Panter's Pride:
Hunted
by T. S. Hubbard
Disclaimer It's still mine. Note: Panter's Pride must be read first, as this is book 2.
Thanks to Thorie for volunteering to proofread yet another story.
Email address: thubbar2@insight.rr.com.- comments welcome.
Chapter Thirteen
The screams of dying men filled the air as dusk faded into night. Panter shifted impatiently as the time to move grew closer. She had made her way over to Thira's position as darkness settled in. Only the two of them would attempt to go over the wall. Between them there was a greater chance of success then with a larger group, the others would be forced to use climbing ropes, which created too much of a risk of being seen by the enemy. Panter tensed as the sound of light footfalls drifted to her ears, she relaxed as Thira emerged from the surrounding brush. Panter noticed the gleam of excitement in her eye. That along with the almost visual aura of restless energy surrounding her made the hair rise on the back of her neck.
"Ready to do this?" Thira asked. She had a hard time keeping the eager grin off her face. The rush of energy and power that surged through her veins made her feel as if she could take the enemy head on with no help at all.
Panter nodded silently, she couldn't blame Thira for the excitement she was feeling, she felt it too. The task ahead of them was a challenge that stirred the animal side of them both. To pit themselves against an unknown army was the height of foolishness but they had more going for them than a simple human would. She followed Thira to the chosen entry point.
Keeping close to the pools of darkness that the trees provided they readied themselves for a rush at the walls where the sentries that still survived were occupied with trying to evade the arrows that continued to speed towards them. They both poured on the speed as the opening they were waiting for arrived. Thira easily reached the safety of the wall before Panter, her burst of swiftness leaving Panter behind in mere seconds.
Thira waited patiently as she scanned the surrounding area continuously. It wouldn't do to be seen already. She felt Panter's presence before seeing her. Thira led her to the section of wall she had specifically chosen. It was the furthest point from the front gates, so had less guards in the area than the others. Shedding her boots, she tucked them in her belt at her back; she glimpsed Panter doing the same thing out of the corner of her eye.
Crouching they leapt for the rim of the towering barricade. About halfway up the strength of their leaps bled off. Sinking their claws into the soft wood they continued their rapid ascent. Bits of bark and debris fell as they hurried to reach the top. As they slipped over the edge and moved into the gloom that the flickering torches couldn't breach, voices rapidly neared their position. Their eyes met in silent communication as they both separated and moved even deeper into the concealing shadows.
Panter held her breath as the three men walked right past her position. She let the last man pass her before stirring; her arm accidentally brushed the wall causing a slight noise that caught the man's attention. Before he could alert the others or turn to investigate Panter moved. Grabbing him by the back of his neck she twisted, breaking his neck effortlessly. He died without making a sound. A strangled gasp had her looking in the direction Thira had gone. She easily made out her form as she stood with a man's neck in each hand, their feet dangling helplessly above the wooden walkway.
Thira watched the terror that spread on each mans face as they realized their dire predicament. Knowing that they were a liability they couldn't afford made her decision an easy one. Tightening her grip, she jerked her wrists sideways sharply, a muffled gurgle rose as their necks snapped. Getting rid of the bodies was easy; she simply tossed them over the wall behind her. Muted thuds signaled when their bodies made impact with the ground below. Another followed closely as Panter did the same with hers. Leaving them lying in full sight would only alert the others to their presence. Three bodies without arrow wounds like the corpses that were scattered around them was too much of a risk.
They exchanged a quick glance and paused for the few seconds it took to don their footwear then continued. They followed the wall until it looped close to the roof of a nearby building. No one noticed the shadows that flowed overhead as they jump onto the rooftop. The torchlight didn't reach them here so they moved easily from building to building using them to get closer to the small building that more than likely enclosed the winch that opened and closed the gate.
Finally reaching the last building they studied the scene before them. Two men were stationed by the structures only entrance, fortunately they didn't seem to enthusiastic in the duty they were currently doing. With everyone's attention directed to the army camped just outside their walls there weren't many soldiers wandering around to impede their plan. There also weren't as many shadows to hide in but they had little choice but to continue.
