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Invincible loomed over Babur’s body, lip curled in disgust. He turned to the crowd.
“Anyone else wants to challenge me? Does anyone else want their tail ripped off? I’ll make quick work of it,” he sneered. The tigers shook their heads frantically, some of them just sitting rigid-still.
Invincible gave them one last challenging glare. “Good. I will make you all miserable. This isn’t just the Streak. It’s my Streak. You all live under my rules and my eyes. I can see you, hear you, smell you. So it’d be best if you didn’t try to get into trouble.” He gave a contemptuous huff and then stalked out of the camp.
He stalked around the territory, sniffing and exploring. He had to. His Streak could not know more about the territory than he did. He found a nest of long-ears but wasn’t in the mood to hunt. Chara and Calzar followed him.
They walked and walked, Invincible sniffing at almost every tree, and then came to a halt at the forest's edge. “Wait!” he growled at the other two. They stopped, too, and looked out in shock.
The forest ended, but beyond it was a huge flat surface of land, yellow grass growing out of the ground, unfamiliar trees, and almost nowhere to hide. Invincible sniffed the air, and it smelled plain and open.
“What in the Great Tiger is this place?” Calzar snarled in amazement.
“We’re about to find out.” Invincible was about to take his first step onto the yellow grass, but Calzar nipped his tail. “But- Invincible! You don’t know what’s out there! It could be dangerous!” he hissed.
Invincible shot him a 'Have you been paying attention to the WORLD around you lately?' look. “Dangerous? Ha! I’d love to find something out there that’s as strong as me. Calzar, you must have fuzz in your brain! Did you forget the past few days completely or what?” he grinned in amusement.
Calzar suddenly looked embarrassed, shrunk inside his fur. “I- I’m sorry, Invincible. I don’t know why those words came out of my mouth.” He looked at the ground.
Invincible rolled his eyes and stepped into the plains. It was bright, the sun having nowhere to hide, as there were no thick trees or evergreens to hide its rays. Invincible blinked at the sudden brightness of it, and Chara and Calzar’s eyes squinted too.
“Come on, don't wait for the grass to grow.” Invincible and his friends patrolled through the long grass, fascinated by the new land, and came to a halt as they scented something.
“What’s that I smell?” Invincible growled.
“I don’t know. Should we find out?” Chara asked curiously.
“Of course. Let’s go.”
Dropping into a crouch and stalking forward, he found what it was. Some strange, big, tan big cats with some having huge tufts of hair around their neck and tail, and some having no hair around their necks, were attacking another strange creature.
“What is that thing?” Calzar gasped in shock.325Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kczNCQBNK
“Be quiet until we find out,” Invincible replied hurriedly. He had to find out what these things were and what they were doing.
They were swiping sharp claws at smaller cats. They were yellowish-tan-furred, with black spots all over and unusually long legs. They had small heads and long tails, and black streaks running down their faces. They tried to bolt away from the odd bigger hairy-cats, and they were fast. Their lean paws carried them forward across the plain, racing away in fright from the bigger cats.
Then, one of the big cats burst from the bushes and grasped a spot-cat, clawing and tearing at its neck. The spot-cat struggled desperately, putting its legs out and trying to block the large jaws from tearing its throat out.
Invincible felt a stab of anger, and he was suddenly, uncontrollably, running forward. “Come on! We have to help them! Those fur-heads won’t touch those spot-cats! I won’t let them kill that poor creature!” He sped forward, furious, Chara and Calzar closing in behind him.
He leaped at the fur-cat, raking its haunches and biting at its ankles. The fur-cat roared in surprise and turned to face him. “Stripe-cat?” he snarled.
The spot-cat struggled free and gave him a grateful look. Then she dashed away for cover in the grass. The other fur-cats appeared, shocked by Invincible’s appearance.
“Stripe-cats?"
"What are they doing in Makunga Plains?"
"Great Lion! Is that stripe-cat black-and-white? I’ve never seen one before!”
They stepped toward him in interest, but he bared his fearsome teeth.
“Different color, same courage," Invincible snarled. "You back off, you oversized bullies! What are you and why are you so keen on killing those innocent spot-cats?” he growled challengingly.
