The Girl With The Tiger Eyes

chapter 2

Queen Catalina after I was done telling Tigereye good an she expressed her worries. I to the other children's rooms in their beds an told them goodnight as well. I didn't know what the next day was going to bring for all of us. I then walk up the stairs to the very top floor to were are room was then climbed into bed with my dear husband.

The Queen didn’t know about the emperor’s troops that were outside waiting .

Emperor Rulla sir the troops are in place around the village waiting for all of the villagers to fall asleep. as you had ordered sir one of his lieutenants barked out him. Emperor Rulla nods his head and says good good they'll never know what hit them. We take them out all at one time. This will be fun. Had a grin on his like he was happy that he was about to kill innocent people.

King Caro:Pov

It was little bit passed midnight when something had awoken me from my deep slumber. I sat up in our bed then looked over at my beautiful wife. She was still sleeping soundly. So I wiped the sleep from my eyes then stood up and walked to the window of our castle room.

I then looked out the window into the dark of night. The I saw a glimmer coming from with in the tree line. When I looked closer closely the glimmer was from torches and Moonlight shining on two troops armor. As I looked completely around the village. They had us surrounded. There's no way out of the village. s**t! They're planning on attacking us in are sleep.

Shit s**t I ran to our bed room door an slammed it open then yelled through out the halls “sound the alarm we are under attack”.

I the turn an ran back to our bed where my sleeping wife was laying and shook her.

As I shook her I said get up my love the village is under attack. We need to help the villagers. My Queen jumped up with fear on her face an said what did you say. I then said again I'm sorry my love but we are under attack. She now looked at me with shook but only for just a second before it turned into determination. My beautiful wife throw her feet off the bed reach over an picked up her robe she then put over her night dress. She then walked over to long side of our bed then picked up her sword. She then nodded her head an said I'm ready. We then ran down the castle stairs an out to the village.

We want to the center of the village an waited to stand our ground. After a few moments we were joined by our guards and warriors.

It wasn't long before the screams of our people got louder and louder as emperor Rulla closed in on us. My Queen stood along side me with sword in hand.

Emperor Rulla was finally standing in front of us. My Queen stood her ground against him. He looked at us with disgust. Then commanded his troops to attack.

Tigereye:Pov

I woke in a sweat from a bad dream. But it didn’t feel much like a dream something was wrong. I remember what my mother had told me. I jump up out of bed. I could hear horror filing screaming an crying coming from the village. I ran to the window an looked out it to see the village on fire an full of people fighting.

I ran now what I had to do. I ran to my twin sisters room an woke them up then told them to get dressed. I then yelled out for my guards bane and Snakeyes they come running right away.

They came running up the stairs and said “what is wrong princess”. I said to them “trouble that’s what’s wrong get the others and take my two sister safety ”.

Just as I said that fire was come through the windows of the castle and so did the sound of people screaming for their they were dying.

There were men that looked like shadows they were going around and killing the men, women and children.

The women that were pretty they were capturing an throwing them into cages and putting chains on them.

I could see the emperors men surrounding my mother, father, big brother, big sister and their guards.

My mother looked so strong an brave as she swung around her sword.

There were fires all around them an most of the village was already burned to the ground. My mother was trapped and I could no longer see my father. My mother she needs me. I ran down the stairs an out to where she was. But now I couldn't see her. I started yelling Mother mother were are you. I could hear her coughing. Then I heard her I hear my child. I used my gift an pushed the frames away from her. Then I she saw her she had her sword stabbed in the ground and was leaning against it. I ran over to her. She had hand on side an it was covered in alot of blood. But my mother still wanted to stay an fight for the villagers. My mother an I saw the strange shadow men herd some children together. They were going to slaughter them. My mother looked at me an said save them my child you are the only one that can. Get as many children out of the village that you can. Take the pass behind the fire place in the castle to get out of the village it’s the safest way out. I then look at my mother at the children then nodded my head an said ok I love you. I then ran towards the children dragging the frame along with me. When got close to the group of kids and the shadow men. I swooped the frames around them pushing the shadow men back away from them an clearing a path.I then yelled “come kids follow me” I will take you all too safely. I then lead them back into the castle were we meet up with Bane an Snakeyes. I then told them about the pass.

We went to the big fire place that was against the mountain side. I walked inside it a pushed on the 3rd green from the bottom an 5th from the right side just as mother told me to do.

A door way opened up to show a passage of tunnels that is supposed to go to other side of the mountain.

I then told Snakeyes I need you to take the lead an lead them throw the passage. He nods his head an say yes my princess. once all of the child are through Bane then looks at me and says “let’s go princess we must go now”. As I'm looking at the castle doors.He then said “it again we need to go now Tigereye”. I looked at him and said “No I can’t leave.

