Nyra shifted gently, curling up her body next to Elena. She rested her head on Elena’s lap.

“You don’t have to say goodbye,” Nyra said. “She is with us in my mind and your heart. I’m still here, Elena. As your guardian now, we’ll protect each other, and I love you just as much.

Elena’s tears slowed as she stroked Nyra’s head, a bittersweet smile forming on her face. “My little lioness,” she whispered. “No matter what form you take, you will always be my little lioness, Nyra.”

Nyra closed her eyes, her heart heavy and full at once. “I love you so much, Elena.”

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s presence, the tears finally fading into quiet understanding. The bond they shared was strong, and in this moment, neither of them needed words—just the closeness they had missed for so long. They both drifted into a light rest.

***

Zara and Nero walked in some time later, dragging a blanket with them. They pulled it over Nyra and around Elena’s shoulders.

“Looks like she told them,” Nero said.

“Yeah, but am I the only one still fazed by Nyra’s change? We checked on her last night, and there she was, human,” Zara whispered.

“It will take time to adjust. Just like everyone else,” Nero whispered.

They lay down next to them just as Koda and Mistral entered the tent with Horus on his back. They both lay next to Elena and Nyra as Horus nestled into Mistral’s fur. The group settled quietly around Nyra and Elena, the peaceful weight of their presence lulling them into a deeper rest.

Outside, the camp stirred to life as the morning gave way to the bright light of noon. Sunlight filtered through the fabric of the tent, casting a warm glow over those who were resting inside. Nyra lay nestled close to Elena while the animals remained curled up nearby. Koda lifted his head, his ears twitching as he glanced toward the entrance.

“The sun’s high now,” he murmured. “It’s almost noon.”

Mistral nodded, his eyes half-closed but alert. “We should let them rest a little longer. They’ve had a lot to take in.”

Zara flicked her tail thoughtfully, gazing at Nyra. "It seems strange. Things are different now, but it doesn't feel wrong."

The camp outside buzzed with midday activity, but inside the tent, the warmth of the blanket and the soft rise and fall of breathing created a moment of calm amid the shifting world.

Elena slowly opened her eyes to see herself surrounded by animals.

“Her Highness is awake,” Nero said to the others.

“Let’s go then,” Horus replied.

“But if we move, we will wake Nyra,” Mistral whispered.

Around them, a low chorus of growls, soft grunts, and quiet huffs filled the air, unintelligible to human ears but understood completely by the animals.

Zara looked at Elena and then at Nyra, who was peacefully sleeping in Elena’s lap.

“Are we ready for—" Eldric started.

Then, out of nowhere, Horus flew at Eldric and flapped him out of the tent. Eldric calmed Horus and stuck his head in instead and whispered, “Sorry, this looks sweet. Lunch is ready when you are.”

“Nice job, Horus,” Nero thought.

Nyra groaned and cracked one eye open as the others stood up.
“Oh, hello, guys,” she mumbled sleepily, her other eye still closed.

“Nyra, it’s noon,” Elena said gently.

“Noon? I missed breakfast…” Nyra replied, half-asleep.

“You’ll miss lunch if you don’t hurry,” Nero added.

“I don’t wanna miss lunch,” she muttered. “Nero, help me up.”
She held out her arms like a tired child.

“You’re not a child, Nyra. You can stand on your own,” Elena said, amused.

Nyra blinked slowly.
“Nyra…” she repeated, as if tasting the name.
Then her eyes widened just a little.
“Oh! Oh—right. Sorry, Nero. I’m awake now. Really.”

She scrambled to her feet and started pacing the tent, still groggy and nearly stumbling.

Nero gave Elena a quiet nod as Nyra wandered, distracted, and ushered the others out of the tent.

Nyra flattened her hair with her hands and swept some hair to the side.

“How do I look, Your Highness?” Nyra said, twirling around and falling into Elena’s arms.

“You look fine,” Elena laughed.

“Yes, you're smiling now,” Nyra laughed. “But now I’m nervous. I’m human. This is so strange. So much has happened in a short time.”

“We’ll take it one step at a time,” Elena said calmly.

As Nyra and Elena stepped out of the tent, the morning bustle around the camp quietened down. Kaia and Orin, both in the middle of preparing lunch, froze, their gazes fixed on the unfamiliar person by Elena’s side. Orin’s brows furrowed as he looked from Nyra to Elena and back again, clearly puzzled.

“Er… Your Highness?” Orin asked hesitantly, his eyes darting between the two. “Who’s this?”

Kaia’s hand rested against her chin as she leaned in.

“Is that…is that a guest? Or maybe…someone new?” Kaia whispered.

Elena chuckled softly and placed a reassuring hand on Nyra’s shoulder.

“It’s not just anyone. This is Nyra,” Elena explained.

