasn't in ze condition for another fight regardless."

"I thought so," Tianhuo said.

"I think she could have beat you if she was at her full potential," Pom said.

Tianhuo turned to growl at Pom, but Velvet spoke first.

"Vho, are you?" Velvet asked, looking at Pom.

Pom backed up, scared, but Tianhuo stepped in front of Velvet. "Oh, this is Pom," Tianhuo said. "And she apparently is the champion of her tribe."

Velvet looked at Pom behind Tianhuo and then burst out laughing.

"Ha, ha, ha! Zis little one is supposed to be a Key Seeker? Are you pulling my leg?"

"Hey, I am a Key Seeker!" Pom said, annoyed, but Tianhuo just interrupted her again.

"Yes, she is a Key Seeker," Tianhuo said and leaned in to whisper to Velvet. "But just between us two, she isn't a threat."

"Got it," Velvet whispered back.

"So Velvet," Tianhuo said. "If you mind me asking, who did exactly defeat you in a battle?"

"I'd rather not say here," Velvet said. "Here, meet me at ze inn in an hour, zen ve'll talk."

"Sure, see you then," Tianhuo said, and Velvet nodded before walking away. Tianhuo then turned around to talk to Pom, but Pom wasn't behind her. She panicked, wondering where she went but saw her talking to a reindeer nearby.

"So yeah, do you want to know something interesting about that Longma over there?" Tianhuo heard Pom say.

"Sure," the reindeer said. Tianhuo quickly started to run over there.

"Ok, did you know that Longma's are…"

"Very great at dancing!" Tianhuo chimed into Pom's unhappiness.

"Oh," the reindeer said. "Cool, anyway, I got to go do reindeer things, so bye."

As the reindeer walked away, Tianhuo breathed a sigh of relief before turning angrily to Pom.

"I know what you were trying to do!" Tianhuo said. "And I will not allow you to tell anyone about our half-predator blood!"

"Why's that?" Pom asked. "Scared that they will truly see you for what you are?"

"Argh, we are not like those predators out there!" Tianhuo said. "If you only saw our empire, then you would realize we want to help you as well!"

"But how can anyone see your empire?" Pom asked. "You keep foreigners out of your lands."

"That's because we don't want anyone to know about our half-blood with the predators! Can you think of what would happen after that?"

"The world would be free from all predators," Pom said.

"You know, I should just get rid of you right now to shut you up," Tianhuo said.

"I mean, you could," Pom said. "But then that would label you as a predator since you would have killed a defenseless sheep, as you call me."

"ARRGGHH!" Tianhuo screamed. "Fine! You're good, but no sneaking off again! I need to find information about this key, and then I'm out of here!"

"Then let's go!" Pom said and started happily skipping away. Tianhuo got up next to her and continued their stroll through Reine City. Tianhuo tried one more time to ask the reindeer for anything, but they still weren't helpful, so she gave up and looked around for clues.

As is Longma tradition, you must figure things out yourself, Tianhuo thought.

Tianhuo was walking toward the south gate of Reine City when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. A door was open to the basement of one of the houses, and she swore that she just saw something dark run down it.

"Did you see that?" Tianhuo asked Pom.

"See what?" Pom asked. "There's nothing there."

"Hang on," Tianhuo said and approached the basement. She cautiously walked down the stairs, lighting up a torch with her fire and giving it to Pom to hold. As Tianhuo got to the bottom of the stairs, something ran down the hallway to her left.

"Quickly, over there!" Tianhuo yelled to Pom. She then chased after the creature down the hallway and ended up in a dead-end room.

"Where did you go?" Tianhuo announced. "Show yourself!'

"Um, Tianhuo?" Pom said.

"Not now Pom," Tianhuo said. "There is something here."

"You mean… like a massive bear predator?" Pom asked.

"Well, that is oddly specific," Tianhuo asked, turning around to face Pom and then freezing. In the doorway, with yellow-glowing eyes, was a bear predator.