The three tiny demons silently darted through the brush as swiftly and as quietly as possible, leaving no trails in their wake. They needed to hurry if they wanted to catch up to the caravan before it was gone for good. They’d already lost the trail twice before, they couldn’t afford to do so again.

A shadow passed above them on silent wings. One demon glanced up for a brief second then continued without notifying the other two. It was an ally, one they’d been waiting for, but they didn’t have the luxury of pleasantries. The imp shifter flapped his wings, his silent feathers barely even making a rustle as he rose higher into the air, his wide eyes catching the truck that contained their target.

He swooped down and glided right and then left, indicating where the others needed to go. The demons quickened their pace, following the owl’s shadow as it raced before them. They reached the road within minutes, the dust cloud obscuring their presence; both sight and smell. They were small but they were probably the most useful tools in the team’s arsenal for a job like this. 

They scampered around the trucks and trailers, deftly avoiding the large tires, making their way to the one the owl hovered over for three seconds before flying away. The gremlins leapt onto the bumper and climbed through the green flaps that covered the back and the large cage within.

They dove under the benches that lined the side, taking care not to be spotted by the two angels assigned to guard the anishif. In their soft, nearly inaudible chatter that made absolutely no sense to anyone, they directed each other on what to do next. Two of them dashed up the backs of the angels, and stabbed them in the back of the neck with a retracting spike, killing them instantly. The third darted up the door of the cage, working the lock with silent skill and precision.

The anishif lifted her head from where it lay on her folded arms across her knees, her amber eyes hollow and empty, her mind fuzzy from the drugs.

“What…are you doing?” she slurred in the language of the Divine.

The gremlin chittered something the larger demon couldn’t understand. “Eh,” it said in a tinny voice, “Rescue.” It pointed at the lock. “Take back. Eh…God Prince sent.”

The anishif’s head popped up and her body unfolded until she was on her hands and knees, crawling forward. “Prince Toji sent you?”

The imp nodded, the other two joined it, chittering excitedly. “Rescue! Rescue!” they chanted. 

“Yes,” she nodded, her eyes dancing with tears of relief. “Yes, please rescue me. Take me home, please!”

The imps made quick work of the lock, kicking it off and leaping onto the anishif’s back as she shoved the door open and leapt from the truck, changing into a large lioness in midair. She landed softly, making no sound as she ran off across the bush. She caught sight of the owl above them and followed after, trusting it to take her where she would be safe.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her side. With a roar, she landed heavily, rolling once before she came to a stop. She shook her head and surveyed her injury; there was a silver arrow sticking out of her flank. She tried to reach it, to yank it out with her mighty jaws, but she was struck a second time, ceasing all attempts.

She glanced up as a shadow loomed over her.

“Who…who are you…” she panted. “Why are you doing this?”

The angel knelt down, petting her on the head, a mocking smile on his face. “Relax,” he said, his voice like ice in her veins. “I’m not here to kill you. You’re much too valuable for us to waste you that way.” He stood up, pulling the arrows from her side, bringing forth a burning pain that shot through her entire body. “Change back,” he ordered. “Heal yourself. The master isn’t going to be too happy if you return damaged.”

“Master?”

The angel glared down at her, disgust filling them. “Your master and mine. The one who will bring about the change necessary for our world to thrive as it was always meant to do, to be as pure as we once were.” He turned away again. “Change, filth. I don’t need you bleeding all over my truck.”

She growled at him, baring her large, dangerous teeth. “What makes you think I won’t just run again?”

“Simple.” He pointed in the direction of the caravan and the truck that had just pulled up. The door opened and the driver jumped out, heaving a tall teenage boy out after him, bound and gagged.

The anishif roared with fury and despair as she struggled to her feet, changing as she tried to run to him, his pleas and cries ripping her heart to shreds.

“Cain!” she screamed. “Cain, no!” She made a lunge toward the caravan but the angel caught her by the neck, holding her back. She struggled, crying and screaming as she tried to escape, to get to her cub.

“If only your mate hadn’t made the same mistake you had,” the angel said. “He would be here, too.”

She’d already known about him, she’d felt the connection break at the moment of his death and she’d been in agony ever since. But her boy…her Cain…he should have stayed back at the house in the Seventh Realm. How did they find him?

“Leave him alone!” she screamed. “Leave my cub alone you monsters!”

“Monsters?!” The angel shoved her to the ground, kicking her in her stomach, all the air evacuating her body. She lay on the ground, choking, gasping for breath as he stood over her once again. “We’re the saviors of our Realms, you ungrateful bitch! You’re here to help us whether you like it or not. If we have to use your brat as leverage to get you to do what you’re told, we will! The real monsters are out there, believing they can go back and ruin the beautiful system we have.”

He crouched down, grabbing her up by her throat, forcing her to look at him. “Once we get that barrier firmly shut, we will never have to worry about that ever again. The vermin can’t run and no one will be there to save them.” The grin he produced was so full of malice, the anishif’s stomach twisted with fear. “Not even the God Kings themselves.” 

He tossed her back to the ground. “Get up,” he ordered. “You have a job to do.” He headed back to the caravan, pulling out a handkerchief from his back pocket, wiping his hand before throwing it at her. “Demon filth.”

She turned her eyes to her son, his amber eyes wide with fear. She wanted to help him, to get him out of here. She was no fool; they would kill him the first chance they got, especially if she didn’t do what they wanted. She’d heard the stories, the rumors of her people being used as weapons. She also knew of Prince Toji and his mission to rescue them and get them back home where they belonged. There had also been rumors that some anishifs stayed, wanting to do their part in helping to rescue the others.

If that was true…if the God Prince and his team really were willing to take in those who asked…

She swallowed. She wouldn’t survive this; she refused to kill anyone without cause and this bug was spouting nonsense she wanted no part in. But Cain…Cain had to survive. He could get away and get help. Her eyes darted back and forth, lighting on the gremlins who had returned, scampering under the trucks. One caught her eye. She nodded to her son.

“Cain…” she said, her voice low and hoarse. She hoped he could still hear her even from this distance. They couldn’t communicate the way she and her husband used to so she could only pray he understood what she was asking of him. “My darling boy. You are the best of us.”

His eyes widened, his head giving an imperceptible shake.

“Find them, my cub. Find them for us.”

She could see his hands spring loose from their binds behind him. With tears in her eyes, she transformed back and lunged for her captors, releasing a mighty roar, tears streaming from her golden eyes as she saw her boy change, bite the neck of his kidnapper, killing him instantly before he took off, running as fast as he could before any of them could make sense of what was happening.

She continued her rampage, doing as much damage as she could, giving Cain as much time as he needed to get as far away as possible. Before the dart hit her and the world went dark, she saw an owl flap his soundless wings and follow him.

-*-