Both Kaia and Orin blinked, their eyes widening in shock. Orin stumbled back a step, his mouth dropping open.

“N…Nyra?” Orin stammered. “But…you were a lion a second ago.”

Nyra shifted awkwardly, her cheeks flushing.

“Yeah, it’s a long story. But I’m still the same. This is new for me, too,” Nyra said as her ears twitched slightly.

Before either Kaia or Orin could recover from their shock, Silas wandered over to Elena and Nyra, squinting at the commotion. He paused, looking Nyra up and down, his eyes trailing over her ears, her tail, and finally back to her face. His jaw dropped as he realised who she was.

“Wait…Nyra?” Silas spoke carefully, looking at her ears, tail, and face, trying to make sense of it all. “You mean to tell me…our lioness is now…human?”

Nyra let out a nervous laugh.

“Surprise?” Nyra said awkwardly.

Silas’s eyes widened further, and then he burst out laughing.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Silas said, giving her a playful nudge. “Well, this is going to take time to get used to.”

Kaia and Orin finally shook off their shock and walked up to them. Kaia couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Nyra’s ears, a curious smile on her face.

“They’re…they’re soft,” Kaia muttered, clearly fascinated.

Nyra's ears twitched, freeing themselves from Kaia’s touch. Nyra rolled her eyes with a laugh.

“Hey, be careful! They are real, you know!” Nyra said with a laugh.

The group slowly eased into a comfortable chatter, though they continued stealing glances at her now and then, still marvelling at the change. By the time lunch was ready, the initial shock had worn off, but their eyes held a new sense of awe and a touch of wonder for what other surprises Nyra might bring.

***

A guard was carrying a plate of meat.

“Your Highness? Where’s Nyra?” they asked.

“She’s right here,” Eldric said.

Nyra waved awkwardly.

People bombarded her with questions as she was trying to eat.

“Nyra, do you have any idea how it happened?” Orin asked.

“As you have become human, why did your ears and tail stay?” Kaia asked.

“Guys, leave her be!” Silas ordered.

“Sorry, Nyra,” Kaia and Orin said in unison.

“It’s alright, but I don’t have those answers for you,” Nyra laughed.

Nyra happily ate her steak with her hands, forgetting human manners by finishing with licking her fingers.

She felt uncomfortable stares linger on her. She paused mid-lick and looked up. Even Eldric, Elena, Rachelle and Mirael were staring.

“What’s wrong?” Nyra asked.

She paused for a moment.

“Oh!” Nyra said, surprised. “Where can I wash my hands?”

Nyra's face turned bright red.

“Nyra, you’re human now. You have got to remember that,” Nyra thought to herself.

“Eldric, we shouldn’t stare. She’s been a lioness for four years. There will be habits that are difficult to change,” Elena whispered.

Elena walked up to Nyra and guided her to a nearby stream.

“I apologise for staring,” Elena said, drying Nyra’s hands.

“It’s fine, it’s a normal reaction for anyone. I need to learn the ways of being human again.” Nyra laughed awkwardly.

After drying her hands, Nyra glanced back at the group, who had already started tidying up the camp. A sense of excitement mixed with unease filled her stomach. Her new form was still unfamiliar, but the thought of returning to the kingdom made her heart race.

Eldric, noting the quiet reflection in her eyes, approached with a warm smile.

“Shall we head home?” he asked.

Nyra nodded, and together, they joined the others who were waiting around the carriages. She had grown more comfortable with their curious stares, and they slowly softened into more accepting smiles. Elena patted Nyra’s shoulder, catching her attention.

“Would you like to ride with us?” Elena asked.

“It’s alright. I’ll join Nero and the others,” Nyra replied.

The carriage awaited her just beyond the camp’s edge, sunlight glinting off its polished wood, with Mistral sticking his head out the window. Nyra took a deep breath and wobbled inside, glancing around at everyone with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

At Eldric’s signal, the horses began to move, and Mistral brought his head back into the carriage as the camp began to fade into the distance. Nyra settled into her seat, with Zara jumping into her lap, Mistral, Koda, and Nero lying comfortably on the floor, and Horus perched nearby.

As the gentle rhythm of the carriage rocked them, Nyra clung to the sides of the seat. Memories of the carriage crash flooded into her mind, and she spaced out.

***

The sharp veer of the carriage threw Elira sideways. Her grip on the seat slipped. Her heart raced, breath coming in shallow bursts as the world around her spun wildly. A breath escaped her lips, a soft gasp lost in the chaos, as she fell towards the window. The carriage continued to tilt, its wheels bouncing over the uneven ground, and plunged Elira into the side, blurring her vision. The world outside became a dizzying blur of trees and sky, tumbling faster with every second.

