Rise Of The Beast Queen: Elizabeth

Ch 40 Rescue

Screams and roars of pain and anguish could be heard echoing across land before an enraged tiger tore through the Fierce Claw Tribe demolishing everything in his wake. Chief Leon and a couple of Tabby's other mates rushed to subdue him, which wasn't easy without severely injuring him, that is until Hank intervened. While the others held Zephyr down Hank threw a powdered herb in his face, unfortunately it didn't knock him out completely but it did make him weak and delirious enough for them to drag him back to Tabby's den.

"No! My poor cub!" Tabby wailed dramatically as she flung herself down beside her favorite cub, making all her males panic as they tried to surround and comfort her, but her sole focus was on the whimpering delirious pile of fur curled up on the floor. "This is all her fault! She seduced my poor cub then dares to abandon him! She will pay for this!" Tabby screamed as she ruthlessly dug her claws into the muscular arm of one of her mates. "Worry not cub. We will get her back and she will suffer..." Tabby tried to reassure her cub but he was too far out of it and even when she harshly shook him he didn't do more than whimper brokenheartedly. "What's wrong with him?" She demanded to know.

"The healer did something to him." One of her mates eagerly informed, more than happy to be the one throwing someone else under the bus, because although she didn't praise him it was enough to see her hostility focused on someone else and focused she was.

"Bring him to me. NOW!" She demanded. It didn't take long for them to find Hank since he was infact waiting just outside her den, none of her males liked him invading their territory, but the most they did was growl and exert some beast pressure as he was led through, which was fruitless since he kept his head bowed in a show of submission anyway. "What did you do to my cub? Fix him now." Tabby demanded in a high pitched shrill voice that made every beastman within earshot flinch and want to cover their ears, though most resisted that urge.

"It's just some herbs I've been working with. But the effects will wear off soon." Hank explained not entirely honestly, because he actually had no idea how long the effects would really last. Hank had just started experimenting with the herbs since one of the last times he'd spoken to Liz about herbs to alleviate pain, she'd asked so many questions about different plants and their effects it'd sparked his interest in a way he hasn't felt since he was a young cub just learning how to be a healer. Obviously this was still a work in progress, as it's too strong to use on a female but it was a start.

Tabby was satisfied with his brief answer and immediately seemed to forget his existence as she turned her complete attention back to wallowing over her half conscious adult cub. Tabby's males growled in displeasure when Hank didn't instantly leave and they exerted more beast pressure in an attempt to drive him away but surprisingly the ape beastman stood his ground.

"I helped retrieve your cub, unharmed. Allow me to see my mate."

"You dare make a request of my female!" Chief Leon roared.

"Your keeping my female here. Away from her mates and against her wishes..."

"To keep her safe, in case the wandering beasts return." Leon reasoned with a snarl.

"Since when has your family ever cared about Serena's safety?"

"Rah! You don't believe my intentions!" Tabby exclaimed with a strange growly scoff making her displeasure evident and her males readied themselves to fight Hank to teach him a lesson for angering their mate.

"No... I... Just... Worry for my female... Not having her mates to care for her." Hank said in an attempt to appease her.

"So you think my males aren't capable?" She questioned purposefully, not so secretly enjoying the aggressive reaction it caused most of her males.

"N... No. They are... But Serena should only need to rely on her mates for protection..."

"She should, but you're all too weak." She stated as her face scrunched up in distaste. "Now get out of my den."

Hank had no choice but to leave as he was quickly and roughly escorted out. He was angry, justifiably so but was too weak to do anything about it and unfortunately Tabby wasn't wrong when she called all of Serena's males weak, none of them could stand up against Tabby's family.... Not physically at least. Hank's strength lied in his intellectual prowess, which really hadn't seemed to count for much since Kinkade had always seemed to be two steps ahead of him, but now that he'd confirmed Kinkade's mate mark was no longer on Tabby's chest, he felt his confidence rising.

Luckily Hank remembered Serena telling him about the underground tunnels she was kept in while she was growing up, until he came to the tribe and started taking care of her. It took Serena's mates three days to locate one of the cleverly hidden entrances, as they were trying to be cautious and discreet so they wouldn't be discovered.

The plan was simple, Umar, her jaguar mate, would sneak in and find Serena, he has a sleak build and is fast, plus he got his second stripe a while back so he might have an advantage over most of Tabby's males in maneuvering the tunnels to escape if he was discovered. Once he got Serena out Hank could collapse the tunnels entrance if they were being pursued, then they could finally escape from Tabby's clutches... If only life were that simple and everything would go according to plan... But that unfortunately isn't our reality.

Umar searched and searched but couldn't find Serena, instead he was surprised to find a beaten, bloody and barely conscious Kephyr. Umar recognized the male as one of Tabby's favorite cubs and tried to question him about Serena's whereabouts, which was a fruitless effort Umar simply didn't have patience for. So he abandoned the male to his likely long painfully slow death, while he continued his search for Serena.

He was only able to search for a little while longer before one of Tabby's mates caught onto his scent and raised an alarm. Umar had to abandon his mission... Abandon his mate. It was a difficult thing for him to do but Hank had stressed the importance of him not getting caught as it would implicate their mate and Tabby might even blame and punish Serena for it and that was something he couldn't risk.

Left with no other option Umar turned tail and fled as quickly as he could, until he once again came across Kephyr. With only a moments contimplation he hoisted the male onto his back and quickly made his escape. By the time they reached the entrance Tabby's males were hot on his heels and Hank hand no choice but to collapse the tunnel. Sealing off their best chance of rescuing their mate.