The Tiger Within 7 Hunter Traps Part 3

Kyera tilted her head to the side, looking the earth over between her and the pair. Das.h.i.+ng across the s.p.a.ce, body blurring like softened clay and smooth ivory skin replacing the fur she came to rest at his side. Her eyes found his and she smiled rea.s.suringly before allowing looking down at his wound. Anger flared in her heart as the gruesome wound was revealed to her. Pain pierced her chest, knowing the damage was deep, possibly permanent if he didn't get proper treatment. No young one deserved this, years from now he would walk limped and there was little that could be done. All because of some hunter's greed. She wished for a moment she hadn't killed that creature so quickly.

The skin was torn from the jagged tooth like serrations of the trap. Blood and shreds of flesh hanging pitifully from the arm of a once proud warrior. The bone didn't seem to be damaged much, just a few nicks nothing that couldn't heal with time. The muscles however were mangled and detached from each other, unable to control the paw hanging limply at her mercy. Kyera handled him with care, tilting the paw softly as she looked into the wound. The blood seeming to darken and curdle in a unsettling way However as she looked, there was something off. Kyera's nose twitched at the acrid smell wafting up from the wound. It overpowered the the metallic smell of blood and pain. The reaction of foreign liquid with blood was hard to miss as was the smell of dying flesh. Necrotic or acidic, something was coating this wound.

"What the h.e.l.l is on that metal?" demanded Kyera as she picked up the offending trap. With both hands she pried it open, snapping the metal in two as she did so. Anger nad adrenaline forcing the jaws apart, then to bending the joint to finally snapping it like a elderly dry tree against the fierce winds of the winter chill. The metal jaws were sharp and jagged, interlocking like teeth of a wolf. The chain was wrapped around the base of a tree and hidden with mud and dirt, now broken from position. Little needle tips peaked out from behind the thick teeth. Flipping it over, A growl ripped from Kyera's throat.

"Not sure, all I can really tell is it stems from those little gla.s.s bits." Veron pointed out his own distaste clear as he tried to sooth the wounded beast. The tiger's growl and eyes filled with mistrust warned him of the danger here. Too bad the boy had to be from a different village. At least if he was from home he would know they were no threat. "Calm yourself, I'm Veron. This lovely lady is Kyera. Let her help you." He said meeting eyes with the boy. Kyera ignored their conversation as the boy replied to him. THe pair going back and forth as she further inspected the trap that had caused this deadly mess tonight.

Empty gla.s.s vials attached to the needles on the inside. Each had a faint green liquid residue in the tips. Much of the liquid had been forced through the needles and now left in the fleshy wound. Veron poured more water into the wound and Kyera frowned. There was a subtle smell of burning and bubbling in the wound. The Tiger roared in pain as the water rinsed through the wound, turning black as it splashed to the ground.

"Stop, its burning through his skin. We need a antidote but I don't have any in stock. Let's get to the Shaman* and hope she has some on stock." Kyera replied looking at Veron who frowned. The quiet thought that pa.s.sed between them was not a pleasant one. She tore her dress, tieing a truncate** around the bleeding wound.

"We don't have much time before the necrossis sets into his bloodstream." He says picking him up, forcing the tiger so his body lays over his back the paws folded across his chest so Veron could carry him. Kyera nodded, standing and sniffing the air again before turning to a tiger once more. She began to lead the way across the forest floor.