Under the silvery moonlight, Ruby's wine-red hair glowed like embers as she cradled her daughters in her arms. The snake, usually a docile creature, had become tense and protective around Bridget, its small eyes narrowing suspiciously at any movement.
"Alright, little one," Leon grumbled as he cautiously approached to collect Bridget for a diaper change. "I'm not going to hurt her."
The snake unexpectedly lunged at him, fangs bared, barely missing his hand. Leon instinctively recoiled, his muscles tensing as he prepared to strike back.
"Leon, wait!" Ruby cried out, her voice laced with panic. "We need to leave, now! Gather the village; the houses are going to collapse!"
Leon hesitated for a moment, taking in the fear in Ruby's lavender eyes and the urgency in her tone. Without questioning her further, he shifted into his beast form, his body covered in snowy fur, and let out a booming roar that echoed through the village. He sprinted through the dirt paths, his paws pounding heavily on the ground.
His warning was met with confusion as heads popped out of homes. Females clutched their cubs while half-asleep shifted males positioned themselves for an attack. With no visible danger, they exchanged puzzled glances as Leon raced back to his hut.
Ruby stood outside, her daughters wrapped tightly around her, the lion cub nestled between her legs for warmth. The snake coiled protectively around her neck, its scales glistening in the moonlight. The cool fall air hung heavy and still around them.
"Ruby, what's going on?" Leon growled softly, reverting to his human form as he reached her side.
"I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But I can feel it in my bones. Something terrible is about to happen."
"Trust your instincts," Leon said, his eyes scanning the village. "We'll protect the children and our people, no matter what."
"Earthquake!" Ruby cried out, her lavender eyes wide with fear. The villagers stared at her in confusion, not understanding the urgency in her voice.
That is, until the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The earth's vibrations grew stronger with each passing second, and Ruby knew they were running out of time. "To the river!" she shouted, urging the villagers forward.
As they stumbled towards the river, the earth shook more violently, causing females and the young to trip and fall. Males caught them mid-fall, their strong arms providing some semblance of safety amidst the chaos. Behind them, the ground cracked open, as if a great maw was swallowing their village whole. Panic spread like wildfire, the males uncertain of how to combat this unseen enemy, while the females clung to their young, frightened for their lives.
"Stay close!" Ruby thought to herself, gritting her teeth as she focused on her elemental powers. With a forceful gesture, she raised an earthen wall around the villagers, protecting them from the gaping chasm that threatened to consume them all. However, the crack continued to snake upwards, splitting the wall in half before the earth finally quieted down.
"Is...is it over?" a newly shifted lion beast kin asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"For now," Ruby replied, trying to sound confident despite the fear that clawed at her insides. She remembered the cave she had entered this world from, and made a decision. "Everyone, follow me. There's a cave nearby where we can take shelter."
"Ruby," Leon said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take some of the males to see what's left of our homes. We'll catch up with you."
"Be careful," she murmured, her heart aching at the thought of losing him. With a nod, Leon shifted into his beast form and led a group of males back towards their crumbling village.
The flickering flames of the newly lit fire danced against Ruby's wine-red hair as she formed a large clay cauldron out of the riverbank. Her lavender eyes, filled with determination, reflected the warmth of the growing blaze. She couldn't help but feel responsible for everything that had happened, but she knew she had to stay strong for her daughters and the village.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Ruby," one of the male lion villagers called out, extending a clawed hand towards her. "We'll take it from here. You go take care of those little ones."
"Thank you." Her voice was thick with gratitude as she nodded and made her way back into the cave where her daughters were nestled.
As Ruby entered the dimly lit cavern, she could hear the hushed whispers of the other women echoing off the walls. She tried to ignore them, focusing on her daughters' tiny faces as they stirred in their makeshift bed of leaves and furs.
"Did you see her hair turn to fire?" one woman whispered, her voice laced with suspicion. "It wasn't just a trick of the eye. There's something different about her."
"Ever since she arrived, our lives have been turned upside down," another chimed in. "Our village stood for countless generations, and now...it's gone. Just like that."