The lions gave him amused glances, and one huffed, “We’re lions, gazelle-brain! And hunting those . . . spot-cats are in our nature. It’s what we do. And now, if I may ask, what are you? And where do you come from? The forest? You’re a long way from home, and you better get your muddy forest paws out of our Savannah. Get out of Makunga Plains!”
Invincible fought the urge to bristle, rage pushing at the corners of his eyes, trying to blind him and take control. But he kept his tone calm and cool as he replied to the lions.
“We are tigers, and we do come from the forest. And you, lions, as you call yourself, have no right to challenge me. My name is Invincible, and I am the strongest creature- or thing- that you will ever see. I will make you see that a tiger's stripes command respect, no matter what they look like. With the word of the Great Tiger, we have every right to be in this land, as it is now as much our territory as it is yours. You now do not get to touch those spot-cats in the slightest, or you shall be expecting great trouble. This is now part of Invincible’s Forest, and I have a new name for it- Invincible Plains. I am your new leader, and you must never forget that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to know the spot-cats.”
But the lions blared at him in anger. “And you have no right to steal our Savannah and pretend like you’re the king of every single creature on the planet! Go back to your prickly forest and leave our business to us!” a lion roared.
“And you better stop challenging me like that, or I’ll rip your heart out!” Invincible snapped. “The plains belong to the bold, not the boastful. And you’re right, fur-cat. I am the leader of every creature in this world. I am Invincible Goldenclaw. Say it! Loud and clear!” he added, raking the earth with his claws.
“Invincible Goldenclaw?” they said questioningly.
“Not like that! Say it like you mean it! Invincible Goldenclaw!" he roared.
“Invincible Goldenclaw!” they said loudly and fearfully.
“Now, get back to your pathetic camp. I’ll be back soon. You are now my new Streak members. And so will the spot-cats, so if you dare point a claw at them, you shall expect me to be there.”
He bounded toward the spot-cat. She chirped in fright, and rose to her paws, ready to run. “It’s okay,” Invincible said. “I’m the one that saved you. Can you tell me why they tried to do that to you? Was it for a reason, or just them being plain nonsense?” he asked calmly.
The spot-cat sighed and replied. “Lions are very complicated creatures,” she said knowingly. “We are called cheetahs, not spot-cats, by the way. And . . . we cheetahs are the smallest of the big cats here. We get bullied by lions, vultures, and hyenas, most cubs don’t make it to become grown-up because of that. Lions prey on cheetahs, and hyenas would gladly make a snack out of a cub of ours. We aren’t usually strong enough to fight off scavengers, so they take our prey a lot. It’s not an easy life, being a cheetah. We were built lean and small to run and use our speed, not big to fight and ambush. We aren’t built for that, but lions are. Like hyenas and vultures, they can make a meal out of a cheetah if they have the chance,” she explained.
Invincible nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, cheetahs. Say, that won’t happen anymore. I declare that no scavenger or creature should bully another creature. No innocent animal should have this kind of treatment from animals stronger than them for sport, eating them, killing their cubs, or taking their prey when they were the ones who worked hard to catch it! I cannot stand bullies!" he growled.
He turned back to the cheetah. “What’s your name?” he asked. The cheetah blinked at him, gratitude in her eyes. “My name is Alice. And you?” she asked.
Invincible purred. “I am Invincible. I feel like you should have an idea of why I’m called that. Do you?” He looked at Alice, searching her gaze.
“Wait . . . are you immortal?” she gasped.
Invincible nodded. “Yes, and not just that. I can turn into a spirit, shapeshift, and build almost anything,” he laughed.
“W . . . Wow. I never thought I’d meet such a powerful creature. And . . . will you do anything about the lions threatening us?” she asked.
“Hmmm . . . I’ll have to think about what I’ll do with them,” Invincible grunted thoughtfully. “But I’ll tell you one thing, cheetah. Those fur-cats won’t hurt you or any cheetah ever again. I can grant you this, but you must be under my orders, and follow them at all times. If you fail to do this, I can’t keep the fur-cats from hurting you. You don’t follow me, you don’t get my protection. Do you swear that you will always obey me with your life?” He looked at Alice again.