Everything was silent, save for the ragged sound of her breath and the desperate creaking of the carriage as it lurched. The moment stretched on endlessly, fear surging within her until—crash!

Elira gasped sharply as the carriage shattered, splintering around her, and the jagged debris pierced her.

She felt a gentle nudge on her arm.

“A wet nose?” she thought.

Nyra snapped herself out of it with a quick shake of her head. She looked down to see Zara pressing her nose against Nyra’s arm.

“Are you alright?” Zara asked, looking up at Nyra.

After hearing Zara’s words, Nero’s ears perked up.

“I’m alright. It's nothing to worry about,” Nyra said softly.

Nyra loosened her grip on the seat and rested a hand on Zara’s back. Zara could feel Nyra’s hand shaking on her back, so she shifted her weight and rested against Nyra’s stomach.

Nyra soon relaxed. But Nero had already noticed the finger indents on the cushion of the seat.

“Are you sure?” Nero asked. “We're here to listen if you'd like to talk about it.”

“It’s okay, I just got a little scared when the carriage rocked,” Nyra said as she sighed.

Nyra relaxed, gazing out at the passing landscape. Home was calling her back, and she was ready to embrace it. As a human.

The carriages began pulling up to the castle. Nyra noticed a carriage waiting outside. It wasn’t Duke Dawellen’s; his crest was green with snakes, while Lornyth's was blue with a lion. This crest was yellow with a tiger on it.

“Valroth’s crest!” Nyra thought.

The carriage stopped, and Nyra stumbled out with Zara in her arms, followed closely by the other animals. Zara was small for her age, so she was light to handle.

They walked up to Eldric and Elena.

“What’s going on?” Nyra asked.

“Maybe Valroth got word of your disappearance and came to help,” Eldric suggested.

“Rachelle!” a female voice called out.

Nyra turned to see a young woman with long, flowing hair that shimmered like gold in the sunlight, cascading down her back in soft waves. Her bright purple eyes sparkled with kindness. She wore a fitted, elegant gown in shades of yellow and gold, adorned with intricate patterns resembling tiger stripes, symbolising her family’s crest. She carried herself with confidence and warmth, rushing toward Rachelle with concern etched on her face.

“Valerie!” Rachelle cried, not thinking about formalities.

Nyra also noticed a young man standing by the carriage. He was tall and imposing, with an athletic build. His short, slightly wild, dark hair contrasted with his amber eyes. He wore a dark tunic that highlighted his muscular frame, paired with trousers suited for ease of movement. Subtle accents of orange and yellow in his attire paid homage to Valroth’s colours and crest. He carried a sense of authority; although he appeared serious at first, there was a hint of a playful smile on his lips as he watched his sister rush toward Rachelle, displaying his supportive nature.

“It’s Valerie and Valen,” Nyra thought.

As Valerie rushed over, Nyra sensed the bond between the siblings, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that contrasted with the tension of recent events. Rachelle and Valerie embraced tightly.

“What brings you here, Princess Valerie?” Rachelle asked.

“You can call me Valerie, you know,” she replied. “We heard you lost your lioness, and I begged Father to assist in finding her.”

“Oh, Duke Dawellen’s daughter, Mirael, rescued her and brought Nyra back to us… with some changes,” Rachelle explained awkwardly, gesturing at Nyra, who was putting Zara down.

Nyra curtsied.

“What?!” Valerie exclaimed in surprise.

“Let’s talk inside, shall we?” Eldric suggested, ushering them toward the castle.

Once inside, they entered the meeting room, leaving a few Valroth and Lornyth guards outside. Inside the room were some guards, Valen, Valerie, Elena, Eldric, Nyra, Mirael, and Rachelle. They frantically explained the situation, skipping Elira’s memories, and got Valen and Valerie mostly up to date.

“So you just found her human with no explanation?” Valerie said, confused.

“Wow, which is a lot, especially since she looks a lot like Princess Elira,” Valen added.

“Valen!” Valerie grunted, smacking Valen’s arm. “Be respectful.”

“It’s okay,” Nyra said. “I get that a lot.”

“Okay, now I’m curious, if it is alright to ask, what did Princess Elira look like?” Rachelle asked.

Elena led them to a black curtain that didn’t seem to cover a window. A winding mechanism gently pulled the curtains open, revealing a painting of Elira.

Elira was a breathtaking beauty with an aura that drew attention. Her long silver hair flowed down her chest like moonlight on a quiet night. Her blue eyes were captivating, holding an almost otherworldly charm. She wore elegant blue robes with delicate silver designs, reflecting her grace. Her smile was warm and reassuring, and her presence radiated an effortless elegance. Though her beauty was undeniable, there was an air of mystery around her, as if she carried hidden wisdom and untold secrets.