[CHAPTER 23.2: THE TIGER AND THE SNAKE]
The little girl was sobbing near the lemon tree outside her house, her face was drenched in tears and she was grasping a bird feather in her tiny hands, stained with blood.
"What is it, darling?" Her mother came and asked softly. The mother's eyes narrowed down to the bloodstained feather in her daughter's hand.
"What happened, darling?" The mother asked again as she squatted down next to her daughter.
"Chase killed the birdie... And ate it...! Huwaaa..." The girl wailed tearfully, crashing her face into her mother's chest. Her tiny hands tugged on her mother's blouse. She had just witnessed how her mother's cat, Chase, killed the little bird that always stopped by at her bedroom window. She tried to save it, but the cat ran out to the lawn with the bird in its mouth. Little girl chased after it, but when she caught up with it, the cat had already torn the bird's wing and was chewing on it. The bird was already lifeless.
"It's in their nature, sweetie. Cats are predators to birds and mice. Just like how dogs would chase after cats and bite them if they see them. Or how frogs and other smaller animals are snake's prey." The mother consoled her little princess, explaining to her.
"Can't they be friends?" Asked the girl, still sobbing. Her reddened face was covered in tears and snot, "I don't want cats to hurt any birdie, and I don't want cats to be hurt by dogs either. I want all animals to be friends."
"Well... Maybe if they were raised with love and were taught not to harm other smaller animals, then maybe, they can be friends."
Listening to her mother's words, the girl wiped away her tears and snot with the arm of her sweater, taking a few deep breaths to stop herself from crying. The mother gently stroked the girl's head and gave her a light pinch on her puffy cheek.
"When I grow up, I want to adopt all kinds of animals, then I will teach them to be kind to each other. I will give them love and change their nature." The little girl said with enthusiasm in her eyes.
The mother chuckled as she got up,
"Hm, that sounds amazing," the mother picked her daughter up in her arms and took her back into the house, "now, let's get you cleaned up."
*****
Bella stared at the dark ceiling above her. The cold had woke her up. Because the time measurement here was not by a clock, she assumed that it was still night. Or probably past midnight. Then again, maybe dawn.
Should she make her own timekeeping device? Well, it is important to measure and indicate time. Or else, how can we keep track of the time that passes by? She needs to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the month and the year.
In the world where everything makes more sense to her-- the human world, back around 1500BC the Egyptians tracked local solar time using a shadow cast by the position of the sun. Bella bit her lips as she thought hard.
Should I suggest the invention of a sundial to these tribes? Or should I try the ancient Chinese way of telling the time using incense sticks?

Abnaki previously had taught her that their knowledge about time was calculated by the stars. Their ancestors divided the sky into groups of stars, observed how stars were positioned in relation to each other, and ultimately developed an orderly arrangement of the division of time. They also noted twelve moon cycles, where, for instance, the Aramun Star-- is the beginning of another year. Hence, the new year.
These beastmen already had the basic knowledge of time calculation. A mix of astronomy and math would definitely measure the time accurately.
But she hated math. She hated wrecking her brain with all the thinking and calculating. That was surely not a job for her.
Another ancient timekeeping method, the clepsydra, measures time by the regulated flow of liquid into or out from a vessel, and where the amount is then measured. Right... This can be used to measure time at night where there is no sun.
Bella hummed softly, suddenly feeling proud of herself. Those locked information and knowledge in the abyss of her brain had somehow been unlocked and miraculously making its way back into her mind despite after many years of neglecting history class.
Alright, I'll suggest the idea of timekeeping to Abnaki when I see him next time. Raneki seemed like a beast with knowledge as well. Yep, I'll tell him too next time.
Bella pulled the covers up to her chin as she made herself comfortable in her bed when a ruckus outside the castle broke the silence of that peaceful dawn.
There were sudden loud noises, as though everyone were yelling and running. Then she heard a loud horn blowing, indicating an abnormal situation.
Something's wrong. Bella immediately sat up, turning her head in the direction of the window.
