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Merry Christmas, dear readers and beloved watchers. Cheetahs is here with another installment of Feralfangs. This one took me a bit longer to write. Although excited about a continuation, I allowed myself too many liberties and too less time for planning? The result? The Beast you see below. Read, rate and enjoy it more than I did. Imagination and creativity took a break while I wrote this one.

***

A strange, familiar scent stung Athys' nostrils. He took a few sniffs. The acrid aroma had him scrambling on his all four, soft padded feet.

"Half-beasts?" he asked.

Reya crouched near one of the windows. Her white tipped tail flicked with impatience. "At least one."

Athys joined her. His blood quickened, pushing all the fatigue away. His senses became crisp clear. He heard the beasts' rugged breath, the pebbles crunching under their steps, and their long, growl-like calls. He almost reached the window.

"Don't."

Athys froze.

The arrow that whistled past his ear hit the ceiling with a click. Athys drew back. Of course it had to be a sharpstick thrower. Suppressing a growl, Athys nuzzled his sister's flank. She slapped her tail, fangs bared. Only a low hiss escaped her maw.

"I am certain there are more than a few. Such stench doesn't accompany small groups," she turned around, eyes scanning the surroundings. There wasn't much to see apart from rock and scraps. "They must be inside. We'll surprise them. Follow."

Athys licked his nose. Reya's tense form made him apprehensive. A few beasts offered only a slight challenge. With the advantage of height and position, Athys could easily slay them. The corridors were perfect for ambush, and the small rooms ideal for separating one beast from another. But what if instead of a few, a dozen rushed through the narrow halls?

Athys followed his sister when another stick of wood smashed against the stone. "That thrower has to die," Athys pointed.

"Save your gift for the rest," Reya crouched behind a wall. " And distract our pest."

Athys delved deep into himself and focused his will on a stick of wood. Two strings of light latched from his gift, connecting with the wood on both sides. The bridge flared to life, weak and pitiful. Basic snatching took only the smallest amount of light. The piece of wood floated mid air like a bird with broken wings. Not very graceful, but effective nonetheless. Athys flicked the thing in a swipe, clawing at the ties just before the object flew out of the window.

A soft thud was heard, followed by a shrilling cry. Reya snarled. Such a messy kill was bound to attract more attention. Athys resisted the urge to bite her ear. "What did you do, tear its limbs and break its head with them?"

"It had a nasty neck," Reya said, pushing her limbs off the ground. She walked through the swaths of moonlight beaming into the room. She stopped in front of the broken door and crouched, advancing with slow, inaudible steps. Athys followed her closely, limbs tense, tail flicking restlessly. The rumble from below became a steady growl.

They were getting closer.

Reya went through another room. Everything was pitch black. The following hall offered nothing but the promise of a bare trace of light at the end. Those were perfect places for ambush, yet she kept moving.

"Three to five."

"Good odds," Athys crouched on the side of the stairway. "How do we take them?"

"At the end of the stairwell, if their blunt claws are their only weapon."

"And if not?"

"We flee."

The beasts stomped the ground, lumbering through the rooms below. Athys peeked down the stairway. The rot specked fur of a beast disappeared in the darkness of an adjacent room, allowing for the next beast to take to the stairs. It was a huge, burly thing with wounds slashed across its spiky fur.

"Two, unarmed. Only one is climbing," Athys said.

"Rip his spine. I'll go for the throat."

"He's a large one."

Reya bared her fangs, licking their pointy tips. "Since when does size win?"

"Since now," Athys' said as he crouched. "Fleeing is a better choice. Our strides equal two of theirs. Gift-gliding will put us hundred of strides ahead of them."

"And burn our gifts in the attempt. Focus on the hunt, mate. Piercing through The Desolation with half-beasts at their back is what humans do."

She was right. Half-beasts were usually not difficult to kill. One precise bite could end them in seconds.

The creature was just below them. Maggots, filth, and decaying flesh oozed from below. Athys licked his nose. Were they actually dead to smell like that? Athys blinked. The creature revealed its canine head. Huge and crooked, ending with a long, boxed muzzle. A ravenous growl left its throat as it charged.

Reya leaped, her quickness unmatched by the lumbering brute. Athys followed her lead, burying his claws deep into the creature's shoulders. The cat's added weight threw the beast off balance. It staggered and stumbled, arms flailing wildly for purchase that wasn't there. Athys ignored them. He sunk his teeth on either side of the creature's spine and pressed. Vile tasting sludge flowed around his fangs. He felt the satisfying crunch almost immediately, and the beast fell limp.

He turned around. Reya fell down the stairs with a smaller form thrashing below her. She clawed with blinding slashes, her head tilted from those dagger-like teeth. Growls and shrills echoed through the abandoned den. Athys jumped, pinning one of the creature's paws with his weight. The half-beast lunged. Athys caught the beast's jaw between his own, holding it in a toothy embrace while his sister went for the kill.

"Took your time."

Reya retracted her head from the mess they made, her muzzle dripping dark fluids. The creature trashed and trembled as life left its squirming body. Athys recovered his limbs and sniffed around his sister. Her own blood oozed through her fur, though only in small amounts. He flicked his tongue before a snarl stopped him.

Athys complied. More growls came from downstairs. Perhaps more than they--

Reya made the decision for him by leaping down rows of stairs, checking one room after another. Athys followed closely, eyes straining to pierce through the blackness. A thud made the cats freeze. Reya turned. She was in half a crouch when the beast tackled her, pinning the tigress under its weight. Athys jumped for the creature's arm just as it prepared to swing at Reya. Roars and growls left all three of them as they trashed, bit and clawed. The severed bone rendered the beast's paw useless. Athys slashed at his eyes. The beast reacted on instinct and shielded its eyes. Athys went for the exposed throat.. The flesh was tough and stubborn, but canines pierced it all the same. A wild cry left the beast. Brutal force pushed into Athys' side, winding him. The lion pressed harder, mouth filling with lukewarm ooze.

But the beast found its feet, trashing and hitting. Athys disengaged, roaring as teeth punctured his shoulder. Pain erupted from his back, and he instinctively turned to claw at his attacker. Crimson eyes, brown fur, sharp rows of teeth...that was another half-beast! Rolling on his back, Athys kicked with rage and desperation.

The beast's arms caught his front paws in a cruel embrace, its maw darting forward. Athys instinctively formed several bridges around the creature's head and unleashed his gift in a fury of light and vengeance. It only took a frenzied heartbeat. No shrill came, only a sickening crunch. Its head turned up and around the spine. Bones splintered almost instantly, spraying a fountain of blood on the lion's chest. The beast dropped, dead and disfigured.

Athys spat the vile tasting ooze. He found Reya on a pile of wood. She sat on top of her kill, tongue flicking in disgust. He approached, checking for injuries. The way she fell under that beast was a cause of concern.

"Anything broken?" Athys sniffed her fur. Blood, grime and dust made his sense of smell almost as useless as his eyes.

"No," Reya turned her head. The feel of her tongue felt so soothing. "The last one was lighter than you."

Athys growled. His shoulder and right flank burned with pain. His tongue caressed Reya's whiskers before it retreated back into his muzzle. "Not here," He pulled back. "More may come."

"I was about to say that," Reya purred.

A dark sky greeted them as they spilled through the broken door. The sun had yet to ascend, allowing black and purple hues to maintain their fleeting grip. Athys sneezed. The cold air felt foreign to his nostrils after the time he spent in that cage, and it made his shiver more painful than it should. A whimper escaped him.

Reya appeared at his side before he adjusted his limp.

"There's no need--"

"It is." She thrust her muzzle into his flank. Athys growled as searing pain shot through his muscle.

"Punctures," Reya said. Her tongue followed after words, drawing a snarl from her brother. "Not as shallow as before." She stopped to sniff.

Athys flicked his tail. "Anything else?"

"You tell me."

It didn't sound like a question.

"Cut to the chase."

"Your gift is gone, you limp, your side is swollen."

Athys flicked his tail again.

Reya caught it, her grip hard and unrelenting. "The half beast didn't catch me off guard. I feigned weakness. Allowed it to assume its strength was superior to mine.

"It is. Strength is all they have," Athys said with a purr. Reya's hiss made his throat clench so hard he didn't even breathe.

"Not this one. It limped, and had a slack jaw."

"It doesn't matter. It's dead."