She didn’t hesitate. “Of course, Invincible. I believe you will lead us cheetahs through the toughest times. I swear by the Great Cheetah, we cheetahs will not let you down,” she said determinedly.
Invincible pricked his ears. “The Great Cheetah? What’s that?” he asked, curious.
Alice smiled in amusement. “I thought you’d know already, Invincible.” she gave a mrrow.
“The Great Cheetah, I’m guessing, is just like your Great Tiger. She lives in the sky above Cheetah Valley, and she keeps us safe. I’m guessing this is a gift from her, bringing you to us, to keep the cheetahs safe from lions and other predators. She’s a beautiful spirit cheetah, and when she goes in the water she can turn into all the colors you can ever think of. She is the cheetah’s guide.” Alice looked up into the dimming sky.
Invincible nodded in understanding. “So the Great Cheetah . . . she’s like . . . my Great Tiger? She keeps the cheetahs safe as the Great Tiger does to tigers?” he asked.
“Yes, Invincible. If you think about her enough, she might come down right now and greet us. Shall we find out?” Alice asked.
Invincible eagerly nodded his head and looked up to the sky, closed his eyes, and thought about a spirit cheetah running through the sky, happy and content, looking down over her beloved cheetahs who ran on land. He never took his mind off it, concentrating.
Then, a swirl of mist ran down toward them. Invincible braced himself, fur tingling with excitement. He would see the Great Cheetah! Maybe then, he could get . . . maybe . . . the Great Lion? Other species of Great Cats? He could have them all by his side! Then, no one would dare taunt him.
The Great Cheetah suddenly stood before them. “Hello, Invincible. An honor it is, to finally meet you. I met with the Great Tiger not long ago, and he told me all about you. He favors you, Invincible. I guided you here, amidst your awareness, to help the cheetahs. I knew you could help. I will be your ally, for the future of my cheetahs,” the Great Cheetah said.
Invincible nodded with pleasure. “Oh, indeed, I want every Great Cat Spirit on my side. If I have you as my new ally, and all the spirits yet to come, no one would dare bully or challenge me ever again.” Growling, his white stripes turned to a fiery orange in his rage. His coat became a tough, black fur and hot orange liquid that burned his fury. His eyes flickered red for just a moment on accident, and Invincible blinked it away, his eyes silver again. What was that? He thought he had sensed a type of unfamiliar power he hadn't yet felt... oh well. Alice stared with a gaping jaw, and Great Cheetah sat calmly.
“I will never give up this power. No one can defeat me already, and if I have every Cat, Spirit and Living, on my side . . . I would finally feel like I... well, like I belong.”
He looked up and grinned triumphantly, bristling and looking at the Great Cheetah in the eyes. “Great Cheetah, do you swear to live under my rules at all times, defend me with your life as well as cheetahs, share my power, not help enemies? Do you promise to uphold the Law of the Great Tiger? If you can’t, I guess I’ll just share this power with the other Great Spirits that will agree, and you will be free of my protection. Do you vow to make this oath, once and for all, and to never betray me, your master? Your leader?” He looked down at the Great Spirit, his pelt spiking with excitement.
She looked at him and nodded. “I promise, Invincible,” she purred.325Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YmShToz3N
“Alright. Repeat after me, please,” Invincible took a breath.
“I vow,” he waited.
“I vow,” the cheetahs repeated.
“To make this oath. The cheetahs will look down on Invincible the tiger, never to betray his trust. I will be on his side at all times, to fight, hunt, patrol, and care for him and his soldiers, for if I fail to do this, I will no longer have the protection of Invincible and the Streak, and will be thrown out and defeated. I promise to never leave this oath and keep it with me for life. Invincible is now my King, and always will be.”
The cheetahs repeated it, others coming to sit down and say it, desperate to see what was going on.
“Now for the Mark and Mask. You will each, including your Great Cheetah, will get a shallow mark on your throat, as tradition. You will carry this scar with you for life, and even if you betray me and get exiled or killed, this mark will not heal or leave your throat. It shows that you are, or were, a member of Invincible’s Streak. Then, you will get a mask. You are allowed to take it off and back on when you want to, and it’s made of bones and has the top two canines for extra detail. Let’s get started, then.”
