Bonds as strong as Time [[For LoneDigger and Myself]]

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Grunting at finding himself once more pressed against the ground, Katsu froze when he felt the teeth at his neck. Froze. Every nerve in his body seemed to turn to ice and whatever ease he had carried before seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Blue eyes gazed down at the cub holding him bound and as he noticed the feral gleam in them, he found himself responding to it with a low growl that grew louder as the seconds dragged on. Instinct alone had his legs coming up slowly to bracket the younger male's hips even though he was fully aware of how dangerously close to a rather important part of his body the kid's leg was in. He knew he wouldn't be able to toss the boy off with his powerful legs without hurting himself in the process but he wasn't about to lay ideally under the kid either. That was not how this was going to go.

 

Yesterday, when Katsu had first met Dakari and had found himself in a similar position, he had tolerated it as a sign of the cub's curiosity. He had allowed the boy to keep him down and even allowed the kid to sniff at him in a way that no one outside the Sentinel circle and their followers ever had. He had kept himself calm and allowed the boy to do as he pleased....but seeing that look in the cub's eyes now and feeling the presence of those sharp teeth dangerously near his neck had discomfort racing through his veins. He wanted the cub off and he'd be damned if he didn't get him off sooner rather than later.

 

Feeling the grass beneath him begin to freeze solid as the air around him dropped in temperature as a sure sign of his rising distemper, Katsu's gaze grew frigid as he slowly bared those sharp canine's at the cub. There was no joke in the threat this time. The cub was too close to the area that was one of the most protected areas of the Sentinel. The fact that he may or may not know what he was doing was unnerving enough. To think of having those teeth sink into his neck though, the thought itself had Katsu's eyes flashing a very clear warning up to the cub. He might not hurt the boy, but he had no quarrels of tossing him off as gently as he could in order to get him away from his neck.

 

"Well then....will you bite down, little one? Or are you simply going to sit there and waste both of our times" he asked, voice having grown cold in the seconds he had laid there beneath Dakari.

 

Katsu was an Alpha and while he might not exercise his Alpha rights as often as most did, he knew when it was time to pull rank and react. Any Alpha in his position would be humiliated by the situation they were in and while Katsu felt mildly annoyed with himself about being caught so off guard.....he wasn't going to let it show. Nor would he allow the boy enough time to gloat about it either.

 

"Decide, Princeling. Because I'll give you a fair warning now. Either you remove your teeth from the area of my neck or I'll remove them for you" he hissed silently, tension radiating off of him in waves.

[LoneDigger]

Dakari still only was just a kid, or a cub if you may. But he was no stranger when it came to just instinctual knowing what parts of the body were the most vulnerable. The neck being the obvious, but he also knew where the major arteries lie below the skin in the wrists and even the thighs, go up a little further and there's another weak spot. Tearing into the belly would be a death blow too. All these things he had never been taught or told, but memories from a past life remained somewhere in the back of his brain.

Or... he could chew out those pretty blue eyes and keep them like a prized pair of marbles~

 

Dakari suddenly shivered, where had that crazy idea come from? The sudden chill seemed to snap him out of his savagery for only a moment, but soon the cold was forcing him to heat up again. Letting out a low groan as he tried to think of the summer sun or the warm sands, and it wasn't just in his imagination. He actually began to feel hot and it seemed that the heat meeting with the ice was causing a bit of steam to surround the pair.

 

Prey. Katsu was his Prey.

 

A distant memory of him in another life chasing an African Leopard with his clan and this wasn't just a territorial or scuffle over a carcass, this was a hunt with the pure intention of killing for the sake of competition and unfairness. The African Leopard was smaller than any of the hyenas, and severely outnumbered. In the plains there was no place for the cat to hide or climb up away, it could only run faster, but the clan was relentless.

In the end the exhausted feline was caught and mauled, they torn into the leopard while it was still alive. They weren't even close to famished, but yet they gorged on their victim with a never ending hunger.

The leopard's blood soaked his muzzle and face, the red life liquid was so warm...

 

The prince flinched again, and the action unintentionally caused his teeth to sink in briefly, drawing droplets of blood that tasted cool against his hot tongue that was tasting the flesh beneath him.

It wasn't even a true bite, barely a pin prick...

Was he afraid of actually doing it and potentially killing the Sentinel? He had this feeling inside him that he had the capable to do the deed, as if he had already done it before... but even that memory that had just flashed before him was already forgotten as he was fully emerged in the present and the fight to win dominance.

 

It was like a switch had been flicked inside the hyena, only minutes ago this had all just been completely play and jokes, but now he was actually very far back deep inside debating on his own ability to kill and conquer...

He was a prince, shouldn't he show this old cat a lesson?

Why was he daring him to bite though? Did the other really want to die? Or was it just so he'd have an excuse to throw him down?

Dakari assumed it must be the latter, but it still didn't make any difference to him.

A part of him wanted to stop, the human child part of him. This game wasn't fun and he was terrified of hurting himself and Katsu, but the animal in him was thirsty for blood and hyenas rarely backed down once they were this already this far.

In a split second of war between his own two conflicting selves, he made his choice.

 

A shrill sound followed the tearing of flesh.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Winching just lightly when the cub first pricked his neck with those canines, Katsu knew things would only go down hill from here. Something was telling him that the cub wasn't going to give in that easily. Instinct was shrieking at him to toss the boy off of himself and put as much distance between them as he could. His animal spirit felt the first traces of fear in a very long time and it wasn't because of the Prince himself but also because of the animal spirit he held. There was no mistaking that there was no love lost between their two spirits and that the hyena could be a very large threat to him. Katsu knew that, knew that as clearly as he heard his mother telling him to watch his back around such animals....yet he had given the boy a chance. A chance to control himself and bring himself down from his high once more.

 

That had been a mistake though.

 

The moment Katsu felt the force of those canines in full, he reacted in the only way he could. Legs coming up the rest of the way sharply, he placed his feet on Dakari's abdomen and shoved with his full force. Powerful leg muscles spurred into action as the Sentinel used them to literally launch the boy off of himself by several feet. Biting down a yowl that nearly tore it's way out of his lips as those teeth that had dug into his neck were ripped out by the power of his defensive move, Katsu rolled instantly onto his feet and took several steps back. Hand quickly coming up to stop the blood he felt rolling out of the wound on his neck, the Sentinel pressed the sleeve of his robe on the wound even as he glared at the cub with the full force of his livid fury.

 

Blue eyes seemed to glow unnaturally in the light as clouds began to gather overhead and the wind began to pick up force. Nails quickly grew into claws and that tail that had been neatly wrapped around his waist snapped free and whipped from side to side in agitation. Every muscle in Katsu's body was tense and ready to leap yet he kept himself from charging at the boy as his training had taught him. He might very well have the weaker animal in his soul, but he was a Sentinel and years of life had taught him that size and strength did not win a battle. His knowledge that he could kill the cub if he wanted to was enough to still his rapid heartbeat and need to bolt. A need that was hard pressed in the mind of his feline.

 

"I agreed to come play a ridiculous game and this is what it gets me....truly the irony of it all should be hilarious but right now it simply disgusts me" Katsu snarled, hair rising at the tips as the change rippled just below his skin.

