The Nuclear Reign of Strottimar [Part 1]

Chapter 17; The Death of a Dove

Last Moonfall had brought me the best rest I had known in a long while. Ryu stayed in, and even Xander stopped by sometime in the early morning once we'd gotten back from our adventure and stopped in with him and Quincy on the way back. Though I could feel the suffocating walls of this disease closing in on the province, I felt at ease for now knowing that Ida was to do something about it. I knew the fate of the province could be trusted in her hands, that's why she was a leader, of course.

For once, the dark circles under Xander's eyes that had been forming for a while seemed to dimmen with his anxieties as he'd calmly made his way in through the thick moonfall atmosphere, gently waking me up and telling me he couldn't sleep because of such exciting news, and ended up sleeping on my floor for the rest of the dark hours. He wanted to be with Ryu and I tomorrow when she was to announce such "word".

Now we stood in the hollow, surrounded by the rest of Maplewood's population, when I caught Hansen out of the corner of my eye. He pranced over with his usual elegant stride yet his expression was painstakingly confused and his hair was only part way done up with a dark pink ribbon in the back. He was in his hunter's jacket of golds and soft yellows, and beige padded pants, ready to go out on his assigned trip out, yet if he only knew what it was about. "Solstice, what's going on? Why's Ida called us all here?" he expressed as Xander looked the prince up and down with a cruel eye.

"You'll see sir, it's regarding the disease." I explained as his icy teal eyes still strayed close to worry. "Is it good news?" he asked. "I'd say so." I kept my gaze forward as Ida took a stand in a branch above the hollow, with Alfanza looking displeasingly over at her from afar.

Xander stood to my close right and Hansen on my left, with Ryu just beside the hybrid, looking unfocused and scared. While everyone else's eyes were fixed on the elder, his scanned the crowd while the spiky furs on his shoulders stood on end. I wanted to ask what was wrong, having gotten to know him well enough this past season, but what Ida was saying was more important.

"Residents of the Province of Maplewood," she began in a strong tone." "I'm sure each of you is aware of the rising issue brought forth upon our region regardless of your species or race." she straightened herself as I began to hear a bustle of worried whispers spread through the large crowd. "This disease is not like one we've faced before. Even if it only affects our flate friends and relatives. We are going to have to stand strong. We've failed at aiding these flates before in a time of need, we cannot do so again!"

I caught Doctor Porter smiling from across the hollow as an uproar of cheer suddenly hit my ears. Xander unclenched his fist and let out a sigh before he closed his eyes. I couldn't help but smile when suddenly Quincy jumped at Xander from behind. She hugged his waist with a gleeful chirp. "You see, my love? There is hope for us!"

"Oh, Quincy." he turned around and hugged her back, burning his face in her shoulder as she smiled and shifted her hands around her wings. "I was looking for you," she muttered as he gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry, I've just b-"

"You don't need to explain to me." she met his eyes as he loomed over her and kissed her head. "I love you." Ida's voice beamed again before Quincy was able to respond back. "We've already set precautions in place for what we need to do next," she started off. "Our strongest patrols will go on searches to find out more about what's going on, and we've already sent messengers to Tebanthia. And our doctors are already toying with some form of a cure. If we are to keep all this on track, there will be absolutely-"

Ryu couldn't bear to stand still any longer, he had his sharp clawed hands fully clenched around his opposite upper arms and his teeth had shifted almost into their full state of fangs protruding from his lips as he sounded a low growl, furs piercing from his neck and back already under his lander clothing and his pupils fully dilated. I pulled at his arm, bringing him closer to me before whispering to him; "What's going on?" I nearly hissed but it didn't draw his eyes away from the crowd astray around us, in the distance, he'd caught onto one peculiar figure, a flate who seemed even more bothered than the egliptie himself. Ryu still didn't speak, about ready to bark before I latched eyes onto the figure in such high priority to his eyes as I felt a chill go down my spine. He had to most definitely be diseased.