Athys pawed at her head, but she drew back. "It does. Your gift is wasted, and the muscle tore into-"

"Point made!" Athys said, his lips twitching with the urge to reveal teeth to stubborn Reya. "But that half beast stood upon you, preparing to rake that fluffy belly-"

"I would have dodged."

The tigress growled. Her paw caught Athys across his jaw. Before he could retaliate, Reya tackled him, forcing her full weight upon his shoulders. Athys fell on his belly to attempt a roll, but the tigress' hind legs trapped his hindquarters.

She pressed her nose against his.

"I would have dodged. I would have killed the beast myself. And you would not have been a half-cripple."

Athys winced. Her tongue brushed against the slice on his nose, drawing more blood and more pain. A fitting punishment for whatever this was about. When she stopped, Athys reciprocated the initiative. He only touched her slightly salty nose briefly. Reya sprang back, a low rumble churning in her throat.

"I'm bigger than you, silly cub; Stronger, nimbler. And I pick my fights carefully."

"The odds didn't seem to favor you."

"Another human term?" Reya asked. She lifted her paw to clean it before Athys found his words. Not like he had to. Reya had always disliked the humans, with their pitiful bodies and posture and logic. One more reference, and the tigress would prove her point yet again by besting him.

Athys inspected his coat instead. His golden fur was clumped and soaked with dark crimson ooze. Even the prospect of licking that off made his stomach churn. Half-beasts tasted worse than a putrid carcass.

"No feline ever died from half-beast blood," Reya said. "Whatever they are, they bolster their numbers through mating, not corruption."

"Can their females even bear cubs?"

Reya growled at the question. "It is a possibility. One that does not concerns us for now."

She lay on her belly, her tongue running along the length of her front legs. Athys took a step forward to assist her. Then stopped as his gaze darted to her twitching tail. No, to what her twitching tail revealed between swings.

He shifted his weight from one paw to the other to shrug off the heat building in his lower belly. Yet it burned, and burned, until Athys was too stiff to move in any other direction but forward. Towards her.

Reya hummed as his shadow blanketed her striped back and tilted her head to meet his. A brief touch on her nose, and she rested her head on her paws.

Athys licked his nose in anticipation. He lowered his hindquarters, trudged forward to meet her flanks, and thrust forward into her silken depths.

They growled in unison. Reya's shivering insides wrapped around his member in a slick, fiery embrace. The deeper he entered, the stronger it became. Athys' growl turned a pitch deeper as the urge to release overwhelmed him. He pulled out, then faltered. Pleasure wracked his stiff member, burning and intense. He wavered on weak feet as his seed spilled out in the cold air, away from her warm depths.

Then it ended. In utter silence, Reya slipped from under him, stretched, then dropped on her back, flicking her damp tail. She only rolled once, paws finding the ground with ease.

"Enough loitering."

Athys followed, his head bowed to avoid her gaze. Not even strong enough to pleasure her, was he?

She led him along the winding road. Limping slightly, the lion tried to keep up with her brisk pace. Where did she have all that energy? The fight had left him exhausted. To make it worse, his wounds protested with every step. Those were worse than fatigue. Athys tried to ignore every impulse. He thought of sunrise, mating, and a large, large deer. His tongue flicked around his dry muzzle at the thought.

Reya stopped, head held high to catch the sharp scents of the morning. Athys collapsed on the ground, panting, staring at a cylindrical thing sprouting at the side of the road. Those red stumps held water. Plenty of it. Yet Reya walked past it.

"There's water inside that thing," Athys said.

"If it doesn't spill, it's dry. We keep moving."

"It's not dry," Athys tried to argue, but Reya's ears did not even stir. She kept walking, and walking, putting more distance between her and the water source.

"There is no lake in the Desolation. No pond, no trickle of water."

That caught her attention. The tigress bounded back and inspected the contraption, tail swishing as she stuck her nose inside every crevice.

"Dry as I said."

"Maybe we can..."Athys lazily raised and circled the lump of metal. It looked strange enough, like any other human crafts. It certainly had a resemblance to elder trees. The protrusions and strange dents reminded him of the wood mushrooms that drained the tree's sap. He sniffed a few times. Aside from a dry, metallic smell, no trace of water lingered.

"Use your gift on it."

Reya chuffed. "You do it."

Athys growled. Was that really a request?

Reya's muzzle contorted, revealing fangs bonded by translucent strings. "What will you do when you truly need it?"

Athys backed away when Reya's tail fell flat against her flanks. He lay on his haunches, with a front paw in mid air when a jet of water sprouted high into the sky only to fall upon them the next moment.

Both of the cats growled, shaking their heads off the cold water droplets. The first wave was a trickle compared to the voracious rain that followed afterwards. In spite of the shudders and cold, Athys remained inside the deluge long enough for the grime to wash away.

Reya was already shaking the remaining water from her thin coat when Athys padded next to her. He lapped at some water, enough to fill his empty belly. Reya joined him.

"Any prey roaming about?"

"Mice, maybe rats. Nothing more filling than the water that wet our tongues."

Reya lifted a soaked paw to sniff and 'dry' with her tongue. She loathed getting her feet wet, let alone bathe. At Athys' approach, she put her foot down.

"The sun will dry us while we move."

"It won't," Athys added, just as a cloud blotted out the light.

"It will pass."

But the thing was huge. Large as one of the human towers and thick as two. "Slow and steady."

Reya snarled as she resumed her thorough licking session. Athys did the same. The shivers weren't going away on their own. He almost finished his chest when Reya brushed against him, purring. Athys licked her chin when it came into range with broad, thorough strokes.

When he stopped to switch onto his flanks, Reya bared her teeth, then presented him her hindquarters. Athys quickened his strokes. The morning was still chilly, and the constant shivers were a pestering reminder. He discovered two slashes on each of his sister's sides, and a good number of small punctures around her neck. Soft and gently, he only allowed the tip of his tongue to caress the sensitive flesh.

"This is what my calling is? Grooming?" Athys pushed his head between her flanks, burying his nose into that warm underbelly.

"It's not combat. The half beasts provided resilient proof."

Reya swung her tail, exposing her slit to Athys. Clumps of wet fur surrounded her narrow crevice. Athys ran his tongue across it before her sweet scent addled his mind. Then again, and again, until her meat shivered and her hind paws bucked.

Reya hissed, and Athys backed away when her tail whipped him across the cheek. The lingering taste of her nectar urged him to resume his treatment, regardless of her growl.

Reya made the choice for him by settling on her haunches. "So grooming. Me, specifically."

"You're my sister, and not even a prolific member of the pride."

"I can be," she purred.

"Not without cubs," Athys retorted.

Her purr stopped.

"Poor words--"

"But not without truth." She favored him a curt glance, then busied herself with her other paw. "It's the only reason Father relented."

Athys snorted. It made sense, just not enough. "Combat is not foreign to you, and your senses are keener than even--"

"Male traits," Reya interrupted. "Which are not good if I can't pass them onto other males."

"Give it time, sister."

"For more missions at your side, Athys. Is what I will only be good at."

"Grooming too. We're of the same litter after all," Athys corrected. He felt her breath on his right flank, hovering above his wounds. A touch of warmth and moisture triggered only the slightest amount of pain.

"That doesn't explain your talent to acquire wounds at all. And your gift is less. Lesser than mine by a fair amount." Her eyes bore into his. "The gift should be used only when all choices lead to certain death."

"My choices were limited."

"Were they?" She circled him, poking every bruise, sore spot, and scratch with her nose. Athys winced, more than once. When she reached his limp leg, her touch softened. "You had many. More than you realize." She emphasized her point with a slow lick across a gash. Athys shuddered as pain shot through his meat, but kept weight on that foot.

"You could have relied on my combat prowess, which you didn't. You could have trusted your strength to break the half-beast's clutch, but you faltered. We could have ambushed them, outrun them. But you used your gift instead."

Athys growled as he shifted his weight off the wounded leg. It seared! Yet Reya was not done with it. She still approached, and approached, no matter how Athys spun and dodged. When it all failed to deter, he faced her, fangs bared.

"Enough pain and words! Enough!"

The tigress stared at him for a moment, her tail flicking with disinterest before she turned her back to him. Her slit lay inches from his nose.

Pushing his head forward, Athys tasted the water off Reya's slit. The sharp flagrance sent a warm jolt through his nostrils. She smelled so alluring. Desire tingled the skin below his fur, pushing the soft member out of its hideout.

Athys went around her, pushing his nose under her tail. He pressed his tongue between her shivering lips. Three licks had him growling with lust and need. Reya turned her striped head, purr vibrating deep in her throat. She licked and nuzzled him, moaning with affection.

