Growl For Your Soul

Chapter 18

Zinnex's POV

It's only been two week since this journey started. I had spent most of the time in Tigeress since I had been 'forgotten'. I just can't accept the fact I was forgotten by them. 

But...Tigeress was actually much more better than Pandlings. I mean , I made some friends like Baroness Lapis who's a very joyful lady after having several conversation with her , although she would sometimes gone too far and several incident happened....

Like this one....

"Have you seen the gorgeousness of the rain forest? Ugh! The leaves shined so majestically under the sun with water on the leaves! Like diamonds ya know! " She exclaimed.

"Oh , I have seen one of those. In fact , I live around them." As I said , Lapis smacked her forehead onto the thick bamboos , which make me a bit concerned of. "You.....good , Lapis?" "Yeah , it's just that- Oh right! have you..." She said as she seems to change the topic...

That's odd.....

"..nex? Zinnex. Zinnex!" I turned to Lapis who's sitting on her bed , sniffing her hair , as they said it's a habit. "Sorry , my mind had wondered somewhere. What did you say?" "I was saying that , Qixi was happening this night. And you will sure love it." She squealed with happiness while I was still wondering the true purpose of this celebration.

"What's Qixi exactly?" "Oh , a day of love , most Anitures proposed to their loved ones on this day. Lanterns will lit in the sky , and so is love~ AND , I think King Perseus will have a liking to you!" As Lapis said so , I almost choke on the tea. 

The King? Has a interest on me?

Oh yes- I don't think I told them about the fact I'm the maiden of Prince Agrona himself...

I should probably tell them about it before Agrona left me on this island...

"You look...majestic... Lady Zinnex..." "Isn't she amazing?! She totally look like a Queen!" Lapis complimented me. I was force dressed into a black long sleeve knee-length dress with gold snake like scales designed on the shoulder and knee length heels. I had a golden forehead crown with crescent shaped pendant and my black hair was tied into a waterfall braid.

"Thanks...." "Come on , the citizens were waiting for us for a long time." He said while hooked my arm on his arm as we walked out to the open space where the crowds were cheering. "Tigeress! Tonight! By the time being we celebrate Qixi , we have our first ever guest. Introduce to all of you , Lady Zinnex of Paiogs!" The crowds cheered as my name's announce. "Tonight onward , shall be the last week where Lady Zinnex shall remained on the island," As Perseus announce , the crowds shouted at disappointing awes ,"BUT! Let's made this the best last moment of her on Tigeress! Maybe she will stay here forever...." He mumbled the last sentence quietly , but loud enough for me to hear.

He thought the crowds was loud enough to bury his voice , but he doesn't know that I'm a cat being who had the most sensitive ears on the planet being.

"King Perseus , I had a question." I said as we're brought into the dining room where awesome food were served especially the dumplings with bamboo shoot inside. "Yes , Zinnex?" "Why were you hidden behind the mountain? Don't the Pandlings know about your country's existence?" As I asked , his highness placed down the bamboo made cup and looked at me with his green eyes. 

"They don't , they chose to forgot us anyway. Just because of our violence past." Perseus said full of terror in his eyes. "We have this huge mountain where only the ships were able to see only Pandlings. Which makes us barely noticed.  Despite we made contracts with nations for business purpose , it was quickly torn off by the rising of other nation." Lapis said while poking the cooked bamboo shoot with her chopsticks.

'That's rude... They couldn't do this just because they're violent in the past..' "The Pandlings were actually very cruel if we can say. They only be around with those who they can get advantage from. Paiogs was a great example." I looked down as they said. "But...now you're here , Zinnex. Things could changed... If we're remembered by nations.... Tigeress will never be extinct..." Perseus said while placed his hand on mine.

He looked at me with his eyes sparkled in mine. "Please stay , could you?" "Your majes-" , Before I could say anything , he placed his thumb on my lips , uttered , "Just Perseus , that would be enough." "Perseus , you see , I-" Before I could confessed that I had a engagement , a minister came in and announce that the ceremony of the floating lanterns were ready.

He then took me to a garden where a lantern was placed there while the crowd was distracted by the lanterns. "Perseus , what's this?" "I just want to spend my time with you , Zinnex." I can felt my face heated up by the second when he said that.

I stood next to him as we ascend the lantern in the sky together. While admiring the gorgeous sky , I was then distracted by- Wait- What's Perseus doing?! I quickly pushed him away and yelled at him , "What the actual hell , Perseus!?" "S-Sorry , my emotions got into me. It's just...." he said while turned to me.

