The world slowed down around me. I couldn’t feel the heat from the flame-filled sky or hear the din of battle. I could only see ice. Lifeless ice blue eyes stared up at me. The rage, the primal ferocity that filled those eyes just moments ago, was now snuffed out completely. Just blank discs of ice.

  All the ragged fur covering the beast, gone. The snarling muzzle, gone. The blood covered claws, gone. He was just a man.

  Just seconds ago this man was a bipedal wolf trying to kill me—the prey I bested—but now…

  Marns laid the man down on his back. He closed the dead man’s eyelids with his hands. Then Marns closed his own, placing a hand on the wolf man’s chest, and spoke some inaudible words. A prayer of some sort maybe. My eyes sat on the man. He must’ve had some type of canine gene. Fangs jutted out of his mouth. His trope probably. But just as the thought entered, I looked down at his left foot. Or It’d be best to say his paw. His right foot was normal, covered in a worn leather boot. But his left was a canine paw. An oddity that really wasn’t important right now.

  Celebrate. You won. You taught the beast a lesson. We stand above him. Even if our kill was stolen. We won.

  Tigris’ hubris riddled thoughts flooded my mind, begging me to relish in this victory. And I won’t lie, a part of me deeply wanted to. It was a hard fought victory. But I just couldn’t.

  This was the second time I watched a man die on the battlefield. A different circumstance to be sure, but one that brought about the same feeling of disgust. One that even managed to overpower Tigris form’s pride. Or tried to. My mind whirled as the thoughts collided with each other, so many emotions welled up inside from each side of the spectrum. Anger, pride, joy, sorrow.

  Until a single thought prevailed.

  I just about killed this man. I wanted to kill that man. I’m a murd—

  Before the thought had finished, someone pulled my arm. I jerked my head up. It was Marns. He grabbed onto my shoulders and stared into my eyes, his eyes moving rapidly, searching for something. I wanted to look away, to hide, but for some reason I held his gaze. I think it was because it felt like a challenge. And I wouldn’t back down, not in this form.

  Marns sighed, shaking his head. “Good, you’re not too far gone.”

  “What?” I asked.

  Marns patted my shoulders. “Many freeze up after seeing a person’s death this close. Especially in circumstances like these. But from what I can tell, this isn’t your first run in with it. It's troubling you but you are still cognizant. And that means you can still fight.”

  Then his hands glowed that green color, healing the wounds I received in the fight as well as refilling my stamina.

  “Fight? But they’re people.”

  “I know.” The medic’s words were sharp. “But this is still a raid. Meaning, if we don't fight, people die. Our people. Now stay still for the next thirty seconds.”

  “But—”

  “No!” He shouted.

  I shut my mouth and looked at the man healing me. Marns was a few inches shorter than me so I was looking at the top of his head. My left eye twitched. Anger flared up in my chest. How dare he speak to me, his better, like that. I shook my head. Looks like Tigris hasn’t quite shut up yet. And it wasn’t what really bothered me.

  He puzzled me. How could he be okay? He just killed a man, not a wild animal. But a person with thoughts and feelings, maybe even a family. And not only that, Marns killed two men. At least that’s what I assume. I hadn’t seen the remains of the beast that went after him. I brought my head up. It didn’t take long, Tigris’s eyesight was exceptionally sharp. A trait it shared with the Shade Panther I mimicked from all those months ago.

  About a dozen feet away, another body sat on the ground. My blood ran cold, colder even this time. It was a woman. Her clothes tattered and disheveled and a twisted neck, just like the man’s.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  I suppressed a shiver, but it did nothing to staunch the flow of darkening thoughts in my head. Is that my future here? Cold callous killing. Of people and monsters alike. Just a mindless killing machine. Is that all these Kniyans are? No, I’m not them, I’m better. I didn’t kill that man. He did. And not only that, but a woman as well. How vile.

  I looked back down at Marns, a feeling of repulsion growing in my stomach. Every fiber of my people screamed to be rid of this man. An actual murderer. Degenerate filth that wasn’t even fit to heal me. I needed to be free from him. I went to pull away from the bastard. But as I moved, I caught sight of his hands.

