Edited: Sept, 17, 2020
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After the meal, Galag showed her to the second floor and pointed out the bathroom and then his study.
"In case you need me for anything, I'm usually in there. I have my bed in there, too. Can't keep away from reading old books and pouring through ancient history." He winked and then he took her to a quaint room and left.
The room he gave her was filled with rose-colored everything. She would have rather not stayed in such a pink room, but she didn't feel like asking for a different one. So, she settled for becoming a blue fluff on a pink bed feeling the soft cotton under her paws and breathing in the scent of roses. It was certainly better than sleeping on the dusty floor of the inn in Nuaka.
Pinti smooshed her nose into the pillow, taking a deep breath of the rose scent and feeling the silky material against her face. It was the most comforting place she had been in a long time. She couldn't remember the last time she was in a proper bed. It would certainly be a first that a Human—although Sorcerer—let her sleep on their bed.
"Goodnight, Pinti and Lalina and Galaaag!" Deel called from somewhere in the house making her ears twitch at the sound of his annoying squeaky voice. Just when it had gotten quiet and peaceful, Deel had to go and ruin it.
"Heizak, Deel," she muttered. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to relax her body, but something bothered her, and she wasn't sure why. Maybe she just wasn't used to sleeping in someone's house and on someone's bed. Pinti regulated her breathing to a slow rhythm and curled up on her side, but even her favorite sleeping position wasn't calming the unsettled feeling that made her restless.
She sat up, went to the window, and slid open the curtains. Stars treaded the black sky with two moons—one smaller than the other. They were poking their faces out from behind a few clouds, illuminating the dark sky into a lighter shade. Indigo. The color of her stripes and bangs.
Maybe a bit of meditation would do me good. She decided to go outside under moonlight. Despite that she was a firm non-believer of the Lunar Goddess, she still found something rather therapeutic about moonlight.
Without making a single sound, Pinti crept downstairs and out the door into the crisp night holding a slight chill. Behind the log house was another little hill near a fragrant herb garden. She chose a place among some lilac bushes in full bloom next to some cherry blossoms that were also bursting with flowers on their brown branches. Lilacs were summer flowers and cherry blossoms were early spring. It seemed seasons were disregarded here. Probably magick.
Sitting with her legs crossed, she slowed her breathing and closed her eyes, focusing on sound and scent. An owl hooted a single note somewhere in the distance with crickets humming a soft lullaby on her right. A breeze with a chill made her shiver as it passed through leaves making them whisper. Taking a deep breath to fill her lungs, Pinti smelled lilacs, cherry blossoms, wisteria—which she liked the best—honeysuckle, peony, and daffodils, and the sweet fragrance of fresh soil unearthed nearby.
But then, something made her whiskers twitch, disrupting the moment of peace. Her fur bristled without her control. Her heartbeat increased and her breathing became faster. Something was coming. She flung open her eyes.
The world before her was slowed down. A single leaf floated about in front of her face and a breeze hit the tip, sending small ripples through it. But the ripples didn't go away. Curious, she watched the ripples and her vision blurred.
Blinking her eyes rapidly, she focused again on her surroundings. A freezing wetness seeped into her fur and she jumped up, making something splash beneath. Her paw hit a rough wall and she felt it's shockingly cold, slippery surface.
With a startled chirp, Pinti whipped her head around and splashed in cold water that sent a shiver up her spine. Frozen water hung from the ceiling of the tunnel. In front of her stretched a pristine white path that seemed to glow although little light existed. To get out of the water, she rested her foot on the path and yelped at the coldness. It was the frozen water, but in more of a powdery form she had never seen before.
Where the heizak am I? She sniffed the air and listened, but there was no more Ulk Pyne. Only the scent of fresh water and a hint of burning wood filled her nose. Frustrated, she was about to let out another chirp in annoyance when the furs on her arms tingled. He was here.
