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THE CIRCLE OF LIFE IS A LIE
"a pretty way to say there are predators and prey"

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          Sa'tari stood with her back straight, her tail stock still as she tried desperately to keep the smile that wanted to burst through at bay. As the stars aligned, her prayers had been answered. In front of her, Sa'tari's father stood fierce and tall, fitting a headpiece to Sa'tari, one that matched his own.

The beads fell delicately around her ears, a mixture of dark blue and black stood out against her fur as they were connected by a string of leather. The difference between Sa'tari's and her father's was that his adorned beads of blood red that littered his pattern, earned from the battles Sa'tari herself had yet to partake in. Together, the headpieces were two of a matching set.

"Look at you, all grown up," Abasi murmured, eyes roaming across Sa'tari's face as if this was the last time he'd ever see her. Finally, Sa'tari let her smile bound across her face as Abasi's hand came to rest on her shoulder. "I never thought I'd see this day come."

"Stop messing around Dad," Sa'tari giggled softly, nose scrunching and ears twitching atop her head as she felt the beaded headpiece shift slightly. "You've been planning this ceremony for months. I should be the sentimental one."

"I know, I know," He repeated, the first time for Sa'tari while the second was for himself. A soft smile broke through Abasi's usual stoic expression as he took in the ceremonial attire that Sa'tari was wearing, not too different from the one he was made to wear many moons ago. "It's just, Aishia would be so proud of what you've become."

Ducking her head bashfully, Sa'tari softened. Although she had never personally known the women, Aishia played such an important role in Sa'tari's life, just as any mother would.

"Thank you, Dad," Her voice came out almost as a whisper, a quiet moment between the two of them to be preserved. One of their last moments before Sa'tari became a warrior and fully fledged member of their village. Reaching a hand out to grab onto her fathers, she gave it a soft squeeze. "That means a lot to me."

Abasi opened his mouth to say more but the words never got the chance to escape as someone came bursting into their house. The fur along Sa'tari's body quickly stood on edge as she snapped around to see who it was, her ears twitching to pick up any indication of whom it might be. She should've known from Abasi's relaxed stance that it was no threat as Nyo came bustling in.

"Chief," Nyo huffed, out of breath. Bent over himself with his hands resting on his knees as he fought to catch his breath, Nyo looked up to find the scene he had interrupted, Abasi's expression morphing back to the stern one he was most commonly spotted with. Straightening, Nyo rushed out, "They're ready for you."

"Thank you, Nyo," Abasi gruffly said, dipping his head slightly to show his appreciation. Looking at his daughter briefly before turning back, Abasi said, "If you could give us a moment, we'll be out soon."

"Of course, Chief," Nyo nodded, already backing up towards the door. "I'll let them know."

The two snow leopards waited a second until the piece of fabric covering the entryway to their house slipped shut, signifying the extent of their privacy, before they began talking again. Picking up both of Sa'tari's hands in his, Abasi cherished them as he ran his thumb over the back of them, leaning forward until their foreheads rested against each other. Sa'tari let her eyes slip shut as she enjoyed this moment and the peace that came with it.

"After today you'll be a warrior," Abasi spoke slowly, allowing the words and their magnitude to sink in. Leaning away, Sa'tari's eyes peeled open, determination setting into them as she listened to her father intently. "The transformation will take a few days and will hurt. It won't be easy but you're strong. We believe you'll make the quickest recovery as they're passed down to you."

Sa'tari could only nod her head as her father prepared her, not expecting the sudden pull towards their door as Abasi led the way. As they reached it, he dropped her hands so he could pull the curtain aside and let her step through it first, but before he could, Sa'tari charged into him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

It took a second for Abasi to react, momentarily stunned, but when he did he returned the favour just as generously as he secured his arms around Sa'tari, lifting her off the ground for a few seconds as he held her close and butted their heads together. A gentle purr trickled out of Sa'tari for the seconds she was trapped there.

When Abasi let go, they were both reluctant to part ways, but something greater awaited Sa'tari, and Abasi wasn't going to keep her from her destiny.

