Note: Underlined words are Kathula tail sign language.

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Thereanbold, Pinti, then Daero stepped foot or paw out onto the main road. The carnival seemed to morph into existence and music jumped into her ears. Drum thundered amidst quick strums of guitar. Feet thumped on a hard floor in a fast rhythm as clapping matched with the pace. A song floated on the breeze and part of it didn't make any sense to her.

Under the moons, between curtains of mist,

many will gather from across the Ring.

Lanterns will glow and children will wish

for a marvical night this night will bring.

Yah, tata ta! Yah, tata ta!

A carnival of the city

of Wegginfaezerie!

"Marvical?" she whispered to Daero who snorted and burst into a snicker he contained behind his paw.

"Sorcerers like to make their own words up," he said with a chuckle. "It means 'marvelous'."

Pinti bumped him with her shoulder. "Why are you laughing?" She didn't like feeling she had made some embarrassing mistake or asked a stupid question.

"Because it was just so unexpected to hear you say 'marvical'."

"Heizak." She scowled as he grinned. 

She breathed in and many different scents filled her nose and scent glands—freshly grilled meat, sweet corn, buttery pie, and the sour tang of freshly picked berries mixed with exotic incenses. Frankincense, floral bergamot, and the citrusy-sweet orange blossom flooded into her nose. She scrunched her face when slightly less favorable scents poked through. Fermented foods for alcohols mixed with a tang of putrid stench like rotten eggs.

Heizak, she thought and erased the disgust from her senses, only focusing on the good. As they neared the bustling crowds, no one paid attention to them. Pinti was wondered if Thereanbold or Daero were working some magick. Two female Halfhumans with ink-black fur and pale white Human faces strode past them without a glance. A shimmer of purple surrounded their bodies, following them around.

"Keep your wits about you, this way," Thereanbold said in a hushed voice and led them towards the fountain. It was further away than it had looked from the alley.

Following a bronze-tiled path, they passed little wooden shops with their shutters down. Across the street, Pinti spotted a crooked shop with many angles with lanterns dangling off every corner. Sorcerers elegantly floated up to the entrance—a door that hovered just over their heads.

"Just up the way," Thereanbold said. Beyond the fountain was a set of metal gates wide open just ahead. No one was going in or out and the path to the outskirts of the city were empty.

But not for long.

A puff of purple smoke suddenly appeared out of thin air, as if blocking the way. Thereanbold skidded to a halt, Pinti bumped into him and Daero came crashing into her from behind.

"Quick! Hide!" Thereanbold swiveled his head around and pointed to an abandoned food stand. "Make yourselves' scarce, pretend you're not with me, go, go over there."

The purple smoke billowed up to the sky and when it began to fade, a wooden stage appeared. Velvet curtains shielded the stage for the most part except for a spot on the right that revealed something that looked like a metal cage—just like the ones Humans used to keep their circus creatures in. The same ones Pinti herself had spent many a night in.

She sniffed the air. A tang of something familiar met her nose but she couldn't place it. Daero began tugging her away and her hood nearly fell off.

"Hurry, we need to hide, Pinti!" he hissed and dragged her to the abandoned food stand to duck behind old wooden crates.

Just moments after they left, a female Halfhuman appeared from behind the stage. She had black diamond-shaped spots on yellow-gold fur and a swooping long leopard-animal-like tail appeared from behind the stage. She went up to Thereanbold and gave him a hug.

"Good seeing you out from that cave of a mansion," she said. Pinti shivered at the sound of her low, authoritative voice. One of those commanding tones that would make many succumb to obedience.

"Well, Alsinda," Thereanbold chuckled, "I thought I'd take a gander at Carnival for a change."

Alsinda clasped her paws together. "Splendid!"

"How are you holding up, Alsinda?" He took her paw and patted it. "Everything going okay?"

Alsinda's Human face lit up into a smile, but her smile didn't reflect in her eyes. "Delightfully well as I am still top performer and with the recent addition," Her voiced faded as she glanced over her shoulder at the stage, "In fact, my show starts in a few minutes. I can show you the wonder if you would stay?"

Thereanbold seemed to be trying to make excuses but eventually gave in. When Alsinda left, he hurried over to Pinti and Daero and whispered, "We have to stay for the show, but we'll sneak out as soon as she's done and distracted with the crowd. Sit tight."

"What type is she?" Pinti whispered to Daero and he signed, Ropardia.

"And I've heard of her," he continued, "She's known for these shows. Borderline brutal aesthetic ethics." Daero narrowed his eyes and watched as more Sorcerers in colorful cloaks began to gather around the large theater stage. It rippled occasionally as if made of liquid.

Right above the curtains, the proscenium arch had floral designs etched in the wood, embossed and golden. With a growing roar, the audience applauded feverishly as the curtains melted away into the stage floor to reveal Alsinda. She had her eyes closed and stood perfectly still. Her dark red dress flowed like the grand curtain. A black cape billowed as dark red sparkles pushed it upwards. When she opened her eyes they changed to cat eyes with bright purple irises.

"Welcome friends, fellows, of our lovely Wegginfaezerie City," Alsinda's thundering voice filled the air. "Let the show begin." She made a gesture with her paws and a puff of green smoke exploded on the stage. Snakish vines burst from the stage floor but instantly burned. Ashes sparkled golden and disappeared. A haze of purple mist settled on top of the stage turning into dark blue fog. Mesmerized, Pinti watched in awe as white sparkles appeared and disappeared in the fog like twinkling stars.