Ruby cradled her daughters closer, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. It hurt to know that people saw her as a threat, or even worse, a harbinger of disaster. But she couldn't let their opinions dictate how she felt about herself; her daughters needed her to be strong for them.
Heavy footsteps approached the cave entrance, and Ruby glanced up to see Leon and his party returning, their faces etched with defeat. She knew without them saying a word that their village had been swallowed by the earth's gaping maw.
"Ruby, the village is gone," Leon confirmed, his voice heavy with despair as he looked into her lavender eyes. "The earth hole travels out east, taking everything with it."
A pang of sadness resonated in Ruby's chest, but she pushed it aside. Now wasn't the time for mourning; they needed to focus on survival. With determination fueling her, she finished feeding her daughters before handing them over to Leon, who held them close to his broad chest. Then, with her fingers dancing through the air, Ruby molded clay from the riverbanks into bowls, distributing them among the males so they could dish out food for the women.
"Thank you, Ruby," one of the men said, his gruff voice softening as he took a bowl from her.
"Please, make sure everyone gets some food," Ruby replied, her gaze flickering toward the females huddled near the cave entrance.
As the sun began to rise, casting a muted golden glow on the land, the women's complaints reached the ears of the males. The men exchanged glances before one of them stepped forward, speaking in a reassuring tone. "We promise, as the sun rises, we will spend the day rebuilding homes for you all."
The cool morning air nipped at Ruby's cheeks as the men gathered, discussing the best place to establish their new village. Leon, ever the strategist, suggested crossing the river since the crack hadn't extended beyond it. "It seems safer over there," he reasoned.
His words stirred something within Ruby, and she felt the pulsing energy of her elemental powers beckon to her. With a deep breath, she focused her mind and summoned a sturdy earthen bridge that spanned the width of the river. The men stared in awe, but Ruby's thoughts were preoccupied with their next steps.
"Thank you, Ruby," Leon murmured, his eyes filled with gratitude and a hint of concern. "We'll take care of the rest."
As the men crossed the bridge, Ruby couldn't help but worry about the future. Would her elemental powers be enough to protect them from further disasters? And would the women ever truly accept her as one of their own?With a sigh, she watched the men disappear into the distance, their resolve as solid as the earth beneath their feet. For now, all she could do was hope – and fight for the family and village she had come to love.
The damp cave walls echoed with the discontented murmurs of the village women, their voices growing louder as they huddled together for warmth. Ruby stood apart from them, her heart heavy with the burden of their accusations. She held her children close to her, the lion cub nestled against her leg and the snake curled protectively around her arm.
"Can't you see it's all her fault?" one woman spat venomously, glaring at Ruby. "Everything was fine before she arrived!"
"Please, I never intended any harm," Ruby implored, her lavender eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I would do anything to protect this village."
"Ha! You expect us to believe that?" another woman sneered. "We've lived in peace for generations, and now our homes are destroyed!"
Before Ruby could defend herself further, the men returned to the cave, their arms laden with food for the shivering females. Unmated males set to work preparing the meal while mated males wrapped their strong arms around their partners, providing warmth and comfort. Ruby remained outcast, her loneliness piercing her like a dagger.
"Ruby," Leon whispered, kneeling beside her with furrowed brows. "What's happening? Why are they treating you like this?"
"Leon, they're blaming me for the earthquake," she confessed, her voice barely audible. "They think my presence has brought disaster upon the village."
He nodded solemnly, his gaze filled with understanding. "If the village decides to cast us out, we can only ask for leniency. If we remind them that you gave birth to two females after almost a decade of male births, perhaps they'll allow us to stay through the cold season. We can leave during the heat season when it's safer to travel."
"Maybe," Ruby agreed hesitantly. "But we should wait to see if the others bring up the subject. I don't want to make things worse by speaking out of turn."
"Very well," Leon acquiesced, his hand gently squeezing her shoulder in a gesture of support. "But remember, we are not alone. We have each other, and our children. We will face whatever comes together."
As the cave filled with the aroma of cooking food and the sounds of laughter from reunited couples, Ruby clung to Leon's words like a lifeline. In this dark moment, she realized the true strength of her love for him, and the fierce determination that burned within her heart to protect their family – no matter the cost.