 

He wanted the comfort of his animal form, he wanted the feel the raw power his feline body gave him....even if it was still at a disadvantage against Dakari....yet he didn't change. He didn't allow himself to change. He had sworn not to hurt the boy or his family. He had kept that oath alive for centuries now and he'd be damned if this little punk made him go back on his word now. If he was any more petty, he'd probably drag the cub back to his parents and demand his behavior to be dealt with. The sheer disrespect that the boy had just shown was alarming.....and yet, Katsu couldn't truly blame him. Dakari was still so young...prone to making mistakes with the animal that resided in his soul. The Sentinel couldn't expect the boy to fully be able to control himself just yet.

 

But that didn't mean he wasn't put off by the kid nor that he wasn't angry.

 

"Go back to the palace, we're done here. The moment you learn to control yourself around others then I might consider paying mind to your requests once more. Until you learn respect, I won't have anything to do with you anymore" he practically spat in his burning anger, the robe filled hand still pressed on the wound that was coloring his sleeve in a crimson dye.

 

Edging back away from the cub, Katsu wasted very little time in changing to his feline form the moment he reached a patch of trees just beyond the open space they had been playing in. With his fur puffed up in his clear rage, the cat looked nearly twice his side. And with one last scalding look back at the hyena cub, Katsu took off at full speed towards his Tower. This time he didn't look back nor did he slow down in the slightest. He needed to get the wound cleaned and closed before the blood drew too much unnecessary attention. Accidental or not, the hyena cub's canines had gotten him good and tearing the boy off of himself had hurt like hell.

[LoneDigger]

It was like he was flying, even if that kick to the stomach hurt, despite the firmness of muscle and even fat that slightly layered his belly the impact was still felt and he had no grace to roll himself right while in midair so he simply crashed against the ground violently, a painful yelp escaping him. Despite his body being sturdy enough to prevent any real damage internally or broken bones it still hurt and there would definitely be some nasty bruising in the morning that would leave him properly sore.

Despite his stubbornness his instinct to cry for backup were still too strong and he let out a loud whine, but now it hardly sounded animal and was more like a child's cry.

 

He wanted to run, get away from the icy glare of the snow leopard but suddenly it was like when he dared to even look he was frozen with fear, unable to cry or even move. He wanted to press himself against the ground until he could be swallowed up and disappear, but it was terrifying watching the change in the other.

He had too really been that scary only moments ago, he could still taste the blood in his mouth. And small bits of flesh were stuck in his teeth.

His jaw had indeed locked up so when the other kicked him off he took a piece of his neck with him. Luckily he had just barely missed the jugular and though bloody, it was more of a superficial wound.

 

Dakari cowered before the Sentinel, he truly believed that they had crossed the line of no return and now the snow leopard would kill him for his mistakes. Not only was the distant relative, the African leopard an enemy of the hyenas, but even more so was the lion. And despite not looking it at all, Katsu was indeed technically half lion which was their mortal enemy, both apex predators competing in the same space with matched force. Though a single lion versus a hyena the lion always won. But a pack of hyenas versus a lone lion or two was deadly for the felines.

 

The prince didn't dare move until Katsu was changed and gone, though even if he had wanted to move he doubted he actually could have with the cold chilling the spark of his own hidden powers of fire.

Dakari then pressed his ears against his head and tail between his legs in defeat and to signal in case by some miracle that Katsu return that the elder knew he no longer wished to challenge him. He slunk back through the gardens, taking the secret path through the shrubbery and flowers so no one would have to see him in such a submissive state. No one that was except for his parents that once he was inside he ran to their sides for comfort. But he spoke not a word of what had happened.

He may have been just a brat, but he had enough sense of pride that his battles were to be between him and Katsu only.

Besides, he wasn't physically all that hurt beyond the nasty bruising, it was more his spirit that had been damaged.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Having been in the middle of discussing something about the Kingdom with her mate, the Queen was quick to look down at her cub when the little one rushed to their sides after spending some time outside. It was unusual to have Dakari run to them and seek comfort on a normal day if the cub had spent his time having fun and frolicking around. He only sought comfort and protection when something had happened that he wasn't prepared to face. As boisterous as her cub was, he was still a cub and still young in many ways. So even if he acted like he could take on the whole world most days, that was not always the truth. And with the look on his face that he had run to them with, something really must have crushed his spirits.

 

Running her hand through his hair as lovingly as she possibly could, the Queen cupped her cub's cheek and tilted his head back so that she could scent him quickly to make sure he was physically alright. That was always her priority in moments such as these. Sniffing lightly at his hair and neck, the Queen couldn't make out anything of immediate concern coming from her pup's body but there were traces of the scent of blood near his mouth. It wasn't his blood, she made sure of that but it was a scent she recognized just barely. It carried power to it and it took her only a moment to realize that it was Sentinel blood.

 

"Dakari, love, what happened? What is this blood I smell? What did you do, darling?" The Queen asked her child, eyes narrowing in worry at what kind of mess her cub might have unintentionally stirred up.

 

Sentinels were revered throughout their Kingdom, most times more so than the ruling family. They were old, much older than herself and her mate and they carried a power within them that only few could imagine. There was a reason they were the chosen to watch over their realm, protect it, and keep the balance between this realm and the next steady. Sentinels were of great importance and without them, the entire realm could collapse. So if Dakari had fought against one of them or if he had insulted one of them as she feared he might have, she needed to know. Call it a mother's intuition, but something told her that this wasn't just something she could kiss better. One look at her mate told her that he was thinking the same.

 

"Cub, you must tell us what happened. Did you have a run in with a Sentinel? Is this their blood?" The King questioned Dakari as well, concern weighing on his own mind even as he lifted a hand to rest it gently on his son's shoulder.

[LoneDigger]

Dakari cravded nothing more than comfort right now after his first official scuffle. And with a Sentinel none the less. Omegas should never even start fights, it was taboo but the hyena was always pushing limits without even realizing it. He just wanted to be brave and strong like Katsu was...

But right now he was feeling pretty weak, despite his mother's gentle touch he let out a soft cry. Yet tears did not fall. His eyes were barely wet, despite being upset and constantly vocal, he had a very high tolerance to pain and keeping his own emotions in check... That was except for his either manic happiness or agression which was always just below the surface.

 

"I was just playing... Honest! But then... I think I got carried away and I hurt him..."

 

The prince hiccuped, sucking in his breath to calm his own breathing. But he nodded again to confirm it was all true.

 

The cub leaned into mother first and sniffed her gently, she didn't smell mad, but she was upset. Probably because he had done something very very bad.

 

He then went over to greet his father in a similar fashion, but he lingered there. Wrapping his arms around the king's waist and sniffling slightly as he buried his face into his side for a moment before peaking back out with a new expression. He still looked scared, but not so defeated.

 

"I can go and make it up to him... I'll tell him that I'm really sorry and didn't really mean to bite him..."

 

He murmured out loud, hatching a whole plan in his head of journeying to the northern tower and personally melting his body against the snow while he apologized and showed a bit of his respect in submission. Even if he would hate every single moment of it...

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Sighing heavily at the words her cub let stream out of his mouth, the Queen lifted a hand to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. Truly, her cub had always been a handful but she would have never expected he would initiate a scuffle with a Sentinel. Whether he had been playing or not, Sentinels weren't the type to try your luck against. Dakari was lucky that whoever he had "played" with hadn't decided to kill him for the insult the cub had provided the moment he had bitten him or her. While they were bound by oath to protect the royal family, that didn't mean that a cub could not be put in his place...though the Queen suspected that the Sentinel hadn't taken the insult without a sharp rebuke. She hadn't missed the way her cub had released that soft sound of pain.