Her tail flicked impatiently. Athys licked and nibbled softly on her neck. He wasted no time to mount and thrust his member deep inside her. Release came like the water he bathed in, sudden and unbound. He growled and moaned, scratching on the stone with every squirt. Fire surrounded his member, stimulating his hardened flesh. The last drops were milked by those hungry depths, but Athys didn't withdraw. He remained inside Reya, enjoying the ecstatic licks assaulting his muzzle.

"Your coat was cleaner before," Athys remarked. Damp marks trailed behind him with every step he took. Reya walked at his side, pressing herself against him.

"Rolling is like release, instinctive and almost impossible to stop."

"Not for males. We cannot stop once the throbs start."

"You don't even try," Reya nipped her brother's ear.

Athys flicked it once, then pawed at his sister, "I cannot fight against the urge. Every instinct tells me to push deeper."

"As my instincts urge me to roll on my back and stir the seed you fill me with. Instincts are never wrong, my mate. Birthing young is the purpose of any living creature. Instincts will pester us to ensure successful mating. "

"I already knew that," the lion licked Reya's black tufted ear tip. "In time, we will have our own cubs."

Reya rubbed against him over and over again. Her affections made for a slow, awkward progress. Buildings and trees passed by, providing little change in the scenery until light blazed high into the sky. The few stray clouds sailing on the violet background caught flame with the sun's awakening. It would have been a decent start of the day if not for the faint scent of death.

The felines were on guard until they found the source of the stench. Half-eaten and disfigured, the carcass had the structure of a feline. Athys padded closer.

"One of ours," he said, pawing at a rugged piece of skin. He only found rotting strings of flesh and bones underneath the ruined skin.

"A stalker?" Reya growled. "He couldn't fall. Not if a horde of half-beasts surrounded him."

"Not all stalkers bear gifts," Athys walked past the pile of bones and meat. He flicked his tail, urging his sister to follow. "It isn't for us to know how he perished."

Reya leaped past the carcass. Athys pushed himself into a run just as Reya darted past him.

"The scents are shifting. We shouldn't linger," she said, her tail dancing in the wind.

"Why is that?" Athys demanded.

Reya said nothing. Carcasses of any kind were a beacon for half-beasts. Every cat knew that, stalker or cub bearing female. Athys followed, a low, hiss escaping his maw. Pain accompanied him across the desolate road. It slithered like a snake between buildings, with no end in sight. Athys kept his senses alert for any threat. He smelled the wind for any traces of prey. Rodents were plentiful, as were birds of any size. Though no half-beasts hid in the abandoned buildings, no proper prey surrendered their scent to the wind.

Athys collapsed in the bosom of a small garden. Weeds concealed his form and brushed against his fur. Reya dropped on top of him, paws scrambling to find a proper position. Athys licked and bit her until she settled on her side, amber eyes staring into his.

"We'll have to hunt before venturing into The Desolation," Athys tasted her muzzle with a quick tongue stroke. Reya gently bit it. With paws and tails all over each other, the cats were not safe from each other's pestering. Reya didn't answer. She was probably thinking the same, playing with one of Athys' ears. Those teeth have been away from proper meat for more than two days.

"We should."

They sat there, waiting for the other to make the first move. The sun broke from the cloud's grip, bathing the ground with warmth and light. Athys rose, stretched, and padded towards the gentle breeze flowing towards sunrise.

"Deer," Athys said. "And no half-beasts I can smell. Go around. Swipe the area."

The two cats split, running between building and trees. Athys approached, slowing down to a croach. The deer just left its shelter, walking cautiously towards the healthier patches of grass. Athys reached into his gift. He captured the speck of energy and weaved it around the prey. He was about to collapse the light bridge around the deer's neck when the creature fell limp. Fixing his eyes on the tasty morsel, the lion dashed to the kill.

"I could have caught it," Athys complained. Reya got ahead of him. Again! "It had a slight limp in its foreleg."

"It merely tripped," Reya arrived first, digging into the carcass with ravenous fury. "It took us a bit less than a quarter day to track it. Taking chances is what cubs do when presented with fawns."

"It had nowhere to run." Athys growled. Claws gripped the skin and teeth sunk into the flesh. His tongue lapped the warm liquid, pushing his instincts into frenzy.

"You call this nowhere?"

Trees sprung on every side of them, united by rows of thorny bushes. A garden, Athys realized. No clums of plants or trees formed such an exquisite square. Though a bit cramped, the garden had easy entry access in every direction.

"No."

"Then I made the right choice."

They divided the organs first, followed by the rich meat. Athys savored every chunk that met his sharp molars. He cut the larger ones into small bits, swallowing them hungrily. Though paws were exchanged and snarls threatened to shift into roars, the two felines kept their claws sheathed. Even mates became rivals over a carcass, but fortunately the deer was healthy enough to feed both of them.

With only bones and scraps left, the two mates groomed each other. Tongues danced around their fur, cleaning the crimson liquid with every dash. Athys lost his patience, leaving Reya's cheeks bloody. Throat rumbling, he went behind and straddled her. They mated quickly and noisily, roaring their bliss to the sun and the birds hiding above. Reya's rolling turned into a scuffle, then into grooming, and finally into a chase.

Light changed once more as the felines left the garden. The gentle light of evening replaced the intense glimmer of midday. With all their immediate urges satisfied, the cats kept their brisk pace until the buildings grew taller and wider. A forest of grey and black loomed ahead, its structures bent or destroyed.

The Desolation was in sight. Golden light spilled on the ruins, making them look like the crisp ashes left behind a smoldering corpse. Reya slowed down to a stop and licked one of her paws. Athys coaxed her to play, but her ferocious snarl spoke volumes. She needed rest. They both needed it. The Desolation bred more half-beasts than any territory, and they were hungry. Only small life flourished in that barren wasteland, barely enough to feed the runts feasting on vermin. With no accessible prey, half-beasts turned on each other. Or so the felines heard...

Though the air smelled scarcely different, Athys noticed the absence of life. No birds flapped their wings above them, and no animals shifted the long grasses. Not that there were any. Aside from the breeze and the crackle of aged stone, everything was still. Athys made his way between buildings, through narrow paths and wide roads. Mould stung his nostrils, only for dust to take over when they came out in the open.

The Desolation was an ugly, ugly place. It was a carcass in every way. Cracks forked through the man-made soil, splintering it apart. Yet those were just a nuisance for the felines' soft paw pads. Toppled buildings or bent structures were what led to painstakingly long detours.

"Humans have an innate instinct for destruction," Reya said. "How could they obliterate their own dens?"

"With their gifts?" Athys crouched near a corner, then touched the ground with his belly. "The knowledge of why they did it eludes me."

"Territory, mates, food. There is rivalry in a pack as big as theirs."

Athys nuzzled her neck as she crawled up to his mane. When her muzzle poked from under the clump of hairs, her gaze turned distant.

"It doesn't matter now. No brawn, no mind, no gifts. They had nothing, and relied on contraptions to overcome their weaknesses."

"Some contraptions still linger if you want to see them," Athys said.

Reya chuffed at the thought. "Only a few. A scarce legacy, from what father said, when they had everything, brother. Look around you."

Athys found it hard to open his eyes. That tongue felt delightful, with those caressing barbs. "And see what?"

"An end to the cycle. They expanded and changed the land to suit their needs. Now the land changes to suit its own needs."

"Or that of half-beasts," Athys said.

"True. Do you think-"

"No. I don't want to."

"Lazy male."

They rested their limbs briefly, then took on the dusty paths. Such exposed places were never a good place for sleeping.

Flaming rays made Reya's coat blaze in the sunlight. She rounded a corner when a very familiar and distinct scent caressed Athys' nostrils. The lion stopped, nostrils twitching. Where did it come from? The large road sprouted chipped buildings on every side. The grey giants looked worse than eroded. With huge holes in their structure, they looked like something took a huge bite from their stone innards.

Athys walked up to a narrow gap between the buildings. The breeze returned, carrying fresh scents.

"Feline." Athys broke into a dash. He wove through the chunks of debris and jumped past treacherous cracks in the hard rock soil.

"Kin?" Reya said. Her long strides propelled her forward, past Athys.

