Kenneth against Hector

Looking up at the night sky with Kenneth by his side, Falco thought about how the stars looked the same everywhere. The same constellations, the same moon, but at the same time, things weren't the same. He and Kenneth were not on Aether, they were on the mainland and when this was all over, where were they going to go? He just didn't know.

Stroking the fur of his caracal companion, the Last Divine Deucalion of Aether dreamed of the home that was lost. He thought of Aether, he thought of him and Rowena laying in a field together, staring up at the night sky, the stars, the moon... He thought of all that had been.

Hearing a cry for help, Falco stood up and gazed in the direction the cry was coming from. Coming from Hyperion, he saw a young woman... Rowena? No... Even by the light of the moon he could tell it wasn't her... Narrowing his eyes, Falco recognized her as Scholastica and pursuing her, black as the night itself, was Pardus' panther Hector.

Eyes widening with horror, Falco ran forward with Kenneth by his side. Scholastica needed aid! She managed to escape Hyperion and if Hector was not stopped, then the Princess of Leto would not be long enjoying her freedom!

To Falco's alarm it was Kenneth who reached Hector first, running past Scholastica the caracal stopped before the black leopard, arching his back, narrowing his eyes and flattening his ears against his skull. To the surprise and relief of Falco and Scholastica, Hector did not attack Kenneth immediately. Instead, the panther glared back at the caracal, crouching down and preparing to strike.

His own ears flattened against his skull, Hector bared his fangs and growled, hoping to intimidate the smaller cat, but intimidate the caracal, the leopard did not. Caracals and leopards competed for prey, sometimes the latter even stealing kills from the former if they could, at the potential cost of an eye. Even a lion would have been hesitant to attack a caracal, while something such as a serval would have caused no such hesitation.

Sawing, Hector charged only to find Kenneth's right paw coming for his left eye with claws extended. Not wanting to be rendered half-blind, the panther immediately swerved out of the way and backed away. Kenneth hissed, but did not advance. A leopard was a formidable opponent and he had to be cautious.

Most animals preferred to avoid fights that could cause serious injury and Kenneth and Hector were no exception. While they would kill, if need be, both caracal and panther wanted to their opponent to back down.

Ultimately, it was Hector who backed down. One threat of losing an eye had been enough for the panther. Growling once, the larger feline turned and made his way back to Hyperion while Kenneth hissed at him once more.

"Good boy, Kenneth." Uttered Falco, walking over to give his caracal a pat on the head. "Brave too." Then looking at Scholastica, Falco asked: "Are you alright, Scholastica?"

Nodding, Scholastica answered: "I am, Falco, though I fear Rowena and Xe-tian were captured when we attempted to escape from Hyperion."

That decided it then. They just had to get into the city! They had to impersonate the Hyperionite Steed with the armour and horses they had! Rowena, Xe-tian and Achilles had to be rescued! His father, Frumentius and Shahbaz had to be avenged! This siege had gone on for long enough! Hyperion had to be freed from Leo's rule!

The only question was, what would happen then?