 

Meeting her eyes with her mate, she shook her head and murmured to her cub softly "Its not safe for you alone to go wherever this Sentinel is located. You're to young to know how to defend yourself and wandering around the Kingdom won't provide you with any protection....Perhaps we can call them back to the palace instead".

 

However, the King was already shaking his head even as he wrapped one arm around his son and used the other to gently comb his finger's through the boy's hair.

 

"They won't come and you know it, my love. I don't want to know where our little one bit the Sentinel but I know that they wouldn't take an insult such as that as nothing but a grain of salt. They're more than likely to ignore our summons even if we sent them" the man responded in a resigned tone of voice while he dropped his gaze back down to his little one.

 

"Then what else can we do? We can't simply send Dakari off without knowing the danger he'll be in. The Sentinel's followers have probably already caught sight of the wound and they won't be as welcoming to him as they normally would be" tbe Queen whined quietly.

 

"If we send him with a guard....perhaps it won't be as bad. We don't know who he managed to irritate but let's hope it's one of the calmer Sentinels. On the off chance that it's Katsu, our cub won't be able to find him as easily as we hope. That cat is a ghost in his mountains...you can be staring right at him and you won't see him. On top of that, with Hiyori at his side...Dakari would be in more danger than I'd like to contemplate. But with a guard, things could go differently. He'll be protected" the King suggested just as quietly, gaze thoughtful as he lifted it to his mate.

 

Neither of them wanted to send their cub off on his own, both feared for the danger he would be exposed to outside their protection....and yet this matter had to be resolved sooner rather than later. The more they delayed it, the larger the consequences could become in the future.

 

"Then a guard it is..." the Queen exhaled in defeat, reaching out to gently brush her hands against her cub's cheek. "Dakari...whether you meant it or not, you must mind you actions in the future. You're lucky you managed to get off with nothing but what I assume are a few scrapes and bruises. I'll look those over once you return, for now, prepare for the trip. And remember to mind your manners when you arrive" she reminded her cub as gently as she possibly could given the situation.

 

Already her mate was calling for one of their strongest guards to approach them even as he kept his arms around his cub.

[LoneDigger]

Although a small part of Dakari did not wish to leave his parent's side and the comfort they gave him in their soft touches, he knew he felt a restlessness inside himself that would only be settled once he did the right thing.

Even if he wanted to reassure his mother and father that he was big enough now to do things by himself he didn't protest too much when told he should bring their best guard with him.

In fact the cub grew quite excited. The top guard happened to be a wolf and that was one animal he found easier to relate to in many ways when compared to the other guards of various species.

Plus he very rarely got to see the wolf away from his regular duties, but with only one cub to watch over this job should be easier than the usual day, right?

Perhaps a bit too easy...

 

Giving his parents one last hug the prince hurried off to get himself ready for the trek. He got changed and cleaned up, even if Dakari had tried to point out that the process of getting there would just make him dirty again so why did he have to take a stupid bath anyway? But he did. Then he had a hearty meal to keep him going -hopefully- until he reached the northern tower. Just in case though he had provisions already packed and made into a special pack that would be easy to wear when in his animal form since hyenas could travel faster and more efficiently than any human.

 

All that was left now was to say another last goodbye to his parents, though this time in front of the guard he was a bit less cuddly and tried to act more grown up and stoic.

But he couldn't contain that attitude for long before he was already trotting at the wolf's heels and giving the guard a proper greeting. Wolves were pack and scent driven animals too, so Dakari's little display was surely not too far off.

 

"Promise I'll make things right again... I can make mistakes, but also fix them."

[Full_Moon_Rising]

When the wolf had been given the job to bring the Prince towards the territory of whichever Sentinel he had managed to upset, the guard couldn't help but feel elated. He had been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time now. Bidding his time hadn't been easy and constantly waiting to see when he could strike was as bothersome as it could possibly get...but he had a goal in mind, a goal he had for many years now, and he wouldn't turn his back to it. Not when he had finally been placed in a position of which he could use to his advantage. It had taken some time but as head guard now, in charge of those who protected and looked directly after the Crown, had made his life so much easier now. Especially when this little brat of a Prince had finally made a mistake he could capitalize on.

 

Shiba didn't necessarily dislike the royal family nor did he particularly want them to suffer. Not really at least. But he was an opportunist and when the offer had been given to him to kidnap the Prince and use him to manipulate the current King and Queen...well how could he refuse. He might have been a wolf and a pack animal by default but he had never felt completely attached to those he worked with at the palace. They were just stepping stones he needed to get closer to his target. He had manipulated them for years, all of them. He had gained their trust and respect, the King and Queen had never doubted his decisions. In fact, they had trusted him as family which was why he was the one chosen to take their cub on this journey. However, they should have known better than to trust a wolf with no morals.

 

"I'm sure you'll be able to right your wrong doings in no time, my Prince. The Sentinels are powerful but they are not cruel....you are their Prince and they will forgive you as long as you are sincere about your apology. I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about. Now, lead the way. You know where we are heading, after all" Shiba spoke smoothly to the younger male, tail swishing from time to side as he looked at the Prince.

 

It would be easier to trap the boy if he was behind the kid. He would be able to render him helpless in a moments time and secure him somewhere until he got what he wanted from Dakari's family. All he had to do was keep the boy distracted from suspecting anything at all and his plan would work without fail.

[LoneDigger]

Dakari softly jumped up on the guard and leaned his head against his stomach, he had already transformed back into an animal so they could start their journey with more energy. His paws rested just below Shiba's waist, and they seemed too big for his body but it was only a sign that one day he would grow to fit them.

The prince let a out low chuckle as his ears and tail lowered slightly, he was very sorry for causing trouble. Honestly he would rather be taking a nap right now, but how could he rest when their was a wrong to be right again?

Katsu was exceedingly patient towards him and he had abused the other's kindness towards him which even the cub could feel guilty about.

 

So he leaned off back onto his fours and began to head out, looking over his shoulder every once and awhile to make sure that Shiba was following him.

He wasn't entirely sure of the way there, but he liked being in front since the naive prince just saw it as the wolf falling behind rank and letting him be the leader, even if that was far from the actual truth as it could be.

Never turn your back on a vengeful biding wolf.

 

Dakari should have trusted his instincts, but instead out of arrogance he chose to ignore his own limits. He felt great a first, showing the guard the way and his pace wasn't swift, but efficiently ground covering. But the further they went the more sore and tired he felt and homesick.

But he was too proud to stop and rest, or admit that he was hurt and missed his parents terribly already.

He also had this sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. The hyena whined softly to himself, he assumed the feeling came from the sense of the unknown, but suddenly something didn't feel right and he had to stop.

 

"Shiba...?"

[Full_Moon_Rising]

When the cub jumped up to lean against his stomach, Shiba didn't really have the time to pull away or make any gesture that he wasn't seeking the contact. Though his lip did curl a bit in distaste even as his arms wrapped around the cub, he did not drop the boy. Instead, he opted to providing whatever false comfort he could towards the cub as they drew further from the palace. The sooner they were out of sound and scent, the sooner he could make his move. Besides, he didn't want to spook the cub just yet and have the boy running back to his parents, that would just ruin the whole plan. He had to keep the facade of being a good loyal guard up and present until he had the cub cornered with no where to run.