"Possibly." The scent of heat quickened the lion's strides. The allure heated his blood as well as the putrid scent of half-beasts. Several misshapen heads poked from the various nooks. A harsh rallying cry pushed two of their hideouts, with another pack on their trail once the first group hurried to catch the heat ridden prey. Athys dashed through an empty building. Small pebbles fled from his path. He was close. The scents were getting stronger.

"She's a feast for half-beasts," Reya slowed her strides. Athys didn't fare any better. Fatigue burned through his muscles with every leap.

"We'll kill them all."

"What if all means twenty?"

"Then it will be twenty corpses when my gifts shears through their flesh."

"You have none."

Athys growled, his throat dry from the greedy breaths. He knew at least eight approached, but he wasn't about to let one of his kin die at the claws of those wretches. He pushed past his sister, jumping over a pile of rusted metal and the wall behind it. The yelps and growls lessened as he touched the ground.

Three grey half-beasts turned around, tongues lolling between broken teeth. Claws left their sheath, and heart pounded in his chest. Fight. Leap. Kill. Instinct demanded. Yet it all seemed futile when his gift could--what gift?

"Two from the side," Athys said.

The beasts shrilled, a horrible, screeching sound as their jaws and necks splintered.

"This one's mine," he said as he lunged at the remaining beast of her pack. He tackled her--a white canine beast with dark splotches on her sickly cream fur. The beast roared with fury, clawing its attacker. Blunt and worn, they barely pierced the lion's hide. He tugged at the windpipe, ripping it from the beast's throat.

He jumped over the corpse. Two more came over the wall, both feline. Athys almost charged them, blood boiling with predatory intent. He dashed, skidding to a stop as two more heads protruded behind the wall. No, experience whispered. Gift. Ram them against the wall.

"Reya. Ram them against the wall."

Bone cracked and splintered against the wall as the other group advanced forward. The black one dropped on its fours without even glancing at its dead kin.

"Last one," he said to Reya.

The gift burned its way across the bridges and into the half-beasts. The black one roared, limbs leaving the ground. Like its brethren, the beast flew back, crashing into the wall. Stone roared, and beasts wailed as they broke themselves upon bare stone. Athys snarled at the gruesome sight. He turned around. Reya sat on top of a beast, muzzle crimson with its blood.

"Dead?"

"Dead, though more may come."

Athys approached, noticing four more half-beasts spread around. All the feline ones had their necks twisted and broken, as expected. Slashers had retractable claws, like he and Reya. One could easily lose both eyes and bleed to death after a fight with those beasts.

Athys passed two more half-beasts as he joined his sister.

He nuzzled her. No noticeable wounds marred her striped hide. "The feline?"

"Fled," Reya sprang from the corpse she sat on.

Athys took the lead. He traced the scent of heat to its source. Crouching through a narrow hole, the lion dropped in the bowels of a damp, stinking den. He jumped past crafts into the beam of light splashing against a wall. The feline snarled at his approach. It was lithe and spotted, part of the SharpClaw pride. It seemed such waste energy to chase after this runt.

"A SharpClaw? Half-beasts feast on her flesh!" Reya's snarl proved just the point.

Yet Athys still approached, crouched, eyes fixed on the feline. Cheetahs. That's how they were called. The powerful flanks and light constitution allowed for great bursts of speed, yet that meant nothing in a fight. Without the blessing of gift, this feline was no more than prey even to the youngest half-beast.

"She may be of use," Athys said. Cold seeped through his belly with each slow, painful step.

"Only if we feast on her meat."

"No. Her scent. Take it in," said Athys. The fragrance set him on edge . Her fertility flowed past his twitching nostrils, enflaming that horrible lust. Athys quickened his pace despite the cheetah's spitting protest. Her mind was cold and dark, like this den.

"How does father link our minds?"

"I don't know, nor does it matter," he felt a tug on his tail tip. Reya. She held him!

He clawed at the pestering tigress. In that short moment of distraction, the cheetah fled, a shrilling chirp escaping her throat.

"Scared little cub," Reya said.

"She's fertile," Athys growled. Claws left their sheath, ready to rake any fetter that came between him and the female.

"How does that-"

Athys ignored her. He darted after the cheetah, bumping and jumping over discarded crafts. He didn't know if his sister followed, nor did he care. The promise of a fertile belly to nurture his cubs was overpowering. He trapped the cheetah in a crammed place where the smells were sharp and the stone damp with foul water.

He approached her, enduring the paw strikes and the threatening snarls. They did not aim to injure, only warn. Athys exposed his belly like submissive prey. Tawny paws touched her spotted chest and milky jaw. She bit, her grip light and feeble. Athys pushed his head, licking her jaw with frenzied licks. The cheetah drew her head back, yelping in confusion. Athys found her nose, then whiskers. Hot shivers spread through him like slithering snakes. He had to earn the cheetah's trust, and after that-

A warm, tantalizing touch sent warm shivers through his form. A growl escaped his half opened maw, member tensing against the invading tongue.

"Brother."

Athys whirled. He tackled the striped annoyance, pinning her down with a grip around her maneless neck. Reya's limbs fell limp in an instant.

"That lump of meat will only attract more trouble. Why-"

"Leave."

He disengaged from the sprawled tigress, a ferocious growl erupting from his throat. When she didn't move, Athys swiped at her flank. A stifled growl left her maw as she backed away.

He needed no barren mate when a fertile one waited to be mounted.

Athys turned to the cheetah. Even her apprehensive yelps were redundant as he circled her. Three licks on her neck. That's all it took for the female cheetah to submit. Athys licked his muzzle and mounted the smaller feline. He lowered his flanks, tail lifted, muscles tense. Slow, caressing strokes soothed the cheetah's neck as the member pierced around her tail. He touched her fur once, then nothing.

Athys snarled. The little thing bolted like common prey, spurring a different type of excitement. Weaving his light around her limbs, Athys pulled. The gentle tug was just enough to render the cheetah immobile. A thud came, followed by panicked yelps. She was too loud. A small part of him urged caution, only to be consumed by lust and desire.

Reya rubbed herself against him as he approached the cheetah. Her thoughts flowed endlessly into his mind, and he ignored them like the annoying, buzzing flies they were. She wasn't fertile, like the mate splayed on the ground. She couldn't bear his cubs.

But she still insisted, her tongue flicking dangerously close to the lion's exposed fangs. The caring licks he once enjoyed were now rewarded with claws and snarls. Finding himself over the fertile feline, Athys lowered his hips. A single thrust pushed the engorged member forth. The second never came as a force hurled against him.

He crashed on his side. The pain flaring in his ribs suggested as much. Athys ignored its sting. He rolled out of Reya's reach just as she pounced a second time. She shuddered as her paws landed upon bare rock. Her claws scraped for purchase as she pivoted, but Athys was faster.

He reared forward for a swipe. Claws left their sheath mid swing.

And then the pest roared. Athys' claws seared through her exposed neck.

The distraction turned everything in Athys' favor. Empowered by raging instincts, he pulled the tigress on the ground, jaws pressing against her throat.

Athys pressed. Her throat was weak. Pitiful. He could crush it with such a small expense of energy.

But he didn't. He released the limp tigress from the vicious grip. Killing wasn't necessary. Only mating. His whole being begged for release. Instincts demanded it. There was only one choice.

He found the cheetah's lips almost immediately. With a buckle of his hips, he thrust. Overwhelming pressure dulled his senses. The cheetah yowled and yelped like a dying beast, overpowered only by the lion's desperate moans as he unleashed his seed. His member rammed again and again on her squeezing walls. With a desperate push, Athys pierced her depths. Pleasure melted his throbbing flesh. Seed pushed out in short, intense squirts. All the lust and the fire leaked, filling the cheetah's trembling muscles.

Cold awareness slipped back where instincts previously reigned. Athys backed a few steps, paws shivering with effort. He mated an unrelated feline. He clawed his sister. He remained here, exposed to the half-beast threat. Why? Why?

A yelp distracted him. The cheetah barely found the strength to crawl. Her spotted hide was ruffled and slick with saliva in certain places, and drops of seed trickled down her flanks. Athys dissipated the light around her limbs. He used the gift he did not know he still had to mate a scrawny weakling.

"She will birth better cubs than any feline from her pride," Reya padded closer to him. Blood leaked from the exposed meat on her lip. She licked it, painting her tongue a shade darker.

"If she lives."

"What if she does?"

"I wouldn't count on it." He turned towards Reya, his sister and mate. He wanted to lick her wounds. To strengthen his words with deeds. Yet his paws felt hard like the stone below his pads.