He stopped bristling, the bubbling orange liquid inside him turning into white stripes, the flaky black fur turning tough and sleek.
“Lift your throat. Don’t worry, you’ll hardly feel a thing,” he ordered. The cheetahs paused for a heartbeat, glancing at him curiously, then lifted their necks, showing the front of their throat.
Invincible stalked toward the Great Cheetah first. He unsheathed his long, sharp claws, drew back his paw, then flew it forward and sliced Great Cheetah’s throat. She braced but didn’t back away.
He went onto Alice, and her muscles tensed, but she still seemed content under his leadership.
He sliced every single neck, and then it was time to move on to Masking. With his pwer, he made a bone mask for every single cheetah and put it on them. He then put outer bones around the body and spikes around the paws and tail. He then lifted his throat and said, “Now it’s your turn to scar your leader. Scar me as hard as you want, it won’t kill or hurt me. Tear a hole in my chest for all I care. Trust me, it won’t hurt me a bit. I’m Invincible, after all. I can’t feel pain.”
The cheetahs looked at each other, hesitating, then stepped forward and drove their claws into his throat and chest. It felt like nothing, no pain, and he smiled in satisfaction.
When he was done, he stepped back from the cheetahs, purring with pleasure. “Thank you, my cheetahs. You are quite helpful.”
They bowed down, shy.
“Well, shall we go to the Streak?” He tilted his head. 325Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6gzvktPec
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” the cheetahs chirped.
“Well, then we need a way to get you all herded back, and I know how to do it.”
He closed his eyes and began to transform. He grew big, really big. His striped fur disappeared, along with his mask and spikes. Coils grew around his paws, and big white feathers popped out of them. On his back legs, more feathers grew on his upper legs, growing to his side flank. His tail got coiled as well, and the tip became a large white tuft of fur, like a fur-cat. He felt the bones around his body grow golden and white, and with them came huge, beautiful white wings, and golden coils at the top sides of the wings. His ears grew long, pointed, and spiky, and a white mane grew on his head, also spiky. His claws were long, golden, and sharp as well. He was a manticore.
He drew himself up, lifting his head and spreading his wings. “Hop on,” he rumbled.
The cheetahs, and Chara and Calzar, leaped upon his back, brimming with excitement. Then, with a flap of his great wings, Invincible took off. He soared through the air, enjoying the breeze on his face, his mane flowing with it.
He was just almost in the forest when something shot from the ground straight at him. He growled in surprise, but shook his head and kept going. Must have imagined it. But then, three more spike-sticks shot straight toward where he was flying, one catching him in the stomach. Though he didn’t feel it, he roared in fury and confusion, and the cheetahs yelped in surprise.
Then, a weird flying object soared through the air toward him, a huge net dangling from the bottom of it. He realized, in shock, that it wanted to catch him. He snarled, trying to show his strength to this strange metal bird, but it ignored his teeth and claws.
The net hit him, and he slammed into it, tangling into the trap. Despite all his power, he was also curious, wondering what the bird was planning to do. He let his weight drop onto the net, and he heard the cheetahs yelping in horror.
“Don’t worry, my friends. I won’t let anything happen to you. We’re going to find out what’s going on, and I’m not going to escape yet. I’m going to give them a lesson soon, but I need to find out why they're doing this, and who or what the birds are.”
The cheetahs stared at him as if he had turned into a cloud and were asking them to drink its rainwater. A cheetah whispered to Invincible. “Are you crazy? You may not be able to die, but we can!” He flattened his ears.
“Yes, you can die, but I won’t let you. You made that promise and oath and made it through the Mark and Mask. How can I let you die? I promised you power and protection. I will not let you die, ever. You made that oath, and I have my promise to you in return. You will be safe. Just follow my lead, and let’s discover this 'threat' to the Streak,” Invincible replied.
The cheetahs calmed down a bit, their fur flattening, and then collapsed down in the huge net.
The bird was taking them farther away from the forest, and when Invincible looked down, he saw strange buildings built in place.
Then, it sprang to mind.
He was in the No-Fur Land.
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