The noises were getting louder. There was no doubt that something was going on outside the castle.
Bella jumped out of the bed and changed her night gown. She put on the black fur coat then grabbed her dagger and her sword. She then rushed out of her chamber and headed towards the gatehouse. Bella climbed the stairs and ran out to the parapet where she could have a better view. There were soldiers and guards there, each one of them already in position and armed with crossbows.
"What's going on...?" Bella asked one of the raven soldiers when she arrived, panting slightly.
"My lady, we are under attack. Please move to safety." Saroshi, the raven soldier, replied. Bella recognized him as one of Garuda's loyal underlings. She had seen him several times. Kin, another young raven soldier was beside him.
Saroshi ordered one of the wolf soldiers to take Bella back inside the palace to ensure her safety. But Bella refused.
"By who?" Bella questioned again.
There were sudden loud explosions interrupted before Saroshi could answer Bella's question. Bella turned around to find one part of the wall surrounding the gatehouse was wrecked and crumbled down. The sky was still dark for her to clarify the size of the hole caused by the explosions just now, but she was pretty sure that the hole was big enough for Moro's komodo dragon to go through.
"Where is Garuda?" Bella asked again, regardless of her previous question was unanswered.
"Lady Bella, please move to safety." Saroshi said again solemnly.
"My lady, let's go," Yok came to her side, his hand gestured to her to follow him, "the Ra armies will breach in anytime now."
Fum who was next to Yok also had a stern and worried expression. Ra...? Bella's eyes widened in shock and her jaw felt loose all of a sudden.
Why the fuck would Gaharu attack here all of a sudden?? He was never that reckless. Bella ran her palm across her face as her mind struggled to find a way to stop this unnecessary bloodshed.
It was partly her fault. She should have tried to find a way to inform Gaharu that she was safe to avoid such a situation, just like how she had settled things with Tayen before. Damn it! How could she forget?
"Wait," Bella turned back to Saroshi, "take me to where Garuda is."
Garuda must be outside, defending the gate. Probably already fighting with Gaharu or Sora. She must stop them.
"My lady, it is dangerous. We cannot put you into danger-"
"I demand you take me there, right now."
Saroshi was silenced by Bella's cold and sharp glare. The determination in her black eyes was undeniable. Her eyes were like two black holes that looked as if it could suck someone's soul if they stared at it for too long.
"But my lady, it is dangerous..." Yok wavered, wanting to persuade her. 
"I know what I'm doing. Now, take me there."
*****
Defeated Zov soldiers were seen lying on the ground. They were taken by surprise, no one would ever have guessed that the enemy would attack their main, and at such a time. The tribes would normally cease the war for the entire snow days and focus on food supply.
Zov's usual peaceful daily patrol routine was wrecked when a tall slender figure suddenly appeared from the dark forest and began to attack them one by one. The figure was moving at an incredible pace and didn't give the guards time to react at all. The guards who were in the watch tower noticed something was off and blew the horn signaling an intruder alert. The draw bridge was immediately pulled up but it was already too late. The intruder who was wearing all black had already got into the gatehouse and cut the bridge's metal chains with his twin swords, sending the bridge down with a loud crash. In just a blink of an eye, monstrous leopards and oxen galloped through the bridge, making their way into Zov's gate.
"Fire...!!" Sora, riding a giant leopard, led his troops into the first portcullis of the Wolf Palace. He gave the order and Ra's army of beasts started to shoot ore pellets out of the projectiles harnessed on them.
Fire balls came flying like meteors, burning the gatehouse.
"What is the use of beautiful construction if it is not fireproof?" Gaharu scoffed as he watched the building being swallowed by his flame. He turned around and looked up when his nose caught the smell of an eagle. There was a smirk on Gaharu's face. He knew that eagle would not die that easily.
"You are not dead. Good for you."
Garuda grunted angrily at Gaharu's words,
"You are beyond help, tiger."