He couldn't move. Only see. Athys noticed another slash at the base of her neck, and her auburn fur rose like crimson spears in a small patch around her shoulder. He attacked his own mate! Metallic scent filled his nostrils. It smelled of pain and anguish.

Reya closed the gap between them. Athys closed his eyes, releasing a soft, wounded growl. He basked in the warmth surrounding his neck, and the gentle tongue pressing down on his forehead. Athys pushed his muzzle inside her neck, inhaling her scent. This was the only mate he ever wanted. How could he be so oblivious to that? How could his claws spill rake through that warm, beautiful coat?

"I- the wounds I inflicted-"

"They're of no concern, brother," Reya slid against him like silk. "Everything heals."

Even her barren belly? Athys wanted to ask. Instead, he watched her tail flick as her paws carried Reya away from him. He was a silly cub, and unlike his younger years, mistakes bred harsher results. He followed the tigress all the way out. He couldn't walk ahead of her after what he did. Mating that scrawny cat -wherever she ran--was a rotten affair, but unsheathing claws against his kin was even worse. More than that! Reya was his mate.

The scent of dead half-beasts proved to be an effective distraction. Leaping over a fly infested carcass, Athys took upon a grey road. He ran with wide, restless strides until the sun disappeared inside a thick blanket of clouds. Fatigue burned his muscles, crisp and raw. Long strides narrowed to a brisk walk. They were well inside The Desolation by now. Few buildings remained standing, and the long roads became small hills of rubble. Reya stopped atop a huge chunk of stone, eyeing her surroundings.

"The pit is near sun's descent. That places the wolves in the opposite direction," she took a few steps towards the splotches of flame piercing through the dark belly of a large cloud. She rested a paw on a slab of stone. "Towards sunrise. We should arrive at the SkyBridge before darkness settles."

"Only if we move quickly," Athys took that time to approach his sister. Crouched on his belly, he approached like a true stalker. Reya growled in surprise when his tongue caressed the cuts on her shoulder.

"I plan to do just that."

No nibble on his ear. No playful lick. Not even a playing attempt. Athys lowered his head, allowing the wind to ruffle his mane. "We should make haste then. The SkyBridge is safer than any ruin."

"We should," Reya's striped head replaced the toppled buildings. A wet, sloppy lick darted across Athys' nose. The lion growled with longing, closing his eyes against the invading warmth.

"Sister, the wounds I caused..."

"They're of small concern. Instinct fettered your choices, brother. I got in the way and paid the price."

"But I should have-"

"Don't be a cub. They will heal quicker than you release." Two muscled forelegs wrapped around his neck. Athys bit softly, tasting her fur. Reya did the same, assaulting his exposed ears with both tongue and tooth. The growls were soft and playful, and Athys collapsed on his back. Paws limp, eyes staring into Reya's, the lion surrendered to her whims. She bit his jaw and neck, altering between soothing licks and the soft pestering bites. Athys purred in delight. He had been far from gentle with her. The cut on her muzzle drew a soft whimper as he licked it, and the gashes marring her neck were raw with the taste of blood.

Athys felt his member stir. Brief panic washed along with the lust, reminding him of what he did when instincts ruled him. Hind paws pressed against a soft, warm belly. Reya snarled, shielding her eyes from the huge pads assaulting her head. Athys tried to roll. The distraction was all he needed, if it wasn't for the weight pressing against him.

"Planned on leaving?" Reya's tongue danced around his throat.

"No," Athys lied, despite the itch at the base of his tail. Spilling her blood, and now deceiving her. What a poor reward for the affection she bathed him with. He had to push her away. He didn't deserve her warmth, her playful tongue, or her soothing purr.

Yet his throbbing member spoke differently. Fettered in a sweltering prison of fur, it poked and touched, pleading for release. Slight thrusts rocked his hips in spite of the improper position. Reya touched her belly to his, hind paws pressing hard into the ground. With a long, sloppy lick, the tigress lowered her hips, tail swishing its white tip. Her lips parted hungrily, dripping with moisture.

"You are mine, mate."

Athys roared. The embrace drew his seed with quick, greedy gulps. And he surrendered it so easily. Reya growled, biting around the lion's muzzle. Athys could hardly think anything. Release blanketed his thoughts and heated his fur.

"You are mine, as I am yours."

Tongue slid between his canines, and his roar altered pitches. Athys pushed deeper, urged by the never ending spurts.

Then it came. A yowl, thin and crisp. The felines pushed each other and disentangled. Throbs pushed his essence with quick, powerful bursts of delight. Warm drops fell on his fur, staining it with fresh, pearlescent seed. Athys rolled to the side despite his still throbbing member.

"They're close," Reya wasted no time in finding the ground.

He joined his sister, pacing around her. His flanks felt sore, still clenched with the strain of release.

"Wait until it passes," Athys cautioned.

"It heard your roar, and it probably has our scents."

"Gifted half-beasts are too rare, too dangerous."

"Precisely why we need to kill it. I will not venture into wolf territory with that creature stalking us."

She gripped his tail. Her teeth were bared, and no trace of doubt lingered in her predatory stare.

"Let the hunt begin," Athys snarled.

They ran like specters through the ruins of the destroyed city. Athys barely tasted the sting of fatigue when the first half-beast pounced. He turned, fangs bared, ready to rip into its flesh. Its jaw twitched, then rammed all the way through its head.

"Pests," Reya said.

She continued running like nothing happened. Athys followed. The air grew heavy with the scent of half-beasts. Giftless could only be felt by the basic senses. A change in the wind or the groan of a building could mislead them. It was not such with the gift. Athys felt the half-beast's gift clearly as a carcass waiting to be devoured.

"Inside that," Reya stopped before the broken arches of a building. The square behemoth had a white, stony hide and metal doors to guard its mouth. Pillars ran on either side, surrounding the straight grassy path leading to the entrance. Decorations bloomed above it, spreading tall as the building itself.

Athys sniffed the air. Putrid scents oozed all around him. "We don't know how many may lie in hiding."

"Not more than we'll attract if we linger."

The lion walked to his sister's side. Uncertainty made his tail twitch. Before the imposing human den, he felt like prey. "Can you take them all out?"

"If you bait them out first."

Athys studied the building, but his churning stomach still didn't settle. Whoever took residence inside knew better than to relinquish the safety of those metal doors.

"I don't agree with-"

"Stalking ruins the thrill of the hunt," Reya interrupted. "You bait, I kill. Unless you'd like to make use of your blunt claws and chipped fangs."

Athys sighed, and Reya chuffed as she took the lead. "Takes too long."

What was--Athys bit her retreating tail, and Reya returned a snarl in response.

She left him there, alone, with only a touch of saliva to keep his nose warm. He could barely sense her scent in the mixture of concrete and decay, but her mind blazed clear as daylight.

"Tell me when you find it," he crouched, alerted by a nearby huff.

"You'll know."

Athys saw the beast just as it charged from the shadows. Reya separated the neck from its spine. Three more followed. She ended them in the same way. He rounded a corner, coming before the broken arches when a twang touched his ears. The missile whistled and clattered against the ground. Where did that-

A horrendous screech had him on guard. The beasts charged recklessly, limp bodies falling and trashing in less than a heartbeat. Athys searched for the archer, eyes darting from one den to the next. A flicker of movement provided the decisive advantage. The light traveled to the creature, dissipating into flaming flickers.

"Stick thrower to the sunset. It's too far to kill," he told Reya as he sought cover behind stony arch. A wet thump sent a shudder through him. Reya? He peeked past the arch for a brief moment before seeking cover. The stick thrower--no, the sludge of what used to be a stick thrower.

"The big one now," Reya said.

Athys busied himself with a dusty paw. Lying in wait was difficult. It made no sense. He had to kill. He had to end the threat. Had to find safety. A flick of tongue silenced his frenzied instincts. This was a good plan. Human dens were unreliable, with their weak walls and tricky man-made soil. The advantage they offered could show its ugly face in an instant.

A second lick followed. Athys looked at the entrance, then pushed his head behind the wall. No half-beasts, though their stench entered with every breath. He licked it thrice. A fourth time. When the fifth came, he lowered his moist pads on the ground and sprang behind the wall. Two scrawny half-beasts charged Reya huffing and screeching at the promise of prey. They crumbled, necks shattered, before they even came into her range.

He turned, startled. The screech of metal preceded a deafening thunderclap. The iron doors separated and flew like leaves in the wind. Athys crouched. The rush of wind ruffled his fur.

