It had been two years since I met Brendan and dad headed off on the mission for King Alton. I missed him every day he was gone, but I had no idea where he was, and I could never get to see the king to even ask him about it.

He had been seen less around the Animalia of Cathopia, even stopped visiting the bakery in the morning, I guess I kind of missed his surprise visits, he was so sneaky.

Things had gotten worse since dad left King Alton’s right side, his whole mood had changed, becoming more irritable and creating more tension between Cathopia and the tribes around Panthera, some had even dropped ties with the city.

I had been on many missions for Queen Daz to try and lessen the tension but in most cases I was chased off due to my knight-in-training uniform, I feared in most of the cases they had been attacked by those inflicted by Dumah’s dark influence.

As things changed around my home, I tried my best to stay out of the majority of the conflict as the knights were sent off, often trying to drag me along with them, but I tried to do what I had done for those who lived within the village Yuuma protected.

Eventually they stopped trying to take me with them, mind saying that the queen always had something for me to do from time to time, she ended up the only one I would except any missions or requests from, after all she still was unaffected by the darkness.

Brendan and I often sparred after missions given us directly from the queen, it was the best way to let off some steam. We mainly stuck with hand to hand combat, but sometimes we had an all-out fight, using talismans to get the upper hand.

“And you said you were going to beat me today.” Brendan had gotten a lot stronger, no longer the scrawny little Ursus I saved that day, perhaps training him up was a bad idea.

He swung his claymore with one arm, calling forth the earth power that it possessed. I jumped into the air just about to summon Larana’s wings, when Brendan reached up and grabbed my leg, he quickly threw me against the ground.

“Wow!” I cried.

Brendan stuck his sword into the ground next to me and then sat on me. I let out a cough and a sound a strangled wild animal would make, man was he heavy. I hated when he did this, I couldn’t do anything against him, while squashed into the earth.

“Looks like my winning streak continues,” laughed Brendan triumphantly. “Tenth time if I’m not mistaken,” he glanced at me. “You’ve really been off your game lately.”

“Sorry about that,” I said coughing.

Brendan moved off me and laid beside me, looking up at the sky silently for a moment. “Anything you want to talk about?”

“I heard rumours dad had to take down a civilian village of Lynx,” I sighed.

“I doubt that’s true,” commented Brendan. “I only knew him for a day, but from what I’ve heard he would protect who ever needed it.”

“All I hear is rumours of pointless destruction, others claiming it was him.” I glanced at him. “What do I even believe?”

“Perhaps those places were inflicted like those here who have fallen to the growing darkness,” mentioned Brendan. “Don’t lose faith in your dad Alex.”

“Thanks Brendan,” I smiled, he had become like a brother to me and Athena my sister, even though we were all different we stood together. I glanced about as we had been sparring in the heart of Cathopia’s training grounds. I could see the dark mist around everyone who passed, only a handful in the royals finest had not been affect and I had yet to see the connection. “Wish I couldn’t see this stuff.”

“There must be a reason you can see it,” commented Brendan.

“But I don’t even know the connection between who gets infected and who doesn’t,” I added.

“You’ll figure it out,” encouraged Brendan.

“Maybe,” I sighed.

“Lazing about as usual.” I heard Tigra’s voice. Brendan and I sat up to see her standing there in a beautiful purple and yellow royal gown.

I found myself gawking at how beautiful she looked, she had grown more beautiful over the last two years, her body was curvy, her hair and fur silky soft. I almost held my breath thinking it would hold the moment a little longer; then Brendan jabbed me in the side. “Ouch.” He’d snapped me out of it, more times than I care to admit.

“How can we help?” asked Brendan, glancing at me.

“We’re heading out,” she boasted.

“What?” I said laying back down, she kept dragging us on little trips, so she wouldn’t have to take any Guardians with her. “Another trip to a festival god knows where or party in the tribal villages.” I didn’t give her a chance to a reply. “I told you I wasn’t taking you again.” I shook my head. “I got in trouble last time by Master Lance, King Alton and Queen Daz for not telling them and was so close to losing my status again.”

Tigra smirked. “You mean knight-in-training.”