Pulling the curtain back as he had originally intended to, Abasi revealed a crowd containing their entire village, all waiting to get a look at and celebrate Sa'tari. Eyes widening as she took them all in, Sa'tari couldn't help but smile as she stepped out of the small house, being welcomed by everyone in full as small cubs ran towards her and leopards she had previously trained with took up her sides.

"If it isn't our great warrior," Koa mused as he stuck to Sa'tari's left, brashly grinning as he peered down at her. He absently picked up one of the small cubs that were running around at their feet and lifted them to sit on his shoulders. "On her way to fulfil the great prophecy. I wonder, what lives will you save first?"

"Don't jest, Koa," Tisa warned as she reached behind Sa'tari to lightly smack Koa's arm, hardly able to keep her own laughter in as she did so. "Today's important for Sa'tari and the village. The gift is being passed down from the ancestors and we're all lucky enough to be alive to witness it."

"Do you think I'll get a gift from the ancestors?" The small cub atop Koa's shoulders asked, his tail swishing rapidly along Koa's back.

"Well, Tamu," Sa'tari grinned as she looked up at the cub, reaching her hands up to pluck him off Koa's shoulders and hold him on her hip for a few moments as they walked through the village, those who occupied it parting way for them before joining the parade that followed. "If you train to be a warrior just like us then you might. But that's many years away."

"When did you start training, Sa'tari?" A little girl, Itanya, asked as she came up next to Sa'tari, her paws burying themselves in the ceremonial fabrics that Sa'tari wore.

"When I was just a bit older than you," Sa'tari proudly recalled, remembering every second of her training as if it had been embedded into her skin like the patterns of her fur. "Now, run along and play amongst yourselves. The night has just started and we have much to do."

"Aw, that was cute," Tisa coed, bumping into Sa'tari lightly as they reached the edge of the village and began their way into the snow-covered mountains, fighting through forests to get to their sacred temple. The crunch of snow echoed dully beneath Sa'tari's feet, a harsh whisper as she stalked away from her village. "You're like their idol."

"I guess that's just one of the many perks of being the chosen one," She cockily shrugged, not bothering to hide the grin on her face as Koa scoffed and Tisa shook her head in amusement. "Everyone loves me and I'll be remembered for generations to come. It's no biggie really."

"Speaking of everyone loving you," Koa groaned, head subtly turning back to where someone was gaining ground on them. Both Sa'tari and Tisa turned to see who it was Koa was talking about but quickly snapped their heads away when they realised who. "It seems like your mate-to-be is making their way over here."

"Ugh, do not call him that," Sa'tari rolled her eyes, face twisting in disgust. "It's bad enough he sees himself as a serious suitor. I don't need him catching wind of you calling him as such-"

"Sa'tari," Taji called, coming up beside Sa'tari and bumping Koa out of the way so he could wrap an arm around Sa'tari's waist. Sa'tari felt her body stiffen at his touch, her brain screaming to relax even though the rest of herself wasn't listening. "Excited for your big day?"

"Ecstatic," Sa'tari responded dryly, her words truthful but her tone being as uninterested as she was in Taji.

"You know, now that you're becoming a proper warrior and will be playing with the big boys," Taji started, his thumb rubbing small circles into Sa'tari's waist as he pulled her impossibly closer. Sa'tari had to fight every fibre in her body to not shove Taji off of her, opting for grounding her teeth together to hold her tongue. "You're going to have to find a mate soon. Since you're next in line, you're going to need someone by your side to help you rule."

"I'm aware," Sa'tari nodded, using the opportunity of the nearing temple to break away from Taji and push forward, properly leading the village of snow leopards as she began making her way up its steps. "I've been taking into consideration some potential candidates, none of which seem to appease me."

"Maybe you're looking too far," Taji tried to get closer only to be pulled back by Koa, the taller leopard shaking his head, warning Taji to fall back and let Sa'tari have this moment as she had been promised. "There might be someone a lot closer than you think."

Sa'tari only grunted, not bothering to humour Taji more than she already had. Besides, they had arrived. The Klarideia. Sa'tari's training ground and the final resting place of the ancestors.

