TyriAnu

She didn't think that she'd make it out alive. They were after her. Twila knew that they would eventually find her. The question was what to do with her precious cargo? She had already lost all her young but this one, tiny, fragile cub, and she was not willing to give her last child up to her hunters. She looked frantically about her. *Where should I hide him?* she thought frantically as she scanned the forest. She heard their voices coming closer.

"I saw it come around this way, I know I did," said the man. She heard the clop of hooves on the wet forest ground. They were getting nearer.

"That one was a beaut! Her pelt'll pick up big money at the market!" said the second man.

"Yeah... too bad those cubs of hers weren't fully developed yet. They all would have likely been as pretty as the mother if not more. I wonder where the father is?"

*Hah!* she thought. You'll never catch him. She had very forcefully told Veneran to flee when she heard of the coming group of hunters. She had taken half of the cubs, and he the other half. They were supposed to meet up in a couple days. They never thought it would have come to this, for the hunters usually stayed close to home. Maybe they were searching for someone...

"The father? What are you talking about? We got him this morning. Him and three more of those cubs." replied the first man.

"The one with the firey pelt? That was him?" asked the second man.

"Yup, the same."

A sickening feeling of complete dispair came over her when she heard the news. Veneran was dead. She didn't even have time to mourn her mate or her cubs. She had to protect her last child. She ran like the wind. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she had to get away. With the cub clutched tightly in her mouth, she plowed through the underbrush. They must have heard her run, because the horse started galloping. She stopped suddenly, fear coursing through every nerve of her body. She was trapped! Ahead of her, she could see smoke, and smoke like that only meant one thing- a camp. Which meant more men. *Maybe I can sneak around* she thought to herself. She sped off resolutely, grimly aware of her predicament. As she neared the fire, she slowed. Belly to the ground, she crawled closer to observe what type of people were at this camp.

Two people came into view. A teenage boy and a girl. *Maybe these are the children those people are searching for* she thought. *In that case, they might be safe, but I'll watch awhile longer*. The two children sat down to what looked like their meal. She watched the boy reach next to him and hand part of his meal to something. *A dog, likely* she thought, but she squirmed around to get a better vantage point, the cub mewling angrily at being carried and dragged around. What she saw made her gasp in joy. The animal the boy was feeding was an Egyptan cub, and a very pretty one at that! *Perhaps if I left my cub with them, he could be raised by people who cared, and with another of its kind* she thought. A loud crash sounded in the underbrush behind her. They were right on her tails. She had to act now, or she and her cub would be doomed.

She flashed out of the underbrush and right into the midst of the children. Both children stood up abruptly.

"Look Nyxa! A fully grown Egyptan!" crowed the boy.

*I don't have time for two children to sit gawking at me!* she thought frantically. She ran over to the girl, and dropped the cub at her feet. The girl looked down in surprise.

"I think I heard her go over there!" called the first man.

She knew there wasn't much time. If she didn't double back and sacrifice herself, her cub, as well as the other cub, would be in jeopardy. She turned to run away when the cub mewled again, obviously confused as to why its mother was leaving it with these children, and why he couldn't go with her.

*Not this time little one* she spoke softly to him, licking his muzzle affectionately. *You must be brave. These people are going to take care of you now. I have to go away, and you will not see me for a long time. Listen to the people, and always be wary of the others. Trust no one, except these children and your own kind. Goodbye Tyri-Anu* she nuzzled him one last time, and stared up at the girl, an unspoken demand in her eyes. A tear slid down one fur covered cheek and she was off, doubling back into the underbrush towards the men. The children looked at each other, clearly startled. Then a gun sounded in the distance. They heard hoots of triumph, and assumed the worst.

"Come on Nyxa!" said Vulcan frantically, "we have to protect ourselves and the cubs. Lets get out of here!" Vulcan and Nyxa both grasped one cub each, and fled into the darkness of the woods.

Tyri-Anu looked back hopefully, but she was not coming back.

*to be continued*

Lucina
*page one (cocoon)*
*page two (cub)*
*page three (teen)*
*page four (adult)*

Tyri-Anu
*page two (teen)*
*page three (adult)*

Lucina and Tyri's stories intertwine, so I've provided all page links.

~Before Twila's flight~

Name: ?

Tribe: ?

Gender: ?

Stage: Cocoon

Bondmate: None

Mate: None

~When Vulcan and Nyxa found him~

Name: Tyri-Anu

Tribe: Autumn's Glory

Gender: Male

Stage: Cub

Bondmate: Nyxa

Mate: none

Parents: Veneran and Twila (deceased)