Chasing You (Arcs 1-7)

Meow~? (XII)

They were chased for many days and finally lost them, only to stumble upon an even larger hideout. They were again hunted down by the poachers, even though she was a human because she saw their hideout and was a witness, they had to eliminate her. Rose and her group had seven people at first, not counting herself. After the first time being chased, their numbers dwindled to four.

After their encounter with the larger poacher hideout, there was only three of them left including Rose. They lost five members in the last couple of weeks. Without any time to rest or eat, they were dead beat tired and could collapse at any moment.

Rose put on her most pitiful look and mewed, "Ah, please help us!"

Sairi only took a glance at her and turned to the other two who were more injured, "How many?"

The one with more strength replied, "I... I don't know. A fifty? ...Maybe a hundred."

Sairi looked at Regnier and saw his jaws tightly clenched together. Sairi knew that because he was their 'King', he had an obligation to protect his people. Sairi as the second place had been tossed the responsibility of having to protect his race. His position was like that of a minor King, second to Regnier's position.

Sairi took a step and disappeared, Regnier didn't even have a chance to respond to his disappearance. Regnier wanted to chase after Sairi, but he had to gather information first.

After the two had healed themselves up, Regnier started questioning the three of them. Regnier didn't treat Rose any different from his subordinate, which made Rose pout, she wanted to be pampered by this man. They told Regnier about the two hideouts and all that they had observed of them when they had accidentally uncovered it.

Moments later, Sairi came back dripping with blood from head to toe. In his hand was the leader of the larger hideout. His limbs were all broken and his jaw was dislocated so that he couldn't commit suicide. Sairi made sure that he was alive, just 'alive' enough to get answers from him.

Sairi tossed him to the ground right next to Regnier. This made Rose scream out loud. The two who had been with her turned and looked at her with scorn. Can she not? They're already so exhausted from protecting her these past couple of days. Rose didn't pay them any attention and continued her pitiful act. She started crying and shivering.

The two's heart softened and they wanted to comfort her after seeing this, but Regnier and Sairi didn't even bother to notice her. Regnier only found her to be annoying. He narrowed his chilling eyes at her and made her shut up instantly. Sairi turned to Rose, "You should go back to your territory. It's too dangerous for someone like you here."

Hearing Sairi's words, Rose thought that Sairi was worried for her and mumbled, "I... I just wanted to see the were-cats territory. *sniff* Everyone says that you guys are scary but you guys aren't actually... *sniff*"

Sairi, "You're too weak. Go back to your father, Archduke Weisis."

Rose's eye widen. How does he know that I'm Archduke Weisis's daughter?

Rose tried to play it off, "Wha-what do you mean?"

Sairi, "You know what I mean."

Rose wiped the tears falling down, "I... *sniff* I just wanted to see the world."

Sairi, "Then you should bring your own men at your own expense, instead of our men."

More tears gushed out from her eyes, the two on the side thought that Sairi was being too harsh but they didn't dare to provoke the devil. Their heads would spin off faster than they could say 'aye'. Sairi turned away and started to walk then he stopped.

He glanced back at Rose and the base leader, "You should also go tell your King to make sure he follow through with the treaty."

Everyone's attention turned to Sairi. Roses face paled, she knew how important that treaty was and if it breaks... there wouldn't be a place left that isn't covered in dead bodies or blood. The feud between the two races ran too deep for it to be dug out, this peace treaty is  the only thing stopping a full blown war from breaking out.

The were-cats still held resentment against the humans for treating them like slaves and worthless trash. The humans resented the were-cats for their strength and felt threatened by their existence, they wanted to eliminate all possibilities of any future threat. If the were-cats had submitted, the humans would've considered leaving taking them as slaves and servants.

Regnier furrowed his brow, "Sairi, what do you mean?"

Sairi turned back, "That man is only a minion of the 3rd prince, Rowley. He is the main funds behind the poachers. If you check underneath his estate, there is a dungeon filled with some of our female and male were-cats who had been missing. I'm pretty sure he's not satisfied with his 'toys', that's why there's always new shipment.

Prince Rowley is going to be announced as the crown prince in a few days. His father, the King favors him too much to notice his son's shady business. If he is going to be the future human's King, we mind as well just get rid of them once and for all."

Sairi had accidentally come across this dark secret when he had Bao Bao observe the Prince to see what kind of man he was. Though he was displeased, he couldn't tell others without having any evidence. Now that he had a piece of it, he could bring everything to the light.

Regnier's and the other two were-cat's face darkens. Rose shook her head, "No! How is this possible? He's apart of the royal family... he couldn't do something like this?"

Sairi turned and narrowed his eyes at Rose, "He is a living being just as we are. He too, will have a darkness in his heart. Don't be foolish and believe that just because he's someone from the royal family that their hearts will be pure and white. They are living beings, there will be good and bad humans just as there will be bad and good were-cats."

Sairi leaped away but before he departed, he left these words behind, "If he has the courage to commit such atrocious acts. The he too should have enough courage to bear the weight of his sins."

Regnier focus his eyes onto the crippled man on the floor. After slamming him awake and relocating his jaw, he started spilling out all the secrets. One could only guess what kind of hell Sairi had put him through, he didn't even put up a resistance and his eyes were filled with despair and horror.

Regnier took the man with him and left the area to go back to Tempus, he needed to talk with his old man and have a meeting with the human's King.

Rose and the other two were left there. Rose was panicking, it seemed that there would be a war that is going to break out. Rose had to go home, she needed to tell her father. If they couldn't stop the war and the were-cats won, where would she go then?