Not yet go on without me. I will catch up”. He started to argue with me. I said No not yet. I will catch up. He started to argue with me some more knowing that it wasn’t going to do any good. He also knews that I'm going to do whatever I thought I had to do. I then looked back at him with a stern face and said no with a very aggressive tone.

Bane then said ok ok but you better be right behind us. So they want on without me an I made sure to close the fire place up an make sure the passage couldn’t be found. I than ran out of the castle to find family.

I ran throw the flame’s using my own gift to keep them from burning me. I saw a big groups of troops a shadow men moving away from a group of died villagers and warriors. When I got closer to the group I reality hit me hard as I so my father an big brother lay died side by side.

I fell on my knees an started to cry. After a few minutes I did my best to gather myself up. I wiped away my tears then stood upan start searching for my mother.

I had searched through out the whole village before I finally found her. She was laying in the middle of her guards on the out skirts of the village. They all gave there live to protect their Queen Catalina. I ran up to her. She was still alive.

When I had gotten to her

there was nothing that I could do for my mother. Her wounds were to severe she was bleeding out faster then what she healing. I sat down along side her as she laid there dying. My mother looked up at me and said I love you my child you are so beautiful and strong. You are the one that the children need now. I believe in you.

Take good care of your sisters and yourself you are the next leader of are people. When the time come you need to be ready to take your place. My mother then pulled off her healing stone an laid it a long side of my stone it then merge with my stone. The two stone is now one stone. My mother then said to me our two stones together will be even stronger. You will heal faster know with the two together and will help protect you.

As long as the dragons are asleep. Once they wake you will be even stronger yet.

my mother then slowly closed her eyes and took her very last breath.

The queen my mother had was gone. swallowed by my grief I laid by my mother’s side and just crying. Before I knew it the morning had come an the sun was starting to rise. No longer hidden by the darkness of the night. Emperor Rulla and his men were walking up to the castle. I had no choice but to leave my mother behind I lean over her body kissed her on the head then left. Covered in my mother’s blood I sneaked around into the woods and out of the village looking for my bigger sister Sabean on the way.

I called out for her. “Sabean Sabean where are you sister”. I looked high and low for her. But she was no were to be found. I walked down to the stream and sat in the water. I looked all around as I washed the blood off of my clothes.

After I washed most of the blood off of me. I sat up on a died tree that had fallen down across the steam.

I looked all around me and saw many shifters and animals laying died throughout the woods on the ground that the emperor’s troops had killed.

I just don't understand why would they do this to us? We never did anything to them.

How could someone be this cruel? They killed everyone even the animals. Why did they kill the animals. They didn’t do anything to them.

I noticed some of his men was going around make sure they didn’t miss any of the villagers. They were also making sure at everyone were died. By taking their swords and stabbing their bodies. Once I saw they wouldnt see me I jumped to my feet and ran into the woods. A I was running I thought to myself. I must go find the others and get them all some were else safe. The village is gone. They will find out that they missed some of us in time. It will not be long before they try to find and kill us all. They will never stop until they find us. After the emperor got settled in the castle he went looking though the die.

As he stood over the queens died body. He remember seeing Tigereye as being at the Queen side and was introduced as one of her daughters. He had also notice that the queen talked more with her daughter over the matter the the king.He went out to see if Tigereye’s body was with the rest of the die children. When he couldn’t find Tigereye’s body. He was pissed because he believed that the next queen gotten away long with other children.

So he then sent some of his men out to look for her. He then told his men to bring her to him alive and that they could do what they wish with the rest of them.

For some odd reason the emperor was very interested in Tigereye. He just loved her eyes and wanted to know more about her. It was still unclear why. So the men rode out in search of the missing children.

I had been looking all day and still hadn't found the children. Night time had come upon me an I felt lost without my mother there to guide . I looked up at the moon and knew that I would have to get myself together.

The others would be counting on me to keep them safe and give them the tools they would need to survive out here. It is a big world outside of the village.

I have to find them a new safe place that they could live. They couldn’t go back to the village the men would be looking for them. Plus there was nothing left there for them and Emperor Rulla had taking over the castle.

I had found a safe place up in a tree to sleep for a few hours thou night. That way I could get some rest. In a few hours I will get back to looking for the other children. I just have to find them very soon. The very best things about me is my eyes I can see my way in the dark. I don't need touches.

That will make it a lot easier to get around the men without them catching me.

