A nuzzle from a warm muzzle startled her. She turned to see the face of a lioness. Her eyes were gentle yet strong. Instinctively, she knew this was her mother, but something was wrong; she was not supposed to be here. Memories trickled into her mind: Eldric, Elena, the Lornyth kingdom, a carriage accident, the pain she felt and her family crying as she drifted away.

“I…. I died…” she thought.

The realisation hit her like the shock of freezing water. Panic surged through her small body, but she could do nothing but squirm in her mother’s fur.

“How am I here? Why am I like this?” Elira thought.

“You were just born. Where did the idea of death come from?” a soft female voice chuckled.

Elira looked puzzled as she looked up at her new mother.

“I’m your mother, silly,” she said, lightly touching Elira's little nose.

“Mom, do we have a sister now?” a voice said eagerly.

“Yes, come and meet the little one,” she said.

Two smaller lions bounce over what once was a blurry mass of colour.

“I’m Oren, and he’s Kalen,” said one, bouncing around. “We are your brothers. Oh, and your mother’s name is—”

“That’s rude,” Kalen interrupted, tapping Oren’s nose. “We don’t use our mother’s name.”

“Kalen, don’t hit your brother,” a voice boomed.

“Father!” Oren and Kalen said in unison.

“Voron,” she growled. “Use your quiet voice.”

He looked down to see a little cub resting their paws over their ears.

“So, who do we have here, Vela?” Voron roared quietly.

“Our special little one, but her name hasn’t come to me,” Vela said. “I’m sure she will grow into something special.

***

As a few years passed, Elira grew. Her instincts began to take over, but her memories of Elira did not fade. Moments from her past life would come back in vivid detail: Eldric's laughter and Elena's singing to her when she was young. Each memory was like a thread connecting her two lives, pulling her back toward the person she used to be.

“Well, Mother, you said she would grow into something special, but she’s huge!” Oren blurted.

“Am I really that big, Kalen?” Elira asked.

“You are bigger, but Oren is exaggerating, as always,” Kalen said. “We can no longer call you little one, sister.”

That night, as she lay under the stars, her golden eyes locked on the moon above, a sudden clarity washed over her. It was as though the fog that had clouded her thoughts had lifted. She was Princess Elira of Lornyth, given a second chance at life. Rising slowly, she glanced down at her paws—soft and padded, so different from the hands she had once known. Then she understood she was not supposed to forget Elira.

Her mind and memories were still those of Princess Elira, but now she inhabited the body of a lioness. She longed to find her way back to the kingdom she once knew. But how could she reach the king and queen in her new form? Would they even believe that she was once their daughter, or would they see only a wild beast?

While Elira grew and wrestled with her new identity, King Eldric was changing, too. The loss of his daughter broke something inside him. His once warm and just nature had hardened, and the pressure from the surrounding kingdoms intensified. Others sought to exploit his grief, eyeing Lornyth’s throne for themselves.

Determined to protect his kingdom from these threats, Eldric took an unusual path. He began gathering the strongest and unique animals in the land. Beasts that no man could tame, except him. Eldric had heard of legendary animals powerful enough to strike fear into anyone who would dare challenge him, so his kingdom would no longer be vulnerable.

One by one, he sought out these creatures: courageous bears, fearsome eagles, swift wolves. Each time, he used both words and a strange connection to convince these animals to follow him. People said he had gone mad, but Eldric knew the beasts were more than symbols of strength. They would protect his kingdom, protect his family.

As the king's collection of creatures grew, whispers began to spread across Lornyth. Eldric was no longer just a king—he was becoming an untouchable force of nature. As he gathered his powerful guardians, a single thought haunted him.

If only Elira were here to see this.

***

Elira’s mother, Vela, is preparing to leave with her siblings, Oren and Kalen, to hunt for themselves, and her father returns one final time.

“My, have you all grown well, especially you, my daughter, bigger than I,” Voron roared proudly. “You will grow into a fine protector of your family one day, but now it is your turn to hunt for yourself.”

“Please don’t mention my size. I’m bigger than you. There must be something wrong. I shouldn’t be bigger than the King of Lions,” Elira complained.

“Be proud of what you have become; the bigger, the better, I say,” Voron said.

“Have you been around humans, Father? I’ve never heard you say that before,” Elira said.

“Preposterous!” Voron roared. “How could you think of such an idea? Go, get, return stronger so I can boast… Ahem, introduce you to the rest of the pride.”

