Hours after,
After a few stops to rest in unusual spots and having some fun while at it,
I reached a point where I could see in the horizon where the jungle mixed with the desert. I predicted it would take me about one to two hours to reach it.
WOOSH–The cold air washed over my face, my mantle flapping like a dark banner.
"...the events deviated quite a bit."
I was contemplating the timeline.
Overall,
My calculations put the current year at around 989 AN. Between the reports of tank-like machines at the north and the Arcane show's timeline, Hextech is likely on the rise right now.
"Season one, the time when Vi was in prison..."
'But how long until the events of episode 4 onwards?'
"I'm not sure. I'll have to go and check."
This matters because the Hexcore was weird and poorly explained in the show. With my magical eyes and heightened senses, there's a good chance I would be able to grasp its usefulness and make it part of my arsenal.
"And what should I do about Viktor and the others? Can I use them somehow?"
Hmm.
'Well, I do have a plan, but...'
[Master! Quickly, head northwest!]
SWIRLSH—I spun around. "Ugh!" The abrupt shout in my head took me by surprise.
But with quick reflexes, I forced myself to a stop.
[Ah! I'm terribly sorry, master.]
"Aery... You surprised me."
At some point in the past, I had equipped her rune again and we discovered that instead of physically manifesting, she could stay hidden within the UI and still be able to speak directly to me. It proved especially useful later, because, forget not, she can predict the future.
It isn't perfect math, but a prediction nonetheless.
So at times she gave me warnings and suggestions. I told her about my long term goal, so now she was paying extra attention to anything related to the game characters. Well, to the description I share with her about them.
[It's that half-naked feline woman you talked about]
"Shit! Seriously?"
[Yes. In the region lit by Echeverias]
"The purple flowers? Great."
I turned northwest and flew—WOOSH!
'I wasn't expecting to find another of them so quickly.'
.
...I stepped onto the thick vegetation. Its stalks reaching up to my knees.
The surroundings were drowned in shadow, lit only by the glow of large purple flowers and drifting fireflies. At the center a single spotlight of sun that showered a cluster of giant, fiery plants with sharp petals at the top.
It made me feel like an ant.
My eyes lowered to the dense undergrowth. A moment of stare.
The shush of them grazing one another reached my ears as my magic parted them with my every step.
My eyes were pulled to the yellow sunlight clashing against the red of the giant plants, the surrounding darkness dotted in a purple radiance. I wasn't much of a biology enthusiast, but I had to admit, the place held an impressive beauty.
I stood below the giant plant, my fingers gently pressing its scape.
"...Warm."
I glanced back at my tracks,
"But," My hand swiped through the heavy air. "I'm not a fool."
SWOOOSH!
A sudden, violent current of wind bashed against the green of the floor, stripping away the illusion. Hidden traps and intentionally placed berries were revealed.
A wrong step on any of them, even the harmless-looking ones, and you'd be marked. The traps would snatch you and change position; a cut would leave blood, and the berry stain with scent and dye.
My face relaxed, a playful smile forming.
.
I strolled deeper into the region.
Used a fallen trunk of a tree as a bridge to cross a scintillating lake,
Traversed a grove infested with strange, pussy-shaped mushrooms. I chewed one out of curiosity; to my surprise, it tasted like gum.
Later,
I finally reached the tiger's den.
It was an open-space sanctuary, heavily decorated with those same glowing purple flowers. At the center, a giant tree trunk curved upward in a swirl like a natural ladder, its highest point hollowed out—likely the alpha's personal quarters.
On the ground, a creature resembling a saber-tooth tiger spotted me. Astonished by my arrival, it rushed toward the cubs.
'These adults are taller than normal tiger,'
Sporting thick, wild manes and orange fur. They stood alert, shielding dozens of cubs huddled together, their long cat-like tails lashing.
They hissed and growled, posing as threateningly as possible.
"You guys do look similar," I murmured, scanning the pride. "But by the looks of it... she's not here."
I took a step forward.
HISS-ROAR!
"..."
My eyes locked onto the cubs.
.
.
.