I should be able to sneak around the troops an then camps sneak without being seen. Snakeyes an Bane would most likely find a safe place out of site and lay low until I could found them. So I been asleep for about three hours. When I woke to the moon light shining in my face and the night animals out moving about in the woods. Hearing the animals all out an about being peaceful told me that it is was safe for me to come down out of the tree. I looked around to make sure it was clear then I launched out of the tall tree. Shifting into my tiger form as I fall to the forest floor and landed softly on four paws. I ran thru the woods as fast as Icould. Being very careful and smell my way around the emperor’s troops. They could be camped out anywhere in the woods. In search for the other children walked up on a small camp.

The men there were all asleep. I was going to continue passed it. when I saw them women from our village they were there chained up to a tree. They had whip marks all over them and had been beaten pretty badly. I turned back into person form and snuck up to them. I was butt naked mined you because of shifting but I didn't care. I pulled an yaked but couldn’t get them free from the chains. One of the women looked at me an said its no use we have tried an tried already go get out of here.

It’s not safe for you to be here. The emperor is searching for you an the children. We will find another way out. Just go find the children they will need you more then what we do. I said I don’t want to leave you with these evil men. Please I want to help you. They looked at me and said you are helping us by saving our children your people. You must go and get out of here. Then I heard a man yell who’s there! He couldn’t see me. I then shifted back into tiger an ran into the woods looking back at the women one last time. Knowing that was going to be the last time I see any of them. I had been searching for the children most of the night. I was so worried. It was almost daylight. I was getting so tired I really needed to stop and rest before going any farther. I spotted a stream so I decided that would be a good spot to rest. I walked over to it an shifted back into my person then leaned down an got a drink of water. Thats when I spotted something in front of me across the stream. I walked across the steam then climbed up onto a ledge and moved some branches out of the way to found a cave.

I walked inside the cave nothing had lived in it for a long time. It was huge inside and was deep inside the hillside. After I thought about it for a little bit this was the perfect place for them to stay for a while. It was safe and off the ground. No one can sneak up on us and there was a steam that was right below it. So we could have good water to drink and cooking. After a few more minutes of thinking I decided that this was going to be our new home. For the time being.

So I then walk back to to opening an pulled the tree branches back down in front of the cave’s entrance. That it wouldn’t be seen by any other people that might be pass by it. I then start back looking for the children.

About two miles or so down the stream. I came across a big field alongside of the creek. That would be great place for us to do their training, bathing and hunting. All looked very promising us. I had been searchind for three days.

Still no sign of them. I was getting exhausted. There were troops all over the forest. An they were lookingfor us to. It was getting harder an harder to avoiding them. I felt lonely without my family an I missed my mother. I was worried about my sisters an my friends. I wonder what happened to my sister Sabean was she ok. Did Emperor Rulla had taken her with some of the other young women. I could find her anywhere an I didn't see her body laying anywhere.

So she is still alive an hopefully she got away. It took forever with smell all around the forest but I had finally found my friends sent. I followed the sent to a gulley. Where they were all hiding between some rocks.

I shifted back into my person form an ran up to them I was so happy to see all of them. Bane and Snakeyes came up to me first an gave me a big hug.

Snakeyes gave me that look like don't you ever do that to us again. That kind of look.

Then he took his cloak off an wrapped around my body. Him an Bane were very picky about any seeing with no clothes on. But it wasn't uncommon to be undress around one another. We were shifters.

I looked at him an then said I'm glad to see you to. But I have bad news the village it's all gone there is nothing left of it but the castle. How many was you able to save from the village. Bane said I was able to safe twenty five children from being killed by the troops. An I save ten myself what about you Snakeyes. He shook his head and said not as many as I like to have. Only five was cut off by a huge group of those shadow men before I could get to the others. I had to fight hard just to keep the five safe .

There were troops everywhere and I couldn’t get to all of them I am sorry.

I did what I could. I looked at them an said it is ok I under stead you all did the best you could.

Good job twenty five, ten an five that make forty. Forty of them is better than none at all. I found us all a safe place to stay. It is going to need some work done to it

make it suitable for us.

But it is hidden from the human eye and it is not far from training or food. It’s a few days hick from here so we better get start now. Not everyone can see in the dark like us. Also some of the children are too young yet to walk to for too long. So once it gets dark will have to stop an set up camp. So we did I lead the way with Bane behind me an my sisters behind. Then Snakeyes followed up the rear. Once it was starting to get dark we stopped for the night. I told them no fire's. There's to many troops roaming around. Any that can shift take your clothes off an shift then curl up with each other an around the ones that can't shift. To help keep each other warm. After few minutes an old boy walk up to me then asked if there was anything that he could do to help. I asked what’s your name kid. He say my name is Jessie is there anything I can do. I want to help too. I then said to him not tonight you need to get your sleep for tomorrow we have a long trip ahead of us yet. Since I was the only one besides Snakeyes and Bane that could see in the dark.

