Chapter 29: Visions of Futures Past
Yue Lixue felt the weight of her worry lifting, her heartbeat slowing to a more steadfast rhythm. When they finally parted, she whispered, "I trust you," the words barely audible, yet filled with unshakable conviction. Korran's hands slid from her face, his fingers intertwining with hers, a silent vow that he would not break that trust.
"Come on," he said, leading her away from the paintings and towards the pool of water at the center of the grotto. "Let's forget the past and focus on the present, plus it's so humid in here that I'm kind of thirsty." He knelt down by the edge of the dark pool in the center of the grotto, his hand gently guiding Yue to sit beside him. The water was cool and refreshing as he cupped some and gulped it down, shimmering with a faint glow from the crystals above.
"There, that hits the spot," Korran said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked over at Yue, who had also taken a sip, her eyes closed briefly as she savored the taste. "Tastes different, doesn't it?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face.
Yue opened her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips as she nodded. "It's… crystal-clear. Pure," she responded, tilting her head to the side as she thought about it. "It's like drinking a slice of the moon."
"I guess we know what the leopards mean by 'moon water.' It's like nothing you've ever tasted, isn't it?"
Yue Lixue smiled, her gaze drifting back the pool. As she peered into the crystal-clear water, she saw something strange. The surface rippled, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of something—a silhouette, a figure. She blinked, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Korran, do you see that?" she asked, pointing into the pool.
Korran followed her gaze, his brows furrowing as he tried to make out the same thing she did. "See what?" he asked, leaning in closer to the water.
The reflections of Yue and Korran morphed, shifting into something else entirely for each of them.
Korran watched in awe as his reflection transformed into a majestic black panther, its fur shimmering under the crystalline light. The panther sat regally on a throne of polished stone, a king among his subjects. He blinked, stunned by the vision, a sense of destiny washing over him.
He looked desperate to find his brother and fathers face among the crowd but he couldn't. They were gone. Only Yue Lixue's face and several panther and snow leopards cubs played infront of him. His heart broke and softened. "My children?" He cried as they looked at him worried but pounced over lovingly.
Meanwhile, Yue's reflection altered as well, showing her surrounded by a menagerie of unusual creatures. She saw herself cradling tiny panther and snow leopard cubs, their fur soft and warm against her skin. A majestic white stag stood proudly beside a black panther, a Jaguar... or a lion? She wasnt sure but they were fuzzy but beside and her, while what looked like a huge dark blue dragon curled protectively around the group. A huge dark purple eagle perched on her shoulder, its black eyes wise and knowing, and a unicorn grazed peacefully nearby.
Yue felt a surge of protectiveness and love as she looked at the creatures, each one unique and precious. The blood and jaguars with storms and gold shimmers in the air were strange and unsettling, but she felt a strong connection to the creatures and the scene. She looked up at Korran, her eyes wide with wonder and concern. "What does this mean, Korran? Why am I seeing this?" she asked, her voice filled with a sense of awe and trepidation.
Korran watched his own scene unfold in the water, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and worry. He looked down at his reflection, the panther king sitting proudly on the throne, the cubs playing at its feet. He felt a swell of pride and joy, but also a sense of uncertainty.
The vision shifted again, and he found himself watching another scene unfold. This time, it was Yue, but she was different—she was radiant, her body glowing with a silver aura as she mated with a jaguar princess. The prince was beautiful, his spotted fur shimmering with a golden storm-like energy. Korran's heart pounded as he watched them, a mix of emotions swirling within him. Becoming a storm of its own.
The scene changed once more, and now Korran was standing beside the jaguar prince and a pregnant Yue, a white stag looked on at them. The prince placed a comforting hand on Yue's belly, a gentle smile on her face. Korran's eyes widened in shock as he realized who the jaguar prince was—his cousin, a lion and Samira's Son, Prince Veyram and to his utter disbelief, he was not wearing a crown, the same one he had seen in his previous vision. Korran still wore the crown.
The water's surface rippled again, and the vision changed once more. Korran was standing beside a brooding female figure, his crown now upon the other's head. Yue stood before them, her eyes filled with tears as she held a small child in her arms. The child was a tiny golden cub, its fur shimmering with a mix of silver and golden storm-like energy. Korran's heart skipped a beat as he realized the child was not his. He looked at the figure beside him, and to his horror, he saw that it was his cousin, Prince Veyram, the same lion, and adopted, jaguar... Samira's Son that he had seen in his previous vision, but this time, Yue Lixue was wearing the crown.
His own panther and snow leopard cubs no where to be seen. He felt a loss he had no idea he could have felt... this was a vision. It wasn't real... so what was this?
"What... what is this, Korran?" Yue whispered, her voice trembling as she looked at the horrific vision of blood, war and death that raked her own vision. She looked up, scanning the walls and counting all the mythical beasts from her world that were past Moonborne mates: Unicorns, Griffin, Dragons and more. Her eyes halted on a mythical beast with golden fur and a crown.