38 An Unusual Request 1

The spirit beast informed Jayde that her name was Kameko, she was a Shadowbeast from the center of the Dark Forest, she was attacked by Auraflayers they were sworn enemies of her pride. After being severely injured she had tried to flee, but was pursued, and ended up here in the second ring. After a lengthy battle, she managed to kill her attacker, but was too injured to leave.

[His filthy body is yonder] Kameko said indicating in the distance.

At least now Jayde understood why there was nothing describing a spirit beast like Kameko in the old man's journals, he had never been to the center of the Dark Forest.

[So tell me about yourself, little one]

Jayde wasn't quite sure why she told Kameko the truth, maybe because she knew she was dying, or she just wanted someone else to know her secret, or it could be that she just needed someone to talk too, but as she sat there in the dirt, stroking Kameko's head, as she spilled her whole life story.

Jayde described her life in the Federation, and her fight to free the Centauri, how she died and then woke up in this new body, she went on to tell Kameko about what she had experienced in the past two months,Kameko looked at her in amazement, then she got to the part of the previous Jayde past as well as her feelings about her "sister", Kameko gently licked Jayde face, her eyes expressing her sympathy.

[Little Jayde, you really are an amazing human, no wonder you are so different]

Jayde was really surprised that Kameko believed her, her story was so crazy, she wouldn't have believed it if someone had told it to her such a story. What Jayde didn't know was that spirit beasts could smell when a human was lying, and shadowbeasts themselves were empathic, so she could feel Jayde emotions as she told her story.

Taking some water from her storage ring, Jayde fed some to Kameko, then drank some herself, her mouth was dry from talking so long. Jayde noticed that Kameko was looking exhausted, her eyes were dull with pain.

"You should rest Kameko, I will stand guard"

[No, not yet, I will rest soon, there is still something I need to do]and with that Kameko lifted up one of her broken wings, it must have been incredibly painful for her, but she seemed determined. Seeing her struggling so hard, Jayde quickly helped her.

To Jayde absolute astonishment, lying under Kameko's wing was a small shadowbeast, well small being relative in this case, next to Kameko it was small, but next to Jayde it was large.

[Little Jayde, this is my son Reiko]

"He's beautiful"

Reiko lifted his head off his paws, looking at Jayde, he had the same color eyes as his mother, but they will overflowing with sadness, he knew his mother was dying.

[Little Jayde, I want you to form a contract with my son, I entrust him to you]

"A contract? No Kameko, surely it would be better if he goes back to the pride, I promise I will look after him until I am strong enough to take him back"

[He can never return to the pride, they will kill him] Kameko said her voice filled with sadness.

[I am an outcast, only the alpha couple are allowed to have cubs, and I broke the rules and was cast out, that is why I was alone when the Auraflayers found me] explained Kameko.

[His only path is to be a loner, and that is a path that leads to death, without a pride backing him he will surely die, so you must form a contract with him, I know that you will protect him]

Jayde was really surprised finding out about Kameko's pride and her outcast status, she now understood why Reiko couldn't return.

"Kameko, I don't need to contract him — I swear I will protect him, and look after him as if he is my own" Jayde promised.

Jayde explained further "A contract, it's like a turning a spirit beast into a slave, I find that disgusting"

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