I stayed up thou out the whole night. Once morning came I was so drained but I fought off my sleeplessness an called out to everyone as I stretched out. Ok everyone get up its time to get going.

Everyone slowly woke up an turned back to there human forms then put there clothes back on. I kept look out until Bane walked up to an said we are all ready to go. I shook my head then said ok let get going then an we started back on the trail.

Just before night fall the steam finally came into view then the cave right after. I was so happy so see that cave. I had gotten them all to the cave safely. We stood on the other side of the steam looked at the cliff in front of us. Bane were is this cave. I smile then say you don't see it. He says No.. I then look at Snakeyes an asked do you see it. He looks really close then a smile comes acrossed his face. I know right then he found it. He eye sight an hearing was the best in the whole village. An his super gift is vibrations. He went across the stream climbed up on the same ledge I had an then pushed the branches aways. Once the children saw that they all started scurrying across the Stream an up to the ledge.

One by one they all filed inside. Once they had gotten to the cave it was almost dark so the children had to help set up the cave for the night. While they did that I want out to found them all some berry’s to eat. While Bane and two of the older children helped get a some fire wood for the cave. When I got back they had a small fire going. I handed out what berries I could find. I then walked to the edge of the cave and was looking out at the moon as it was coming into the sky. I sat down on the ledge. Bane came up to me then said you should catch a few hours of sleep before you are up all night again. I looked up at him then then I guess I so. Do you mind watching over everyone for a little while?

He said no not at all go get some sleep. I laid-back on the ledge an fell asleep.

While I slept he built a fire pit for them to use an took some bamboo he found to use for vents to vent the smoke out of the cave. He also dug a hole that the water from spring could go into. When I woke up in the morning I found I was no longer laying by the ledge he must he carried me inside. I sat up an yond then stood up and walked out to the opening of the cave.

Bane was steading up against the wall with his arms crossed looking out across the forest. I stood alongside him. Then asked you take me inside. hum yes he says I was afraid of you rolling off. I then looked up over at him an said what do we do know. At the same time was I was using my tiger ears an listening very closely for any movement in around into the forest. He looked at me an then said do the best that we can. It is up to you to lead us and I am here to help you in any way that I can. The day want by pretty quickly an before we knew it we were in out second night. The cave wasn’t too bad the children felt safe there. In some ways it reminded them of being at home in the dragons cave. Where the dragons would help them feel safer. As I looked up at the moon. All I could think of was how much I feared for the children and how much I missed our mother. An what was going to become of us now. We are the last of are people now. How can I help rebuild are people. Is there really a safe place for us and how long can we stay here before we are found again. This small group of children is all that's left of our people. It was up to me now to make it all right. I have a long road ahead of myself. But I'm strong and my mother believed in me.

So did my friends. An I can't let them down. I promise I would give my own life to protect theirs. I watched the moon shine on the steam below me. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

Before I knew it was morning an had come another day. The woods were quiet and the daytime animals was just waking out. Bane came up to me then said so princess what are we going to do today.

I look at him then smiled an said to him while a few of the older ones will go out hunting and out scouting the surrounds area. We need to now the area around us a little bit better.I would like to find another way out for us if we are caught off guard.

We also need to know were the best place is going to be for getting food. Also need to find out how far we are to the nearest village. In case we need to get clothes or maybe some other things.

We will have to find ways to trade things for other things that we might need. Some of the other older ones will also have to take turns with watching over the younger children. Do you understand what is going on. Bane shook his then want an got a few of the others together that was wolf Shifter and took them out to hunt for food. Then I rounded up a few of the others that was left from my royal guard to go out scouting with Snakeyes. They left right away. I stay behind with the rest of the children and took them down to the creek to do some fishing for dinner.

My twins sisters loved to fish. I sat on the bank as the children did their fish and swimming. The scouts meant up with us there and reported to me. Snakeyes came up to me and said everything is all clear at this time. There are no signs at all of anyone else but us being here. The nearest village is three miles north from us. It is a nice size little village with a little bit of everything there. I shook my head an said that is great.

I saw the twins were jumping around in the water in their tiger forms splashing each other. Jesse was also playing with the girls in the water. He had become good friends with the girls. Bane and the hunters come back with three rabbits and the twin’s caught a lot of fish. So they was all set up for a good dinner. While Bane was cooking dinner for everyone.

I started setting up a training area for us to practice on. I was going to start them on their training once everyone has settled in. After I done setting the training area up. I walked over an sat down on a fallen tree and started to make myself a new bow staff.

I lost my staff during the siege of the castle. Snakeyes had came over an sat long side me.