Raising her head high, Sa'tari weaved her way through the temple hallways, leading the way to the sacred ground where the ceremony would take place. She had only been in that room a few times, all of which were filled with lessons, stories and fulfilled prophecies, just like what Sa'tari would be one day.

Stepping into that room now was a completely different experience. Everything was buzzing, building off of the excitement that flowed through the snow leopards that poured into it. It felt like her very blood was vibrating as it coursed through her veins, fueling her with the adrenalin she'd need to survive the ceremony.

Standing in the centre, looking up at the sky as the stars began to take shape and the sun fully disappeared, Sa'tari patiently waited for it all to commence.

"Let's not rush the inevitable," A familiar voice murmured behind Sa'tari, making her turn with a grin as she spotted her trainer. Age had slowly begun to wither away at Cyril, changing him from the sharp warrior he had been when Sa'tari first met him as a cub. "Are you ready, my little Sa'tari?"

"Of course," She said, a hand reaching out to grab Cyril's elbow as he stepped in closer, their foreheads briefly butting together before Cyril was stretching past her, two snow leopards close behind him carrying the items he would need to commence the ceremony. Sa'tari turned to follow him but was waved to a halt, rooting herself to the spot as she called, "It's what you trained me for."

"We'll be beginning in just a moment," Abasi murmured into Sa'tari's ear as he came up from behind her, hand settling on the small of her back for just a second before he prepared to walk past her. "Just like we've practised, take a seat and we'll take care of the rest."

"Okay," She whispered in response, legs almost trembling as she found her spot in the clearing, kneeling with her tail wrapping around her knees.

Abasi took on a familiar position a couple of meters in front of Sa'tari, facing her as he took a seat of his own. As the villagers witnessed their chief and future chiefess taking to the ground, a silence washed over them, hushed by the promise of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Cyril had disappeared somewhere within the temple that only someone of his status had access to. Soon, his apprentice would be able to partake but until then they began working on a remedy as they waited for his return. The ceremony couldn't formally begin until he had the elixir prepared. So until then, Sa'tari was left to reside in her nerves until her time came.

Placing her hands over her knees, Sa'tari softly dug her claws into her fur, attempting to calm herself as she felt hundreds of eyes on her, each of them overflowing with different amounts of emotion. Excitement; Joy; Curiosity; Relief; Longing; Envy; Hatred; Disgust. The mixture of emotions threw her off, especially when she couldn't pinpoint any of them to those belonging to her village.

No matter though, she had known and been warned many times that not everyone would be happy with the ancestor's choices, wishing for it to be them or their own offspring. It wasn't Sa'tari's fault she had been chosen so she wouldn't waste her breath worrying about what others had to say about it when it was too late.

That didn't, however, stunt the dread that bubbled in her stomach or stop the bile from rising up her throat.

"Today we've been summoned by the ancestors to celebrate the saviour of our village," Cyril suddenly announced upon his return, drawing all attention to him as Sa'tari was knocked out of her thoughts, her claws retracting as she looked up to face him. "When Sa'tari was born, the stars aligned, just like they've done again tonight."

Stepping forward, Cyril held a small wooden bowl in his hands, its contents filled to the brim with the elixir Sa'tari had only ever heard stories about. Upon getting closer, Sa'tari could see that the liquid glowed white, an almost silver colour beaming from it.

"The gift flows through her blood, just as it had once flowed through the ancestors," Those were Cyril's last words to the village before he focused in on Sa'tari, stepping towards and regarding her carefully. "Do you, Sa'tari, accept this gift and promise to honour it? Will you, when the time comes, lay your life out to protect those in need of it? Will you fulfil your duty towards the prophecy?"

"I will," Sa'tari swallowed dryly, the words hoarse as they left her mouth.

Studying her for a long moment after she had spoken, Cyril eventually nodded, bending at the knee and presenting the bowl to her. Just as carefully as Cyril had been handling it, Sa'tari took the elixir from his hands. "Then this gift is yours to claim."

Her sparkling eyes bypassed Cyril momentarily as they landed on her fathers, Abasi watching her intently with adoration filling his features. Noticing her eyes on him, Abasi gave Sa'tari a nod, signalling it was okay and that it was her time. Her lips thinned together as she looked back to Cyril, catching his awaiting eyes.

