Star-Crossed Blades KFP

Burning Lies

"If I train hard enough. We can both become lotus masters around the same time, right, Zara." Tigress smiled at the crisscrossed Tiger sitting across her under a peach tree. The Tiger shook her head with laughter racking off of the mountains in a hidden location.

"You can try. I've been at this training for a decade, and I will finally connect to the source. My daughter, though, is an exceptional prodigy. She also has challenges with directing herself to it. Sometimes exhausting herself for the training. I wish it didn't have to be this way," Zara looked down at the picnic basket holding tofu and a white lily. She smiles at her frowning companion and reaches into the basket to pull out a paged book.

"But hey, if I go through, I'll tell you the effects and what it's like to channel the powers granted as more research for you." She wrote with a wooden tool on the pages. Tigress sighed with a nod in her friend's direction.

"Research and history. You'll probably fill a library with your notes," Tigress leaned against the peach tree.

"Anything for a friend. By the way, Xia. Have you checked out the dancer's deserts? They say it's out of this world."
....
A golden haze swirled into a village burning in silence—blood pumping, heart beating, sweat dropping as a figure tore into a glass room. A door slams open behind the feline, grabbing a box.

"Why did you it?" Zara eyed the pink necklace in Tigress's hands. Her fist turned into a golden torch. The Tiger's black striped arms grew into a lighter hue.

"She better be alright, or so Lotus help me! I will break you," Zara yelled at Tigress in black garments.

"She's alive and well. Don't force her to connect. The Lotus must end, Zara. I hope you will understand someday." She jumped into the night.

'Fire. Why does it burn? My mind hurts. Even sleep can't keep these dumb nightmares down.'

.......

Ava stumbles on the tangled paths with her machete hacking away at vines. Her back was drenched in sweat, and she continued to swing with lopsided cuts.

Tigress settled Sapphire down onto a mat. The girl groaned as she woke to see vines dangling above. She turned her head to see the feline place new bandages on her head. A foreign touch made the girl wave Tigress off from her forehead.

"Alright. I don't want to make this awkward. But I can help myself, and second what's going on?" Sapphire grabbed the remaining bandaids next to the feline.

"Short answer. I'll tell you once we get to the destination. It shouldn't be far from here. But we are being followed by someone that wants to hunt us down," Tigress pulled out a necklace with a pink flower at its center from her bag.

"Here. This will cover our movements," Tigress said, handing the object to the girl. Sapphire's eyes widen.

'She can't be serious.'

Sapphire grabbed the item and placed it over her own around her neck. She glared at the feline, who dropped her gaze and looked over to the leopard, hacking away at the vines. Sapphire grabbed a nearby stick and pushed herself up.

"You and I know that there's more to whatever this is. And I hope you keep it a secret for the time being." The girl said, grabbing a jug of water over to Ava.

"I will do what I can," Tigress said to Sapphire's wobbling form.

.......

"Ava. Here's some water, and whoa, you need to take a rest," the leopard collapsed on the floor with the water jug. She chugged as water dripped down her fur. Sapphire gently tugged the container away from her.

"Drink slowly. Or you'll choke," Ava nodded and progressed in drinking. Tigress went over to grab the machete next to the duo. She took a glance at Sapphire handing out refreshment to the leopard. Before proceeding to hack away to create a route through the jungle.

"Thank you. I'm usually not as tired. But ever since the attack at the Jade Palace. I couldn't sleep for the past few days thinking over if my mom and the group are okay." Ava spilled out. Sapphire placed an arm around the leopard's shoulder.

"If the furious five or four were there, then they probably evacuated them to safety. The Chief isn't a Tiger that strikes me as weak. So she might have also escaped the flames after transforming. I couldn't tell my eyes were stinging. But yeah, she's made of steel," Sapphire listed off the positive outcomes to the situation.

Ava leaned into the touch. Her ears were drooping slowly, with her head drifting into the girl's neck. Sapphire stopped talking to see that the leopard was dozing off. The girl sighed, and she too closed her eyes to hear the constant chopping of vines and grass.

.......

"This is the location, right?" Sapphire asked over her shoulder to Tigress. She nodded while carrying the leopard on her back.

"This is the fortress. Alexandria's Haven."

A tower stood before us with walls marred in black marks. The fortress was covered in vines growing out of the top like a crown filled with bushy thorns. Its doors laid open, welcoming any creature into its dark depths.