Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.4: Under the Sun

Edited: Apr, 26, 2020

Note: Underlined words are Kathula tail sign language. Pinti's character art by catsaredragons 

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~~Two Years Later... In the First Ring~~

On a piece of parchment, Pinti marked her second year outside of home with a claw mark and let it flutter away. There was no point keeping track of the days out in the Desert Isles where time shifted constantly. When she first came this way, Pinti was very much disoriented as were the other Kathula. It was not until they met their first Halfhuman that they found out how time worked in different parts of the First Ring.

The Halfhuman had been the half grizzly bear and half human type called Gerfai. She was much taller than even the male Kathula, but at least kind enough despite her growling bear face to show them the way to the mega Human city Bairenshire. It was there they all searched for temporary homes and some bit of comfort, but that comfort didn't last long.

"Pinti, keep walking." Kalis ordered, helping Vaiter who limped still after the ambush.

Humans were not nice like she read in books and scrolls. They sought after Kathula for their rare blue pelt. Chased, hunted, soon they were scattered and separated. Pinti ended up with Kalis and Vaiter in dark alleys and stinky sewer holes for the past six months. Fur matted, stomachs grumbling, all they could do to survive was to keep to the shadows, steal food from unaware Humans, and hope to reunite with the other Kathula. But they never did.

"Hurry!" Kalis hissed to Vaiter who had slowed down. The poison was getting to him. They needed to find the next oasis town for herbs, or he would surely die.

Every day they survived. The only difference now was they no longer walked the hard, concrete roads or metallic roofs of Bairenshire City. They were no longer captured within the walls of the one place that was supposed to provide comfort. Hot sand scorched their hardened pads. Pinti's pawpads were still raw from scraping them against the cage they spent the last month in.

Circus amusements were all they were to Humans. Whipped, starved, humiliated—Pinti endured it all out of determination to live and be free. Besides, she had a task—to search for the Scepter of Tamido as her father bid her. She could not fail him again.

At a faraway howl, her ears pricked upright. The Edglings were searching for them. Last night, Vaiter's Saboteur shot him with a poisoned arrow. Pinti desperately searched the vast desert for something that looked like a town under a glass dome. Large sand dunes obscured her vision, so she scrambled up one to get a better look.

"Pinti! Where the feigat are you going?" Kalis yowled in anger. But Pinti ignored her and climbed to the top. There, she could see two domed towns and a portal in the distance.

"I see one!" Pinti called, skittering down the sand dune letting orange dust billow behind her like a cape. At the foot of the dune stood Kalis with Vaiter who smelled of putrid sickness and bitter poison. "I saw one oasis town. Not too far."

Instead of thanking her for scouting ahead, Kalis hissed. "You just left me here to hold him up all on my own and I only have three legs, stupid child! It's all your fault, too!"

Such words that would have hurt, bounced off a hardened shell. Pinti just nodded and didn't dwell on Kalis' sharp words. She had to keep strong and keep moving and make her father proud.

"You're just not good enough." She heard Kalis hiss.

"I'll be better." Pinti stood on the other side to put Vaiter's other arm over her shoulder.