Gaharu was no longer the cub Garuda used to know. That tiger had changed so much, he had become the thing that they both hated most. His thirst for bloodshed was just the same as the previous chief of the Moro tribe, and he's doing the exact same thing that Blood Snake did to every other clans-- trampled over the weak.
Garuda pointed his three arrow crossbow to Gaharu and was about to fire when a black figure leaped towards him at an unbelievable speed. In a blink of an eye, his three arrow crossbow was split in half. Garuda was left in shock. What beastmen could leap this high?
Mihaje spun and landed beautifully on his feet and gazed up. The twin swords in his hands flashed as he dashed towards the gate wall and kicked the wall to bounce himself high. He made another beautiful spin in mid air and successfully slashed two of the raven soldiers who were levitating not far from Garuda.
Garuda's eyes widened at the scene before him. A Moro...?
"You are colluding with the Moro now, Gaharu?" Garuda raised a hand and shot his lightning at Mihaje, but was easily dodged by Mihaje.
Gaharu ignored Garuda and the other winged beastmen. Mihaje could handle them. He charged towards the wall and shoved his fist at the thick wooden wall, immediately causing a huge hole with just one blow of his fist.
"Not Moro," Mihaje responded as he made another leap towards Garuda, swinging his swords in a spiraling motion, "just me."
Garuda fired another lightning at Mihaje but that snake was too fast. Mihaje flipped in the air, avoided the lightning and swung his weapon at the eagle. Garuda's eyes widened as he watched the twin swords flashed before him.
Gaharu let out a loud growl, signaling his troops to march forward, now that the wall of the Wolf Palace had been wrecked, they'd made it past the first portcullis and heading towards the inner bailey.
"Be careful when attacking inside," Gaharu said to Sora, "find Bella first."
"Yes, my lord."
Gaharu unsheathed his curved sword and swung it at the Zov armies that were charging towards him. He noticed they were mostly young soldiers. What in the land? Has Zov ran out of adults?
Meanwhile, Garuda managed to parry Mihaje's attack by flying higher and landed a murderous kick on Mihaje's chest, sending the snake rolling on the snow covered ground. Mihaje then steadied himself in a crouching position. The kick didn't seem to affect him at all. Garuda let out a scoff. Red hair, black mask... This must be the infamous Moro general.

But why is the Moro general being with the Ra tribe? It was a question that Garuda could not take it off of his mind.
Mihaje swung his weapon, slashing every Zov soldiers that came towards him. Sora and his troops were on their way into the palace, striding through the inner gate. Gaharu was also busy fighting several Zov soldiers. Garuda watched from above, his eyes filled with distress and fury. He raised both of his arms in the air and shot a huge lightning bolt towards the Ra armies that were making their way into the inner bailey.
"Sora...!!!"
When the lightning struck the pack of beastmen upfront, Gaharu screamed to the top of his lungs. Mihaje drew in a ragged breath as his eyes went wide at the sight of a huge explosion in front of him. Ra armies were thrown afar by the lightning attack, some burnt body parts were seen floating in the air together with wooden bits of the palace gate wall.
"Garudaaaa...!!!" Gaharu leaped high, sparks of fire appeared underneath his every step, enabling him to rise into midair.
Garuda had been prepared for this. He knew someday he and Gaharu would have to fight each other to their deaths. Gaharu's growl echoed in the sky like a thunder. His eyes were like burning torches, gleaming of ire. Steam emerged from him as though his body was boiling, and his breaths came out like white smoke. Gaharu waved his curved sword at Garuda. Every swing was intended to kill. Garuda wielded his sword to parry Gaharu's attack. Gaharu could only stay in midair for a short period, Garuda thought, all he needed was to defend himself from the tiger's attack until Gaharu fell back to the ground. As expected, the sparks of fire underneath Gaharu's feet disappeared and Gaharu landed back on his feet to the ground. Zov soldiers surrounded Gaharu and began attacking him all together.
