Throughout the night and into the next morning, none of us slept a wink as we all kept watch. We have learnt our lesson and Anlow was muttering about this forest being out of reach for both children and adults, not like he didn’t believe my words that the Gurumapa was gone but because of the strange yowling we heard, like a cat was injured but from the strength of the yowls, it seemed like a giant cat.
“It seems like we would have to check our traps before going home.” I said as the rest groaned, all they wanted was to get out of this place, a place that was home for them before but now has turned into a place where they never knew what was going to pop up.
“My queen?” Sorens called.
“My lady?” I corrected him and when he looked at me in surprise. I explained. “My queen has turned into your form of special name for me, people will notice. If you are not going to change calling me that then I want you not to hide while doing it too. I want you to call me my lady.” I answered and Sorens smiled.
I knew better than giving him special leeway but I missed being my lady, I was happier then, Maybe Sorens could remind me of that time, every time he calls me that.
When we started our search back through all the traps while disengaging them and bring them with us, I kept on looking round for something, feeling like there was something which I needed to take with me as I was leaving here.
“What is wrong My Lady?” Sorens noticed my restless search. He was attuned to me on many levels that I was no longer surprised that he knew something was wrong.
“I can’t leave.” I replied and when he opened his mouth to complain because just like the locals here, he was tired of the forest and the weird things he has seen in one night. I am sure that all he wanted was to go back to the Palace and protect me from human creatures who were more harmful than children eating demons who was just hungry and starved for attention.
“Not until I can get what it is, I am supposed to get.” I added.
“Nothing I do will change your mind right?” He asked and when I smiled at him, His eyes narrowed with my unspoken agreement to his words.
I laughed as we moved towards the last trap only for me to see the glint of a knife and without thinking, I used my whip on the hand holding it.
“Your majesty?” Anlow complained, as his other hand wrapped around the one which I had hit with my whip.
“What were you doing without me and Sorens?” I demanded.
“Taking care of another weird creature that shouldn’t be in existence.” He replied, confused not like I could blame him, even I was confused with the swiftness I used to protect a creature which I have not yet seen.
“You and Sorens took care of the Gurumapa so we thought, it would be okay not to stress you with this one.” One of the people who I haven’t bothered to learn his name said as I shook my head. That was where he was wrong. Nobody was taking care of anything and especially not something that was mine.
I froze at that thought as I finally turned to look at the Creature.
I let out a gasp. The creature had a colorings of a cat with striped fur but the built of a lion, its claws and teeth were sharp and I could see that the trap was one of those ones which was meant to injure its prey and right now, I was not so happy that it chose to fall into this particular one.
The cat gave a pathetic meow as he tried to crawl to me but the trap snagged it back and it made that strange yowl which we heard all night.
“What is it?” I asked Sorens, still not advancing towards the cat, an animal I felt a strange kinship with.
“A mngwa.” Soren replied, his voice fearful. I glanced at him. “No one has ever been killed and it is very vicious.”
I nodded as I moved towards it, Complaints and shouts, rang out from everybody but I was angry at them.
It was not going to hurt me, She felt a kinship with me too. “Keep quiet and let me concentrate.” I snap at them as I turned back to the Feline in front of me.
“Hey girl.” I said softly as I stretched out my hand, the complaints started but none of them tried to snatch me away from the animal and my concentration was not broken like hers, she was staring at me with her large feline eyes just like I was looking back at her. I saw myself in her, a strange lonely world with no friend except me. I was her only family and she was one of mine but one of the closest.
“You know me don’t you?” I asked her but sadly, she didn’t say anything in my mind, she just gave me a mewl as she placed her head under my hand, closing her eyes and trusting me fully. I felt a dam open within me and complete peace flowed through me and she started purring. “Wow.” I replied just like a felt the life force of someone behind me who wanted to harm her and that was something which I will not take.
I stretched out my hand with force and the person that spoke last about wanting to kill her cried out as he bounced off the shield I created.
I cracked my whip at the man who gave another cry as sparks jumped out my whip. “It seems like I was not clear enough the last time. Anybody that tries to harm her will die at my hand. Nor someone help me get that trap off her.”
“My Lady? That being should be killed while in that trap.” Sorens said as he passed his hand through his hair while my Mngwa snapped her teeth together in his direction.
“Sorens.” I called.
“Yes?” He replied.
“Don’t annoy her, you and her will need to have a good relationship because she is always going to be with me.” I tell him as the rest started complaining too.
“How did she do that?” The man who bounced off an invisible shield I created said, groaning on the floor but I paid him no mind, I needed to stop her from hurting.
Sorens approached me. “I trust you.” Was all he said to me, ignoring protests from others as he worked the trap open and when it was, My Mngwa sprang from it and landed on top of Sorens, I didn’t make a move because I felt her emotions, she was angry with him taking long to free her but she was not going to do anything to him.
“My lady.” Sorens scared voice sounded and it was everything I could do to stop myself from laughing, especially since all Mngwa did was to breathe on his face before jumping off him and moving back to me while using her body to rub against mine, purring like a big cat.
“You just made her annoyed, nothing else. Besides she is a big baby, she would not hurt you unless you hurt me.” I said, both to Sorens and those around me.
“She?” Sorens asked as I nodded with a thoughtful look on my face.
I opened the link between the two of us and asked. Adela?
Thinking that was her name since it was ringing in my head. When she lifted her head at me, waiting to see if I wanted something, I smiled as I used my hand to brush her fur.
“Yes Sorens. She. Adela.” I replied as Sorens shook his head like he couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Shall we go now?” I asked them. “I am hungry and so is she. I just need to check out a few more of your history and then I will return back home.” I said to Anlow who nodded and then glanced at my face before returning his gaze to Adela who was still rubbing her body on mine like she wanted to get her scent on me. Like a cat.
“You will be taking your… Pet along with you?” He asked.
“Well yes, I will be taking her with me. She is mine, not a pet.” I replied to Anlow who nodded. They didn’t take a move until Me and Adela was leading our small party out of the forest, refusing to turn their back to an animal which they do not understand. Not like I couldn’t blame them though. Strange was seen as evil here even when the real evil wore their skin.