“Let’s hear what she wants first,” suggested Brendan.

“Alright,” I nodded.

“This little venture is for you actually,” mentioned Tigra. “It could even make you a knight.” I sat up she had piqued my interest. “Mother said I should take you.”

“Why?” I questioned.

“Youngest knight-in-training and wielder of two talismans,” responded Tigra with a smile. Her answer did not give a reason why she was dragging me along or where it was she would be taking me.

“That means it’s not worth my time,” I yawned, losing interest again.

Tigra crossed her arms. “You will come with me Fang!” She hissed, her entire body language changing, the hairs all over her body standing on end and a small spark fluctuating around her.

I sighed, “Okay.”

“Alright then,” she glanced at Gual. “I won’t be needing you this evening, these two will protect me.”

“As you wish.” Gual bowed and headed off.

“Come on,” she waved her arm, getting ahead of herself.

“In that gown,” I commented.

Tigra looked at what she was wearing. “Stupid royal duty,” she cursed. “Next time dad invites someone; Hunter can do it.” She glanced at me. “Don’t move, I’ll be back.” I shrugged as she stormed off.

“You have to be careful,” said Brendan.

I looked at him. “Of what?”

“I’ve told you before about the way you look at Tigra, if Dumah let alone the king saw you gawking at his daughter, he’ll slice you to shreds himself.”

“I don’t care. I can hardly contain how I feel about her,” I said. “Yet she still sees me just as her best friend,” I sighed, “And a lot of Feles are not happy about that.”

“Of course not,” shrugged Brendan. “No one talks to the princess the way you do, as if she was a normal Feles.”

“That’s the thing she is at heart,” I commented.

Tigra was soon back, out of her royal gown really too fancy for venturing out of the city, which I was guessing was where we were going, and into her usual knee high skirt and top, with a small cape.

“Much better,” I said getting to my feet, followed by Brendan. “So, where are we going?”

“You have to wait and see,” answered Tigra.

“Seriously, we’re not kids anymore,” I sighed.

“Technically we are,” commented Tigra. “Especially you.” She broke into a run.

“Hey!” I shouted dashing after her. “I am not.”

“Yes you are,” she teased.

“Not this again,” sighed Brendan quickly following.

“Is that really how you should be acting Princess Tigra.” Dumah had stepped out in front of us.

“I can act however I like,” snorted Tigra.

Dumah held out his hand. “Allow me to take you away from these riff raff.”

“Riff raff!” I snarled.

“Excuse me Dumah, but we must be off,” responded Tigra calmly.

“Your father would rather you did not leave the city today,” hissed Dumah.

Brendan stepped forward. “I would move if I were you,” he snarled.

“And what are you going to do about it?” questioned Dumah.

Within seconds Brendan had swung his claymore at him, stopping it inches from his neck, Dumah gulped. Brendan smirked. “Now if you wouldn’t mind.” Brendan might prefer to refrain from violence, but he was not afraid to threaten someone and being an Ursus he installed a strange fear in most of the Feles around the city.

Dumah slowly stepped out of the way, muttering under his breath. “Darn Ursus.”

“Thanks Brendan.” Tigra linked her arms with both Brendan and I. “Now, me and my upper class friends have to be going,” she began walking.

“You can’t avoid me forever Tigra,” called Dumah. “With or without the betrothal sword, you will be mine.”

Tigra said nothing back, simply ignored him, but I saw a sad, distressed expression cross her face, she wanted nothing to do with him, but the king continued to claim that Dumah was the ideal mate for her, only because he was the one pulling the string and without dad here, there was no one to stop him.

“I wonder who that was,” I joked, wanting nothing more than to see the smile back on her face, he always ruined our fun.

Tigra glanced at me as I smiled. “No idea,” and her smiled returned.

“We should unlink before the queen…” before Brendan could finish we passed the queen.

“Hi mum,” smiled Tigra.

“Have fun,” she waved us off as we headed over the forgotten bridge, which made a change, not many travelled from this direction, it was the long way to anywhere, but I guess Tigra knew where we were going, so I had no reason to worry. Having seen Queen Daz’s reaction I knew this would be fun.