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Waysas words crashed into her, but she tried not to listen. She couldn't listen. She knelt down and hugged her little siblings. "Go without me.", she told waysa. "Take care of the cubs. Follow my mothers path like you planned." "Serafina.", Waysa said, his voice strong, "you don't need them!"
You don't need them...
You don't need them...
'But I do need them!, Serafina thought, I can protect them!'
And how will they repay you?, the little voice snarled, you saw what they did. They didn't believe you.
Serafina hugged herself.
"You don't belong here!", screamed Rowena again in her face. Braeden wouldn't look at her. "I didn't do it!" Nobody belived her...
See? See? You don't need them! You saw how they treated you. Hell, your own father hid you away because he was ashamed of you!
"FREAK!", the words were like knives coming from the girls mouth. Serafina stumbled back, wiping the spit off of her cheek. "FREAK! You're probably the one who stole all those children! Hero? I think not!" Serafina looked over to Braeden, who looked unlikely to stop his cousin. He was standing away, looking uncomfortably at the paintings.
Serafina's hands balled into a fist, as all those repressed memories came back. She looked up at Waysa. He cared. He would care more about her then them.
Serafinas kin would care more about her than them. Yellow eyes flashing, and opened her mouth.
"You're right.", the words felt strange- yet powerful. Serafina felt no pain as she nodded at Waysa.
"I don't need them."
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The two bounded over rocks and fallen trees, the scent of forest filling Serafina's nostrials. Waysas panther body was fast, good at travling at top speeds.
Serafina clung to his neck, wind whistling in her ears. They were off the Vanderbilt property now. Serafina felt more free than she had felt in years.
At nightfall, they set up camp near a lake. They would be in the catamount territory soon.
"The capital, Eislya, is beatiful.", Waysa said as they slowly roasted the rabbit they had caught earlier, "There are houses built into the trees."
He looked up at her and grinned. The firelight danced across his brown and amber colored eyes.
"Tell me about my father.", Serafina said, lieing down, drinking in all the stars above them. Waysa lay beside her.
"My older brother remebered him before he died. He was kind, your father. His name was Ronan. He had a amazing ability."
"What was that?"
"He could shift into a magnificient black panther." Serafina breathed out in awe, imagining her fathers sleek body, shiny fur and-
"Wait. What if instead of thinking of my mother-", Serafina said, heart beating with excitent.
"You thought of your father! You're a genius!"
Serafina concentrated, just like her mother taught her and~
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Faster than ever, Serafina ran through the mountains, Waysa close behind. She felt happier than ever. There were no people here to judge her, or any deviouse palm plants.
She was excited to see her mother, and all of the extended family she never got to meet. She was excited to see the city she was born in.
She was excited for a chance at a new life- away from the danger and trauma of her past.