Elias, noticing Orion’s ominous smirk directed straight at him, visibly shivered and quickly stepped backward, raising his hands defensively.
Panic began to color his voice as he anxiously protested, "Wait, Orion—why are you looking at me like that? You’re not seriously thinking...?"
Orion’s grin widened even more as he took a step toward Elias and confidently placed a hand over his trembling shoulder.
His voice was both soothing and persuasive, though his eyes gleamed mischievously. "Well, Elias, wouldn’t you want to help these poor, kidnapped children? Think about it, their helpless faces, their terrified eyes."
Elias hesitated visibly, eyes flickering uncertainly between Orion’s wicked smirk and the sorrowful expressions on the faces of the two mature Tigerkin women.
His initial resistance softened as guilt slowly crept into his heart. After a tense moment, he finally sighed, shoulders drooping slightly in resignation, yet his voice was firm and honorable as he spoke, "I suppose you’re right. What kind of man would I be if I refused to help save those poor kids?"
Orion’s mischievous expression immediately softened into a genuine, approving smile, gently squeezing Elias’s shoulder encouragingly. "See? That’s the Elias I know, brave and honorable. Now, here’s what we’ll do..."
***
Elsewhere, on a rough dirt road winding through the vibrant, autumn-colored forest, a simple yet sturdy carriage rattled and jolted as it moved along uneven terrain.
At the back of the carriage sat a large iron cage, its bars rusted and cold, enclosing several frightened Tigerkin children whose ears flattened nervously against their heads, their small tails curled anxiously around themselves.
However, among the terrified Tigerkin children sat a single, solitary human child, Elias. Contrary to the trembling Tigerkin children around him, Elias wore a calm yet visibly irritated expression, occasionally rolling his eyes in exasperation as the carriage jostled him roughly.
Two Lionkin kidnappers sat casually at the front of the carriage, completely oblivious to Elias’s unusual calmness.
Their lion ears twitched occasionally atop their heads, lion tails lazily swinging behind them. Both possessed sharp canine teeth, and tufts of golden fur covered their muscular shoulders, making them appear imposing and fierce.
One of the Lionkin, scratching his mane-like hair idly, commented with a cruel voice, "Didn’t expect to find a human brat among the usual catches. Quite the surprise, huh?"
His companion chuckled darkly, nodding in agreement. "First time we’ve caught a human, indeed. Boss will be thrilled with this unexpected bonus."
The first Lionkin snickered, baring his sharp teeth in a savage grin. "Definitely. Makes you wonder though, how did a little human brat appear here? We have only seen a few adult humans here."
The other shrugged nonchalantly, turning back to face the road ahead as the carriage lurched forward once more. "Who cares? He’s ours now. Let’s hurry up and get back."
Inside the cage, Elias clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding together in frustration as he silently cursed inside his head. ’I’ll make you pay for this, Bastard Helstorm...’
***
Far behind, Orion’s group now traveled swiftly alongside the two ornate carriages of the Tigerkin women.
The mood was calmer yet focused, everyone acutely aware of the unfolding plan. In the first carriage sat Orion, Arya, Emilia, Nyss, and one of the mature Tigerkin women, whose amber eyes carefully assessed each of the young adventurers around her. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
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