 

Shifting to his own animal form, the large gray wolf trotted after the hyena cub with a sense of indifference in his steps. He didn't really care where he was being led because they weren't going to make it to the Sentinel. The cub had no idea what was waiting for him, he thought this journey would be a safe one, one he'd be able to complete without any hesitation. How wrong he was. They were nearing the point where Shiba would make his move and the cub would understand just why he should never trust those around him...even if they seemed to be the best of persons. For one so naive, Shiba supposed it would be a rather harsh lesson, but he didn't care all that much. As long as the means got him what he wanted, then he wasn't interested in the little Prince's state of being.

 

Glancing around momentarily in the direction they were going in, the wolf recognized the path to the Northern Tower. They were still a ways away but they were definitely headed towards Sentinel Katsu's domain. Which meant that the cub had irritated one of the coldest beings alive that Shiba had ever met. Katsu might come off as friendly and charming when he put effort into his act, but Shiba wasn't blind. The snow leopard had a heart of ice, one who only few had access to its warmer parts. For this Sentinel to be the one that Dakari had over steped his limits with....well that was just unfortunate. Perhaps he'd be offering the cub a larger mercy in betraying him here than taking him to face the anger of that snow cat.

 

Flickering his ears at the sound of the whine, Shiba lowered his gaze from where it had been staring absentmindedly forward and looked down at the cub. A wolfish grin appeared across his muzzle even as he cocked his head to one side and eyed the younger animal before him in a way that wasn't as warm as it had always seemed to appear.

 

"What is it, my Prince? Have you grown confused about which way to go? I'm sure we can figure it out soon enough. You have nothing to fear" Shiba replied in a rather cold tone of voice, stepping forward to dip his head and nudge the cub forward just a tad rougher than what was expecting.

 

"Lead the way, my Prince. You don't know what dangers you can stumble upon out here when the sun leaves us. We wouldn't want your life to be in danger, now would we?" He chuckled quietly.

[LoneDigger]

"I... I think we should rest awhile."

 

The cub admitted, he hoped they weren't lost, and he should have just asked the wolf to take the lead since he probably knew the way better but still Dakari just couldn't give up on his own weakness of wanting to be in charge.

He'd never gotten so lucky in day, playing with a Sentinel and even biting him without dire consequence and getting to be the leader of the journey to appease the same snow leopard with the strongest and most loyal of the guard?

Surely he'd never get another chance such as this and he refused to let it slip away from him even if that would be another huge mistake.

 

The prince couldn't help but let out a cry as he stumbled froward from the sharp nudge happened to bump right against a particularly bruised spot, not that they could see it being underneath fur. But it still hurt just the same.

Without even realizing it the discomfort had caused him to sink down to his belly with his ears flattened completely against his head and tail tucked tightly as could be between his legs.

 

An alpha never submits, so he a bit shakingly quickly rose back up to his paws and tried to shake off his nerves.

Shiba warned him about the dark, but he wasn't scared! Or at least he told himself that he wasn't when maybe indeed he was a bit afraid.

He then turned around to nuzzle against the wolf, showing the other that everything was okay while secretly seeking out a bit of comfort for himself.

 

"I'm not in any danger... Besides, I'll protect you!"

 

As if it were Shiba who was the one who needed it...

 

"T... This way!"

 

He chirped, marching forward and holding his head high but it quickly sank back down again when the fatigue started to hit him again and even his gait seemed a bit stiff, but he wasn't ready to admit that he anything but as tough as he wanted to pretend he was.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Blinking when Dakari made a noise of pain the proceeded to react in a way that was completely unusual for the cub, Shiba made a soft pensive sound as he observed the little hyena. It wouldn't take a genius to note that Dakari was clearly hurt. Probably from his scuffle with Katsu. Much like the Queen and King thought, Shiba couldn't help but be impressed that the snow leopard hadn't injured him further. The fact that there was no open wound and no sign of blood coming through the Prince's fur lead Shiba to believe that perhaps it was simply a minor bruising. However, such information was important to him and he stored it away for later use.

 

Huffing lightly in what could have been minor annoyance when the cub nuzzled against him, Shiba tolerated the touch even though his eyes narrowed in his clear displeasure. The Prince had been to babied and protected to need comfort even for a minor journey like this one was 'supposed' to be. Had the Prince been older and more steady on his own paws, he wouldn't have shown such weakness and softness in front of someone such as Shiba. Then again, Dakari was still somewhat young and he was an Omega....which made things just a bit more tolerable. For the time being that was, soon the Prince would know exactly who he was trapped with.

 

Rolling his eyes and following after the cub when the kid marched off again, Shiba kept his pace calm and when the boy finally showed signs of tiring, he felt dark amusement clouding his mind. It seemed that it was finally time to pounce.

 

"Dakari....I think I know a short cut to where we're going. We don't have to keep going the long way to the mountains. Just hold still and I'll get us there in no time" Shiba commented, hurrying his pace a small amount so he was behind the cub in no time, eyes shining with wicked intent.

 

Wasting little time, the wolf swooped down and locked his teeth into the cub's scruff, however, his hold wasn't as gently as Katsu's or the Prince's parents. It was clear that he didn't care whether he hurt the boy or not. Sinking his canines deep into that scruff, he yanked the cub up and swung off in the opposite direction they had been going. Getting into a brisk trot, the wolf cooly maneuvered his way through the forest around them, giving little care to the cub swinging in his grip and the taste of blood tainting his tongue.

 

"You best be quiet now....you don't want to awaken any larger predators, little Prince" the wolf chuckled around a mouthful of fur as he continue on his way through the darkening trees.

[LoneDigger]

The prince knew something was very wrong the moment that Shiba addressed him by his first name. That had never happened before, in fact. Most didn't dare to call him anything but what he was... a prince. Or at least they'd use the proper prefixes.

 

Dakari didn't even bother to correct the other or even respond, already his heart was racing as he tried to remember the way to the northern tower. How far had they gone? Would he be able to reach it before night fall?

In planning he made a deadly mistake of not turning around to keep an eye on the wolf so though a small part of it came as no surprise it was still just as terrifying and the hyena let out a scream of terror as sharp fangs pierced against his neck, but the action of being scruffed since he was still just a cub caused him to go limp nonetheless.

Even though he wanted to struggle, having that nerve pinched in his neck just caused his whole body to render useless.

 

How dare Shiba carry him such a way! Being scruffed was only for his parents to do when he was too tired to walk or even when he needed some firm, but nonetheless nonviolent punishment to calm him down when he got to be too much.

 

Even if his body was quiet, his voice was even louder than before. Crying for help, but none one would hear him out here except for as the wolf wisely pointed out: predators.

 

So he stopped his alarm shrieks and settled down to nothing more than a soft, but equally traumatized whimper.

 

"I... I'm sorry! I'll let you lead the way now, I promise...!"

 

The poor cub still only thought that Shiba was acting so cruel only because he had lost patience with him not being more submissive. He had no idea that this was something worse. To him Shiba was still a trusted protector, one who had been there before he was even born and always the one trusted to watch over him when he finally did come into the world.

Oh, well... the prince tried to cheer himself up by thinking this must be the shortcut the wolf was talking about, and despite the painful grip on his neck his body was grateful to be carried... Walking had made him very tired and his bruises hurt, even if he would never admit that last part.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Growling softly at the noises of panic the little cub was making, Shiba rolled his eyes in impatience and gave the cub a little shake. He didn't have the time nor the will to deal with his cries and to be frank, they were annoying to have to listen to from so close up. Leaping over a fallen tree, the wolf continued his path through the forest with a single thought in mind. Getting to the cave he had found several years ago. A cave that had always been ideal to use as a holding space, even though he had thought that years ago. They wouldn't make it before nightfall, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they were far enough from the palace now that the cub's cries would go unanswered by anyone who actually cared.

