Dark dirges, red urges

Maea

And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush

Dawn and dusk were the best hours for felines to hunt. And so it was that one misty morning, before the sun had properly risen above the horizon, a pale tiger slipped from its nightly resting place and began a long trek along the edge where brambles met open grassland. Ghostly in appearance, it left a trail of smoke in its wake that was indistinguishable from the fog, save for the acrid scent of something charring and seemed perfectly content to let the small fires caused by dripping metal grow and escalate.

When she reached a lightning struck tree that sat looming on a low hill, she sat down with the blue-steel striped tail coiled neatly around her paws, and waited. Someone was to meet her here. A young someone, who had expressed interest in trading blows and perhaps even closing connections - but while they had agreed to meet at this location, the tigress did not yet know which guise he would choose to appear in.

She watched the horizon as she waited. Stars had paled in the sky and were all but gone, lost in the steely gray that preceded the first break of light over the treetops. No shadows existed in this twilight hour, birds had yet to begin their morning serenade, and for some time the silence over the earth was as a deafening roar within her ears, a quiet so absolute that her own heartbeats appeared as thunderous as a Levinsward storm. A beating drum in her chest, a ritual gong sounding in honor of the Dark one who had granted her a third lease on life.

Maea had not prayed in earnest for many years. But lately, her thoughts had turned more often to Dygra and it felt quite appropriate to dedicate this impending hunt to the goddess, at least in spirit. There were still many things to get used to in her new existence, but the simple feeling of wishing to try her best carried her onward, day by day. She thought her Ascended brother would be proud of her, if he could see her now. Would that it was him she waited for this morning - but it was not, and she was determined not to let her aching loneliness get in the way of making new friends.

Gods knew, she might need them.

But the room was so quiet
Whose side am I on?

Base by Skylark, Art by Midjourney

A molten tiger appeared in the fog, steel-blue eyes locking on its paler kin. Between the rendezvous point and familiar scent, Edmund quickly identified Mea. Chuffing a greeting, he leisurely approached, giving her time to recognize him as well, hopefully. If they were closer, he would have butted his head up against hers in greeting as well. As it was, he came to a stop just a few feet away and sat down. Tail curling around his paws, he tilted his head, asking if she was ready to begin their hunt. The younger Ancient could feel the bloodlust rising in his veins, a low ember that, if left ignored, would become an all-consuming blaze.  A hunt to satisfy it was exactly what he needed. Perhaps they could also offer some of the blood to Dygra at the shrine on their way back home. Edmund molten fur, molten heart

Maea

And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush

Ashes marked the spot where she lingered, an ever widening circle of charred soil like a dark halo around her paws. She turned her head to watch Edmund approach when movement registered as a shift in pressure against sensitive whiskers, and her greeting was the slow blink of one who did not fear losing sight of the male before her. Not so much out of trust, but rather a solemn confidence in her ability to meet any threat blow for blow - if it came to that.

But there was enough game in the Outer Brambles to sate both of them, and with her companion in place the tigress rose and led the way down the hill, off into the dusk that lingered beneath tangled boughs. For such large creatures their paws did not make much noise, though the season had dried out the underbrush to the point where the slightest misstep would set off cracks and snaps no matter how skilled a prowler one might be. And while that might be good for rustling up birds or startle rabbits, Maea had a feeling that her usual morsels would not be good enough for the other Ancient. Her own blood lust was little more than a simmer at the back of the throat, a slow burn like whiskey after the glass had been drained - and she preferred it like that. Preferred to keep her head, to approach this hunt with a clinical efficiency that excluded emotions she had yet to come to terms with.

Death may be part of life, and the hunt may be essential for the predator... but it didn't come natural for her to enjoy the taking of a life. Not even to sate her own hunger.

Scenting the air and ground both in the hopes of encountering deer or even wild horses, Maea kept the pace even; wildfires were natural at this time of year, but she preferred to choose where and when they were started, so as not to make this more difficult than it had to be.

But the room was so quiet
Whose side am I on?

Base by Skylark, Art by Midjourney

Edmund fell into step with Maea with ease, lifting his head to scan the skies as he scented the air. Comfortable in his shift, the younger Ancient moved silently through the trees, mindful of the embers in his fur. He was eager for the hunt, although his bloodlust was mild and controlled. He may not enjoy harming people, but Edmund had grown to enjoy giving into his instincts to hunt prey for food. The taste of raw game was delicious now, even outside of fulfilling his bloodlust. Something faint reached him, and Edmund crouched down to get a better sense of it. The ground in front of the two tigers was trodden upon, hoofmarks accompanied by the scent of game. He gently scraped the dirt with a claw to alert Maea, although she had likely noticed it as well. Edmund molten fur, molten heart

Maea

And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush

Experience had yet to teach the tigress all there was to know about stacking. Scent trails still confused her, a tangle of conflicting information pressing upon her senses; she would have walked right past the tracks if not for Edmund. When he recalled her attention she doubled back to examine his find. Golden eyes blinked slowly in approval; a flick of the silvery tail offered the young male the chance to take the lead.