Mihaje had run to where Garuda had struck his lightning. Some Ra soldiers had survived the violent attack, but were burnt and severely wounded. Mihaje glanced around the damaged platform that had turned black from the lightning attack, but he could not find the Ra general anywhere. Even the young tiger soldier was nowhere to be found. Arrows were shot from above him and wounded him on the shoulder, Mihaje dashed to the nearest wall, he stepped on the wall and kicked hard, sending himself up high and swung his swords in a whirling spin. His movements were so fast and winged soldiers failed to react in time when Mihaje slashed every single one of them in just a blink of an eye. The winged soldiers fell to the ground in several loud thuds. Another arrow struck him from behind, penetrating his upper abdomen. Mihaje turned around and almost threw his sword at the wolf soldier who shot him, however, he realized the wolf soldier was already dying. The soldier laid there on his back, holding a crossbow in his trembling hand. He used up his final energy to fire that arrow. Mihaje stared down at the soldier who seemed very young to die meaningless like that.
"You scum..." The wolf soldier murmured with blood in his mouth before he closed his eyes.
He was staring at the lifeless soldier when a few more arrows penetrated through his chest. He no longer wanted to turn around to see who shot him, he threw his swords in the direction where the arrows were shot from and immediately heard grunts.
Mihaje tasted his own blood in his mouth as he coughed. He could feel the blood streaming down his nostrils, leaked through his mask and down to his neck. He glanced around at the numerous soldiers lying everywhere. Some were lifeless, some were on the verge of death. What was all this for...? They have yet to complete the mission, and they already lost?
One swing of his arm sent a couple of wolf soldiers flying. One kick from him broke arms and several ribs of his enemies. Gaharu growled ferociously as he defeated every wolf in his path. His body temperature was getting higher and thicker steam emerged from him. He blew smoke from his mouth and nose as his breathing became heavier. He could feel himself boiling from the inside.
Garuda flapped his wings to fly higher before diving down fast towards Gaharu who was now on the ground, he clenched tightly to the sword in his hand, aiming at Gaharu. But before Garuda could reach the tiger, Gaharu turned around and opened his mouth. Raging flames burst out from his opened mouth like a stream of blazing flamethrower, flaring the sky with his massive bombardment.
"Leopard!" Mihaje found Sora overlaid by the burning portcullis. He was wounded and unconscious, but alive. Mihaje let out a loud scoff. Was he relieved to find the leopard still alive? Mihaje pulled Sora out of the pile of burning wood. The lightning attack had severely damaged Sora's underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. His major arteries and veins were also damaged. Mihaje pursed his lips tight. The leopard might not make it.
"General Sora..." A weak groan could be heard nearby. Mihaje turned around to find the young tiger soldier lying not far. Satria was also badly injured, he had lost an arm and was bleeding profusely. Half of his head and face was charred-black, he had also lost one eye due to his serious burn.
"Young cub, stay still," Mihaje took off his furry coat and pressed it on the bleeding, "you are going to be fine. I shall take you to your general." Mihaje dragged the injured tiger slowly.
Why did he lie? When he knew that the young tiger would not make it at all? As a Moro soldier, he was made to feel no sympathy. But what is this suffocating feeling in his chest? Mihaje hissed weakly as he fell on one knee. His body was beginning to numb.
Satria was losing a lot of blood, he could not move at all. Mihaje pushed himself up. Blood dripped down from the arrow heads that was sticking out of his abdomen and chest. He ignored his own injury and proceeded with pulling Satria and placed him beside Sora.
Mihaje pulled out the arrows in his shoulder and upper abdomen and pressed the wound with his hand, he ignored the ones on his chest. He gazed over to Gaharu who had killed countless of the Zov. He clenched his fist. He began to question whether or not it was the right decision to have come here. They haven't found Bella, and yet more than half of them had succumbed before they accomplished their mission. They miscalculated one thing. They didn't think the Zov general would return to the Wolf Palace that soon. Also, they had underestimated the eagle's ability. That was their biggest mistake.