  They trembled. As the light restored my body, his hands, broken and cut up from his own battle, shook as he healed me. I looked at the side of his face, a single tear ran down the medic’s cheek. It was wiped away in an instant.

  While I observed him, something tugged at my mind. Emotions. Emotions that weren’t my own. I blinked. There was a faint blue field hovering above the medic. Turmoil. The word popped into my head as I observed the aura. Not mine but his. A turmoil that destroyed him. A healer, that’s what he was supposed to be. A man whose sole purpose was to give life, not take it. That’s what Jaren promised. Then the blue light flickered, along with the negative feelings. I blinked again and it was gone.

  I rubbed my eyes, but it didn’t come back. Before I could investigate further, Marns backed away from me. Not even a hint of that sadness on his face. He nodded at me.

  “Thank you.” I said, my eyes still straining at the top of his head as I searched for that blue light again.

  “Sure thing,” he responded with a grin. Then his eyes squinted, he saw something.

  A hiss came from behind me. I twisted around and found a pair of the mucus launching geckos. Like the ones I ran past while on the roof of the academy during the break in or back in the cave. Without so much as a warning, they rushed forward.

  Fresh prey. I licked my lips. The bloodthirsty thought managed to shove all the uncertainty from my mind, replaced with gratefulness. These were monsters, through and through. I could hunt them to my heart’s content. And Lord knows I could really use that. Some blood on my claws would do me a world of good.

  I charged at them. They both whipped their tails at me, launching wads of glue like mucus. However, it was barely a threat. The new level up alongside Tigris form’s increased proficiency meant the shots couldn’t even come close. I dodged them all with ease. Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream.

  Once the two stopped their barrage, I rushed up to the closest, then blinded him with Eternal Shade the second I was close enough. The gecko’s eyes shot around, searching for me.

  It was sad, really. These things gave me such trouble in my other forms. But not only were they out of their element on the flat, open field, but they were up against me in Tigris form: the absolute peak of my repertoire. The one who stood above them all.

  I pounced onto the lizard’s back, sinking my claws into its neck flesh. Then just as I was about to tear its throat out, a single thought entered my mind.

  What if this one’s a person too?

  My claws retracted.

  And the beast took the chance. It spun around, throwing me off. I hit the ground hard, hard enough to shut Eternal Shade off. Then its tail swung out, sending another goo ball at me. I raised my arm in time to stop it from hitting my face. The wad solidified on my forearm, just above my elbow.

  I snorted, anger building at the fact I let this stupid beast land a blow. Then I felt the rush of Predator’s Bloodlust as I gained my first stack.

  I jumped up, just before another wad landed on my foot and pinned me to the ground. I turned on Eternal Shade again. The gecko was too far to be encapsulated by it, so I ran to the edge of the shadow bubble and jumped straight up, ensuring that the lizard would lose sight of me.

  It shot out a few more wads of slime into the shadow sphere, but I was at its side already. My claws slashed out at the limbs on the left side of its body. Blood gushed from the creature’s legs as it fell. I ran up to its face. I drove my claws into the top of its muzzle, forcing it shut. I brought my free hand up to its throat. I could finish it with a simple swipe.

  I stared at its defenseless throat. One quick slash. Come on, do it! Quit being a pussy and kill it! Show this creature what it means to stand before you.

  My hands quivered under the gecko’s head. My mind floundered about. It tried to move from my grasp but I held it down.

  Then I felt another tug on my mind. Just like it was with Marns. But the emotions were different. Far different. I blinked again, and this time the gecko was covered in a malevolent maroon aura that flared around its whole body.

  I connected with the beast only to experience the rabid murderous intent that stirred just under the surface. One that wished for nothing but my death. And one that made my next action quite simple.

  I opened its throat, painting the ground with its blood.

  I stood up, taking a deep breath. A notification popped up.

  [TIGRIS PROFICIENCY LEVEL UP. NOW LEVEL ‘6’]

  [GOOD JOB!]

  [NEW ABILITY: ‘Aura Sight’ ACQUIRED]