Panter fell flat to the roofs surface as soon as they landed from their jump. Soft panting signaled Thira's arrival at her side. Crawling to the rim of the roof she peered over the edge cautiously. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled, they hadn't even glanced up. Panter looked over at Thira and signaled by pointing downward and moving her thumb slowly over her throat. She readied herself as Thira nodded shortly and joined her.
No one noticed as the two men were swiftly yanked upward, someone would've had to been right there to hear the stifled screams that abruptly cut off. A flicker of motion had Panter and Thira at the door then through.
"We need to blockade this door" Panter noticed the iron hooks on either side of the frame, there had to be something already her for that purpose. A dull glint of metal caught her eye behind a stack of barrels that had been stored there. "Thira, give me a hand"
Little time passed until they had unearthed a bar of thick steel. It slid into the hooks with harsh grate. It was a perfect fit. Panter felt better now that the door was secured while the next step of the plan was implemented. She joined Thira at the winch. Two sets of cranks were set opposite each other; it looked as if they needed to be operated at the same time to raise the gate. It seemed as if it normally needed several people to operate it, but both of them should be more then enough to do the job. Panter wrapped her hands around the crank handle nearest her while Thira moved to claim the other.
"Ready?"
Thira nodded. "When you are"
"Go" Panter heard the creak of the pulleys as they both threw their strength into raising the gate as quickly as possible. Groans echoed in the small space as the thick rope reluctantly began to move. Once they got it moving, it didn't take as much power to keep in going. The cable dropped into a loose pile by their feet as the gate started to lift. Panter smirked as she heard the shouts of the frantic men as they finally realized what was happening. The door vibrated as the men hammered on it as they tried to break into the building attempting to halt what was happening.
The shouts suddenly grew louder. Panter could almost picture the looks on their faces as her militia started pouring through the opening. The rope stopped with a jerk as the knots at the end slipped into a set of hooks designed to keep the gate up until they were released.
Panter glanced at the door. She shook her head; going out that way wasn't a good idea, who knew how many soldiers where still outside that door.
"Panter" Thira pointed up to the opening that the cables ran through. Just to the left of it was a gap. More then likely it had been designed to allow fresh air into the building.
Panter carefully climbed up the hoist and stopped across from the opening. It was a decent size but not anywhere near big enough to squeeze through. She grasped the edge of the opening and pulled, a section easily broke off in her hand. A smile spread across her face, they had been in such a hurry to build their defenses they had done a pitiful job of it. She started to enlarge the hole, dropping handfuls of loose wood below her. In a short time it was big enough to squeeze through. Splinters of wood scraped against Panter's skin as she pushed her body through the rough gap. She almost got stuck as the hilt of her sword caught on an edge. A powerful jerk broke her free and she was able to gain the freedom of the rooftop. Panter looked around at the sea of bodies engaged in battle as Thira joined her.
Panter spotted Tera below her fighting against several men at once. They were causing her to retreat in front of them. She moved back until she encountered the wall of the building Panter was currently perched on. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the smiles on the men faces grow wider as they thought they had the woman right where they wanted her. Panter was happy to relieve them of that idea as she dropped down on them from above. Two went down under her weight as she grabbed the other, a quick twist had him dropping in a still mound at her feet.
"Panter" Tera took a quick moment to hug her partner before directing her attention to the fight brewing around them. "Shall we join back in?"
Panter drew her sword and readied herself as a man headed towards her. "Why not" Steel clashed as their blades met. She laughed at the surprise that flashed over his face as she effortlessly shoved him back. Panter's sword flashed in the sunlight as she spun it. She kicked out at another soldier that moved to intercept her. He crumpled into a limp heap as he slammed into the side of the building behind her. Panter snarled as the first man gathered his nerve and rushed her again.
"Wrong choice. You should of run when you had the chance"
She swept his sword to the side as he made a hasty lunge while he attempted to run her through. A small part of her felt a flicker of sympathy for the man as she dodged the pathetic assault and continued to play with him.
