Something Different This Way comes Part 2

As morning dawned Aven opened his eyes and scanned the forest floor below him. He moves cautiously his instincts warning him that there was something amiss, as he scans the area, he searched for anything that was out of place.

Slowly Aven move towards the next tree branch up from him. His instincts warning that going down could be potentially fatal for him.

As he slowly made his way higher, he finally started to catch an outline of a creature crouching on the edge of the clearing.

The creature had a feline type out line, it eyes shone with a fire red as it starred into the clearing, it was hunched low it legs lowering it closer to the grounded.

As the creature shift and started to move it fur glistened burgundy in the light rays coming down through the trees canopy.

'Oh, what is a Malikia doing here!'

'Well at least it is only a youngster as it appears to only be about a meter long.'

Aven scan behind the Malikia. 'Where is it's parents though.'

No matter how hard he looked, he still couldn't see the parents.

'do I risks trying to fight, or do I try getting out through the trees back towards the village.'

'It not worth the risk, right now I can't tell where the adults are so I can't be sure that I could even get near it without them appearing and running isn't an option as even the young can run faster than I could possible get to, let only in the forest.'

Aven moved to the tree trunk and tried to climb higher in the tree as quietly as possible.

He concentrated on his senses and let himself see through his mind's eye to get a better idea of what is going on around him.

He used his sense to keep track of the youngster as he moved, he moved over to the tree where his pack is secured.

He reached out to the strings that he used to secure the pack, unfortunately to leave through the trees means that he will have to leave the strings attached to the trees.

He gradually removed the pack making sure to cause a little distribution to the surrounding trees as possible.

As Aven move the Malikia move fully in to the clearing.

The Malikia moved around and creeped toward the fire pit.

Aven used the trees around him to move towards the village staying slow and silent.

After a short while Aven lost sight of the Malikia from his mind's eye, he made his way down from the trees so that he would be able to move faster.

'I need to get back to the village soon or I'll be late to meet up with Joseph Randall, but I will have to keep my mind's eye open, I really don't want to get caught unaware again.'

Aven picked up the pace and tried to put more distance between himself and the young Malikia.

The trip toward the forest edge was only a short distance for him now.

Just when Aven felt that he had truly lost the young Malikia, it reappeared in his mind's eye but this time something was different.

'What! there are more of them, looks like the parents have appeared as well.' He lowered his body height but didn't stop moving.

'Will they actually leave the tree line I wonder.' Aven finally saw the open field that surrounded the village. 'I will have to risk it, if I stay here, they will definitely catch me.'

Aven made his way through the edge of the tree line towards the main road at the front of the village.

'I need to get to the meeting place, but I need to try to at least warn someone of the Malikia even if they won't listen to me.'

Aven approached the guards.

"Sir, I just saw a Malikia in the forest."

"What are you talking about, you stupid boy." Spat the Guard.

"There is a Malikia, Sir" Aven stressed.

"Stop talking nonsense boy" the guard hiss at him. "Malikia's don't live in this area."

"But sir" Before Aven could say anymore the guard advanced towards him.

"Enough, I will hear no more nonsense from you." The guard glowered "Get away from here immediately."

Aven back away and moved from the front gate, he stopped a short distance from the guards and looked back at them, the Malikia where still visible in his mind's eye and they were getting closer and closer.

'What should I do the Malikia's are heading straight towards the village, the guards won't listen, and we don't have much time they won't be easy to deal with.'

Aven headed back to the gates. 'If they won't listen, I will have to try something else.'

"Stop right there," said the guard. "Where do you think you are going".

"Sir?" Aven stood just a short a distance away from the gate.

'What are they actually going to stop me going in'.

"You aren't welcome here boy." The guard shifted his weapon.

"You are not to enter the village," the guard snorted, "if you think I'm letting you in, to start spreading lies you have another thing coming."

The guard moved forward with his weapon pointing at Aven. "Back away from the gate, no one is going to let you in."

Aven stood there dumbfounded.

'What? Why? This has never happened before. I just wanted to warn people.'

Aven shock lightly as what the guard was saying truly sank in.