Just as he was blaming himself for everything, a familiar figure walked out from the wrecked gatehouse. She was covered in blood and dirt, her long black hair was messy and tangled, her face was red and bruised.
"Bella...?" Mihaje ran to get her, "Bella!"
"Mihaje...? What..." Bella looked at him with confusion. Her eyes gazed down and noticed the dripping blood. Mihaje was pressing the wound in his abdomen with one hand, but the blood kept gushing out of his wounds. The arrows had hit his vital organs.
She clasped her mouth with her hands as tears began to stream down her face. This was her fault. She was the cause of all this. She blamed herself. This is all my fault...
"Bella..." Mihaje stretched out his cold bloody hand to touch her face, "At least I get to see you... One last time."
He sloped down as his vision started to blur. He was obviously in so much pain but he didn't even grunt. He was literally frowning, still he chuckled silently. It was muffled under his leather mask. Mihaje fell on his back to the cold snowy ground. If this was to be his ending, so be it. Yet, he was glad.
Glad to see her.
"Mihaje...!!" Bella knelt down clasped his cold face. He was...
No...
Garuda crawled weakly on the snow covered ground. The snow around them was tainted by the color of blood. The sky was turning yellow as the sun had begun to show itself. Garuda coughed out blood, his whole body trembled from the pain. He knew he was no match for Gaharu. He knew he would someday die in his hands. He wasn't afraid. He was disappointed. At himself, for failing to fulfill his duty as a soldier, and as a friend. He had failed to defend his territory. And he had failed terribly at stopping Gaharu from committing more evil.
"Graaar..." Gaharu's dangerous growl could be heard from behind him. Garuda could hardly move. Gaharu's fire had burnt his wings and he had broken several bones during the impact of his fall. He stretched out his trembling hand to reach for the crossbow on the ground not far from him. Garuda lifted his face to look over his shoulder. Gaharu was breathing fire out of his mouth. His eyes were glowing like burning torches. He had one foot on one of Garuda's burnt wings, preventing him from moving. Gaharu raised his curved sword high above his head.
"Brother... You are really... Beyond save..." Blood dripped down from Garuda's mouth as he forced himself to speak.
"Gaharu!!!"
Bella ran towards them. Behind her, Bane, who was injured, walked weakly with his body swaying left and right. She had witnessed everything, but failed to prevent such disaster from happening. Bella herself had almost lost her life in the lightning attack when she was heading out with Kin and Saroshi. She had lost consciousness for a while until Yok and Fum found her. She found Bane who survived the impact from the lightning attack and he told her everything.
Gaharu turned around immediately when he heard her voice from a distance. It wasn't clear, but he heard her. His body temperature decreased drastically and his eyes were no longer gleaming with fire. He dropped the curved sword in his hand and his body instantly went limp.
"Stop, stop all this...!!" Bella's face was drenched in tears and sweat.
"Bella..." Gaharu's lips parted open as he let out a huge sigh of relief. He was relieved to see her again. But before he could say anything more, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
"No..." Bella ran frantically, screaming, "No, no...!!"
Why... She heard herself screaming and wailing. But no words came out of her mouth. Why is this happening?
Gaharu gazed down at the three arrows penetrated through his chest before he turned around. The three arrow crossbow in Garuda's hands fell as the eagle slowly closed his eyes.
"We are all beyond help, brother..." Blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth as his lips curved into a weak smile. In the end, we accomplished nothing. Gaharu turned his face back at Bella who was running towards him.
"Bella..."
Gaharu forced out a smile. He often questions about his sanity. He had always doubted himself, whether or not he was making the right decision. It seems clear now. He was not a good leader at all. He had led his people to their doom.
He couldn't hear her voice anymore. His world had become quiet. He could see her coming closer and closer. However, his vision turned black before he could even have a good look at her. Bella yelled out his name. She tried to get there as fast as she could. She was bawling her eyes out as she watched Gaharu's huge figure collapse to the snowy dirt ground, right next to Garuda.
"Gaharu...!!"
*****
TO BE CONTINUED...