"I'll never run from a fight," He spat back brashly. "No man or woman will ever beat me". A droplet of sweat dripped off his chin as he spoke. He gripped his sword even tighter as he readied himself to attack her again.
Panter's eyebrow arched at the inane comment. The arrogant man was either a fool or an idiot. Anyway you looked at it, to her he was a walking dead man. She flashed her fangs in a wild grin.
"What about the other category?"
"Other?"
The soldier saw the gleam of her sharp teeth. He paled as what he was facing finally sank in. His efforts redoubled as he struggled to survive against the animal that sprang at him with fangs bared. His death loomed over him while wearing a very human face.
******************
Thira slashed open one throat as she sent a dagger into another's chest. Splashes of blood adorned her as she worked her way through the enemy clustered around her. She ducked as an axe flashed toward her head. The sharp blade whistled through the space that her neck had been in moments before. The danger only increased the surge of adrenaline that rushed through her veins. Thira used her speed in brief bursts, easily avoiding the blades that flickered toward her, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. A hand suddenly grabbed her arm and she spun to face the attack head on. She almost wasn't able to stop herself in time as her senses registered the presence of Alesia in front of her. The flash of fear that flooded her at the near miss made her heart race uncontrollably. She turned and used it to kick a determined soldier back. The strength of her kick slammed him into several others causing them all to hit the ground together in a limp pile. Seizing the moment that the small space of calm gave her Thira moved towards her mate. A spark of pride flared inside her as she watched Alesia take out several men. Thira could smell her scent as it drifted from her sweat slick skin. She moved closer to her and breathed it in deeply.
"Don't ever do that again"
Alesia shivered as warm air lightly brushed her neck and ear. She trembled at the low growl that made Thira's voice rough. "Do what again?"
"Grab me like that. I could have killed you before I realized who you were. Do you have any idea what that would do to me?" Her claws dug into her palms as she closed them into fists. The pain drew her back from the horror that flooded her mind at the thought. She would have literally died if Alesia were no longer there. Thira was extremely careful that Alesia never learned of that; she was frightened that knowledge of such a bond would drive her away. Thira bit back a curse. If she wanted to be honest about it, she thought Alesia would probably take off at just the suspicion of it.
Alesia reacted to the fear that laced Thira's voice. "I promise you, I won't do it again" She laid her hand on her chest and felt how hard her heart was pounding. Alesia looked around as their small bubble of calm finally burst. "We'll talk about it more after we finish this" Thira nodded as Alesia engaged a man rushing at her.
They had pushed the enemy back toward the building that seemed to house their leader when Thira almost froze in mid swing as something familiar caught her attention. She ended her fight quickly and stared at the building in rising bewilderment.
*********
Panter smiled as they joined Alesia and Thira at the steps of the main building. After hours of fighting they had forced the occupying army to surrender. She had given orders for her militia to disarm and gather them in the towns' central square under heavy guard. Now they would need to figure out what to do with them all. "Is everyone all right?" She frowned when she got no response from the seemingly transfixed woman. Panter cocked an eyebrow at Alesia inquiringly. The worried look she received made her study Thira more closely. She was panting more rapidly then normal. They all jumped as she suddenly made a dash towards the entrance of the building in front of them.
"What the Hades is going on?" Tera asked.
"I'm not sure but lets follow her and find out" Panter replied.
They rushed after Thira their weapons at the ready. Shouts and screams from ahead made them run faster. Bodies started appearing regularly in the long hallway they were in. A quick check confirmed they were dead. They picked up the pace and finally burst into the large room at the end. They found Thira moving about the room restlessly while she snarled at a man cowering next to a throne like chair. She would stop frequently and snap questions at him angrily as she shook a bundle of cloth at him. He blubbered fearfully when she would gesture at him. They understood his terror when they recognized the red that glistened on her claws.
Alesia glanced around the room and saw a pitcher and bowl sitting on a small table in the corner. Dashing over she was relieved to see that it was still full of water. Pouring it into the bowl she grabbed a cloth that lay nearby and cautiously approached her partner.
