it was late when khaol had snuck away. he had doubted that he'd be allowed to go himself, not after one of his clanmates had been murdered. they'd recommend a patrol or someone to simply find out more. khaol wouldn't allow it, he wouldn't allow the murderer to get away. not after what he'd done. part of him knew that he wouldn't exit this unscathed, but a larger part of khaol didn't care. that part of khaol was ready to sacrifice himself entirely, a foolish though, but one that had presented itself nonetheless. his loyalty to sunclan was undying, but khaol wasn't. he wasn't as invincible as he'd like to be.
t and s. they were the letters etched into the sunclanner, they were the initials of the animal that khaol was hunting for. he wasn't entirely sure why he was so angry, why his heart continued to thunder in his chest and his jaw was clenched so tightly. the sound of eden's screams still rung distantly within his ear drums. the pure, traumatising fear that her expression had betrayed causing his heart to ache. i'll protect them. he'd told himself that so many times but how had he expected to protect an entire clan himself? besides, that was suga's job. now, khaol would only settle for revenge. it was only as the scent of the murderer begun to grow stronger that a realisation struck khaol. he was mad because he cared. he loved sunclan, he loved the animals in it, the friends he'd made. those that laughed at his stupid joked and those that rolled their eyes. khaol trusted them with his life and he hoped it was the same for them.
the forest was thick, branches and leaves shielding khaol from the moon, from the sight of helios. the sweet smell of forestry greeting his nose but also the distantly familiar scent of blood. his mind snapped, the black panther's eyes narrowing into focus as his golden green's danced across the land around him. where. a breeze shuffled the leaves the scent wafting around him but never offering him a clear direction. he needed to know. sucking in a shaky deep breath, a calm washed over the black panther's body. the tenseness of his limbs fading away as his eyes closed. he was listening. rounded black ears flicked with every small sound, every movement, each chirp of a bird, and then—steps. a small crunch of a leaf, the snap of a twig. found you. khaol's eyes snapped open, paws twisting in the direction of the sound.
lithe limbs dodged around trees and leaped over shrubs, the eerily calm expression never once drifting from the panther's face. something had taken over khaol, his old self, if only for the moment had returned. the khaol whom had killed effortlessly and without thought. the khaol who had learned to suppress his emotions, this was the side of the panther that oh so few had seen. even if it was only a temporary facade, he presented it convincingly. a twinge of fear resonated in his heart, but his posture gave away nothing. this was a practiced act, one that had been worn more than he cared to admit. a cloak that would be taken off as soon as the battle was over. as soon as either of them had lost.
the light of the moon barely illuminated the figure, but khaol's eyes were good enough to make out the figure in the dark, his eyes narrowing in distaste. this was it, he'd reached his target. "you," anger seeped into the low rumble of his voice, ears flattening upon his skull as his teeth bared, "you killed my clanmate! why? no, how dare you!" his eyes narrowed for a moment before he shook his head, he'd come here to fight not to discuss the issue. unsheathing his claws, a growl rumbled in the panthers throats, for a brief moment, flames flickered across the ground around him, the scent of burning greeting their nostrils. unable to keep himself still any longer, khaol rushed forwards, ducking around the murderer before attempting to swipe at him with his long hooked claws. then, if succesful, he'd spin on his paws, attempting to aim a kick at the other's head.
ABRAXAS G.M
