A Promise of Death

Traitorless.

I jump, startled as Felix widen his eyes and whip his head towards Tori, I hiss out of fear. I stood quickly staring at Tori as I heard the name, 'Sophie' I stare at Tori out of confusion.

"Did you just say Sophie, the Sophie? You knew Sophie?!" I was confused, why did it seem like she showed up everywhere my brother and I went.

I notice Felix has stood beside me and I look to Tori, "I will be right back in a moment, please don't go anywhere," I growl, dragging Felix with me as we go to a corner underneath the seats in the Planetarium.

I glared at him, opening my mouth I began to scold him.

"What even happened, you always demand that I control my emotions, what made you of all people lose yours, it's not like he's a bad person-creature-myth?" I took a deep breath and continued, "Why can't you trust me for once, why did you have to shift, now I may never get answers, now I'm flipping out because I don't even know how to talk to others well at all, you know this-" I continued my angered scolding oblivious that the birdman was still able to hear me.

Felix looked apologetic, yet still angry, I couldn't understand, so I stood in silence, waiting for a response. I remembered my dream, and how it had affecting us as a group. I finally knew what I needed to do, and how I would do it, but I knew I couldn't do it without my brother's help. I was confused, and felt lost, and I knew my emotions flooded across my face, my tears threatened to spill, but I refused to allow it.

"Riella, stop," Felix muttered, glancing at something behind me.

"No," I hissed, "I-I won't, I'm done, I don't understand why you can't get along with Tori. All he's done is be nice to us, and he was teaching us, I want to learn!" I knew I couldn't cry, I shouldn't, but I was upset, and my emotions were getting out of hand, I reached out but brought my hand back wanting comfort.

"He was nice to you. He was teaching you. He didn't even take notice of me until you mentioned we needed somewhere to stay!"

"You wouldn't talk though," I answer, "You. Did. Nothing. All you did was ignore my thoughts, I can't explain why, but you weren't acting like usual," I was extremely upset, but I refused to back down.

"He was acting so... so strange... he... he... he's hypnotized you! You've let your guard down!"

"Nothing has changed, I'm perfectly fine, I want to learn, and I want to know what happened. My guard has been up since we got here, and he acts strange as you so kindly put it, because he's DIFFERENT!" I growled.

As Felix flattened his ears due to my raised voice, his hand rose. One thing led to the next, and I was on the ground.

"F-F-Felix..." I was heartbroken, my thoughts swirled, cracking, taking form in front of me. I saw the indigo flower appear and disappear.

"How. Could. You," I hissed, I stood and whipped out my knives, touching each one to the wrist guards on my arms, and the click of the chains snapping to the knives echoed. I held up my hand the small 3 inch blades hung from each of my fingers on both hands.

Felix patted his pants, looking for his throwing knives, but seemed to realize he had left them at the bandit's camp. Ears flattened, he turned into his caracal form. His claws unsheathed, and his muzzle was drawn back in a snarl, his canines pointing out. He realized he couldn't win this battle, but challenged me anyways.

I felt my eye glow with anger. I swung my hand out, my knives swinging out centimeters away from Felix, I knew I wouldn't touch him, just move him back to sprint away. I felt tears roll down my cheeks, and I turned, springing from my waiting stance to sprint away from Felix, I reached the doors to hear Tori call, "Riella! Wait!" I ignored him. Continuing to run.

"Just go away," I mumbled, "Disappear," I mumbled again. I continued to run until I met huge tree, the emerald, and amethyst leaves sounded like shattering glass as I reached it. I swung my hand up, listening as the chain-blades snatched a branch, I leaped flicking my wrist to retract the loose chain and propelling myself up to the thick branch.

I spotted a niche in the tree branches, as I landed. I stalked towards it, finally sitting down. I allowed tears to fall, I curled up, and shifted, knowing my saddened cries for comfort sang through the willow tree forest, my cracked voice calling to my brother for the comfort he once offered.