Shadow Requiem

Amaya hadn’t moved. She lay stretched out over a thick branch, her tiny body lost against the rough bark. Her wiry legs dangled, as if gravity itself had shaped her into this odd, weightless pose. I couldn’t say why she did it—nobody really could.

I’d expected her to be with Yuren. So what was she doing here, alone?

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. She shot upright, head tilted, beak pointed toward the sky.

Then I saw it—dozens of fireballs, big and small, tumbling out of the clouds. They crashed down all over the forest, sending flames leaping wherever they struck.

Beasts of every kind were running now, their voices rising in wild panic.

“What… what’s going on? ”Yuren," she stammered. But there wasn’t time for caution or questions. An Aligoula swooped out of the sky, clutching its hard-earned meal. It moved like it knew exactly what was coming—the air around it split with searing trails of falling fire. One hit would’ve finished it, no question. Pure instinct and speed kept it alive for one more second.

But luck only lasts so long. After that, you’re on your own.

A burning fireball slammed into it. No warning. No mercy. It let out a short cry, fell from the sky, and hit the earth so hard the ground shook. That was it—cruel and sudden.

Amaya saw everything, her eyes sharp and unblinking. She caught each moment—the impact, the fall, the silence that followed. She made a thin, mournful sound, then dove after the fallen creature.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Yuren hadn’t been hit, not yet. Still, every nerve in his body screamed danger. This wasn’t just about him anymore. The whole forest was at risk. He didn’t know what was happening or where the madness had started—all he really felt was terror. Sweat poured down his face. The heat grew with every heartbeat. And then, somehow, Amaya was right there at his side.

The mother Aligoula landed next to her fallen kin. You could see in the way she moved—slow, careful—that she’d lost something that mattered. She nudged the battered body. For a heartbeat, it was still breathing. One more rasping cry, one more look, and then there was nothing left.

She touched beak to beak, almost asking the world to take it back. But death doesn’t bargain. Now it was only grief, heavy and very real.

She spread her wings, threw back her head, and let out a sharp, aching cry.

At the other edge of the fire, a Wargroat arrived. It found a tiny form curled on the burning ground—its own cub, already gone. The Wargroat touched the body with a gentleness that made the loss feel even heavier. Love, right at the end, holding on as long as it could.

But where love leaves, rage marches in right behind it. The Wargroat turned, eyes blazing with hatred, and found the Aligoula standing in the smoke. This was more than rivalry. These two had clashed since time out of mind.

With a snarl, the Wargroat charged. The Aligoula didn’t flinch. She met the attack head-on—fierce, refusing to back away from the grief and anger burning all around her.

They crashed together, fighting with all the wild fury only the truly desperate can summon.

Yuren watched, frozen, as the two beasts tore into each other. But fear broke through the trance—his own life was in jeopardy now. Everything around him was burning, everything falling apart. He looked for some way out, anything he could use. Nothing.

He needed to run and fast.

He barely finished the thought before a huge, blazing fireball tore through the sky, headed straight for him. It filled his eyes with light. The air crackled. The forest roared. And then—WOOOSH!

To Be Continued...

Notice: I cut this for now, for some reason. Next time it will become completed. Happy Reading!