It felt strange to realize how the years had passed. She still felt very much like a teenager still, at times, yet when she looked at people like Edmund there was no denying the differences. Perhaps the lapses in her memory was to blame; nealy thirty years had passed since she was born, but how many of those har she actually lived? How many years had she been dead? How many lost to wandering, to stone, to merely waiting for her life to really begin? Yesterday her family perished. Today  she was hunting with Harper's son, who had somehow grown into a capable man with better skills than herself.

Maea did not resent it. Yet there was no denying her feeling of lagging behind her own generation. The tigress shook her head to clear it; distraction would not help her cause.

But the room was so quiet
Whose side am I on?

Base by Skylark, Art by Midjourney

Edmund took the lead when prompted and continued their trek through the foliage. Regularly scenting the air, swiveling his ears, and eyeing his surroundings had become nearly second nature with how much time he had spent in his molten tiger shift. It helped him stay on the trail and he pointed out other clear signs of their quarry to Maea as he went. Edmund wasn't sure if she'd told him to take the lead to test him or if she had less experience with hunting. Regardless, noting the signs to her couldn't hurt. Hopefully, he wasn't misinterpreting, and she didn't feel like he was patronizing her. Molten paws froze mid-step and Edmund crouched down as they came around a bend. In a clearing just ahead stood a herd of wild horses, grazing on the rich grass. From what the young Ancient could tell, it was a stallion, two mares, and a young foal. Edmund molten fur, molten heart

Maea

And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush

Without words to convey her feeling of inadequacy or indeed any patronizing remarks from her young companion, it was easier to accept the youngster's kind hints. Swallowing pride was easier when she didn't have to admit to her ignorance; and next time she did this Maea would surely have improved her tracking skills.

Fortunately, their efforts were rewarded soon enough. Perhaps she might have issued some compunction about hunting horses if something else was available. But hunger didn't care about the source of meat, and perhaps for the first time she actually welcomed the simmering bloodlust and its equalizing of prey. Blood was blood; when leaning into that, she didn't feel quite so bad for the beautiful animals.

Separating from Edmund, the white-pelted tigress crouched low towards the ground and began to stalk closer to the horses. Wanting to separate one of the adult animals from the herd, she paused when one of them caught the scent of hot metal on the wind. A swerving ear turned her way, then off; the horse lowered its head to graze, and she approached once more. It was a dance, a game, a deadly dare; and ut erupted in beautiful chaos when the molten tiger launched herself into a sprint, scattering the flighty animals with her assault.

It was up to Edmund to do the next move.

But the room was so quiet
Whose side am I on?

Base by Skylark, Art by Midjourney

Edmund stalked around the herd and settled downwind, remaining hidden until he was ready. Maea sent the herd into flight, and they raced past the younger Ancient's form. As they did, he leaped out on powerful legs and joined the chase. One of the adults started horribly at the appearance of a second tiger, tripping on a root and crashing down onto the grass with terrified bellow. Steel eyes locked onto the equine, and with a burst of speed, Edmund jumped onto its back before the horse could recover. The tumble of hooves and claws lasted just a few moments as predatory instincts took over, and the equine was subdued. Once all was still and the rest of the herd continued past him, Edmund stood up. Shaking out his fur, the tiger glanced back at his kin, one paw still on the horse to deter any scavengers that were watching. Edmund molten fur, molten heart

Maea

And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush

It was over before the sound of the fleeing herd had faded from the air. The rumble of their hooves was a victory drum vibrating up through Maea's paws as she jogged back to her young companion. Somewhat winded still, she blinked contentedly at him, then looked over the felled prey. The white tail flicked excitedly; she wasn't even close to ravenous, but she fell on the horse without much hesitation all the same. Blood spilled free as their bounty was ripped open, and for a time she allowed herself to forget about everything save for the meal before her.

After, she stretched out in the dewladen grass, and cleaned off the large paws. The sun rose like a shimmering orb that painted the mist in red and gold, dying treetops in vibrancy as shadows deepened.

It was beautiful, and while she probably would enjoy a conversation with Edmund... for now, she was content to simply get used to having company.

But the room was so quiet
Whose side am I on?

Base by Skylark, Art by Midjourney

Edmund eagerly tucked into the horse beside Maea, suppressing the instinct to snap at her when her shoulder brushed his for a second. The balance of kinship with another Ancient and the independence of his inner tiger was always in flux. Still, they were able to enjoy the meal peacefully. Afterward, the younger Ancient lazily groomed the blood off his paws and face before flopping onto a sunny patch of grass. His tail flicked lazily, and the tiger's eyes became near slits as sleep rose up. It was the perfect time for a nap, and Edmund soon succumbed to the urge. -{FIN} Edmund molten fur, molten heart