"It's beautiful," she whispered to Daero, but he seemed unimpressed.

"Egotistical show-off," he muttered with a growl.

"And now, the true part of the show begins here!" Alsinda raised her paw in the air and the curtain came down in a burst of red smoke that gradually changed to purple and then a deep azure. The crowd around her chattered in excitement.

"I've been waiting for this all night," one male whispered.

"Alsinda vin Miluandé always has something special each year," said a female. "I have tips that its—" She said something in a language that Pinti didn't understand.

Without warning, Daero grabbed her arm, tugging her down and practically pulling her shoulder. "We should go. We should go now," he hissed.

"Heizak," She yanked her arm away from him, "don't grab me like that." She rubbed her shoulder where it hurt.

"We can't stay!" Daero said with a strain in his voice. The crowd began to cheer, and she looked over the stand again, but he yanked her down.

Bristling, she said, "Will you stop that? It hurts. And Thereanbold said to wait. We might as well watch." Pinti scoffed at him and that made him let go of her, but he crossed his arms and frowned.

"Fine. Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Pinti couldn't understand what he was making such a big deal about when out from behind a curl of blue smoke, a Kathula appeared chained on the wrists and ankles and wearing a muzzle.

Shock made her gasp. The distinct scent of blood and the tangy stench of fearful Kathula filled her nose and permeated throughout her body. This was what Daero had warned her about!

On the stage, Alsinda opened her arms wide with a growl on her lips. "As you well know, Kathula are a rare, endangered race. I have for you here," She gestured to the Kathula who had their head down, "a Kathula male. And," she continued, "a female."

The crowd cheered when a three-legged female Kathula came crawling onto the stage lead by a chain attached to her collar. Pinti could not believe it—Kalis! Her stubborn old mentor had been alive.

But the shocking reveal didn't end there. When the male Kathula lifted his head, she recognized him in a heartbeat. Her clanmate, her best friend, the one who said he liked rain that she never found out what he meant.

Pinti held her paws over her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes. She thought he had died, and she would never see him again.

"Kirlan," she whispered, "where had you been?" She had searched clan grounds, but everyone was dead. Had she missed him? But how could she? He was her best friend!

"Pinti!" Daero hissed. "Get down!"

Pinti swerved her ears to listen to what Alsinda was saying, ignoring Daero's calls. Kirlan and Kalis were chained but seemed well fed and their fur was shiny.

"Such rare, beautiful creatures. Just look at their luscious fur." Alsinda caressed Kalis' fur. Kalis bared her fangs and glowered but didn't lash out. "This one is from the Prendai Clan. Their almost white, pale blue fur tells us they spend a lot of time in the water and shady places." She walked over to Kirlan who didn't even move when his face was touched.

"And this one is from the Makiista Clan. The deeper azure and the dark blue stripes tell us they spend a lot of time in the sun. That is what deepens the color of their fur. And, it is said the berries they often eat can turn their fur blue. Makiista are a forest clan, unlike Prendai in the swamps and rivers."

Alsinda brandished a whip. "When Kathula feel their lives are threatened, their Lunar marking can glow for a few seconds. Shall we see?"

The whip whistled through the air and slashed across Kalis' back. She yowled and dropped down, sprawling out on the stage. Alsinda called out some strange words and Kalis' body was lifted. A breeze brushed her bangs aside to show her Lunar marking flicker and began to glow. But after a few seconds, it began go glow brighter. Pinti's responded. Her hood fell off.

Alsinda snapped her head up.

"Get down!" Daero hissed, digging his claws into her arm.

"Ow!" She snatched her arm away. With wide eyes and a quick thumping heart, she noticed everyone there was staring at her. She spotted Thereanbold pushing through the crowd towards her.

"Impossible!" Alsinda shrieked. "Lai-ikolo was telling the truth! There is another Makiista Kathula alive."

Pinti's eyes found Kirlan and recognition briefly lit up his face.

"P-Pinti?" His raspy voice sounded amplified in her ear. "Why did you leave me? I was there."

She froze at his words. "But you were—the Edgling took you away!" she cried out to him. "I—"

"Feigat!" Kirlan growled, curling his lip at her in disgust. He bristled and his eyes dilated. He lurched forward, rattling his chains.

"You did this to me! It's your fault! All your fault!" he shouted in Kathulan. "You left me behind!"

The serge of anger stormed in Pinti's face, shocking her off balance. She stumbled backwards. Alsinda was saying something in a high-pitched shriek, but the words were muffled. Sounds dulled. The warmth of her Lunar marking suddenly sickened her. She dimmed it.

I'm a failure of a Shamala. Pinti swayed where she stood. A paw grabbed hers. Soon a puff of green smoke cocooned her. Kalis, Kirlan, Alsinda, and the crowd faded. The little light that appeared in her heart began to slip away. But a small part of her hung on to the memory of what actually happened that night—the Edgling took Kirlan, Pinti and her father hid, there was nothing they could do.

Or was there?

When it was over, there was no one left.

"I didn't see him, I swear," she whispered over and over, letting Daero guide her with an arm around her shoulders as Thereanbold led them away from the city in a cloud of green smoke.

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Author Note: So, Kirlan is alive, huh?