Felidae

The sun peeked through the foliage of towering trees, bright beams of sunlight gently cascading down towards the earth. Creatures of all kinds roamed through, some basking in the warm lights while others munched on leafy greens. The forest was buzzing with activity, beasts of different shapes and sizes playfully wrestling with one another.

Two humanoid figures sat together in a small clearing, eating handfuls of bright red berries from a small woven basket. One of the figures looked mostly human, but there seemed to be something just a touch off about her. The other did not have the ears of a human, but rather large triangular ears like that of a broad canine atop his head. Small tufts of fur lined the outside of them, the dark fluff shimmering brightly in the rays of sunlight.

The pair shared laughs with one another, the male squishing a berry between his fingers and smearing the juice across the girl’s cheek. The girl, Madri, squealed and threw another of the small fruits at the other humanoid. The berry bounced off the boy’s forehead, leaving droplets of the red juice from the light impact.

The pair had grown up together from a very young age, finding one another deep within the forest. Both were abandoned by their clans due to the nature of their magic and they found comfort in the shared pain and heartache of the other. They taught one another hunting and fighting techniques, constantly improving upon their skills. The pair often sat along the forest’s edge, watching the kingdom of Warjag from a distance. They both longed to make their home within the castle, but outsiders were heavily frowned upon unless personally invited in by the royals themselves.

The pair’s peaceful picnic was suddenly interrupted by some sort of threatening growl. The rumble sounded as if it belonged to something massive, the canine-boy rising up to his feet in an attempt to locate the source. A large snout baring shining, sharp teeth slowly emerged from the shadows, its gaze locked on Madri. The creature’ hackles were raised, making its presence even more aggressive as it continued slowly towards her.

The boy placed himself between the beast and the girl, his body beginning to shift and change. He dropped down to all fours, his hands turning into large paws with wicked talons in lieu of fingers. His head morphed into a slightly different shape to that of a canine, his ears remaining the same. A tail sprouted from his backside as the remainder of his body completed a shift into some sort of massive wolf. His own hackles raised up, making himself look somewhat larger than the opposing beast. He bared his own teeth, a menacing growl escaping his jaw.

Madri took a few paces backwards, creating a larger space between the two creatures. She reached into a pocket without taking her eyes off the ominous opponent, withdrawing a small knife in the event that she needed a weapon.

The transformed canine lept towards the beast, his open jaw reaching towards its throat. The creature dodged the attack, whipping around to launch its own strike. The bite landed on the wolf’s shoulder, a yelp escaping his mouth. The canine flung its head around, managing to grasp its powerful jaw around the opposing beast’s front leg. It released its previous bite, a shriek echoing throughout the forest. The wolf-boy readjusted his grip, successfully getting his jaw locked around its throat.

The canine held his attack, blood beginning to seep through the beast’s thick fur and dripping onto the earth. The creature struggled desperately, but was unable to get itself out of his maw. A few minutes filled with whimpers went by and the beast’s attempts to escape became feeble and shaky until it eventually went limp. The canine released its grip, the beast dropping to the ground with a hefty thud. He watched it with intensity for a few moments, ensuring that the threat had been defeated before stepping away from the bloodied creature.

Madri looked away with courtesy as the boy transformed back into a humanoid. His canine ears remained as the rest of his body shifted back into that of a human. Claws retracted back into fingers and his tail shrunk before disappearing completely. His fur shifted into soft skin, all except for the tufts around his ears.

He wiped at the bite wound around his shoulder, blood slowly trickling down his chest and back. The boy wandered over to Madri as she slid her small dagger back into a pocket, his eyes large with something of fondness. He embraced her, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her in close. He spoke quietly against her ear, his tone soft and gentle.

“You’ll always be safe with me, Madri.”

The girl tightened her grip around him, hugging him closely. A few silent moments went by before he spoke again.

“I think… I think I love you. I think I’ve always loved you.”

Madri stiffened slightly, tears beginning to well in her eyes. She remained quiet at first, desperately attempting to gather her thoughts. Her voice shook, her hands beginning to quiver.

“Oh, darling... Do you know what would happen to us if anyone saw you in your true form?”

The boy released his grip, stepping back to look Madri in the eyes. His ears drooped down with a look of astonished sorrow.

“...Do you--do you not love me? Are you ashamed of what I am?”

A tear rolled down Madri’s cheek as she avoided his gaze and stared down towards the ground. The world seemed as if it was silent, the creatures of the forest all waiting in anticipation of her answer.

“I could never let myself love you because I’m terrified of losing you.”

The canine beast’s own eyes welled with tears, his gaze on Madri unwavering.

“All these years… I really thought you were different. You just did nothing but prove to me that you’re no better than everyone else. I’ll show you just how wrong you really are.”

The boy glanced over his bloodied shoulder, lifting a hand to point at the kingdom of Warjag.

“They’ll love me as I am. They’ll cherish my strength and raise me up on their shoulders, chanting my name in admirable respect for defeating great foes.”

Madri’s tears now streamed down her face, sobbing. She uttered four small words before falling to her knees, bringing her hands up to cover her face.

“Please… Don’t leave me.”

The boy brought his attention back to Madri, wiping away the tears that threatened to spill over. He remained still for a few moments before turning away, his quiet inflection solemn and mournful.

“Until we meet again, my love.”