"Thira" The sound of her name had her swinging around to stare at Alesia blankly. The look in her eye made Alesia even more concerned. "Thira!" she shouted. She was relieved when Thira blinked and seemed to recognize her again. "Give me the cloth and wash the blood off your hands" Alesia thought Thira wouldn't give up the cloth as her hand tightened on the item but smiled when she gave it to her reluctantly. She held the bowl as Thira washed the clear water gradually turning red as she did. Handing her the rag to dry her hands she gave the cloth back when she finished. She returned the bowl to the stand and then rejoined Thira. "What's with the cloth?"
Thira studied the cloth grasped tightly in her own hand. "I know who this belongs to" Thira shifted uneasily as she met the curious eyes of her mate. She dreaded telling them. Thira could feel herself growing colder as her defenses came up. She braced herself for the scene that was sure to happen. "I recognized the scent. It caught my attention outside and it only grew stronger the further I came inside this building."
Panter and Tera drew closer as they peered at the scrap of white linen. A thin line of gold ran through the ragged edge. It seemed to be made of a high quality weave, which meant that it tended to be more expensive then most. Anyone not of noble blood or wealthy wouldn't be able to easily afford clothing made with cloth like that. Panter held out a hand. "May I?" She accepted the scrap and brought it to her nose. She sniffed it cautiously. A woody earthy scent tinged with a sharp edge flooded her senses. Her brow furrowed slightly and she raised her head to look intently at Thira. She smelled the linen again. Closing her eyes, Panter concentrated on the other scents in the room. She isolated all the ones she knew and disregarded them. She was about to dismiss Thira's when she stopped. Something about it bothered her. Opening her eyes, she stared at her silently. "Who does this belong to?" She had a suspicion but wasn't a hundred percent sure it was correct.
Thira's swallowed hard against the bile that rose in her throat. The look on Panter's face reminded her of the day she had admitted to having been personally sent by her own father to kill Panter. That had almost been the last day of her life. She'd finally given up any hope at that point. At this moment she wished Tera hadn't stopped Panter. The reaction from this could be even worse then that moment had been. Her instincts screamed at her to run but she felt like she was rooted in place. Thira's vision blurred then sharpened. The sharp tinged colors seemed to almost overwhelm her. Power surged through her body as she fought herself. A motion made Thira jerk her head to the side to see Alesia standing beside her. Thira gritted her teeth when she laid a hand on her forearm. Alesia touch felt like it was burning her. The spot where she was holding her felt hot. Panters voice battered her as she kept repeating the same question over and over intent on getting an answer. Thira suddenly screamed as the pressure that she felt finally became too much. She jerked away from her mate and faced Panter.
"My father!!" She shouted. "Are you happy now?" Her eyes brightened at they landed on Panter's face. "It's my father's and its only a few day's old. The only way that could be is if he's here," Thira panted hard in distress. She stiffened and shied away from Alesia as her hand rested briefly on her back. "He's part of the war that's trying to destroy you both. And it's my fault. Mine!!" Thira glanced at Alesia. The anger she saw in her eyes made her curl up and die inside. She choked off the howl of despair that clawed at her throat. Thira's chest grew tight with the pain that flooded her at the thought of the emptiness that loomed before her. She needed to get away from this new source of pain.
Things had happened so quickly that no one attempted to stop the fleeing form. Even if they'd tried there would have been no way they could have. In her haste to flee Thira had pushed herself to her fastest speed. The only things that showed the quickness of her passage were the fluttering of the wall hangings and the guttering of torchlight.
In the stillness that lingered behind Panter turned a considering gaze on the man still huddled in a motionless heap beside the chair. He looked up as she moved toward him. His eyes widened in renewed fright just before she seized hold of him. Pulling him close, she stared at him a hint of rage filling her gaze. "Now if it's not to much of a bother, I think you have some information we might need" The threat in her voice didn't pass him by. Panter's face twisted in distaste. She held him further away from her as the sharp scent of urine suddenly hit her sensitive nose. He'd just pissed himself.
Continued...