Valinteena

In a world left with scars from a great war, the humans rejoice in their victory, but also weep at the cost. Unaware of the blind hatred that led to the slaughter, an entire race was nearly erased from the face of their lands. They believed they had wiped the shifters from the face of the planet, little did they know very few lived on in the very forests they visited, and in the villages they traded with. Forced into hiding, the shifters built a new clan, and lived by the old rules, hiding from humanity. 

Kyera Shade of the Moon is a Shapeshifter who takes the form of a White tigress with silver stripes. Alone in the world, and carrying the weight of her clan on her shoulders, she attempts to uphold the law she was born to, and protect the remaining of her kind. Her heart decimated by the deaths of her brothers and the absence of her mother, she finds herself caught in a net and unable to break free. In her moment of desperation, a hand reaches out and catches her. A man who threatens to steal her heart away, but can she learn to forgive herself? Can she find love and salvation in another's arms after the betrayals of so many? 

Clovis of the Dancing Rain is the fourth Prince of the Forest Kingdom. He is a clever man, but had no wish to be king. Perfectly happy to raise is Daughter in peace now that his young wife had passed. There was darkness and secrets in his past, but there was no place for revenge in his future. Not until they took it too far. Pushing his bottom line a need to take the crown lit in his heart. However, he needed one thing more than anything else... the right woman by his side. As if the answer to a prayer, a woman appeared. Beautiful and trustworthy who loved his daughter as much as he did, if not more. Yet her heart was broken, her world surrounded by secrets and shadows, perhaps she was best left alone. However, would he be able to live without her?

The Tiger Within

The trip to shadow veil was a blur. There was no resistance to Mordakai and his carriage leaving,  or at least if there had been, he had been certain Kyera and the Royals were not affected by it. They were out of the city by night fall and halfway to the the Warp Gate. 


Warp gates were portals put in place by priests with stones enchanted with the magic of their god or goddess. Shadow veil was easily reached by using a warp gate while in possession of the royal rings. Each ring was carefully engraved with the runes of then Shadow King. This was true for every kingdom, but by use of a different deity. 


The Ice kingdom of Crystal Peak was known for transportation through the goddess of winter, The kingdom of flame Ember Fall was reached through the God of Summer and so on and so forth. However, these gates could only be accessed by royals or their messengers, but cut the trip between kingdoms by days. There was no way he was dragging the Empress across the forests in her condition. So through the warp gates they went. 


On the other side, it was nearly dark. They would have to camp for the night, but in friendly territory. However, one little confused princess wasn't so sure. 


"Kyera.. are we really going to camp here?" she asked frowning a bit. Her concern was partially because she had never slept outside before, and then other part was because she had been uprooted so suddenly. She wasn't sure what was happening other than they were going on a trip without any real warning. It was exciting but scary too. 


"Yes, these forests are known as the guardian wood. We will be safe here." Kyera explained as she helped the child down from the carriage. Clovis followed them down with a curious expression. 


"Why is that, I have heard it was a legend or something?" he asked curiously and Kyera couldn't help but smile. 


"It was many years ago, before the dawn of the Empire Wars. The brothers of the four empires had begun to fight. Well legend has it the south empire sent a army through the forest here to attack the Shadow Kingdom. The Shadow King, the god himself had born a daughter to the land. She held the powers of the shadows. She fought back the army to protect her people and old out for the army to arrive." Kyera explained as she led the three to the river they had stopped beside. Raina began to drink the water. 


"I see. She became the princess then?" he asked remembering stories of the Shadow Veil Empire starting with a Empress not a Emperor. Kyera shook her head.


"No she passed in the battle. Her final spell cast to bind her soul to these trees. Now the trees defend this land from any dark intrusion, but at a great price. She will never pass to the next life and rejoin her kin, or kneel before her father the Emperor of death. Her final spell sealed herself away for all eternity. The first Empress you mentioned was a companion of hers, Ravena who survived the battle and declared this land for the Shadow King." Kyera explained with a soft smile. She laid her forehead to the tree. She listened close and could hear her half sister's heartbeat like a soft lullaby in her ears. 


"What was her name, the Warrior?" Raina asked curiously and Kyera smiled brightly. 


"She and I share a name. You see she and I are blood. The girl who perished was a shifter too, a fleet snow leopard, with a coat of pure white like the moon in the ink black sky." Kyera explained as she filled her canteen with water. She took a deep drink, her aching muscles almost too much to tolerate.


A Legend