Light of Hope

Thank you very much to the two people who reviewed. I am very grateful. I’m not the type of person that gets hung up on how many reviews I get, I am happy when people simply read my story.

kixx – thanks for your review. To answer your question they are in human form, with ears, tails, and a length of fur running down their back from the top of their necks to their tail. Also, I would love it if you tried your hand at a lemon for my characters. I’ll look forward to it!

Without further ado! On with the story!

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Light of Hope
Chapter 1

“Sekiah?” Arinee called out to her foster son. The panther-wife was elbow deep in soapy water as she bathed her youngest cub.
“Yes Mother?” A head of black hair the colour of ebony topped by twitching white tufted ears peered around the corner of the room, wide blue eyes brighter than sapphires looked curious.
“I need you to go down to the market and pick up some Pachi tea before your Grandfather arrives this evening. It’s his favourite.” Arinee told him, wincing as the little female splashed soapy water in her mother’s face.
“Yes mother.” Sekiah answered dutifully as Arinee pointed him to the spare coins in a jar in the cupboard.
“And bring me back some tea-cookies as well!” A crotchety voice yelled from the back of the house.
“Yes Grandmother Doriella.” Sekiah replied, nodding happily to himself as he took some of the coins from the jar. Quietly, Sekiah slipped out the door and up the path that led further up the mountain.
“How long do you think it will take him this time?” Doriella asked her daughter-in-law shrewdly, leaning against the kitchen door.
Arinee threw her hands in the air with exasperation. “Who knows?” she exclaimed. “That boy is such a dreamer!”
Doriella chuckled. “That much is certainly true.” She agreed. “But I think its part of his charm, don’t you agree?”
Arinee smiled softly. “Indeed I do.” She agreed.
Doriella cackled gleefully. “That bratty upstart daughter of Siniah’s has no idea what a darling she gave up.” She hooted. “And her loss is most certainly our gain!”

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Sekiah hummed to himself as he wandered down the path towards the market. He loved his life with the Nightday clan. He knew love, and safety, and he never went without anything he needed. He had parents and siblings who loved and protected him. His older brother Korann had tried to teach him how to fight, and when Sekiah had proven to be too kind and gentle to be much of a warrior, the older panther had instead looked out for his adoptive sibling, making sure he was safe from harm.
His older sister, Korann’s twin, Arinella, had discovered not long after that Sekiah had a strong talent for healing, both magical and natural, and had immediately began the long process of training him to be an effective and ever needed healer for the village.
Sekiah was also adored completely by his younger brother and sister. Donnin and baby Kairia thought that Sekiah was the greatest thing to ever exist, and Sekiah was of rather the same opinion of his younger siblings.

His thoughts drifted again, and on the spur of the moment, Sekiah changed direction and headed up the mountain side, bypassing the Nightday villages further up the steep slopes. As he climbed higher, his thoughts floated to the imminent arrival of his Grandfather, his Grandfather by blood. Sekiah had realised at an early age that he was different from his family and the rest of the Nightday Clan, and Doriella and the rest of the family had explained to him early on why he looked so different to his dark skinned and furred family. So, Sekiah knew the history of the Bengal’s feud with the Arctic Clan, and he knew that he had the colouring of his Great-Grandmother, one of the hated Arctic Clan’s princesses. What he was not aware of at this point was his rightful position within the Bengal Clan.

Sekiah reached the mountain peak around midday, stopping to rest on a large rock, enjoying the sun’s rays against the cold mountain air. Enjoying the warmth, he let his eyes fall shut, his eyes tilted to face the sky.
“Hello Sekiah.” A voice pierced the peaceful silence.
The Tiger Demon opened his blue eyes, and smiled at the figure standing over him. “Hello Winddancer.”

Winddancer was a Golden Eagle Demon from the Sunlight Clan, the Clan that inhabited the forest surrounding the mountain. He was also Sekiah’s closest friend.
“Daydreaming again” he asked with a knowing grin.
“Mmm hmm…” the White Tiger replied sleepily.
“Yes, the sun is nice today.” Winddancer said wryly, stretching his golden wings towards the sun. The atmosphere was nice, he had to admit. The sun shone and the water in the nearby mountain stream babbled quietly. And Sekiah… Sekiah was beautiful, as always. Winddancer wished the Tiger was less oblivious to how serious he was. Now, lying against the rock, his furred ears and tail gleaming in the sunlight, Winddancer believed Sekiah to be the most beautiful creature in the Demon Territories.

