Chapter 30: Weak and Powerful
Her heart dropped. "Korran, what if... what if I'm meant to be a different kind of Moonborne? What if the mantle of the Moonborne isn't for me?" She whispered, her voice barely audible. Forgetting momentarily that Korran didn't know yet. Even though all of the Panther elders knew, including his father, brother and Maria's mother, Halika, and even her youngest daughter Sira. In some ways, in this moment, Yue Lixue's heart panged for Korran. He was the last one finding out about this Moonborne thing... and he must have been one of those cubs who grew up on elder beast tales about the Moonborne. He'd known so much about so many of the paintings and carvings.
Her heart pounding like a drum in her chest, Yue Lixue peered into the crystalline pool again, hoping to see something, anything, that would provide some clarity. The reflections of herself and Korran stared back at her, his expression a blank slate. Utterly unreadable.
The pool shimmered once more, and then, just as suddenly, the visions stopped. The water returned to its still, mirror-like state, reflecting the grotto's luminescent walls and the faint, far-off glow of the crystals above.
Korran glanced at Yue, who seemed deep in thought, her eyes locked onto the pool's surface. "Yue?" he asked softly, his voice breaking the silence. "What did you just say?" He asked flatly, then he shook his head and asked, "Acutally, tell me what did you see?"
Yue turned to face him, her expression serious. "I saw… a lot," she began, her voice filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. "I saw myself surrounded by all sorts of creatures, and there were cubs—our cubs, I think. It was beautiful, Korran. Like a dream." She paused, her eyes widening slightly as she realized what she was about to say next. "And I think… I think what I seen also means Halika was right... it means I'm the Moonborne. The next one." She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "I'm the next Moonborne, Korran. What does that mean for me, for us?" Yue looked at Korran, waiting for his reaction, her heart pounding in her chest as she awaited his response.
Korran's expression was unreadable, his amber eyes reflecting the shimmering water of the pool. He took a long pause and then a deep breath before speaking, "It means... a lot, Yue. It means you're destined for greatness and that our lives are about to change in ways we can't even imagine. It means that I'll never be able to just keep you for myself... I thought I was so lucky to have a mate who was happy with only me." He reached out, taking her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "But it also means you'll face challenges and dangers that we can't even begin to fathom... you need to be protected better, and I need to get stronger to be able to protect you."
Korran's expression darkened as he looked away, his voice barely above a whisper. "You need more mates, Yue. Ones who are stronger than me, while I get stronger for you and our family." He laid his hand gently on her flat belly, his expression filled with a mix of determination and pain as he looked back, gazing intensely into her eyes. "I can't let anything happen to you or our cubs. Not ever."
Korran's words hit Yue like a punch to the gut, the reality of the situation crashing down on her. She felt a pang of fear and sadness, her heart aching at the thought of taking more mates. She loved Korran, and the idea of sharing him with others was almost unbearable. Yet some were in her gut and the images, beautiful and horrible that she had just seen... she also knew that he was right and that her status as the Moonborne would require it.
She took a deep breath, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I understand." She turned her hand in his, squeezing it tightly. "I won't tell anyone, Korran."
Korran's expression softened, and he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Good," he said, his voice filled with relief. "It's for the best, Yue. We can't let anyone know until we're ready until we're all ready. We need to be strong, to protect you, and to protect our family."
"You seen our cubs too then?" Yue Lixue's eyes went with her hand to her stomach, of her tears one escaped.
Studying her demeanor, Korran nodded. Saying nothing yet, since he had seen cubs that were not his own.
"How many?" Yue Lixue asked, her eyes welling with tears of joy as he looked at him. His poker face still remained but melted as she said, "I seen 3, two Panthers and 1 darker Snow Leopard."
He looked around the grotto, his gaze lingering on the ancient paintings that adorned its walls. "We need to be careful, Yue. Very careful."
As Yue Lixue squeezed Korran's hand in agreement, she suddenly felt a surge of power within her. It was like a wave crashing against the shore, overwhelming and intense. Her eyes widened in shock, and she involuntarily jerked her hand away from Korran's grasp, her fingers tingling with energy. Korran asked, his eyes narrowing with concern as he saw the sudden change in her demeanor. "What's wrong? What just happened?" He reached out to touch her, but she flinched away, her body still humming with the strange, new power.
"I don't know," Yue stammered, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to understand what was happening. "I felt... something."
Just then, Korran remembered something and looked at Yue Lixue's panther matemark on the back of her shoulder blade. It was darker and more intricate now. It matched his own perfectly... maybe she felt his power flow into her?
Korran's eyes widened in realization as he looked back at Yue, a jolt of understanding coursing through him. "Yue, that power—it's mine. It happened when we... when we touched," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He reached out tentatively, his hand hovering near her shoulder as if afraid to touch her. "I think I passed some of my power to you, I know that the level of power and skills that a female can use is equal to the depth of her bond with that mate and while I'm only two stars... my beast spirit unlocked its element of shadow thanks to my brother and fathers training."
Yue Lixue's breath hitched in her throat as she turned to face Korran, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion and awe. "Your power?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she processed his words. She looked down at his own panther beastmark that she knew matched the matemark on her back, her fingers tracing the dark, intricate lines. "But... how?" Yue Lixue asked, turning to face Korran, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion and awe. "But... how did you know?" Her voice trembled slightly as she lifted her arm, trying to see the faint blue snow leopard beastmark that decorated her side. The ethereal light in the grotto cast long shadows, making it more easy, to see for him, for once even with his enhanced sight. He had completely missed its glow around the campfires being too focused on the fire itself.
Korran's gaze followed the line of her body, his eyes tracing the path of the beastmark as it wound its way down her side. The soft glow of the bioluminescent plants above cast a blue tint to her skin, and in the subtle light, he could make out the faint outline of the snow leopard. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he traced the mark, his fingers brushing against her cool skin. "I saw it," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and concern.
"Your beastmark, Yue. It's faint, barely visible. It's... weak." Korran looked up at her, his amber eyes filled with worry. "You have been training with Maria. How is it possible that your mark is still so weak?"
Yue Lixue's heart sank as she heard Korran's words, the weight of her failure pressing down on her. She looked away, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I have been training, Korran. Every day, but no matter how hard I try, my beast spirit just won't respond. I can't even shift," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Korran whispered, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. She felt the surge of his beast spirits power flood into her again After a moment, he pulled back slightly, his eyes filled with determination. "But for now, we should get back to the group. I'll teach you how to use some shadow abilities later," he added, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yue Lixue nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek as she smiled back at him. "Thank you, Korran. I don't know what I'd do without you," she admitted, her voice filled with gratitude. "One of us might be very weak for now, but at least one of us is powerful, I'm so glad for that."
Korran wiped away the tear with his thumb, his expression softening. "You'll never have to find out what to do without me, I would never let that happen. Now come on, let's go find the others... sunrise will be soo and you have the Leopard village to see. Oh, and your dress to find and put back on." He took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze before leading her back towards the entrance of the grotto.