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Cryotis cowered against the back wall of the den. Several lionesses formed a huddle in one corner of the den, he couldn’t quite make out what they were saying but their hushed voices and worried faces gave him the impression it wasn’t good. A few of the younger cubs pranced around the rest of the den, Wrestling and playing, without a care in the world. Windsong lept at his back and pinned him to the ground.
“Haha your it cryo,” she sang, batting at his ears with one of her snow white paws. “C’mon now you need to chase me!”
Cryotis sighed, “I am trying to listen in on what our mothers are saying, they seem worried”
“Who cares, it’s probably boring adult stuff. I am sure they are fine” Windsong replied, but it did very little to reassure Cryotis.
He awoke the next morning to his mother licking him awake. “We need to leave now sweety” purred his mother. His heart sank. “Who did that to you…”
“Nothing, Nobody, It doesn’t matter,” her eyes flickered down, unable to meet his gaze “we have until sunrise to escape otherwise-” but she was cut short by a low, rumbling growl. Cryotis couldn’t help but flinch slightly as a great, beastly shadow rose up behind him.
“Leaving so soon?” uttered the great beast. Cryo’s mothers eyes widened. She tried to protest but couldn’t get more than a stutter out of her well groomed jaw. The beast stepped forward, allowing the early morning sun to catch his impressive features. The collector, a huge Tigon with the softest fur and sharpest fangs.
“After all the love I have given you, you still feel the need to abandon your kingdom, your friends, your family?” the collector inquired. His mother bowed her head in submission.
“I- I am sorry, please, you have gone too far… killing poor innocent cubs, they have done nothing to you-” a sudden, defiant look appeared in his mother’s eye as she stood her ground, paws apart, in a defensive stance.
“Because they are impure, they bring down the value of the rest of us. There are too many of them in this world and I intend to fix that issue.” the collector simply replied. There was a brief pause before his mother took aim and caught the collector's ear, slightly tearing it. The collector did not move. Was he surprised? Or was he just waiting? Cryotis never did find out the answer to that question because as he stood there, frozen with fear, he watched the collector raise his sharpened paw and slice down the length of his mothers body. She howled in pain before staggering to the ground. The collector stood and watched as Cryo’s mother took her last, shuddering, breath before her eyes glazed over and she was gone from this world.
“Little one, what is your name.” he said, more commanding than questioning.
“Cryotis” cryo replied, his little voice shaking.
“Very well then, Cryotis,” The collector continued, “This is what happens to lions who dare challenge my authority. Walk with me”
Cryotis did not dare disobey his master. As they walked, the collector explained many, wonderful, things. He spoke of a distant past and of primal lions who roamed the earth, and of a near future, where only the strongest, most able lions passed on their genes. Cryotis listened, soaking in all the terrible cruelty and the gentle love that the collector spoke of. He felt his heart slow. Perhaps the collector was right, perhaps the world did need saving, he thought to himself. Cryotis did not remember much after that point, the next thing he knew was that he was leaving, walking off into the sunset as the collector watched him. He would return eventually, that much was certain, but he needed time and a place to collect his thoughts. Maybe he would find a new pack, rise through the ranks and one day return, as a king, with the most beautiful and fertile lionesses. Maybe, just maybe.
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