"Almost out."

"What type is it?"

"Don't know."

"Don't what?"

"It only chased me. Claws out, brother."

Reya sprung, leaping over the sliding crafts. Athys didn't bother to think. He shot his light, piercing the wall, the metal and everything he laid eyes upon. His gift dulled considerably, fueling the ethereal bridges. Athys waited a heartbeat. Two.

The half-beast emerged with a shrilling cry. He imbued his energies into the bridges and pulled, aiming everything at the half-beast.

"He's a pusher," came Reya's frenzied thoughts.

"The metal entrance-"

"Not my doing."

The rock roared, and shards flew everywhere. Athys jumped between the falling pillars, untying every bond. Accursed beast. Pushers had no need of control. They rammed their gift wherever they chose. Pebbles and dust flew around him as he ran down an alley.

"That is one vile beast. What can we use?"

"Everything. Just need to be quicker than him."

"Circle it. We'll pounce from two sides."

Easier said than done. Athys ran behind and between anything he found. Stone ruptured and fissured around him. Some even flew at him. Athys ran erratically, avoiding anything he could.

"Right."

Athys took a steep turn, tail flying in the wind.

"Past that then."

Something hit his back, prompting a growl.

"Left again."

He came around the corner just to stare at the beast's mismatched eyes. Athys roared, slashing and clawing. They raked flesh, drawing a horrifying screech. Athys pushed his head, teeth struggling to grab anything they found. With a swipe, the creature sent the lion crashing into the ground.

Pain exploded from his limbs. Muffling a growl, Athys shot on his paws. He wobbled. The ground itself shook and ruptured below his paws. Athys jumped from the unstable rock. It left the ground, following his movements. Athys pulled it above his head. The stone flew behind him, crashing into another building.

"Reya, he's here!"

The tigress' roar confirmed her position. It came from the grand den, as did the metal doors. The first flew harmlessly to the side, but the second smashed the beast's back. It howled like thunder. No, worse than that. Athys silenced it with a mundane chunk of rock that passed through the beast's skull.

It was done. He killed-

Athys' fur rose as the energy swept harmlessly past him. The flames burned like the sun itself. And they were fast. They slid into the buildings like liquid fire. The stone seeped in the energy, then released with a deafening burst.

The clash almost deafened the lion. Gifted were immune to their own energies, but the same could not be said about everything else. He looked up as a shadow fell upon him. The grey giants surrounding him spilled their guts in an avalanche of stone and dust. Every structure around him was collapsing!

Athys looked at the huge chunks falling towards him. He had to run. Flee. Find Reya. A frenzied heartbeat passed, but his paws remained firmly glued to the ground. She was too far, and the debris too close. He tapped into his depleted gift, and formed whatever bridges he could. Overwhelming pain shot through his skull. His limbs turned to blubber, and he staggered for purchase. The larger stones shifted, revealing more of their smaller cousins. And there were crafts too.

Athys roared, leaping towards the dead half-beast just as the stone rain started pelting his back. Thud. Thud.

BOOM! He was half-way crouched below the iron door when his hearing was shattered. Closing his eyes, the lion waited. Eerie silence surrounded him. He could smell nothing but blood and rot, and saw nothing but darkness. Maybe this is was how death felt. But he couldn't be dead. The instincts still blazed within him, heart ramming in his chest. He waited, mind blank, until the whistling wind left his ears.

"Brother. Brother!"

"MATE!"

The sharp sting in his tail flared his senses.

"Wha...what's happening. Or happened. That-"

"Beasts are happening," Reya's growl had a tint of desperation.

Athys pushed himself from under the weight. Or tried to. His back ached, and he barely made any progress.

"Can't. Lift it."

The metal flew, spinning into the air like it was nothing. Reya's bloody muzzle filled his vision. It vanished in almost an instant, replaced by her twitching slit.

Athys looked at her dark folds, then at the half-beasts spilling from the corner a hundred leaps ahead.

"Spray," she said over the puffing sound of her urine. "Mark everything."

Athys wet the bloodied carcass and ran. That stench was bound to attract more half-beasts. Reya sliced through the five beasts charging at them. No, four. One remained, screeching its predatory roar.

"Gifted."

Reya's thought hit him harder than any falling stone. Athys felt his blood freeze. He slowed his strides, eyes jumping from one place to another. The rubble. They could use that. Reya...

"Gifted," he said, panting. "The rubble. Slow them, or kill them, I can't."

Four chunks flew towards the beast, altering their course when they approach.

"Not a pusher. The rocks wouldn't have-"

"He's not a lifter either, otherwise-"

"Both?" The cats thought at the same time. Now that was troublesome. A web of light rays shot around the beast, linking its gift to the surrounding debris. Reya cut the bonds almost immediately. One. Two. Four. Eight. How many were there? Blaze swept across the length, warning of the impending release.

Athys crouched, leaping and running between the flying rocks. Depleted as it was, his gift allowed him to sense the position of every major threat. Almost. He roared in pain, joining his sister's discomfort. Pebbles threw themselves into his hide, hard as a beast's arm swipe. The space between two toppled buildings offered temporary relief.

"Cannot fight it," Reya said.

Athys made his way through the dust and debris. The grey mist was thick and obstructing, stinging his eyes and nostrils. "We cannot outrun it."

"Not if we run."

He followed Reya between the ruined bowels of the building. Darkness gave way to light as they took upon a different road.

"But we are running now," Athys growled. They've slain three ordinary half-beasts on the way to the first still standing building.

"Inside. We'll climb and gift-glide."

"My gift is spent."

"We'll use mine," Reya said.

The stairs were small and covered with fine powder. Athys leaped over the first sets, then climbed them one by one when fatigue slowed his muscles. A screech made him leap 3 stairs. The half-beasts had his scent. Dull light seeped through the cracks, illuminating the winding stairs. Athys looked up, tongue pushing its way between canines with each breath. Not long now.

He stopped when a rusted, vertical stair hang before them. It connected the ground to a metal lid blocking the only way out. Humans and their stupid crafts. The lion sniffed and clawed at the walls. Solid stone, probably thicker than twice his length.

"No choice here," Reya growled and stepped back. "We have to climb."

Reya focused her gift on the hatch. The rusted cover screamed in its hinges. Light and fresh air spilled in. Athys walked towards the stair, placing a paw on the metal bars.

"Let me try first."

The lick felt warm and reassuring. Stepping back, Athys nuzzled his sister's flank. The tigress looked up, then placed of her front paws on the bars. She stood on solely on her hind legs. One followed, shaking awkwardly on the steps. She leaped. Paws scrambled for purchase, but found none.

"How bothersome," Reya snarled. She tried again with no better results. The third try, she almost reached the top through frantic jumps, yet the result was no different. She shook her striped coat and crouched. The air shook with growls and huffs. Athys looked into the dark hole of the staircase. He couldn't see, only hear.

"I'm on the roof."

Athys turned, tail slapping the nearby wall. He approached the vertical stair. He reared, latching his front paws on the bar above his head. The metal felt slippery and cold. Claws came out, sliding with an audible shrill. It did him no good. He fell on his back, releasing a slight growl. It vanished almost instantly, dwarfed by the half-beasts rampaging below.

He tried and failed. Five attempts left his paws sore and his muscles burning with effort.

"That gifted beast just came inside. Make haste."

Athys gripped the bar ahead with his mouth. He fell. He jumped again. He fell. He tried climbing each step. He fell on rump when he was to stairs away from the top.

"Brother," Reya growled with urgency.

The hiss behind him quickened the lion's frenzied heartbeats. This was a stair. A rotting, human made stair.

And it was the only thing that could see him to safety. The lion reared on his hind legs, gripping the bar within reach. The sound of grinding bones and ripped muscles reached the lion's ears.

"They're here!"

"Kill them all," Athys roared.

Reya's head poked through the gap, roaring her own vicious roar. Athys scrambled for balance. With a push of his hind legs, he jumped. Almost there. He latched his front paws on the stair above. Limbs fell between steps, struggling to find balance. When his hind paws found purchase, he jumped again. The metal dug between his toes and pads, sprinkling pain with every push. Snap. Thud. Snap again. Thud thud. Beasts fell one after another.

ROAR! Despite the pain, Athys found purchase on the chipped stone. Claws dug between cracks, sliding and raking, yet his weight was too great. Hind paws slid on metal like it was ice. Roaring desperately, Reya grabbed the nape of his neck. Teeth dug past fur and skin as she pulled. More huffs and steps spilled from the stairs.

