Chapter 1 (Part three)

There were two cats that had passed through there, though. One, a brown and cream colored cat named Kyii, was running ahead of the other, a ginger tabby named Talia. The two were headed to a battle between Na'imrinn and Tygah'lynn. Talia made no real effort to catch up to her energetic friend, she wouldn't admit it, but she didn't really want to go to the fight between the self-proclaimed Protector of the Forest, and Ty'lynn, a bear who enjoys messing with her prey. Although the bears and bison get along in a sort of mutualistic relationship, with the bison causing bugs and birds to fly up out of the grasses they ate, and the bears eating these pests, thus allowing the bison to eat in peace, Na'imrinn hated how Ty'lynn would rip the wings off the 'poor little bugs and birds' while they were still breathing. This lead to a pretty heated relationship between the two. Talia sighed, thinking only of running away through the trees.

Talia's thoughts were cut short when she caught up with Kyii at the clearing where the battle would happen. Kyii signalled at a sturdy looking tree, then wthout hesitation, clambered up the tree's rough trunk. Talia sighed, then followed her, and they found a seat that wasn't already taken. A cold burst of wind blew through the branches of their tree, causing Kyii to snuggle close to Talia. Talia's fur fluffed up and her pelt grew warm, but she calmed down and leaned against Kyii as well, letting out a contented sigh.

Down in the clearing, Na'imrinn and Tygah'lynn were circling each other. Suddenly Ty'lynn roared and sprang at Na'imrinn, taking a swipe at his face, causing a small scratch and a few drops of blood. Na'imrinn kicked her in the chest and sent her flying.

"You tried. But really, you should be better at causing pain for your enemies,*tro'teer."*He wrinkled up his snout and spit on her spotty flank. She quickly jolted up, a furious grimace on her face.

"Who you callin' tro'teer*, **freak.***I'll show you tro'te, you...!" She shook her head, growling in fury. She charged at him once more, this time catching him off guard and barreling into him. He put his head down last second, swiping at his attacker with his horns. She jumped up and kicked the side of his head, causing it to swing, his unbroken horn narrowly missing hitting a tree. His head crashed into a different tree. Animals near the tree leaped away, some cats in the tree lost their balance, hissed, and clung to their branches.

"Oh no, you think he's OK?" Kyii asked Talia. Before she could give an answer, Na'imrinn stumbled away from the tree, and shook blood off his face. Talia looked closer, noticing a little clump of... something... stuck to the tree, and blood streaming steadily down the right side of his face. He slowly turned around to where Tygah'lynn stood frozen to the ground, paused to take a breath, and then looked straight at her. She gasped.

"YOU... YOU TORE MY BISEAR- DAMNED EYE OUT, YOU... YOU... *FREAK OF NATURE TRO'TEER!!!!"*He charged at her bellowing, causing her to unfreeze and quickly jump out of the way. Na'imrinn skidded to a halt, gasping for breath. A brown bison, his superior, stepped out of the crowd, a calm, even somewhat amused expression on his face.

"Na, enough. Do you really want to rub the treaty this raw? Next thing you know, this '*tro'teer'*as you call her will be your real enemy, along with all her bear friends." He tilted his head. Na'imrinn sighed, then nodded.

"Then go get healed, go home, Na!" Na'imrinn lowered his head, and the two walked off. Tygah'lynn blinked, then snorted and turned towards the Caves.

Talia kneaded her paws into the tree branch she stood upon, nervously watching as the brown and white bear shoved herself through the bushes and snapped angrily at a fox who had stepped a tail too close, leaving a bite on his shoulder. He stared down at it in astonishment, then raced off through the forest.

Tro'teer indeed.

(Tro'te means Torture in Bisear. Tro'teer means Torturer. Bisear is both the language of the Bison and Bears, and the name of their God, the Bison-Bear)