Third
It was the mating season, where every black panther goes hunting but not for a pre but to find a female panther to impregnate her. Having fun and then saying goodbyes to her.
Black male panthers are known for being solitary, they lived alone, abandoned females and their cups 'babies . they knew nothing about being responsible, it was just their nature for being free all the time, more like playboys.
But the fact was more than that— male black panthers believe that females and cubs and having family shortened their lives. Yes, black panthers' lives ranged from 13 to 18 years old. But black shifter panthers average between 35 to 40-year living.
So, every black panther shifter decided to look after himself only and be more selfish, bloody killer and having fun for the extreme. They live in the forests or nearby, their kingdom is known for "kingdom of death" or "Wankadia"
All the black panthers have the ability to shift at an early age by 2 and a half years old. They are capable of detecting fear, hear the unhearable sound from far away distance, and can see in total darkness.
The one who rules is the one who finds the 'Black heart-shaped flower so rare and almost appears every twenty years somewhere in the wildness, deep in the forest.
That was simply the life of black shifter panther….
But in that mating season, it was so different, the young Declan who was only 16 years old, decided to do not waste his time and not getting laid like others and keep the search for the black heart-shaped flower that will give him the powers to lead and rule "the kingdom of death"
But— it wasn't an easy mission for the young Declan to use his nostrils to find the flower. Because something else distracted him. He smelt the fear! human adrenaline. His bloody desires forced him to track the scent and to attack his prey. After all, it would be a delicious meal.
But, he didn t know back then: that by tracking the human scent, he will find his goal, he would be the luckiest black shifter panther ever!
He ran in the darkness, the moonlight was faint, the screams started to be clearer to him. He knew that his prey was about one mile away. He clenched his thick claws and started running as fast as fifty kilometers per hour. He almost flew as if he was an owl… until his blue pierced eyes spotted the object! She was a girl… a little girl.
He jumped closer to her, curving his back in his panther shape. The girl stopped screaming, which was weird!
She only smiled at him. His heart fluttered in his chest to the baby girl. She seemed lost in the forest or maybe someone evil threw her alone to get rid of her. As much as he was smarter than any other creature, as much as all his senses and his brain function stopped by looking into the black-eyed girl's iris. As if she was a witch.
He roared, hoping that she might try to run away. But instead, she walked closer to him, she kept smiling softly like an angel who just fell from the sky.
That kindly forced him to shift back to his human shape. She didn t grasp, as if she used to see creatures like him. She didn t whine, she didn t cry. She only clutched into his waist "please help me." that was her words that melted his heart partially. Melted a heart never knew who his father was! A heart made of hunger, death, hatred, black blood."
He stepped backward and growled, he wanted to leave her there, but something pushed him to stay.
She suddenly bent down and picked a flower and handed it to him "rare flower. Black, I guess…" she whispered.
And his eyes widened, he snatched the black heart flower immediately "this is my powers! My crown."
She didn t seem to understand anything, but she looked happy for hi joyful, she giggled lightly and only said, "Daddy, take me with you, back."
And the word daddy had a strong affection over his ears. Black male panthers never lived with their cups. Ever! Declan didn t know what he should do, she was his luck! Because of her, he would be crowned in a few hours like the ' king of death at the age of 16 only. He couldn t leave her or she might die.
He leaned a few inches, "how old are you?"
She hugged him "I m ten years old… My name is Anastasia, daddy. Have you forgotten me?"
Her words confused him, "I m not your daddy! What happened to you and where did you come from? And—"
Declan kept bombarding the little girl with questions. But she only uttered in depression "I was blind until I saw you."
"What!" that was the word that smashed Declan's heart walls into tiny pieces. He decided to allow only her to be a part of his life. He made his decisions to be her daddy. Even so, all the kingdom and black panthers would go against him.
Declan tightened his grip over his precious black heart-shaped flower and pulled his white black-eyed flower 'Anastasia to his back. Knowing that after being crowned, he could break the first rule and forbid every panther from coming closer to his little daughter! Ys, he decided to announce her as —his daughter to keep her safe from every other creature.
The age gap between Declan and Anastasia was not much, only six years old. But according to Declan's and panthers' lives, he was mature enough as human. And because Anastasia was still shorty and tiny and childish, he didn t think it would be inappropriate to adopt her. He didn t think of age at all but only to keep his lucky Amulet safe and close to him.
He didn t think once, that his lucky Amulet might be his death. Might be his love. Might become the one he breaks every rule of his kingdom to only have her.