Fresh Starts: A Diamond in the Dust

Chapter 3, The Wintery Blade

Bhuta walked down the long and curving mountain trails, etched into the Startouched mountains by generations of different tribes. The trails curved all around the mountains, passing through mountain forests and mighty snow cloaked slopes. She even passed by the western Lumeriam Sea, home of the mercats and theater to their siren songs.

From her vantage she could also see the Southern Djinn Desert, the savannas of Zaroob, the Elysium Jungle, and the sunken kingdom of Lumeria all to the south. More lands to the east and farther south could be seen from her mountain vantage and the sea stretched out far into the west with a few islands dotted across like spots on a giant blue pelt. All of this was merely just her father's continent. She knew of four others, each in about one of the cardinal directions. The world was indeed much bigger than the Startouched mountains, so much bigger.

After listening and singing along to the distant songs of the mercats, Bhuta continued along the path northward to the five leaps. She enjoyed walking through these paths, her paws treading the ground which touched the stars. Trees and stone surrounded her like castle walls, birds and dragons singing out their mighty anthem in skies above. This was the kingdom she was leaving; one of ice, stone, and nature.

Bhuta took her time, she was patient when she wanted to be. She spent three days along the trails, occasionally camping under her mothers light and the stars dotted across the night sky. Some tribes encountered her, but they were kind. Bhuta even found she liked some of them. Of course their superior to other mortals, they're from my mountains after all. This doesn't mean he was right about the rest. Bhuta thought to herself later on.

At last she came out of the mountains and saw a large open plain before her. Patches of flowers dotted across the picturesque landscape. A large oak forest stretched as far as the eye can see and ear could hear. The trail became a full dirt road which forked in three directions. An oak sign with runes written onto it stood watching over the forked road. The runes read;

Treeburrow Falls, Oak Leap ->,
Mushroom Forest, Sage Leap ^,
<-Loch Town

"The forest looks better than the plains." Bhuta mewed to herself, wanting something that would be at least somewhat interesting. For in the leopard spirit's mind a dark forest was much more interesting than a sprawling plane. She turned east at the sign and headed into the dark oak wood.

The oak forest was dark as the canopy blotted the blue sky, replacing it with a hundred shades of green. The dark oak trees were like walls and wood cliffs along the dirt road. It is a was an elaborate castle of wood and leaves. Her nose twitched and her tail flicked at the the different smells, from prey like deer to wet moss. A kind of mist cloaked the wood like a blanket. Bhuta was very self assured in her decision, this place was perfect. The spirits that lived there probably had a nice time in her opinion.

As the large leopard tread upon the forest roars she saw a group of cats further ahead, two leopards and five lynxes surrounding what looked to be another leopard. One of the leopards appeared to be a snow leopard dressed completely in black keeping their body unrecognizable to any looking. The leopard that was surrounded was a yellow leopard which looked to be a noble witch, they had a lot of jewelry and fine clothing. Bhuta didn't really care about whatever these mortals were doing and kept walking.

As Bhuta past the leopard in black noticed her. "Take what we need and head back to the hideout, I see something I like." They mewed before leaping in front of Bhuta.

Their fur, from could be seen, was a greenish blue. They were slender but masculine, and even seemed to have something of a mane.. They wore a black hat with ear holes and a large black cloak, it  seemed large than it needed to be. A black mask hid their face  but their muzzle/snout exposed. Black bands hid their limbs and tail. Their eyes were yellow but had a strange aurora glow. A scabbard with an ancient sword hung at their midsection.

"What do you want?" Bhuta asked indignant, annoyed at the leopard who felt the  frustrating need to block her path.

"Just that amulet of yours. I was going to have a nice conversation, but you don't really seem the..., the talkative type. So I will just take that piece of gold around your be on my merry way." the rogue mewed with a flick of his tail.

Bhuta bares her teeth and her ears bent back. "Not on your pathetic life you measly kitten! Go die in a dragon's den!" Bhuta growled now very much angry at this foolish mortal.

The leopard in black let out a chuckle and purred. "Spoken like a true noble. Cats! The poor will have some more wealth than we planned today." He got into a pouncing position and lunged.

Bhuta moved to headbutt the leaping cat midair, but he he turned and dodged the incoming bludgeon. He spun around nimbly landing all four paws facing his opponent. He purred a chuckle. Bhuta then ran into broadside the aggravating feline. He leaped to the side avoiding the rampaging cat.

"You speak like a noble but fight like a barbarian from the northern continent. A strange contradiction of disposition I should say." the rogue purred with another flick of his tail. This merely angered Bhuta more as her fur stood on end.

"Just stay still rat fur!" Bhuta growled in insult and anger.

She charged once again, swinging her large muscular body to knock down the smaller leopard in black. He tried to dodge but was hit full force by the blow and sent rolling cross dirt n grass. His hat fell off but he put it on again.

"You are quite strong for a fair, well rough, maiden. But how fast are you?" He mewed jump off the ground and seemed to float in the air before landing on the ground.

The rogue flashed a grin across his muzzle and his whiskers twitched. He than ran as fast as the North wind and made circles around Bhuta. She tried biting, slashing, or bludgeoning him but continuously missed. The rogue didn't have any trouble hitting Bhuta but did so to inflict as little harm as possible.

After a minute or two of this the rogue head butted the much larger leopard. The speed of the cat in black nocked over Bhuta and she laid on ground beaten and stunned.

A mortal beat me, this isn't happening. This can't be happening! She thought dumbfounded and in anger. She was also too stunned from this to even get up.

"I'll leave you with your treasure and my name, The Wintery Blade. Defender of cats and scourge of nobility. Perhaps we can meet once again under the light of the moon, I like a leopardess with spunk." The Wintery Blade purred while also producing a white rose and laid it near Bhuta. He then leaped into the treetops and his fellows joined him leaving the yellow and grey leopards on the forest floor.

Bhuta got a good look at his eyes a blushed for two seconds. Then her face and muzzle contorted into an expression of pure rage as her fur stood on end and her ears bent back even further. "Get back here so I can claw your stupid eyes out you... you blasted mouse tail!" Bhuta growled and roared to the forest, but nothing answered the raging spirit.

That was a day Bhuta would never forget, and may never forgive. But she wasn't aware of two yellow eyes that seemed to be confused and conflicted which watched the leopard before disappearing in the canopy.