Levalis felt Lana's legs tighten around him as her body went rigid and her skin went pale. Her eyes stayed open, but they no longer seemed focused on anything in front of her.
Kyle had been keeping both eyes on her rather than where they were going.
"Lana!"
She didn't answer. Her fingers only tightened harder around Levalis.
Levalis stopped instantly. Kyle tried to pull Lana down from Levalis's back, but Levalis held her firmly with his tentacles, making sure she wouldn't fall. He growled at Kyle, warning him to stay back.
"FUCK YOU!" Kyle used telekinesis to get to the beast's back. While he could have pushed the issue and used a strength ability, he didn't want to risk injuring his wife. He dropped down and tapped her face, trying to bring her back from wherever she went.
Dobin raced to their side, raising the earth beneath his feet into stairs as he went and Kent was trying to climb up his panteri father to get to her.
Husband, brother and panteri son were trapped in desperation as the woman they loved, all for different reasons, was in trouble. Their need to be at her side, to help her through whatever was going on, overrode any sense of self-preservation.
"Mom!" He had no understanding of what was going on but daddy and Uncle Dobin were both worried so he knew he should be as well. He was only 2 and a half months old, but he knew this was not normal behavior for her.
The others raced forward but were cut of by the rest of the panteri at Levalis' orders. His muscles were tense and it looked like he was moments from dashing into the forest. He had no trust for humans. And they smelled really bad to his sensitive nose.
The only reason he was willing to tolerate this … human… was because he was the mate of her. She was not yet Awakened, and he wondered if that would change things.
While he didn't like it, he decided to lay down and allow them to do what they wanted while he looked around for the potential culprit. There were a few beings within this forest that could have this affect on a person. The problem in his mind was they should not be able to affect her.
He could feel Kyle pulling at his tentacles to break her free of his grip. He knew the human probably felt the need to hold her.
He fully understood because he felt the same way when she told him his own mate was dead. His innocent son being in her possession was all the proof he needed, still smelling of his Chosen. The memory of his rampage against the scimmia quite recent in his mind, rage barely satiated even now. The taste of their blood and flesh was still sweet on his tongue.
Now there were two sets of hands on his tentacles and Levalis could feel claws going up his hind quarters. They tickled but he resisted the urge to respond.
He had to admit he did make a pretty cute baby. His little Prince cared a lot about her as well. Good boy. Kent, she named him. A strange human name.
He was proud of his son. The only one he'd have now that his life-mate was gone. He couldn't think about that now.
Suddenly Levalis let out a low growl of warning. He didn't see any threats, but he could smell a faint … something. He wanted to get up and be ready to pounce but he had an extra load making him off balance at the moment.
A high-pitched shrill laughter reverberated throughout the forest, and he knew who it was…
"MORTIMER!!!!!" Lana lurched forward, her head tilted back slightly as she yelled out his name.
Silence was the only answer. Not a single thing stirred.
"Lana!" her husband's voice filled her ears and his arms enveloped her.
From the other side of her, another set of arms encircled her shoulders.
"Don't you EVER scare us like that again!" Dobin's voice rang out, slightly higher pitched than would be normal.
Kent had climbed up her front and had one set of back paws on daddy's arms, the next set on Uncle Dobin's, and his top set on her shoulders. His front tentacles were wrapped around her neck as he purred through his fear into her neck.
Lana blinked as she realized she was still sitting on Levalis' back. The people who loved her held her so tightly she wondered how she was able to call out as she just did without hitting someone with her head.
"How?" exasperation dripped from that one little word as she tried to piece together what she had just experienced.
Her knee didn't hurt.
Her back didn't hurt.
Her throat felt just fine.
All the scents she should be experiencing were present.
She could hear the hearts pounding of her loved ones, obviously filled with fear and worry about what they witnessed on their end while she was… Where did she go?
The colors were as they were before she fell.
'Only, I didn't fall… Did I?'
"Illusion magic?"
Kyle blinked at her. "But aren't you resistant to those types of abilities?"
Lana thought back. "Well, my head… I went dizzy like I did when you used that other ability. Maybe it was too strong?"
"You yelled out Mortimer. Who is that?" Dobin asked her with alarm.
"He's a short man that kicked my … knee," She chuckled softly, shaking her head. She didn't want to tell anyone a 2"-tall man beat her in hand-to-hand combat.
Lana blinked a few times and looked around her, taking in the scene a little better. She could see the concern and fear on the faces of her friends and teachers.
"Levalis, how much further until we get to a place we can rest and eat?" Lana asked.
"I'm hungry," Kent let out a little whine.
Levalis let out a disgruntled growl. "You, your mate, the Uncle and Kent will be staying in our cave with us for the night. Your friends will stay outside. Once we get there, someone will take Kent hunting for his dinner."
Levalis made it clear this wasn't up for debate and Lana had no energy to argue.
She relayed this information to the rest of the party, "let's get going then. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can rest."
Levalis stood and continued with everyone on his back as though the extra weight was nothing.
The other panteri resumed their previous positions, essentially forcing the rest of the party to follow the leaders.
After what seemed like an eternity, as the light of day was fading, barely penetrating the thick canopy, the party could just make out the mouth of a cave in the distance.