 

"Oh you won't need to promise anything else, Dakari. Did you really think I was going to just take you to whatever destination you had in mind. Honestly? How stupid can you and your parents be. To trust someone just because he had been around for so many years. Pathetic....completely and honestly pathetic. Now shut up and be still....I have no patience for any more stupidity" the wolf growled low around the mouthful of fur he carried. His tone poisonous and devoid of any emotion.

 

Sniffing the air around the annoying cub he was carrying Shiba took a few more sharp turns through the forest as night began to fall. It wasn't for another long set of moments that he finally arrived at the dark cave he had found so long ago. Not bothering to hesitate in the least, the wolf trotted into the opening and headed deep into the belly of the cavern. It was there that he tossed Dakari rather roughly against the back wall of the cave and glared at him with bared teeth. Posture screaming of threat and danger by the way his fur stood on end and his snarl made his eyes almost gleam with deadly intent.

 

"Stay there and do keep quiet. No one is coming to save you, you're out of luck this time. If you dare wander out of this cave while I'm away, I swear I'll tear you limb from limb when I find you again. Do not test my patience" Shiba snarled.

 

With just as much aggression as had been present throughout those words, the wolf spun on his paws and headed back out of the cave. It was time he alerted his comrade that the plan was in play and that the boy's parents could be alerted of the danger their cub would be in if their demands weren't met sooner rather than later.

[LoneDigger]

"Don't ever speak of my parents that way again! You're the one who is pathetic to betray us!"

 

The cub spat fire in his words, his own quick temper and cocky attitude causing him to forget his own predicament. No one disrespected his mother and father like that, and it hurt because they had trusted Shiba. Why would someone who they let almost become a part of their family forsake them like this?

 

When the wolf growled however it made Dakari let out a threatening rumble, his face was twisted up in a snarl of his own. He swore to himself the moment that the stupid dog let him down he would tear the bloody cur's face off!

 

Only his plans did not go so well when the former guard decided to toss the cub against the wall, causing another scream of pain to leave the cub as he collapsed against the floor of the cave, his vision blurred and everything hurt...

The pain was so intense for a moment that it paralyzed him so there was no need for the wolf to tell him not to move. The prince clearly wasn't planning on going anywhere soon.

 

Even when the cave stopped spinning he did not dare rise his head, he kept himself pressed up against the floor and wall. A crumpled little mess... He found himself fighting the urge to close his eyes, he couldn't sleep now. He had to be ready... but exhaustion quickly overcame the cub and he fell into a broken sleep that seemed almost feverish. It was like magma was pumping through his veins and at first it burned terribly, but then it quieted and turned into a comforting warmth spreading through him.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Morning came as quickly as night had fallen before and the palace was a mess, both the King and Queen were driving themselves up the wall. They hadn't slept that night nor had they mind for anything aside from the situation that had their eyes both red with tears and limbs shaking silently. Their cub was missing....no not missing. Someone who they had trusted had taken him from them and they didn't know in what state their little one was in. Shiba's comrade, a man they had already thrown into the dungeons below the palace, had revealed precious little information about where the Prince might be. He had told them that they had been betrayed, that their head guard had been behind it and that Dakari's life would be forfeit if they didn't pay up....but he had refused to release the whereabouts of either their son or the traitor. No amount of heavy interrogation had gotten that out of him.

 

The King and Queen had sent guards to search the area the moment they had received the news but they had returned empty handed. Villagers searched their streets and empty alleyways but none had seen the young hyena cub. And as night turned to day, dread grew heavier in the minds of the Royal family. They wanted their cub back, they needed their cub back safe and sound. But how would they be able to achieve that if they didn't have the slightest of ideas where he was. All they knew was the demands of Shiba and the very real danger their cub was in.

 

It wasn't until midday that the King reached the end of his rope and sent out a call for help to his Sentinels. He had no where else to run to and he hoped....even with the odds against them, that his guardians would be able to find the cub where everyone else had failed to do so.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Katsu inhaled the air around him deeply and the tip of his tail twitched from side to side. Vibrant blue eyes were much more alert than they should have been at this time of day. His white and black fur rippled in the shadows of the forest and he moved silently, never once making even the slightest of noises. Ears up and alert, twitching at even the slighest of sounds the large cat kept moving almost like a ghost through the trees around him.

 

It had been just a few short hours since he had received the call from help from the King and his mate. Dakari was missing, in danger and no one knew where he was. The thought itself was an alarming one and though Katsu had still been mildly irritated at the cub, even he couldn't ignore a call for help such as this one. It had taken one exchange of looks with Hiyori to know that his sister was with him in this one and with no hesitation, the siblings had left their isolated home to search for the young Prince. Hiyori had expanded the search to higher grounds around the forest edge while Katsu had stayed deep within the belly of the forest.

 

It had been there that he had caught a familiar scent.

 

Dakari.....and the traitor.

 

Moving quietly, the snow leopard didn't slow down even as he reached the mouth of a rather large cave. Tilting his head back to inhale the scents in the air again, Katsu could tell that Shiba wasn't in the area...the wolf must have gone out earlier in the day...which meant that Dakari wasn't being guarded at the moment. Not that it would have mattered much if the cub had been, Katsu would have still eliminated the threat without even the smallest of pauses. However, perhaps it was better that the wolf wasn't around. The snow leopard didn't want to have to expose the little cub to more violence than what he must have been through already.

 

Padding into the cave, Katsu followed his nose deep into the stomach of the cavern until the strong scent of the cub had him pausing just at the entrance of where the wolf had left the cub.

 

"Dakari?" Katsu called out quietly, tone gentle even as his eyes raked over the little hyena.

 

Eyes narrowing at the ruffled state of the kid, the snow leopard kept himself from approaching too quickly. His last encounter with the cub hadn't been pleasant and be didn't want to startle the little one even more now.

[LoneDigger]

Dakari was exhausted, yet his sleep was interrupted, any slight sound would have him startling awake and the pain in his back pressed against a very hard and uncomfortable rock was also jarring him from proper rest.

At first he was so scared that he never wanted to hear another sound or feel anything again unless it was the sound of his parents voice and the gentle touch of their warmth...

 

Katsu... that was another thing that nagged him even worse than his dismay at the betrayal from Shiba. He still hadn't completely his purpose on this journey and instead things had taken a turn for the worst and he'd never be able to make things right.

A nightmare came, one of his kingdom falling apart and suffering. Everyone, even his parents were not spared. And it was all because of him and his disrespect towards the Sentinel. All his fault...!

But then there a shred of hope in the dream, he felt the snow leopard's presence and heard the elder calling out to him.

 

Dakari twitched awake, the prince yelping in pain but there was a new spark of life in his honey brown eyes.

 

"Katsu!!!"

 

He yelled, letting out a relieved laugh despite the pain they did say laughter was the best medicine.

The prince didn't dare rise up yet though, only keeping his head up was enough of an effort.

 

"I tried to visit your kingdom to apologize for biting you but then..."

 

Suddenly remembering the wolf's threat from earlier, the cub shuddered and terror returned to his eyes once again.

 

"You have to get out of here RIGHT NOW!!! Before HE comes back...!!!"