"I want you to be mine , Zinnex."

What? Last time was the crazy Blood God , this time was a tiger?

"Wait a second , what?" "You had everything to be the perfect mate of mine , Zinnex. When the first time I met you! The first day! When Lapis dragged you in!" I looked at him who's confessing nervously. "Just stay , and be mine....please...would you take the honour?" He said while kneeled down with his hand reached out.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you , Perseus. I'm....", I looked at him nervously , taking a deep breath ,"I'm engaged to Agrona." "What?..." He stood up nervously , "It's not like I hate you! You're a very nice friend , just... I couldn't betray him..." I said while walked away , just in case Perseus done something stupid to me the next second.

And...*sigh* I hate the predicting power....

He soon got up and pinned me onto the rock walls , "But he didn't mark you , darling. Which means , I still got the chance~" He said as he buried his head on the shoulder as I felt a lick on my leopard marks. "Uh- Ugh! Perseus! Let me go!" "Not until I made you mi-" Before he could end his sentence , a figure pushed him to aside. 

"Stay away from her!" "Agrona?!"

Agrona's POV

While Wang was being flirtatious around me , the king then asked me a question. "Prince Agrona , it's a pleasure , if you would accept the marriage between Wang and you." What? It's impossible , Zinnex and I were-

Wait-

Zinnex?!

"Where's Zinnex?!" I yelled as I smacked the table hardly , catching the attention of Osiris. "I thought she's with us earlier!" "Your majesty! Have you seen her?" I yelled at him who just looked down to his tea cup. "W-Who's Zinnex?" "My bride-to-be. Where. Is. She!?" "I-I don't think there's this kind of Aniture in the list . your highness..." I growled at him angrily as I dismissed myself from the table along side my men.

"It's been 2 weeks , and i just realized about this. What a dunce am I." "We all did , she might be hating us by now." Osiris uttered as I stood there with a choker necklace that was decorated with a leaf shaped pendant in my grasp. "We must find her no matter what. She must be terrified in this unknown world." I uttered as I walked out the castle which I noticed the guards looked away from me nervously.

"What?" "N-N-Nothing , Prince Agrona!" "Quit the bark , Agrona. We had too find Zinnex immediately." I sighed as I noticed a guard who's body was being numb. I walked to him and quickly grabbed him by the throat , "You know my bride? Didn't you?" "Y-You m-mean , L-Lady Z-Zinnex?" he stuttered.

"Yes , where is she?" "I don't know..." He grunted as I grabbed him tighter. "Tell. Me. Now!" "She ran into the bamboo forest!" The other one yelled as I released the man and walked into the bamboo forest. Since it's getting dark , we had to find her , fast. 

We looked around and I noticed a blue eye figure rushed into a mountain , which was suspicious of... I walked to the direction where the figure was standing and found a glimpse of light behind the vines. As I crawled through the small hole and found myself in another civilization , where was much more modern than Pandlings.

"What the actual hell , Perseus!?"

That voice-

I ran after the voice and found Zinnex who's facing a Aniture who's kneeled on one knee in front of her. "What?" " Man , you got yourself an enemy." Osiris whispered joked as I heard Zinnex yelled , "Uh- Ugh! Perseus! Let me go!" I immediately looked back and found Zinnex who's pinned on the wall and the Perseus named Aniture was-

No..... NOT EVEN A CHANCE!

I ran to the Aniture as I pushed him away and yelled , "Stay away from her!" "Agrona!?" I looked at Zinnex who's dressed gorgeously and pulled her up. "Are you alright? Did he-" Before I could hear some response , she buried her head into my chest. "I thought you...forgot about me..." "I'm here , okay? I'm sorry..." She looked at me with her face beetroot red as the Aniture yelled.

"So...you're Agrona? The jerk who dumped Zinnex such a fine lady?" "Not a word about her!" I barked at him , "You can mess around with me , but not her!" "Please , a intelligent lady like her was the best on the table." He said full of proudly and full of mating scent in his eyes. 

"Well! I shall disappoint you! We're leaving!" I yelled as I grabbed Zinnex by the wrist as we left this nation , and even better Pandlings.

"So.....protective love huh?" "Not the time for jokes and we're totally leaving this hell of us." I scolded Osiris as we walked put the bamboo forest.