//1st Pov, Nidelee
Night. The campfire's last smoke died.
The smell of blood was heavy.
Bodies laid scattered on the tainted grass. Dozens of hunters turned to meat by teeth and claws...
Thwuck—I wrenched my spear from the body.
...And spear.
I gave them chance to flee. They ignored my warnings. They stepped deeper into the land, taking the lives of nature and stripping the jungle of its gifts.
All for "sport".
"I do not understand the nature of humans." I raised my chin. "Nothing is gained by pointless slaughter."
My pack looked at me, their yellow eyes dotting the dark.
By the wiggle of tails and the twitch of ears, I knew their meaning;
It was time to return.
The human meat was thrown into the dense growth. Soon, the jungle would make a snack of it.
We moved through the shadows.
Our eyes saw everything.
I looked for my markings. As expected, my traps remained set and untouched. But the earth spoke of something else.
Large and shallow pawn prints merged with small and heavy ones.
"What?"
It was confusing. Too wrong. Usually, it was the other way around.
I glanced up.
High above. The trees were scarred. Sticks were broken like bones. No creature was tall enough for that.
My heart jumped to my throat.
"Home," I hissed.
Someone was playing tricks.
"They go toward home!"
We darted like lightning.
.
SHUFFLED!
We burst into the den.
I expected blood. I expected the screams of the dying.
Instead, everything was quiet. A silence so thick it pressed against my ears like I was deep in water.
At the very peak, on my own nest, a human sat. He cradled our youngest cub in his arms.
On the ground, my fierce protectors–hunters of a hundred seasons–stood bent. Their heads were low, their tails tucked.
The boy who didn't look older than my human self, wore a dark mantle the color of his eyes. The mantle hung off the ledge, the light catching a scaled hide. I had only seen such thing on the gods of the skies.
The boy noticed me and threw a glance, his disheveled hair falling over his face. He petted the cub with care. But despite his gentle actions, the vibrating intensity of his presence and his look of calm contentment made the whole Pakaa look like frightened kittens.
'Is he a mage?'
"—You know," he began, his voice echoing heavy and low, "I thought you were supposed to resemble cougars, not tigers."
I squeezed my spear, eyes scanning for an opening.
He slipped from the ledge–swish–landing with a graceful thud.
He was near.
My instincts screamed at me all at once: There are no openings. Don't try anything. He is not like other humans.
I forced calm and tried looking for answers.
I was certain now that the scales were definitely from those beasts. Also from this close, I could see they were etched with detailed writings and numerous symbols.
"You…are threat?" I spoke.
"..."
"No. Me no threat."
He placed the cub on the floor.
I let out a breath. Maybe he spoke the truth.
Yet, my pack still needed to be safe, so I had to please him somehow.
My legs faltered. My hands trembled. My instincts, once screaming to flee, forfeit to submit. There was… no escape from him anymore.
I sinked my spear into the ground and approached.
Then turned my back to him, arching my spine as my fingers slid down my curves. I pivoted my weight, backing into his space.
'My Pakaa does this to please males. But I won't give up. Once he is distracted, I will—'
But the human wasn't swayed by my soft skin. He looked at me from head to toe, but there was no hunger like the others. His eyes glowed with a thoughtful intensity, as if he had grasped something beyond my flesh.
Before I realized it I was already in his arms.
'What!?'
His hand gripped my waist, pulling me firmly against him.
'!!!'
His lips thinned before he spoke. "I could force my way on you. You know that?"
The human stared at me, waiting for something.
"You don't… even understand that, do you?" He sighed, easing his hold. "Well, I was referring to dissection anyway."
I stood there, confused. 'What did he mean?'
He noticed. Suddenly getting surprised, staring at me. "Jesus Christ, girl—it's like when you open a kill to see why it was so weak, or what made it strong."
"...What?"
His hand blurred–a single finger touching the middle of my forehead–TAP!
The sound echoed.
My world vanished.
Scent. Sight. Hearing. Touch. Everything disappeared and reappeared in violent bursts.
"UGH!"
My senses were overwhelmed,
*UGHAA!!!*
I screamed.
.