Amongst the tall brush, three hunters crouched. "Serena keep still," Helenai murmured. "Helenai, I tire of this waiting," the young girl responded. "Cease your speech," muttered Raju. The three hunters had been sent by Demia, the great and powerful sun goddess to capture the ancient enchantress. "Raju, why have we agreed to such a treacherous task?" Helenai whispered. "Do not speak the goddess's name in vain woman," Raju said, teeth tightly clenched. "Now do not speak again until this duty has been fulfilled," the tall man commanded. The woman knew more than to disobey her husband. She gave Serena a stern look, signaling for her silence as well. After all they did not wish to displease the sun goddess. She had power over all and could bend things to her will without so much as a murmur. "Raju, I see something," Serena exclaimed excitedly. Angrily, Raju turned on the young girl and made to hit her. "Please Raju, she is young. She did not mean to give our presence away," Helenai pleaded. For Serena's sake, their presence had not yet been acknowledged.
Just then, the graceful tigress entered the brush, body pressed low to the ground and claws extended. She sensed the hunters before she saw them. She leapt out of the brush and pounced with great drive on Serena. The young hunter let out a scream, which rang through the forest with a great intensity. Birds were sent into fervor above the trees and the small animals scurried helplessly about. 'You have no business in this forest human' Circe said. Her crystalline blue eyes gleamed with fury and anger. 'Leave this forest now and I shall not harm you. Stay and your life will be forfeit,' she continued. "I do not fear you enchantress," Serena gasped. The feeling in her arms had begun to wane and her breaths came in short succession.
Raju prepared to send the fatal poisoned dart into the left flank of the tigress when he was reminded that Demia wanted this creature alive. He replaced the poisoned dart with one of a sleeping draft. He launched it and the dart's point made swift contact with Circe's left flank. Instantly the tigress collapsed on top of Serena. "Get her off of me," Serena gasped from under the weight of the 500-pound tigress. Together, Raju and Helenai removed Circe's sleeping form from the young girl and checked that she was all right. The three hunters gathered their things and prepared to take the tigress to their camp on the outskirts of the forest.
Lily had heard the scream and her mother's words. She knew something was wrong. She knew she should not disobey her by entering the brush but she had to find out what was going on. She slowly crept into the brush. All she saw was the distant figures of the three hunters collectively dragging her mother's limp body out of the forest. She had to return to her father and warn him. She raced off back to the den.
Meanwhile, in the heavens, Vetus Tutela was forced to watch the capture of her mistress from afar. "Please, let me go to her," she begged the guards. "Demia has given her word for you to stay here," one of the guards said, not having the courtesy to glance at the young woman. Tears welled up in her dazzling blue eyes, which had begun to dull since her freedom had been denied her. "My mistress is not at fault. Demia knew the beauty of a pure Bengal tigress would still rival hers," Vetus Tutela murmured softly into her hands. "Cease your tears young guardian," the other guard said. "Demia will release you soon," he continued. "I fear not for my life but for my mistress's life," Vetus Tutela answered. She slumped down into the corner of her cell and cried for the retching in her heart would soon reach her throat.
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