With that, they all go their separate ways, taking Elira on her first path to getting stronger.

***

Elira padded silently through the dense forest, her golden eyes scanning the underbrush. Her instincts, sharp and strong, told her that it was time to hunt. She had grown accustomed to the thrill of the chase, though a hesitance lingered. Today was no different.

Her gaze fixed on a deer grazing nearby, unaware of the predator lurking in the shadows. A strange feeling stirred within her—her human mind hesitating, but her lion instincts surged forward, propelling her into action. She stalked closer, muscles coiling in preparation. The hunt was swift, and within moments, she had her prey. As the adrenaline began to fade, Elira took a deep breath and moved on, her mind still conflicted by her dual nature.

Her ears perked up at the sound of familiar voices coming from the far side of the forest. As she emerged, she saw people in armour hitting wooden figures with sharp swords and spears; further back, she saw archers firing arrows at a target and men swinging large swords over their heads, cutting through straw stacks.

“Sir! A beast has emerged!” a man called.

“Call His Highness,” said another.

A few men head inside. As Elira continued to watch the men scurry around, she began scanning her eyes across the building behind them. It looked familiar to her, but she didn’t know why.

Suddenly, a man with a beard, in a red robe, showed up on the castle wall, staring directly at Elira. When she glanced upward, a flutter in her chest made her heart race, yet the sunlight shining in her eyes obstructed her view of the rest of his face. Her instincts, recognising him as their leader, caused her to flee back into the forest, following the sound of the rushing water.

“Come back!” a voice called in the distance.

But Elira kept running, her mind fixed on the sound of rushing water ahead. It promised a moment of peace, a welcome escape from the hunt, and the unsettling call of the strange man behind her.

***

When she arrived at the riverbank, the rustling of leaves alerted her to the presence of another. A massive bear, larger than any she had ever seen, stood at the water's edge. Its fur was thick and dark, and its eyes narrowed when it noticed Elira. For a moment, the two creatures stood frozen, sizing each other up. The bear's stance was defensive, and Elira tensed, ready for a confrontation.

But as the bear studied her, its expression softened. There was no aggression in its movements, no rush to attack. Instead, the bear watched her for a long moment before dipping its head into the river.

"You’re not here to fight, are you?" the bear rumbled, its voice rich with authority.

Elira blinked, her ears twitching in surprise. "No, I’m not here to fight," she replied cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper. The last thing she wanted was to provoke the beast.

The bear seemed to relax, and after a long pause, it nodded toward the river. "Then learn, young one. The river provides, but only for those who know how to take what it offers.

Curious, Elira watched as the bear extended one massive paw, expertly swiping through the water and catching a fish in one swift motion. Elira’s eyes widened. She had never seen anything like it before.

"You have the strength, lion," the bear continued, glancing at her with something resembling approval. "But you still have much to learn. Let me show you how the river yields its bounty, for I am Suna."

Under Suna’s patient guidance, Elira hesitated initially, her instincts still not fully accustomed to this new form of hunting. But Suna was relentless, teaching her how to sense the ripples in the water, how to wait for the right moment, and then strike with precision.

After several attempts, Elira caught her first fish, her pride swelling as she watched the struggle between her paws and the water’s resistance. She had done it. For the first time in this new life, she felt a sense of achievement, a sense of connection to the wild, to the hunt.

"Not bad," Suna said with a grunt. "But remember this—only those who understand the balance of the hunt can survive in this world."

Elira nodded, her respect for the creature growing with each word. The bear paused for a moment, then gave her a knowing glance. "There was a time I had a son, not unlike you. A human took him in after I let him go. Not all threats come in the shape of claws and teeth," she said cryptically, her voice softening.

"Why did you let him go?" Elira asked, her voice low, curious about this story.

The bear’s gaze darkened, her large form suddenly tense. "Because I could not protect him alone. Others sought to end him. He was too young, too vulnerable. The male bears are not always kind to their own. So, I let him go to a human who offered him safety."

Before Elira could ask more, the bear turned away, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "Go now. There is much for you to learn, but the world is vast, and the hunt continues. You will find your own path."

With that, the bear moved off into the shadows of the forest, leaving Elira to ponder her words. Elira watched the river for a long time. The river's surface rippled softly, as if encouraging her to continue her journey. With one last glance at the water, she took a deep breath, grounding herself in the rawness of the world around her. The forest was vast, filled with sounds both comforting and unsettling. Her instincts whispered to her, urging her to move, to learn more, to grow.