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Eyes narrowing in silent fury at the yelp the little one let out when he awoke, Katsu wasted no time in erasing the distance between himself and the cub the moment he noticed the relief in the boy's voice. Lowering his head the moment he reached the Prince's side, Katsu rasped his tongue gently between those ears even as he paid mind to the terror in the young one's voice. Terror that would have been worrying to the snow leopard if he had anything to fear of the wolf. Shiba was a nuisance, a speck of dirt in his radar and while he had posed a true threat to Dakari and the his parents if he had killed the cub, he was nothing to Katsu. In fact, he was nothing more than a being who would soon find himself at the mercy of the Sentinel of Northern Tower. A mercy that would not be coming.

 

"Hush now, Princeling. There is nothing to be frightened of. Shiba can not hurt you and he doesn't stand a chance against me. Be calm, everything will be over soon......won't it, wolf?" Katsu stated and even if he had begun his reassurances with soft warmth in his voice, by the end of his words, his tone had grown frigid.

 

Katsu was not blind nor was he deaf. He had noticed the moment another set of paw steps had entered the cave and he knew by the the sound of them that it wasn't his sister. The scent that the sound had come with screamed of canine and while the thought of the wolf had rage gathering in his soul after seeing the state of the Prince, Katsu kept his body perfectly relaxed. Being blinded by rage wouldn't help him in any way. More than likely it would cause him to take Shiba's life much too quickly and at the moment he wished for the wolf to suffer instead of being granted death so soon.

 

"Sentinel Katsu....my, I knew they were desperate but to recruit the help of the very Sentinel that the brat had ticked off....well I didn't see that one coming. Isn't this a bit below your more important duties? I'm surprised you're wasting your time doing this" Shiba chuckled darkly from where he stood at the opening of the tunnel that lead to the exit of the cave. Golden eyes were alight in madness, cruel amusement and yes even fear....but he tried to conceal that last emotion as best he could.

 

To bad it was an effort lost on the Sentinel that stared at him over his shoulder with a look that could freeze even the strongest and bravest of soldiers. One of disgust and of promised pain. Pain of the type Shiba had never felt before.

 

Rasping his tongue once more between Dakari's ears in silent reassurance, Katsu turned calmly to fully face Shiba before sitting quietly down as if there was nothing of danger around them. Long tail circled around Dakari smoothly, only just brushing against the cub's fur but still making his claim of protection over the little one undeniable.

 

"Have you forgotten that part of my duties include keeping the Royal Family safe, wolf? Has your madness grown so far that you fail to notice the mistakes you make even as you make them? Truly, you amuse me....to have you think that you could pull off an act like this without repercussions. How ridiculous can you get?" Katsu replied in a cooly mocking tone, never once taking his gaze off the the wolf.

 

Snarling in rage at the snow leopard's mockery, Shiba made to leap at the cat. Teeth bared, fur standing on edge and body stiff with aggression, he was an impressive sight and perhaps he would have been terrifying if he had managed to complete what he had in mind. But no matter how dangerous the wolf seemed, the moment he went to attack, he found himself unable to move. In fact, it felt like his paws had frozen solidly against the ground. Terror began to grip Shiba's mind and as he lowered his eyes, panic seized him at the sight of his large paws surrounded with a thick layer of ice that had seemed to grow out of the ground itself. A layer of ice that was gradually crawling it's way further up his legs as the seconds ticked by and the temperature lowered.

 

"What's the matter? Did you just notice your last mistake? Honestly, after being given the position of Head guard, it is unfortunate that you have become this oblivious to your surroundings. Perhaps you might have been able to be even a remote challenge had you paid more attention to anything aside from your ego" Katsu chuckled but there was no real sense of laughter in his voice. Perhaps that's what made it a scarier sound to have to hearthe sheer hollowness in it.

 

Lifting his golden gaze fearfully up at the cat, Shiba found his fear gripping at his heart more tightly at the sight of those cold, emotionless blue eyes piercing through him. This wasn't Dakari's reluctant playmate anymore nor was he the respectful Sentinel that had appeared to entertain the requests of the King and Queen. No, this was the warrior, the guardian....the soldier. The Katsu that people often whispered stories of. Legends had been named after him and while Shiba knew that this Sentinel was one of the most powerful of them all, he had never thought he'd find himself at the recieving end of this harbinger of death. A low, terror filled whine escaped the wolf as his ears pressed back against the top of his head in desperate submission. He wanted to beg for forgiveness, to roll onto his back and present his stomach to one much stronger than himself.....Yet he couldn't move. The ice had silently made it's way the rest of the way up his legs and he could already feel it's cold touch beginning to spread across his body.

 

"Hiyori!" Katsu called out a moment later, ignoring the fear in the wolf's eyes in favor of paying even the slightest mind to the sound of his sister's paw steps heading down the tunnel.

 

It wasn't long until a beautiful pale golden furred lioness made her presence known. Those calculating green eyes glared in distaste at the wolf being frozen alive in front of her before they turned towards her brother. All it took was one look at the protective action of his tail and the roughed up cub he sat slightly in front of for her to understand what he wanted even as her eyes softened.

 

"Shall I take the Prince outside until you finish here, brother?" Hiyori asked and truly, the pure child-like innocence in her voice could have been misleading had it not been for the intelligence in her gaze.

 

"If you would be so kind. I believe the Princeling has had enough violence for now. I'd rather spare him from having to see more" Katsu replied the moment he finally took his gaze off of Shiba to lower those blue eyes to Dakari.

 

"Go with Hiyori, Princeling. I'll meet you out there soon" he murmured softly, making an effort to soften his gaze and push down some of his deadly intent in favor of offering some comfort to the young cub.

 

Making short work of covering the distance between them, Hiyori lowered her head to nuzzle just briefly against the Prince's cheek in a gesture she hoped was comforting as well. She knew as a lioness, the Prince would be frightened of her, especially after all he'd been through....but she wanted to calm him if only by a little.

 

"Can you walk or shall I carry you?" She asked softly.

[LoneDigger]

Dakari gazed at the grey shape standing in the moonlight of the cave's mouth, and briefly he worried what if they both got swallowed back here never to be seen again and lost forever in the darkness of time. Forgotten.

The blue between his dreamlike state and reality blurred as his eyes closed and then opened again to the site of what he thought must be Katsu's ghost, the silvery glow around the snow leopard as he padded into the cave without making a sound must have meant he was too late to apologize...

 

"I'm sorry..."

 

The prince bowed his head in both fear, respect, and awe of the Sentinel that was until he felt something cool but definitely real combing the blond tuft of fur on his head. Spirits couldn't touch the living, so was he also a ghost?

The cub let out a content little groan as he closed his eyes, letting the tongue caress his head as it slowly cleared and when his golden browns opened again he could feel this was all real.

 

Suddenly all the fear inside had melted away, if Katsu were not scared then neither was he!

Suddenly that same switch between sanity and insanity had been flicked on again the same way it had been triggered when biting the elder's neck.

The cub shakingly rose to his paws and leaned heavily against the wall for support as he let out a wicked chuckle, his teeth flashing white in the dimness of the cave.

 

"You're in so much trouble, Shiba~"

 

The sound of his own laughter seemed to bounce off the walls and surround them in a never ending echo that only grew louder and more manically excited when he seen the grey outline moving towards the wolf as the ice crept on the cave's floor and up the traitor's paws, immobilizing him instantly.

 

But then his primal instincts kicked in again with the scent of his rival species entering the cave. The lioness had arrived and with her she brought a different kind of excitement to the cub, respect for the stronger apex predator of the Savannah.

