Kyera's nails dug into her palms as the smell of blood filled her nostrils . Smears of red, hot and sticky . Warm air, the snarls and her own cries for help mingled on the wind . Helplessness flooded her body . All of it… all of it was her fault . Kyera glared at her .

How dare this woman live so happily ignorant of the plunder she had caused . The destruction of her own family, and yet she lived blissfully unaware . Kyera took a breath and met her yea . "You evil witch . You don't even deserve to speak their names . Your very tongue tarnishes all they ever stood for!" Kyera growled las.h.i.+ng out verbally because it took all she had not to launch herself at her mother… . No this beast .

She wanted to tear her apart and leave her as shattered as Kyera's own heart had been for so many long years . However, that's not what her brother's would have wanted . Her nails slowly released as she remembered her brothers forgiveness . Their kindness to believe their mother had her reasons . Not one reason could excuse her… not after all the pain and suffering they had endured .

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"Come now, Kyera . My sons wouldn't hold a grudge this long . " the woman tried to coax walking across the shallow river . The silent sound of something snapping deep inside Kyera's heart came out through her lips as a bemused chuckle . She turned her golden eyes on her mother and smiled in a twisted manner . "You will forgive me too . In time . " she continued, giving her daughter a gentle smile .

"I suppose so . It's hard for the dead to hate anyone . " Kyera replied shaking her head slowly . The older woman shot her a confused look that quickly turned to exasperation .

"Don't be so dramatic, Ky Mei . " she replied with a chuckle wringing water out of her hair . Some stray droplets landed on Kyera's skin and she couldn't help but rinse them off as though they were drips of acid . "Tell me about my sons . "

"They lay in a cross in the garden of our old home . Never to age a day past 15 . " Kyera replied her voice cold, filled with pain . The sound of flesh striking flesh and the fresh sting in her cheek did nothing compared to her heart's pain all these years .

The older woman shook her hand from having hit Kyera so roughly . "Lies . I've had enough Kyera . Do not curse your brothers . They love you . "she growled and Kyera dug her nails into her palms .

"Loved . I am not lying to you Akita . Keenan, Kendrick, Kain, and Konner were all laid to rest in our garden 12 years ago . Less than a year after you abandoned us . Your paws are stained with their blood . " Kyera roared at her in anger . The beast within she had made so many efforts to control was clawing to get out . She fought back the tears struggling against every urge to cry . The accursed tears overflowed down her cheeks despite her efforts .

Akira stared at her daughter, her expression blank as she saw the pain in her daughter's eyes . Waves of sorrow and the blood of old wounds deep within the heart radiated from her piercing the older woman's heart . There was no denying the truth of the tormented tiger's words . She shook her head slowly stepping back into the river as if that would escape the truth . Escape the h.e.l.l that her child must have endured all alone in a position of power in the woodlands . Now that hatred she felt from her daughter made so much more sense .

"How…" the words were soft as she looked away, unable to look into Kyera's eyes . She knew now she was wrong .

"No . I'm not reliving it for you . My brother's were murdered and it's your fault . " Kyera replied turning her back on the pitiful looking woman . There was a small side of Kyera that felt for her, having learned her sons were dead and her remaining child hated her deeply . However that side was overpowered by the side of Kyera that woman had abandoned and the pain her brothers had endured to raise her .

Without another word Kyera took a step, and then another step away from the woman .

"Ky Mei…" the woman began and Kyera froze .

"My name is Kyera Shade of the Moon . I do not forgive you, and I will never forget what you did to my family . The best I can offer is to be strangers to one another . " Kyera spoke softly but clearly . Each word was spoken from the bottom of her heart . "after all that is what we are right, Akira Mei?" after those promises were spoken Kyera continued running away . Transforming again as a roar ripped from her throat .