Chapter 11 – "The Lion's Den"
The scent hit me before the sight did—smoke, spice, and musk woven into the air. By the time we reached the edge of the Pride Circle, my pulse had already quickened.
The settlement wasn't a city like the ones from my old world. It was alive in a different way—built of earth and bone, fur and firelight. Dens carved into the cliffs glowed from within, their entrances shaped like the mouths of beasts. Wooden bridges stretched across narrow ravines, ropes creaking beneath the weight of beastmen crossing them in pairs.
Everywhere I looked, movement. Lions, tigers, panthers, wolves, all in their human forms yet carrying their animal selves just beneath the skin. Golden eyes followed us as we passed, heads turning to study me—the unfamiliar lioness walking among them.
The air thrummed with dominance, scent-marked territory, challenge and pride.
Nox's hand brushed mine lightly, a silent warning. "Stay near," he murmured.
I nodded but couldn't stop my gaze from wandering.
Females moved gracefully through the crowd, some with cubs clinging to their skirts, others surrounded by their males. Each pride had its rhythm—males moving in protective arcs around their center female, the sound of low growls and laughter blending with the marketplace chatter.
Luka's voice cut low beside me. "They're already talking."
I caught snatches of whispers: Who is she? New blood? No mark yet… she smells of battle.
Chyron grinned, clearly enjoying the attention. "If you're going to turn heads, at least own it, Maise."
"I'm not sure I have a choice," I muttered.
We turned down a narrow path leading to the inner circle. The air changed there—cooler, thicker with authority. The stone floor beneath my feet was etched with the mark of the five stripes, each one a different beast pattern.
"This is where the elders hold council?" I asked quietly.
Nox nodded once. "Tomorrow. Tonight, we rest."
He led us to a den carved into the cliff face. Inside, the space was wide and warm, lit by soft amber stones that glowed like trapped sunlight. The scent of wild herbs lingered in the air, calming but sharp.
I dropped my satchel and turned slowly, tracing the walls with my eyes. The space was simple—woven mats, furs, carved bowls—but it felt safe, like something ancient had been waiting here.
When I finally caught my reflection in a polished bronze dish, I hardly recognized the woman staring back. My hair was a wild mane now, streaked faintly gold where sunlight had burned through it. My eyes glowed faintly even in the dim light—predatory, alive.
"You're staring like you've never seen yourself," Luka said softly from behind me.
"Maybe I haven't," I answered.
He came closer, gaze unreadable. "Then get used to her. The council won't see a stranger—they'll see what you're becoming."
I turned to face him. "And what's that?"
His smile was small, but there was pride in it. "A lioness who doesn't bow."
Nox's low voice came from the entrance. "Rest, both of you. Tomorrow decides if the Circle accepts her… or fears her."
When he left, the den fell quiet except for the hum of the glowing stones. Chyron stretched out across a fur mat, already half-asleep, his tail flicking lazily. Luka sat near the fire pit, sharpening his blades with rhythmic patience.
I lay back and watched the light shift along the ceiling. The sounds of the Pride Circle drifted in—laughter, growls, the soft thud of drums echoing somewhere deeper within the cliffs.
For the first time, I felt the weight of belonging pressing against the edge of my freedom. This place was beautiful and wild and full of rules I barely understood. But I'd survived worse.
And tomorrow, they would see that I wasn't just another lioness.
I was something new.