Winddancer sat beside Sekiah, surreptitiously watching the young Tiger out the corner of his eye. Sekiah’s blue eyes had slid shut again. Deciding to take the opportunity, Winddancer leant over Sekiah until his mouth was inches away from his friend’s. He was stopped short by the Tiger’s voice. “What are you doing?” the blue eyes didn’t even open, he was used to this by now.
“Doing?” Winddancer asked innocently. “I’m not doing anything.” He swiftly leant down and pressed a kiss to Sekiah’s lips.
Now Sekiah’s eyes flew open. “Windy!” he cried, sitting up in a fluid motion. “How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?”
Winddancer laughed, forcing back the part of him that wanted to scream to Sekiah that he loved him. “Once more at least.” He said instead, and he smiled at Sekiah’s pout.
Sekiah couldn’t believe the Eagle Demon’s audacity. He was well aware of Winddancer’s feelings for him, and no matter how much he wished he could; he couldn’t find it within himself to return the deeper feelings Windy had for him. In the end, he shrugged the impromptu kiss off. After all, this wasn’t the first time that Winddancer had pulled a stunt like this.

Suddenly, Sekiah’s sharp ears picked up a tiny sound. “Did you hear that?” he asked his friend.
“Hear what?” Winddancer asked, effectively answering Sekiah’s question.
“I’m not sure exactly…” Sekiah replied hesitantly. “It sounded like someone in pain.”
The noise sounded again, a little louder this time. “I heard it that time!” Windy said grimly, and strode off in the direction of the sound, Sekiah right behind him.

Sekiah and Winddancer followed the pitiful sound about three metres down the other side of the mountain, and Winddancer screeched in anger when he saw what manner of creature it was. “It is human!” he ground out through clenched teeth.
Sekiah shrank back behind his friend. He had heard the stories, everyone in the village had. Stories of human that were conquering the Demon Territories one by one, slaying and enslaving the Clans they defeated. Nonetheless curious, Sekiah peered at the human from behind Windy, and gave a horrified exclamation. “It’s hurt!”
“Good!!” Winddancer scoffed. “Leave it to die!” He snarled. “Or better yet, let’s just kill it and be done with it!”
“No!” Sekiah cried out, shuddering. He abhorred violence of any kind. “How can you say that? You cannot harm a living creature like that! I won’t let you!”
“Gods Sekiah! It’s just a human!” Winddancer swore.
“Yet a living creature none the less.” Sekiah said firmly, and Winddancer sighed, knowing nothing would sway his friend when he got like this. “Fine.” He replied finally. “But I have a bad feeling about this.”
Sekiah smiled at him, and Windy felt he would do anything to see that smile again. Silently berating himself for being such a basket case, he did as Sekiah instructed and lifted the injured human, a man, he realised, into his arms.
“I know a cave not far from here,” Sekiah said, leading them down the northern side of the mountain to a small opening about five metres from the top. The opening then widened into a much larger cavern, and Windy lay the human down on the hard floor. “Since I’ll never be able to take him down to the village to see to him.” Sekiah added.

While Windy went in search of heather and bracken to make the shelter more comfortable, for them as well as the human, Sekiah fetched water from the spring to clean the man’s wounds. As he finished, he was taken by how beautiful the human was underneath the mud and blood. The short brown hair was messy and he was lightly muscled. Sekiah found himself wondering what colour his eyes would be when they finally opened.
When Winddancer returned, Sekiah released a breath he hasn’t realised he’d been holding. Shaking his head to clear his mind of those worrying and troublesome thoughts, Sekiah opened the small healer’s kit he kept with him at all times, deciding that it would be best to stitch the deeper wounds while the man was still unconscious.
He completed this task some hours later, and the man has not stirred throughout this painful procedure. Looking up, Sekiah asked for the time as he packed away his kit.
“It’s two hours before sundown.” Windy answered.
“What!” Sekiah yelped, leaping to his feet. “I have to get home!”
“Oh that’s right, your grandfather is arriving tonight isn’t he?” Winddancer remembered.
“Yes! And I still have to get to the markets!” Sekiah exclaimed, dashing for the cavern entrance. He looked back at Winddancer. “Will you keep an eye on him until I get back?” he asked.
“I suppose so.” Winddancer answered, a little reluctantly. Sekiah smiled and dashed away.
Windy sighed, and settled down to watch over the human.

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Sekiah made to the tea shop just as the owner, and elderly panther couple, were cleaning up for the evening. The old panther-wife, who had a soft spot for Sekiah, was more than happy to accept his last minute purchase. She knew without a doubt that Sekiah had likely been given this task some hours ago, and had, as usual, gotten side tracked along the way.

