Page 22 of Orange Tundra
The air grew colder aswe descended deeper into the prison's labyrinth. The damp stone walls seemed to close in around us, and the distant echoes of dripping water played tricks on the ears. Shadows danced along the passage, cast by the flickering torchlight Clitasoxdfwe’h held aloft. I could feel the weight of the subterranean world pressing down, each step heavier than the last.
Xy unrolled a worn parchment map, the edges frayed from years of use. "This way," he whispered, pointing down a narrow corridor veering to the left. "We need to avoid the main patrol routes." Him and his use of old technology. A fucking paper given our Purple Tribe boasts of technology no one could rival on this planet. Even that of the Blue Tribe.
I nodded, signaling for the others to stay close. Brynn walked beside me, her eyes wary as she took in our surroundings. Her disguise as a Neko prisoner was convincing, but I couldn't shake the worry gnawing at me. She was vulnerable here, and the stakes were higher than ever.
Clitasoxdfwe’h moved ahead silently, his daggers reflecting brief glints of light. He was ever vigilant, eyes scanning for anysign of movement. Behind us, CG, Sinx, and Nif shuffled along, their chains clinking softly—more for show than restraint. Their ease in shedding the manacles earlier had not gone unnoticed, but there was no time to dwell on that now.
"Hold," Sim whispered, raising a hand. We all froze. Distant footsteps echoed from a perpendicular tunnel. For a tense moment, we listened as they passed, fading into silence.
"We're close," Xy murmured, folding the map. "Cell block three should be just ahead."
A few moments later, we approached a heavy iron door etched with ancient sigils. With a nod from me, Xy produced a set of lock picks, expertly manipulating them within the rusted mechanism. A soft click echoed, and the door creaked open.
Sim watched avidly as Xy's hand moved with practiced efficiency, unlocking the cell door. The metallic groan of ancient hinges echoed through the dimly lit corridor. Inside, two manasties I didn't recognize stood near Onork.
"CG! You made it!" one of them called out, his voice echoing dangerously. I quickly catalogued a tall manasty with a scar across his cheek.
"Shut it, Thalos" CG hissed, moving swiftly into the cell with Sinx and Nif.
Their chains fell away with suspicious ease. Xy's eyebrow rose, but Nif just smirked at him after yanking the cloth from his mouth.
"Quiet Thalos," CG hissed, stepping to him swiftly. "We need to move quickly. Beral." He nodded to the manasty beside Thalos.
Beral glanced warily at us, his gaze lingering on Brynn. "Who are they?"
"Allies," CG replied curtly. "We're here for Elder Onork."
"Time has been unkind to you, Onork," I said softly. I remembered when I was younger, before I met Nim, how kindthis manasty was to not just me, but to others. The other Elders despised him, or simply because he came from the Whte Tribe.
He looked up, a faint smile crossing his lips. "And yet, here we are. Fate has a way of bringing us together when it's most needed." Huh, he remembered me.
Before I could respond, a cackle echoed from the adjacent cell. A raspy voice cut through the tension. "How kind of the royal alpha heirs to grace my humble cell."
My blood ran cold. In the corner sat Kaelor, his silver-streaked fur matted and wild, his eyes holding that same manic gleam I remembered from my youth. Beside me, Sim went rigid.
"The prophecy comes true," Kaelor continued, his gaze boring into us. Then Brynn. "A female, marked by the stars, enters with twin mates. All tribes will clash, and from the ashes, a new hope will rise."
Those words - the same ones that had sealed his fate years ago when our fathers had him imprisoned for "spouting nonsense about the end of the manasty."
Kaelor—the Mad Seer. Memories flooded back—his unsettling prophecies during our youth, the way our fathers dismissed him as a lunatic.
Sim's eyes met mine, mirroring my unease. "We don't have time for this," he muttered.
"Is it time?" Onork's quiet question carried weight.
Kaelor nodded, pointing directly at Brynn's stomach. She gasped, instinctively covering her belly with her right hand.
Everything happened at once. Sim and I growled aggressively and moved to shield Brynn while Xy and Clitasoxdfwe'h raised their swords toward CG's group. The sharp intake of breath from CG and Sinx told me they'd realized the truth. Nif's mouth hung open in shock.
"How-" Nif's booming question was cut short by CG and Sinx's hands clamping over his mouth.
Xy and Clitasoxdfwe'h shared a meaningful look with CG and Sinx, acknowledging the gravity of what they'd discovered.
"In everyone's best interest," Sim said tightly, "this stays quiet."
"We have a plan," Onork replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "One that aligns with your need to return to the White Tribe ruins." His keen eyes studied us. "If you're hidingherfrom your fathers, things must be worse than we feared. Let us help protect her."
CG, still looking stunned, nodded. "We're with you."