When she approached him his laughter calmed down and turned instead into a soft whine as he lowered himself, bowing down on all fours in his own way of showing deference to the queen of the jungle.

 

Twisting his always flexible neck against the ground to dare to peak an eye up at the larger cat he let out another soft whine fearfully at first as the lioness gave her affections, but no matter how gentle that touch was it still send waves of phobia through his body. Such was his great respect for her powers. Yet there was some comfort in knowing that if his natural enemy could show compassion to him.

 

".... I can walk... Thank you Mistress."

 

He murmured, already in his panic he had forgotten her name so he went with the next best thing he knew as he limped out of the cave but then paused and looked over his shoulder to lock eyes with Katsu's blue reflecting in his own as his lips curled up in a Cheshire grin, a dark chuckle leaving him.

 

"Wait... I want to see what happens to the wolf who betray me~"

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Ears flickering at the sound of the cub's laughter, Katsu felt the stirrings of his own amusement begin to rumble through him. It wasn't amusement spouted from seeing something funny take place...it was amusement at the knowledge that his prey was trapped and at his mercy. That this wolf would not walk out of this cave with his life as intact as it had been before. It was amusement at the knowledge that when he was done, Shiba would not only be regretting his actions but the moment he had met and crossed the paths of Katsu. Because while the snow leopard was generally calm tempered and easy natured, he did not forgive easily when he was crossed. Shiba had injured someone that the Sentinels took great care in protecting and he would regret that until his dying breath, there was no denying that.

 

Watching the interaction between his sister and the cub, Katsu felt something protective stir in him when he saw the way Dakari lowered himself before the lioness. He knew that the history between their two animals was anything but peaceful and the fear the cub showed was only natural....yet he couldn't help but want to protect him. Not from his sister perhaps, he knew Hiyori would never do a thing to hurt him, but from the fear he was going through itself. Lifting his tail, he stroked it gently across the cub's flank as a silent form of reassurance before turning his attention back at the wolf whose soft whines had begun to grow louder as the ice continued its journey.

 

"Call me Hiyori, my Prince. There is no need for such titles. Besides, I'm more likely to accidentally ignore you if you call me mistress as opposed to my actual name" Hiyori replied with a soft musical sounding laugh as she took a step back to lead the cub away. But that wasn't before she leaned her head against Katsu's and nuzzled ever gently against her brother.

 

As the two made their way towards the entrance of the cave, Katsu pushed himself back to his feet before freezing the moment Dakari looked back at him. Seeing that strange blue in the cub's eyes once more and seeing that rather chilling grin on his features....Katsu could feel the first stirrings of concern but it was something he quickly stuffed to the back of his mind for now. Whatever was going on with the cub, he'd address it later when they were back at the Tower.

 

Locking eyes with Hiyori after the cub's request, the snow leopard inclined his head in acceptance to the cub's request before turning his attention back on his prisoner. Circling the wolf, tail trailing against the freezing parts of his body, Katsu blinked cold eyes at the canine as he finally came to a stop in front of him.

 

"I'm assuming you're starting to get cold. You're lungs are having trouble expanding and you're limbs are gradually losing all sensations. What you're experiencing right now is your body freezing from the inside out. It is a slow process, torturous at best but used mostly to gather information and punish traitors to the crown. I've been using this method for many years now and I guarentee that you'll be begging for mercy before my ice takes what remains of you soul. However, before that, you will answer my questions" Katsu commented almost as if he was holding a conversation about the weather and not about killing someone.

 

Shiba for his part couldn't bring himself to say anything that would remotely save himself. The cat hadn't been lying, he was getting colder at the moments went by. His violent shaking was growing and he could feel the cruel reaches of ice freezing the blood in his veins. He could feel it begin to coat his organs and it was terrifying to not be able to fight against it.

 

However, if he thought this would be the worst of it.....he was wrong.

 

The first scream of absolute pain filled the cavern seconds after Katsu had begun to speak. Body shaking in nearly indescribable pain, Shiba lowered his gaze to look at the spike of ice that had been summoned from the glassy looking floor. The grotesque sound of the spike severing through his flesh to plunge deep enough into his body to reach the bone that made his shoulder blade, had him gagging. Blood steadily dripped out of the wound, down the sharp pillar of ice and onto the frozen ground below. And through it all, the snow leopard simply sat in front of him and watched on with no care in his eyes.

 

"Talk.....who convinced you to hatch such a stupid plan? Who is responsible for your actions?" Katsu asked coldly.

 

Moments of stubborn silence passed until another howl of devastating pain pierced the air once more as a second spike of ice found another home in the wolf's body. This time ripping through his flank and burying deep into his abdomen.

 

"Talk wolf! I won't ask again" Katsu commanded sharply, patience running thin and voice growing darker as the moments went by.

 

"The Kingdom of Dezato! They sent me a request years ago to use my influence to tear the royal family down! They wanted someone ambitious enough to make the first move so they could strike later!" Shiba practically screamed his answer in desperation to make the pain end.

 

Tilting his head at the answer he received Katsu thumped his long tail against the ground in thought as he examined the wolf in front of him. The kingdom of Dezato....huh? They were a small kingdom...populated by mostly dessert thriving animal spirits. Katsu had visited that Kingdom a few times in his youth after the war. Even back then they had been one of the prime factors that had caused the war in their realm to rise up. However, they had been quiet for several years now. To have them rise up once more, if what Shiba was saying was true, then that was cause for concern. It was something he and the other Sentinels had to look into sooner rather than later.

 

"I'll take your word for now, Shiba.....but that doesn't mean you're forgiven. I will not kill you, that is not my place. The King and Queen will do with you what they will. Nevertheless, I won't unfreeze you. I believe leaving you here to suffer a bit longer will do you a greater good. It'll give you time to repent the path you have taken, that I assure you. And when they find you, your life will be in their hands. However, understand one thing. Should you ever consider laying a paw on the Princeling again, I will come after you once more and I won't show mercy this time. Don't test my patience wolf, you'll find yourself losing much more than you can afford to" Katsu growled low.

 

Shiba tried with all his might to lower his body to the ground, to show submission under those cruel blue eyes but he couldn't move. He couldn't move a muscle....and that terrified him more than anything else ever had. Watching the snow leopard get to his paws and smoothly stride around him towards his sister and the cub, the wolf could only release soft broken whine as the feline lead them out of the cave.

 

Keeping the tip of his tail on Dakari's shoulder as he ushered them away from where he had left the wolf, Katsu lowered far more softer eyes to the little cub before he spoke.

 

"Princeling....how bad are you hurt?"

[LoneDigger]

Dakari gazed up at at the lioness with a hint of awe as he lowered his head respectfully again as he nodded.

 

"Yes, m-- I mean... Hiyori."

 

The cub favored his weight on the one side, he was sore everywhere really. But it was worse where the impact had been directly on the right.

Yet he remained steady, so focused on the scene before him he did not even realize his own discomfort for a moment as he became completely enthralled with the snow leopard's cruelty to Shiba who he was whole heatedly enjoying watching get what he deserved.

Who knew revenge could taste so sweet?

 

The prince couldn't contain himself, he began to laugh harder and circled the wolf, yet he stayed out of Katsu's way and let the Sentinel deliver his punishments.

At first when the ice pick pierced through the traitor's fur caused him to shriek in his own fear and retreat back to Hiyori's side, even his fear of the lioness was nothing compared to witnessing a power like that.

But his initial shock was soon worn off and he already back to getting a closer look and once the scent of blood filled his head it excited him again.