Sekiah made it home just as the sun began to sink into the horizon. “Kiah!” Arinee exclaimed, exasperation evident in her voice. “Where have you been? Your grandfather will be here any time now!”
“I’m sorry mother.” Sekiah replied meekly. “I just…”
“…Lost track of time. I know, I know!” His mother smiled, tossing her hands in the air. “What am I going to do with you Kiah?” she wondered aloud, and her son cringed slightly at the gentle rebuke in her voice.
“Absolutely nothing, as always.” A male voice replied. Sekiah’s father, Neelta, entered the room, ruffling his son’s hair and kissing his mate on the cheek. “You love him too much to do anything with him.” He winked at Sekiah, who giggled.
Arinee gave a mock sigh. “It’s the truth.” She replied dramatically. Sekiah hugged her before depositing his shopping on the kitchen table.

Siniah arrived a scant half an hour after Sekiah’s return. Sekiah hugged his grandfather tightly, pleased to see him. Siniah came to the Nightday villages only once a year to see his grandson. Anymore and it would look strange to the rest of the Bengal Clan.
The whole family settled in the living room while Arinee made up the tea and set out the cookies. “How’s life over in Bengal territory Siniah?” Grandfather Bonnek asked jovially.
“Quiet, for the most part.” Siniah replied thankfully. “Rexil and Fenalia are the only ones who know where I go to every year. The others believe that this is another one of my many trips gathering intelligence on the human’s movements.” He smiled. “And I’m not about to tell them otherwise, although, I believe that Calandia expects where I am going.” Sekiah sat up straighter at the mention of his birth mother.
“What does she think of it?” Doriella asked.
“I think that as long as the child is out of her sight, she doesn’t particularly care.” Siniah answered sadly, shaking his head at his daughter’s folly.
“Any more children in sight for Rexil and Calandia?” Doriella wanted to know.
“No, none at all.” Siniah replied. “Calan has been barren since Sekiah’s birth, and I can’t help but be a little grateful for that.” He added. “I couldn’t bear it if the same thing happened again.” He smiled at Sekiah kindly.
As the conversation drifted, so did Sekiah’s thoughts. He let his mind wander back up the mountain, wondering how Winddancer was holding up with the human. No one but his sister Arinella noticed his unusual silence; they were too busy chatting to pay much attention to the boy. Arinella nudged him gently. “Everything okay, little brother?” She whispered.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Sekiah nodded quickly, tuning back into the conversation.

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The conversation lasted well into the night, and when the family finally turned into the night, Sekiah lay awake in the room he shared with Korann and Donnin, again wondering about Winddancer and the human. He sat up, checking to see if his brothers were asleep. Donnin’s light, even breathing and Korann’s snoring told him that they were.
Getting up, he quietly slipped into a shirt and breeches and crept out of the room, out of the house and towards the mountain top.

When he arrived at the cavern, Windy was hovering over the human, looking at a loss. “What’s wrong?” Sekiah asked him.
“He’s not looking too good Kiah.” Windy answered him. “He has a fever and I think it’s getting worse.”
Sekiah approached the human, and gasped at what he saw. The human had become paler over the previous few hours, and Sekiah was petrified to see a trickle of blood in the corner of his mouth. Sekiah placed his hand on the man’s chest, trying to use his healing magic to discern the amount of damage to the human’s insides.
“There is severe internal bleeding.” Sekiah said at last. “And it’s beyond my training to heal him.”
“So he’s going to die anyway?” Windy demanded. He looked at Sekiah and saw tears beginning to fall, something that surprised him. After all, they knew nothing about this human. ‘Still,’ he thought ‘he hates losing his patients. That must be it.’
“He won’t die.” Sekiah said grimly. “Not if I can help it.”

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Arinella was woken by someone shaking her abruptly. She opened her eyes and stared blearily up into Sekiah’s frightened blue eyes. “Kiah? What’s the matter?” she asked sleepily.
“I need your help.” Sekiah whispered.
“What is it?” Arinella asked him, sitting up.
“I have a patient. He’s badly hurt, and I don’t have the skills to heal him.”
“Is this the reason that you were gone so long this afternoon?” Arinella wanted to know.
“Yes. Now hurry!” Sekiah replied urgently. Arinella moved quickly and quietly around the room, dressing swiftly and gathering her healer’s kit together.

Then, quickly and quietly, the brother and sister crept back up towards the mountain peak, and the injured human.

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OK! That’s that for now. Truthfully, I’m still not entirely sure where this is heading, but I’m having fun trying to figure it out! I actually wrote the middle part, from introducing Winddancer to discovering the human, at about 1:00 am, on the hottest day Adelaide has had since 1939. We also had no power. It was about 38 degrees Celsius overnight and 45 degrees Celsius during the day. Let me tell you, 12 hours with no power was not fun!

Please leave a review, they do make me happy!