"Come on, you lazy male."

Stone finally rested under the lion's paws. Fresh air filled his nostrils, and the dying sunset made his eyes squint. In two leaps, he was away from the small hole. The metal snapped and fell in a clamor of twangs.

"The stair is gone, but it won't keep them fettered for long."

Athys limped after her. The scratch on his left hind paw was definitely bothersome, yet pain was kept at bay by frenzied instincts.

"There," Reya looked right, towards the orange disk poking between the ruins.

"A smooth glide," Athys noticed. Fewer stone dens littered the ground, and the gaps between them were generous. Gliding slowed the fall, but once in the air, no amount of movement or gift could change direction.

They ran back to gather speed. Reya noticed her brother's limp. The soft growl escaping her maw spoke for itself, even if her mind did not. She ran first. Pushing the ground with long, wide leaps, she jumped into nothingness.

Unsheathing his claws for better grip, Athys ran. He was several leaps away from the edge when the stone shook like a thrashing half-beast. A deafening crash ruptured the building. Athys didn't look back. The cracks forking beneath him made everything unsteady. He leapt on a stone chunk, then another, and finally into the sunset.

Air rushed by, crisp and cold.. He fell faster than intended, and Reya was nowhere to be seen. Only a dwarf of a den rising right before him.. The earth was still far. Humans had a fascination with tall dens, something Athys was grateful for. Reya's gift allowed him to soar over the cracked spires. He was above a road now, with only small or crashed buildings ahead. His paws threaded on nothingness, making no difference in speed or balance.

Reya's gift almost burned itself out when Athys touched solid stone. He sat on a wide pillar, the only thing remaining from a broken dome. With a growl, he jumped.

Once on the ground, he looked around. Ruins and pile of crafts surrounded a circular road that forked into three separate paths. He reached for Reya's mind instinctively.

"Sister, where-"

His mind stopped. A hole, dark and lifeless filled the place where her inner essence burned. Athys reached deep into his gift, focusing on his surroundings. Darkness shrouded everything. He growled. Every ache became heavier, every cut increased its sharpness. Was he...

....was he alone? Fear slithered beneath his fur as he looked around. Debris was everywhere, piled at the foot of buildings still standing. The rotten, overgrown stone was marred with the wounds of the ages. Holes were everywhere, dark and menacing like Reya's absence. Half-beasts! Their scent was weak, but still noticeable.

Athys ran, a growl of apprehension vibrating in his throat. Stalkers had to be quiet. Noise attracted attention, often the wrong kind. He clamped his jaw shut, despite the overwhelming fear. Without gift and a limping hind leg, he felt a prey more than a predator.

Every step felt awkward and unnatural. Paws raised soft clouds that sparkled in the orange light of the sun. Athys chose right. The sun. He had to follow it. The SkyBridge Reya pointed lay in that direction. He ran, walked, and ran some more. Senses stretched to their limit. Athys heard every buzz, click, or groan as he made his way through the desolation. He leaped past dry fountains, passed between destroyed statues and even through a small speck of vegetation. A flicker of hope rose within him when his eyes met the gargantuan shape of the tall pole rising between two structures. He only had to keep moving ahead. Had to-

His head turned, eyes fixing on the growl he just heard. Two half-beasts left the bowels of a building, running his way. Athys pushed his tired limbs. The running left him in the brink of exhaustion. His fur burned, and muscles ached, begging for relief. He couldn't outrun them. Claws slid out of their sheath as he turned. The distance allowed him a moment of respite before the beasts caught up.

Athys tackled the first one by the shoulders and pushed it underneath him. A bite to the neck was all it took to still its thrashing. Its companion followed in its wake. Athys jumped away from its path. The beast turned, but not quick enough. Athys was already upon its back, finding purchase in the creature's flesh. He searched for the spine, biting aimlessly when a blow winded him.

Claws wrapped around his sides, pulling. Athys roared, clawing and slashing and trashing in the beast's grip. He gripped the broken jaw and pulled, releasing both a howling wail and a fountain of blood that wet his muzzle. The beast's grip faltered. Athys slashed at the approaching muzzle, aiming for the eyes. Claws found the meat soft, and the eyes squishy. The second beast drew back, arms protecting its oozing eyes. It was all what Athys needed. Propping his weight against the creature, he gripped his throat. The beast collapsed in a heap of snarls and gurgles.

Athys retched the meat and fur he held between his jaws. He killed them both! Exhausted and bloody, he followed the road, limping on three legs. He stank of half-beast, and the progress he made was excruciatingly slow. Only when the sky stole the violet veil of the night did the SkyBridge seem closer. Darkness brought strange scents. Even the night seemed different without the moon to light the way. Dread never parted company, and every pace renewed pain's fetters. Night truly reigned when his road merged with another, creating a wide pathway towards the SkyBridge ahead.

Athys raised his head. It seemed so far. Wind brought in strange, pungent scents. Scat and urine, reeking of canine. It was so similar with that of the half-beasts, only that-

Nostrils twitched, catching the breeze. It smelled of vegetation, mold, stone, and potential threats. Athys growled. He took a sharp turn, disappearing between the ruins of a building. Stones cracked under his paws, rolling downhill. He climbed mound after mound, slipping between cracks like a shadow. It wasn't long before he spilled from the ruin's bowels, dusty and dirty.

The force pushed into him, sending him on his side. Athys growled a long, mellow sound. Tongue darted from his maw, dashing across the invading muzzle. He tasted everything. Her scent, her muzzle, her whiskers, and her tongue, damp with saliva. It only lasted the briefest of moments. The tigress dropped on top of him, assaulting his forehead with frenzied affection. Athys closed his eyes, paws kicking with excitement as he licked and slid his pads on the warm fur on his mate. The warmth felt exhilarating, and he did everything to push her closer. The tigress growled, leaping away. Athys chased and tackled her.

The two felines rolled on the ground, a heap of growls, paws and tails. Athys buried his nose in Reya's neck. She felt so warm. He breathed deep into her scent and gave four quick licks across her chest. His member throbbed with lust and desire, stroked by the tigress' endless movement. She was on top of him now, pressing her belly against his. Athys roared. His trembling flanks pushed desperately, trapped in a sea of fur and warmth. Intense delight brushed the tiredness away like it was nothing. Athys' tail swept the ground, muscles clenching as a stream of fire traveled through his lower belly. He tried to bite it back. Block it. He couldn't spill his-

Seed burst forth with the force of a raging storm, wetting Reya's white, striped fur. Athys moaned, gripping her jaw during the peak of his untimely climax. The heat of his own release urged him to push deeper, farther, quicker. He thrust his stone hard member into her fur, where the sweltering prison of his own seed drew more and more throbs.

Athys rolled on his side, paws limp with the effort of release. Reya licked his ear and dropped next to him. Lifting a paw, she sniffed and cleaned her fur. Athys approached his muzzle. His tongue washed over her fur. He snarled. The bitter scent and taste of his fertile seed almost inflamed his dying lust. He went lower with each stroke, until the tip of his tongue found a most moist threat. He licked it, inhaling the sharp odor. The reek of fertility prompted a second snarl. Athys bared his fangs, carrying the scent deeper. The desire to mate became overwhelming. Instincts guided him to claim the fertile tigress. Breed her. Push his seed into her until new life sprouts from their union.

Yet that was a lie. It was his own scent speaking. Reya couldn't breed. In the absence of the burning lust, the bind of instinct became weak, allowing for rational thoughts to seep in.

"I missed your scent," Athys licked her again, pressing his nose under her tail. Shudders rippled from the tigress' muscles, accompanied by gentle kicks.

"Never," Reya growled, nibbling his paw with desperation. "Never leave my side again, you stupid male."

"Never," Athys slid between her lips, moist with excitement. Warm drops greeted his muzzle, scooped up by greedy tongue strokes. He cleaned her thoroughly, then straddled her striped form, licking her from flank to neck. Reya purred and growled in the afterglow. Her paws pulled him closer, and Athys dropped on her without complaint. They licked and bit each other, gentle as any mate could.

"You reek of blood and dust and," Reya pawed his muzzle away. "Half-beast."

"I killed two." Athys settled on his side, canines vibrating with the purrs reverberating from her throat. He traded fangs for licks, climbing up her jaw. Their tongues met briefly, then went on separate ways. Fulfillment coursed through Athys. Reya was more than a mate. Her light eclipsed the brightest of gifts. They not only shared the same parents and gifts, but even the same belly. Athys disentangled his paws from his sister's. Reya complained with a bite and a growl. She held one of the lion's paws captive when he turned, inhaling the flagrance hidden below her tail. Reya spread her legs, exposing herself fully to the lion's whims.

