(Tiamat is a transwoman and uses she/her pronouns)
Blood, war, honor, serving the colony at all costs, even if it meant death. Those were the ideals that were pounded into Tiamat’s head since the first moment her eyes opened. She was a tool, expertly honed and crafted into an instrument of killing in a generations-long war. She was taught to hate the Moon clan and kill any she encountered on sight without any regard. One less enemy for her to face. She had done it a million times before without a second thought.
Yet, when she found the skinny moon clan member in her cave, claws pointed at her throat, ready to attack her. His eyes, though, betrayed his undeniable fear of going up against someone like her. Something snapped, something shifted. He was just another pawn on this grand chess field like her - just on the opposite side.
So, she offered him a game. A wager of wits, and if she lost, then he would be able to take her life as he desired and go back to his clan with the glory and bragging rights that he was the one to slay the feared Goddess of War Tiamat.
The Moon Clan male lost, and vowed to come back to claim victory over her the next night, which she eagerly welcomed. The same cycle repeated the next night, and the next night, and night after night until it became more of a ritual pastime for both of them than an actual challenge.
Slowly, they had fallen in love, and in time, their union bore fruit and left Tiamat fleeing with the forbidden little mixed-blooded cubs into the night to find them a new, safe home to grow up in.
Gods, that was so so long ago. Now her children had grown and had branched off onto their own paths. She beamed with happiness that they had the luxury of freedom to decide how to spend the rest of their lives, something that she was never afforded in her youth.
Her youngest, Tarvoi had decided to take his home in the frozen wastelands. For the first time since he had branched off and decided to settle into his new home, Tiamat was finally coming to visit. Enzu, her mate, had decided to stay back at their cave, claiming that the cold made his bones ache. Truth was, he was just a big whiny baby with long journeys.
Tugging her furcloak tighter against her body, Tiamat shivered lightly as she trudged through the snow fields. Gods, she expected it to be cold, given how far north it was, but it soaked down to the very bone!! How did her son live in this all the time?
All she could hope was that she was close to the colony’s borders. She knew she was on the right path with the various signs of life strewn around the field. Tracks of members on the hunt, bones left around from previous meals, well-traveled paths in the snow, etc.
She also prayed for a nice, warm cave to thaw out in, awaiting her arrival at the colony’s territory!
I Lady Kiya I
