Shadowfoot moved nimbly through the forest. Tall trees with moss and mushroom fighting for space on it barks loomed on all sides. The undergrowth was wet and thick. Very little sunlight penetrated from the foilage above, leaving the forest in the permanent semi-darkness of it's own shadow.
Shadowfoot stopped and cocked his ear. The forest was silent except for the song of the crickets and the occasional cry of a bird. Something was not right. Shadowfoot stood very still, concentrating on all his senses. For him good prey and strange visitors never were hard to detect.
A tiny rustle of leaves was the only warning when the beast attacked and Shadowfoot managed to jump clear of the sudden attack only at the last second. He had sensed an unfamiliar odour, but had erroneously put it down to tricks of the forest. Shadowfoot gained his footing and looked at his artacker.
It definitely was not a wolf. It stood slightly taller than Shadowfoot and was covered in yellow fur with black stripes. A tiger. It barred it's lips to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
Shadowfoot readied himself. It was going to be a tough fight and it'd be a miracle to come out unscathed . Tigers always were fearsome n agile fighters, he would have to take it down by the neck at the first chance he got. A snake twitch of a muscle in the Tigers paw alerted Shadowfoot of it's intentions to renew attack.
"Hey hey... Break it up!" a man suddenly came running forth from the trees. He was wearing a long flowing grey-green cloth that gave away no idea of his appearance and his face was entirely covered, except for his eyes, by a black shawl. He had obvious difficult moving through the thick forest undergrowth in his attire, but he still moved quickly. Reaching near the tiger he put his arm around it's neck. The tiger instantly relaxed.
"It's a saddled wolf Princess", he spoke softly into the Tigress' ear, "You are not supposed to attack other saddled creatures". The man gently rubbed the tigress behind her ear and she purred. In one fluid motion, the man, in his flowing robes, leapt onto the saddle on the tigress' back. He faced Shadowfoot.
There was something familiar about the man, in his smell, his antics, but Shadowfoot couldn't remember nor place it. He looked at the robed man sitting atop a tigress and refuses to relax.
"Oh Ride of a Fellow Soul" began the man grandiosely, aninatedly "My name is Andrrenor, and Princess here is my Ride. We mean you no harm. Princess " he slightly bowed to rub the tigress on her side, "Is new to Riding and is still learning ways of our trade and life. I feverently hope you forgive her little transgression" he finished with a flourish if arms.
Shadowfoot looked at the man who seemed to be conducting an invisible opera from his tigress, and was confused. He relaxed, but kept his eyes on the man.
The man suddenly leaned forward. He seemed to be looking at something near Shadowfoot's paw. He was silent for a few minutes.
"Oh my my.." the Man looked back at Shadowfoot. He suddenly got off his saddle and began walking to where the wolf was standing. Princess was staring at them both.
"You are Shadowfoot aren't you?" He continued, coming closer. Shadowfoot tensed yet again. "Mirōven's Ride..."the man trailed off. In one motion he reached up and tore off his shawl to reveal a thin scrawny face with a single bright eye shining through. The right eye was covered by a patch and a scar running all the way from the bottom of his right chin, through his eyes and upto his forehead cut through it.
Recognition suddenly hit Shadowfoot. That's why the man seemed familiar.
"It's me Shadow" the man said, suddenly putting his arm around Shadowfoot's neck. Shadowfoot instantly relaxed.
"It's me" the man whispered into Shadowfoot's ear, "Andrew. Mirōven's blood brother."
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