"You are so persistent. I wish your seed hadn't spilled on my fur."

Athys licked, sniffed, and licked again. His blood quickened, warm with the scent of mature female. Or was it the hot air caressing his member? He shook his head, growling lustfully. He couldn't be wrong. Not a second time. A leap drew a roar from his unsuspecting sister.

"Your scent turns fertile. "

Reya stopped mid-lick. "What? It can't...I feel no such change, my mate."

"Because you're female. You are used to your own scent."

"Boasts, short and insignificant like that fluff growing around your neck."

Athys growled. He expected teeth, not licks.

"But I like it so. Warm and dense and rich with the scent of my silly, male half."

"Sister," Athys pawed and pushed her away. Their whiskers entangled as they stared in each other's eyes. "I am certain of what I smelled. Liquid heat, laden with the promise of future offspring."

"Cubs," Reya licked him across his muzzle, then dropped her head, finding shelter on her paws. "They are the gift I will never have. My belly...it will forever be as barren as this wasteland."

Athys nuzzled her head, comforting her with wet licks. "I will not prove you wrong. Time will."

"Do what? It only heals wounds and brings death."

"It saw us reunited."

She leaned against his chest, protected by a large limb thrown across her chest. "You're right, my mate. I should dwell on what I have."

"A dirty coat and dried blood around your wounds?"

"Silly cub. I will see them tended." She pushed herself up, brushing her brother's paw aside. Athys regretted his choice of words. He liked cuddling! Sharp pain shot through his flank.

"You mew like a youngling," Reya said.

The lion clamped his jaw shut, only to part again a moment after.

"Not everything is as soft as your fur."

"Inconsiderate," Reya dashed a long stroke, prompting a snarl from the male. "I am using only the tip of my tongue."

"Which lacks barbs, as you lack patience."

"The wound seems quite deep," Reya said.

Athys barely paid attention. He busied himself with the scratches along his right forepaw. "I cannot say for certain, but the muscles and what's inside seem safe from damage."

"It wasn't a slasher?"

"No. The rake is crude and hardly even. Claws like ours would have mangled your leg."

Once clean, Reya licked his other wounds, even those he previously cared for. Athys returned her affection and kindness. With only dried blood to lick, he settled for grooming.

A distant yowl perked the lion's ears.

"Half-beasts," Reya tensed, fangs bared.

"They're close enough to scent us. We lingered here long enough."

"Being licked and groomed by my mate is never long enough," she bit his whiskers. Athys winced. She turned around and left before he could do the same. Despite the limp in his leg, Athys felt safer with a tail to follow. He swayed it with his head, nipped it, and occasionally bumped into Reya. Rubbing against her felt warm and delightful, like those moist licks.

Reya led him at the base of the SkyBridge. The pole was no wider than a narrow path and suspended high into the air, trapped between two colossal twins. Athys approached the spiraling stairs. They were made from a dark, cold metal that resisted the test of time. He took the first step on the narrow stairs, then switched his eyes from the chasm stretching below his paws. Reya's tail and her moonlit fur were a much better sight. Climbing the spiraling stairs left both of the cats exhausted.

Athys stepped on the long, narrow platform and looked behind. Everything seemed smaller from up here. Somehow, feeling this high felt wrong. Air was no domain for any creature with paws. Bolder currents seeped through their fur, bringing in the chill of the night. Athys shook his head, warding off a few lake flies.

"Here." Reya took shelter inside one of the wedges. They ran along the spine of the bridge, a series of small, identical dens. Athys did not know what purpose those served. Protection, perhaps, as the incline above bent back. The moon rose from the east, bright and large like the day before. After a day of walking through dust and debris, Athys sorely missed the lake, the vegetation, and the shrieks of the night birds. Here, he could only hear the wind's caress and two, noticeable puffs.

Athys joined his sister, walking lazily towards her new den. He sniffed her urine, then latched his own scent on the metal.

"Now it's ours," Reya said. She looked so inviting, laying there on her back, not even a twitch of whisker or paw. Athys dropped on her, then rolled slightly to the side. The metal felt cold and stiff, unlike her fur. They wet each other's necks and muzzles with quick tongue strokes. Athys felt heavy. His worn muscles pleaded for relief, but instinct spoke otherwise. With each stroke of tongue, his desire flared. Reya bowed her head. She enjoyed ear licks the most, yet Athys had other plans. He pushed the ground, raising on four slightly unstable paws.

"Later."

Reya must have sensed his intentions. Paws dragged him down with the barest of effort. Athys growled. He tried raising again and again, only to rejoin the stubborn tigress.

"What happens if I keep you here," Reya growled.

Her fond licks were worse than those pestering paws. Athys enjoyed them too much to complain. He laid his head back, staring at the shining speckles dotting the sky. What were those? Reya's oversized muzzle darkened everything before answer revealed itself.

"You won't."

"Why?"

"Because you want it too," Athys bit her tongue. She snarled, swapping him with a paw.

"Not more than you."

Athys said nothing. He swiped one of his forepaws, dragging the tigress to his head level.

"I am right. You males are so weak and predictable. I don't even have to stalk my quarry. You will come to me, like a cub running after its mother."

"And then?"

"I will have you." Reya placed her head on his, growling happily.

"You swap places."

"What?"

"You submit. That means I will have you."

"I had your seed when you were on your back, showing the white of your belly."

"That was a waste, triggered by lust and momentary excitement. We didn't mate."

"Couldn't you stop it from spilling?"

"Instincts."

"You are not bound by them, you silly male," Reya rose on her fours. Athys lifted his head, watching her as she pushed his flank with her muzzle. Athys lifted his leg, revealing a dark spear that throbbed in rhythm with his heartbeat.

"They offer guidance, nothing else."

Athys growled. Paws kicked the air, revealing the sharp tips of concealed claws. Warmth embraced his member, taunting it with a slow, tantalizing lick. Barbs met smaller barbs, making the lion growl a half-hearted roar. The change in temperature brought his member on the brink of release. The second lick never came. Athys kicked the tigress away and got up on his fours.

They rubbed against each other, growling different vocalizations. Instincts tightened their grip, and Athys could only think of mounting. He pawed at Reya, encouraging her to lay on her belly. The tigress circled him a few times, licking her mate with excited strokes of her tongue. Athys growled, fangs revealing their glimmering length.

Reya touched the ground with her belly. Athys straddled her, his hips thrusting even before he adopted the normal mating position. Lowering his hind legs, he poked for her lips. His muscles burned with fatigue, making the thrusts short and awkward. Claws came out, sliding on the smooth metal. Hind paws scrambled for balance with every clench of the fatigued muscles.

Athys slapped his restless tail. He couldn't stop. Every breath he took reminded him of his greatest task. A task every creature had to fulfill. Athys plunged his member forward. He had to find the warmth of her lips. He had to bury his member deep inside to ensure the birth of his cubs. He had to release the fire and lust welling below his tail!

Deeper.

Deeper!

He pushed. With a roar, the lion collapsed on top of his mate. The tigress growled, snapping and biting at the unexpected weight. Athys grabbed her neck, applying the slightest of pressure. Her walls clenched and trembled, only adding to the male's ecstasy. Soft growls left his maw with every throb.

Streams turned to trickles, and trickles to mere drops. Athys remained there, limbs splayed, member still sheltered inside a moist, warm den. Reya shifted. She rolled on her back, pawing and licking at her mate. When she stopped, Athys poked his member back inside. The heat and friction drew a weak growl from the aroused lion.

"It feels like liquid flame. Why? What makes it feel so good?"

"You know why," Athys said.

"Possibly. This burst of delight is a good encouragement for frequent coupling."

"You and your answers," Athys shifted on his side. He slid out of his mate along with a thin line of liquid. "Save them."

"Giving up so soon?"

"Fatigue made that choice for me."

Athys pushed his head under Reya's paw. The tigress latched both around his neck, licking the invading head.

"Rest then. I will take the first watch."

"I should-"

"No," Reya growled softly. "You can barely stand. Rest."

"But-"

A tongue slid over his nose.

"Don't."

Athys didn't argue. Neither did sleep, as it dulled the sting of the wounds, the water flowing below them, and the soft buzz flying around his ear.

****

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