“Not like a horse,” I snap, then pause to inhale a deep, calming breath. “I’m a tiger.”
“But I’ve never ridden a tiger before; only a horse.” His lips turn down into a frown. “How will I hold on if I don't have any reins?”
Regretting my offer more and more with each passing second, I reply, “You’ll figure it out.”
Red, puffy nose scrunching, he gives me a wary look. “You won’t eat me, will you?”
I'm leaving him here. That's just too much stupid to exist in the world.
“I'm not going to eat you, but the Soulless will.”
Grunts and growls echo through the trees, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.
“But don’t tigers-”
“No more questions!” I shout, cutting him off with a swipe of my hand. “You can stay here and die, or you can ride on my back. Make your choice.”
“Okay, okay,” he says, pushing up to his knees. “You don't have to yell at me.”
Unstrapping my scabbard and the sheathed sword from my back, I pass it to him. “Hold on to this.”
“Thank the gods!” He blows out a relieved sigh. “I lost mine.”
Of course you did.
Growling, I shut my eyes and summon my Gift. Copper jewels spear through the darkness with a flash of light as a wave of glittering amber washes over me. My pointed ears extend, my teeth sharpen and grow, orange and black fur sprouts along my skin, and my bones break and reform into a half-ton beast, double the size of a domestic tiger.
Standing on all fours, I position myself next to Calder.
“You’re huge!” Calder states wide eyed, ignoring my invitation to climb on. “Are you sure you don't want to eat me?”
Having lost all patience, I hiss and bump him with my hip.
“I’m going, I’m going,” he mumbles. Stumbling upright, he pulls himself onto my back. The moment he seats himself, I spring forward, racing towards the wall.
Paws pounding against the forest floor, my movements are more swift and agile in this form than my two legged one. My sense of smell is heightened as well, and the scent of death is much closer than I initially thought. As I weave between the trees, Calder cries out and grabs a fistful of fur. But I pay no mind to his cries as I urge my powerful muscles to get us within the safety of the city.
A Soulless jumps out and I slip between twin trees, barely dodging its reach. Popping out on the other side, I swerve as another one reaches for me, its claws slicing through air.
“There's more over there!” Calder shouts, pointing to the three Soulless blocking our path. Attempting to slow, my claws dig into the dirt as I veer to the right, racing away from the safety of the wall and deeper into the woods.
Scraping against trees and tearing through thickets, my paws are shredded within minutes. Shadows swallow up all light, the forest darkening by the second; all I can see is inky blackness as I gallop between trees. Even with my sharpened feline vision, I can't make out the Soulless until they’re right beside me. And they're everywhere! They lie in wait behind trees and bushes, carefully corralling me into a trap.
A claw slashes out at me and I stumble over my paws. Calder flattens against my back and tightens his arms around my neck, strangling me as I right myself. But not even a moment after doing so, another demon streaks towards me and I barely dodge its cursed arms. Swiping at its throat, I tear its head from its shoulders and spring over its body, only to be met with two more. Calder tears at my fur and screams as I race forward, pouncing on top of them and crushing their skulls beneath my thunderous paws.
Slinging their tainted blood from my paws, I sprint towards a tight cluster of trees when the scent of rot overpowers me and over a dozen Soulless slip from the shadows. Skidding across wet leaves and moss, I tumble and fling Calder from my back.
I bolt upright to all fours and swing around, searching for an escape, but my fear grows at the sight of more Soulless separating from the shadows, surrounding us. Grunting and snarling, enshrouded in black shadows speckled with ruby flecks, the decaying creatures stare us down with glowing red eyes, ravenous for our deaths.
Gods, I've never seen more than two Soulless at a time and there’s what? Over two dozen? Three dozen? Three dozen Soulless! This is impossible!
We’ve been told they are nothing more than mindless demons consumed with bloodlust. They don't ally with one another and once they catch the scent of their prey, they don't stop until they've captured their food. Because that’s what we are to them: Food. They feed off our blood and gift our souls to their masters. They have no recollection of the life they once lived, can't recall that they were once one of us. Cursed by darkness, they only serve their masters and hunt the very same beings they once called kin.
“Oh, gods! We're going to die!” Calder cries out, scrambling to my side. His trembling fingers fist into my fur and he buries his face into my side. Curling my lip, I shake him off and lift my fallen sword with my teeth, dropping it into his lap.
Petrified, Calder looks down at the sword but doesn’t retrieve it. I decide right then and there that if I make it out alive, I'll be having a word with the Captain about higher standards for screening recruits. Paralyzed as he is, this male can’t even protect himself, let alone a kingdom. I’m not ashamed to admit that I'm terrified as well. I’d be a fool not to be. But unlike him, there's no way in Azazel’s Darkness I'm allowing these motherfuckers to take me down without a fight.
Hissing at the pathetic fae, I return my attention to the Soulless surrounding us, my hackles rising at the sight of their red glowing eyes and unnatural shadows. One jerks forward, his bones creaking as it tosses its splayed hands out and unsheathes its claws.
My muscles tense in response and a growl rumbles through my chest, preparing to do whatever is necessary to survive.
Its maw elongates, exposing the demon’s dagger-like teeth with a snarl. As if the sound is a call to arms, three dozen clacking-limbed Soulless charge toward us.
Dropping my muzzle, I nudge the sword toward the idiot one last time, hoping he can shake himself out of his stupor. By the time I lift my head again, they’re already upon us.
Two Soulless reach for me and I swipe my claw through one's neck before slicing through the other's arm. The severed limb falls to the ground and I stab my claws into its chest. Another reaches for me and I pounce on its torso. Biting down on its neck, putrid black blood fills my mouth as I rip out its throat. Another creature rushes me from the side and wraps its arms around my torso. Dragging my paw across its spine, I tear the creature off my back and slam my paw on its head, crushing its skull.
“Help!” Calder screams.
At Calder’s call, I quickly slice through one demon’s neck with my claws, its head rolling from its shoulders as I swivel my gaze to him, only to find him still not using the sword sheathed on the forest floor, but showering two Soulless with flowers summoned from his shimmering green hands.
Useless.
Growling, I spring on top of Calder’s assailants and claw at their chests, piercing their hearts. A Soulless jumps on my back and I buck it off. Another reaches for my muzzle and I bat it away. A piercing pain stabs near my hip and I yowl, whipping my head around to find a Soulless’ claws embedded there. Kicking out my hind legs, the Soulless’ claws carve a chunk from my side as it careens through the air.
The metallic scent of my blood seeps into the air and the Soulless’ movements become more desperate, frenzied. Clamoring to get to me, they’re too busy fighting with one another to notice they’ve given me the window I've been searching for. Bounding to Calder’s side – who miraculously doesn't have a scratch on him – I crouch beside him.
He places his hand on my hip to lift himself up, but pulls back at the sight of my blood coating his hand. Terror-filled eyes then look to the Soulless, watching them for several moments before his gaze clears and he smiles up at me. “Go on now,” he says without an ounce of fear. “I’ll be fine.”