"Ro," came her Saboteur's voice, calling out in ancient Kathulan. His voice was almost foreign to her ears as she hadn't heard or seen him since the attack. Her Saboteur in his wolf with antlers form appeared in front of her blocking the way to whatever was beyond. His red eyes glowed in the dark.
"Long time no see, blue kitty Pinti." A low chuckle came from somewhere behind her although he was in front.
Pinti bristled and unsheathed her claws knowing they were no match for his powers. Her Saboteur knew that, of course, and made no move of aggression.
She hissed. "Where am I? Did you take me here? And what were you doing all this time?"
His eyes pulsed once, twice. Tentacles made of shadow leapt out of his sides, wrapping around her body. Pinti tried to wriggle herself free, but she could barely move.
"A place of subconsciousness." His deep voice echoed in her chest. "I have come to tell you that you will fail in finding the scepter. These past years, we searched, and we know where it is. We have it in our reach. Kathula will die."
Edglings found the scepter? I'm too late?
"No," She shoved those doubts away, "you're lying. I will succeed. You'll see."
"You? Succeed? As if! Have you forgotten?" He spat. "You are weak, useless, pathetic, and you let your clan die! Don't you forget that." He touched her marking then and a flash of a memory flooded into her mind.
Her little sister Tendri and her mother, lying dead on the muddy ground as rain plummeted down on their bodies and blood and water trickled downhill. The cries and screams of Makiista Clan rang in her ears as she ran, escaped, and left the clan to fend for themselves.
With a whimper, she tried to get away from her Saboteur. "Stop, I don't want—!"
But her Saboteur didn't let go. It was like his paw was stuck to her forehead.
"You killed Makiista, you killed the survivors, because you are a failure. You." He growled deep in his throat. "You failed them, and you will fail them again."
She hissed and yowled, "No! If you hadn't come, they'd be alive! It's your fault!"
She squirmed in his grasp in fury. Anger made her body tremble. Without warning, he disappeared, dropping her into the cold whiteness that clung to her fur and melted into water. She scrambled to her feet breathing hard.
"Heizak!" She bared her fangs at the nothingness that now surrounded her in its dense darkness. His words repeated in her head making her bristle from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. "Heizak, you! I'm not going to fail. I'm going to get the scepter and I'm going to destroy you and all Edglings! I'm going to kill you all!"
Silence followed and not even her voiced echoed through the tunnels. Fuming, Pinti wanted to tear something up and rip it apart to shreds. How dare he say all that was her fault? He was the one ordering the attacks that day. She saw him!
A howl sounded behind, and she turned, expecting it to be him, but it was only a gust of wind. It pushed her backwards with such strength making her yowl in surprise. She struck her arm out for something to hold onto and her paw firmly gripped a Human hand.
Her eyes snapped open. Galag stood over her, worry clouding his face. Behind his head were two moons in the starry sky of Ulk Pyne. Her heart thumped fast and she let go of his hand. Dots of blood speckled his palm for just a moment and healed. She sheathed her claws.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Must have fallen asleep." She felt dizzy and it took all the strength she had left to steady herself and make her way back to the house without Galag's help. Once inside, he offered to prepare her some tea, but she refused, not sure if she could stomach anything right now and went back to her room.
"Call, if you need anything." Galag closed the door softly and Pinti lay back in bed, sinking into her soft pillow and let out a sigh of annoyance.
He's lying. They couldn't have found it! And heizak, it's not my fault and I won't fail for Kathula. Pinti realized finding the scepter was not just for her father. And with no way of knowing if anyone else was out searching for the scepter for Kathula, Pinti knew it had to be her. Deel was unreliable and no matter how kind the Sorcerers were, in the face of the powerful Scepter of Tamido, there was no guarantee they would give it to Pinti or wish for the destruction of Edglings.
"Foh Kattola,"she said in the ancient tongue. "This is all on me. I have to, no, I will find the scepter. I won't fail. Nothing will stop me. One day soon," She made a fist, "I will hold it in my paws and Edglings will die."
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Note: Foh Kattola = "For Kathula" in ancient Kathulan language