 

He wanted to hurt Shiba the same way he had been hurt, only worse. Just like Katsu was comparable of showing him. Yet the coldness that was surrounding the wolf was so powerful even Dakari was afraid to touch it. Fearing it could creep onto him and spread over his body and consume him with that chilling death grip.

 

But once the integration slowed so did the prince's own bloodlust as he suddenly fell back down to his paws again and let out a low whine as he struggled to pull himself back up on his feet.

 

"It's not that bad..."

 

The prince lied, not to be deceitful. But because he wanted to prove that he wasn't a baby and could handle getting hurt. That he was too tough to even admit his own pain.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Dakari's reactions were not lost to Katsu. The snow leopard noticed just about everything the young Prince did even if most of his attention was on Shiba. The fear was understandable when the first spear of ice formed and found its target in the wolf's body but the fascination that seemed to grow in the cub wasn't. Then again, the boy was half hyena and those animals tended to hold a rather morbid sense of humor. Still, for someone as young as Dakari still was, the bloodlust in the younger male was just a touch concerning. Perhaps there was nothing Katsu could do about it but he didn't want the boy witnessing more violence than he had need to.

 

Eyes narrowing in growing concern when Dakari dropped down the moment the interrogation came to an end, Katsu lowered his head to briefly sniff at the cub's body even as he huffed out an exasperated breath at the response he received.

 

"I'm sure it's not. You might try convincing me again when you manage to get your paws properly under yourself and have them bear your weight, little one" Katsu replied far more gently than he had ever spoken to the young cub before.

 

Looking up at his sister who watched the pair with gentle almost motherly concern, Katsu directed his next few words at her as he stood beside the young cub.

 

"Send word to the cub's parents that we have him in our custody. In his state, I'd much rather bring him to the Tower than journey back to the palace. They will worry, I know that well, but inform them that the Princeling is safe and I will have his injuries tended to. He'll be ready to be brought back to the palace tomorrow or the day after" he commanded but by the soft warmth in his tone as he addressed his sibling, it sounded more like a request than anything else.

 

Inclinging her head in understanding, Hiyori turned and bounded out of the cave just as quickly ad she had come and though she made a bit more noise than her brother, her paw steps were still alarmingly soft for a predator her size.

 

Crouching beside the Prince the moment Hiyori had left his sight, Katsu nudged the little one with his tail and murmured "Climb onto my back and bite down if you need help holding on. I'd much rather you not strain your body more than what it already is. Once we reach my home I'll take a closer look at those injuries.....but for now....I am proud of you, Princeling. You were very brave in the situation you were just in, you hold the makings of a great King one day".

[LoneDigger]

Dakari giggled softly when the snow leopard's cool breath and whiskers tickled against his face as the elder checked over him. Even if he was hurt he did already feel better now that it seemed all was forgiven and their wolf was held prisoner in ice.

Never had there been such an adventure for him. It had been fun, yet... it wasn't just a game anymore.

He'd never been betrayed and now it felt like he would never really be able to trust again. He also found the process in which Katsu held interrogations to be both frightening and thrilling... One day he would be strong enough to hurt his enemies... but for now that was the Sentinel's job to keep peace while also knowing when to use force.

 

Dakari tried to rise up again and he managed, though it was a struggle and he almost just wanted to take a nap right there and not wake up again until he was back home and everything was normal again...

But his ears flickered forward and a grin pulled his lips again when Katsu said he would not be going home, but rather with him which was even better!

He'd always wanted to see what the northern tower was like and the life of Sentinel's up close.

 

The prince wasted no time in trying to get up on the snow leopard's back, he yelped in pain as he shifted his weight onto his hind legs briefly and then braced his front paws against the snow leopard's side as he began to pull himself up, sinking his teeth into Katsu's scruff to give himself some leverage as he groaned in the effort it took to what would have normally been the bouncy cub just taking one leap or two to get up there. But once he was up he wrapped his legs around the soft, but thick neck. The fur was so plush... but underneath it he could feel how lean and hard Katsu's form was.

He gave the other's ears a gentle lick to say thank you before closing his eyes.

[Full_Moon_Rising]

Rising to his full height the moment Dakari had successfully climbed onto his back, Katsu wasted little time in hurrying out of the cave and into the open forest air. Trying to keep his movements smooth enough as to not jerk the cub around too much on his back, Katsu looped around the cave opening and began the journey home. While he knew that Dakari would have been much more at ease in the presence of his parents and of familiar settings, Katsu wanted to keep the boy with him just a little while longer. With the betrayal he had just gone through and the fact that it wasn't certain if the palace had anymore traitors in it, he'd prefer to keep the Prince where he could see him. Besides, Natsume, one of his followers, was a healer and under his care, Prince Dakari's injuries would be tended to without fail.

 

Keeping silent on the journey back to the tower, Katsu allowed the boy to rest even if he wouldn't admit it verbally. As spunky and proud as the little Prince already was, he had to learn that it was alright to voice his limits when he arrived at them. Dakari was hurt, Katsu could see that clearly and the way he held himself told a story of the pain he must be silently enduring...something that bothered the snow leopard something fierce. It was odd, he had only just met the boy and already he wasn't light on his protective thoughts of the young cub. Honestly, Katsu had no idea just why the boy had him feeling what he hadn't before but now was not the time to question things. It was simply time to get the Prince to safety and secure the safety of the Kingdom as well.

 

Reaching the northern mountains took an hour or so but when that cold breeze ruffled his fur, Katsu felt his tension melt away. He was home, out of the forest and in a terrain he knew like the back of his hand. Hurrying his pace just a bit in an effort to keep the cold from bothering the young one too much, the snow leopard crossed the wintery terrain on sure paws that never faltered under the ever falling snow. Blue eyes shone in the darkness that had fallen around them, making things almost unrecognizable, but Katsu didn't need to see things to know where he was going. It wasn't for another long couple of moments that finally a huge white Tower appeared nestled in the middle of two massive mountains. Its appearance made it look mystical and almost otherworldly, something others would be weary to approach without tainting such beauty... yet it was nothing more than home to the snow leopard.

 

Reaching the bottom entrance of the tower, Katsu blinking up through the snow at a gorgeous snowy owl that glided it's way serenely over to them before landing just at the edge of a small outcrop. Intelligent golden eyes blinked slowly at them before a young voice resounded out of the owl's body softly.

 

"Katsu....Hiyori sent word that you'd be bringing the injured Prince. I've arranged your room to tend him in, if that sits well with you? I believe he would be more at ease with your scent around him than any of ours" the owl, Natsume, spoke.

 

"That'll work just fine. We'll be up in just a few moments. See about having something warm for him to drink please" Katsu responded with a small nod that had the snow gathering on his fur slipping off of him.

 

"Of course" Natsume replied before the owl was once more spreading his wings and rising up to the skies without even the slightest of sounds.

 

Glancing back at the bundle he carried on his back, Katsu eyed the top of the Tower where his own chambers were and where most of the activities took place. Normally, he wouldn't mind climbing up the mountains with ease until he reached the top or leaping up the stairs inside the tower, but with the cub on his back....that was a bit more dangerous. Shifting to his human form would help him secure the little one in his arms a bit better than just telling him to hold on. Especially in his state of being.

 

"Princeling? I need you to wake for a moment. I need to shift my form so I can get you inside the Tower easier" he called softly to the cub resting on his back even as he rolled his shoulders briefly to try and get his attention.