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

She never seemed to hear them as suddenly, Kyera sprung up from the ground and took off running. Her body shifting in mid stride as she raced across the land. Kendrick ran beside Clovis who leapt onto the tiger's back following her. Neither of them had any idea where they were racing too, but they didn't care. Kyera couldn't be alone right now. 


His feet pounded the earth as Kyera's did just a ways ahead. He didn't need to see her. The path she was taking was familiar as they ran through the village. It was as if something inhuman spurred her on as Kyera pushed on, running till the smell of burning flesh was far behind them. Her stamina spurred on by pure desperation. 


He had to be telling the truth… there was no other reason… nothing that she could think of. Hopefully this was no cruel trick, but Prim was dead. There was no reason for him to lie. Her heart beat twice as fast just a the implication of having her heart broken again. Then the house came into view. The garden was wild and unruly, vines now weaving across walls and over the roof from lack of care. Glorious grape vines, and beautiful ivy now made the house stained by so much blood and pain look as though it was the little grandmother's house of of some of the oldest fairy tales. Her heart throbbed with pain again as she remembered that place… and everything that had started there, the path she was on now every suffering, every evil that would smear her life till this day had started on the steps of this house. 


She ran to the gate and tossed it open, and entered the garden she had once kept so meticulously perfect, now overgrown from neglect. Remarkably it appeared unmolested by the Dark Ones, perhaps left as a memento of the day Prim had succeeded in murdering Kyera's brothers. She would never know why but a trail was cut through the dense underbrush. Shadows seemed to focus on the place where the four tombstones stood. Three tigers Kyera recognized the black silhouettes of stood at the side of a third… Kan. A sob tor itself from Kyera's body as she saw her brothers and cousin standing there, waiting on her. 


She slowed to a walk, approaching the four stones just as Clovis and Kendrick entered the garden behind her. The shadows stepped aside for Kyera to approach and there, nested in the center of the tomb stones where Kyera had so often taken refuge was a blanket. Inside that blanket a baby was snuggled up, nice and warm. A little girl, maybe two or three years old sat beside him, her cat like ears and soft furry paw settled on his blanket. Tears of joy and disbelief filled her eyes as Kyera scooped up the baby, Gale was safely back in her arms. 


He looked up at her, shocked and bewildered but happy too. HIs mother… this was his mother. Not just her scent, but mother here in the flesh to reclaim him. She hadn't given up, she had come for him. The stranger had taken him to mother. She pulled him in close, pleased to see him unharmed, as she looked down at where he laid next to the little girl, she hid behind a stone. Kyera slowly lowered to her knees. 


"Thank you, little one. Thank you for protecting my son." Kyera whispered reaching out to pat the child on the head. The little girl looked at her through big blue eyes, deeper than any she had seen before and oh so familiar. Realization dawned. "Are you Verone's daughter?" Kyera asked her softly. The child nodded tears in her eyes. 


"Daddy's gone." She whispered as if she already knew the answer. It wasn't a question. Kyera nodded and knelt down, hugging the child as well as her son in the safety of the four stones. Kendrick and Clovis soon joining her in the hug while the shadows stood watch. They had never expected a happy ending.


Hope He wasn't Lying