Lifting the bowl to her lips, Sa'tari couldn't help but sniff the elixir, an old habit Cyril himself had instilled in her to make sure nothing was poisoned. Oddly enough, it had no scent. Sa'tari however could pick up the scent of something wild and musky.

"Drink, my little Sa'tari," Cyril spoke softly, a whisper just between the two of them. "No need to keep everyone waiting."

With those words, Sa'tari brought the bowl to her lips and tipped her head back, allowing the elixir to slip down her throat. The first thing Sa'tari noticed about the elixir was that it was tasteless, matching its colour and smell. The second thing she noticed was that the elixir burned, almost ripping the flesh of her neck as she choked it down. That didn't stop her though; That bowl didn't leave her lips until every drop of it was gone.

Pulling the bowl away from her lips with a heavy breath once she was finished, Sa'tari licked her lips before whipping her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes darting up to where Cyril stood proudly and to where Abasi was making his way over to her, collecting two massive, dull, ring-like items from one of Cyril's appretencies.

"Now that the gift is within you," Cyril momentarily paused as he took one of the rings from Abasi, gesturing for one of Sa'tari's wrists where he clasped the ring like a bracelet, "you must wear these so the balance isn't disturbed."

Abasi had the honour of fastening the second ring around Sa'tari's free wrist, his hand gently cradling the fur that would soon be smothered by the ring. A soft click rang out as Abasi settled it into place, a jolt of energy running up Sa'tari's spine once both rings were in place.

"May the ancestors watch over you and guide you in-" Cyril was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream echoing through the clearing, originating from just beyond two heavy wooden doors.

Silence washed over the room as two snow leopard warriors raced to see what had happened. It was in those long moments of uncertainty that Sa'tari felt as if she was being watched, hundreds of eyes boring into her with the intent to tear her apart. No matter where she looked though, nothing showed up despite the obvious warning signs.

She didn't have enough time to search though as the two morbians that had gone searching for the sound came bursting back into the room, a third snow leopard held between them as they dragged her forward. Sa'tari raced forward to stand by her father's side, trying to figure out who it was.

Penda attempted to lift her head as the two carrying her came to a stop, resting her on her knees in front of Abasi and Sa'tari. Sa'tari immediately took notice of the wounds gushing across Penda's body, her limbs shaking as she tried to compose herself.

"What happened?" Sa'tari spoke softly, taking a knee as a worried hand reached out for Penda. It seemed Penda had other priorities though as she looked past Sa'tari, eyes landing on her father's.

"The prophecy," Blood bubbled from Penda's lips as she attempted to speak, shaking off Sa'tari and the other snow leopard's hands as she tried to get closer to Abasi and Cyril. "It's begun. They're here."

"Who are here?" Abasi hissed, ears flattening against his head as he looked towards the door, ready for the threat to step through it. At their chief's weariness, the warriors of the village stood on edge, preparing to take action at the slightest indication from their chief.

"The wolves," The words almost didn't make it out of Penda's lips as she collapsed, her fall accompanied by the battle cries of shadowy figures taking shape along the walls and entrances of the temple, surrounding the entirety of their village's population. The synchronised howls told Sa'tari everything she needed to know.

With that, all hell broke loose.

Shadowy figures made their presence known, pointed ears and ragged fur setting them apart from everyone else as they ascended forward, encircling the villagers in the small space they had willingly compacted themselves all into. They were trapped with nowhere to go and nothing they could do other than fight their way out.

"Protect the cubs," Cyril ordered, his words launching the snow leopard's response as mothers snatched up their children, arms held protectively around them as warriors-in-training took up their sides, acting as an extra layer of defence as they pushed to the edges of the temple, searching for a way out.

Sa'tari didn't bother trying to grab onto a stray club, that wasn't her place. Instead, she ignored the burning that surged through her body, her eyes narrowing as she turned to the nearest wolf she could spot. She didn't know if the gift had taken route yet, no signs to tell her other than the harrowing pain that had set in, but there would be a clear way to find out.

She charged forward without a second doubt, body gearing up for a fight as the enemy morbian neared. A growl reverberated against Sa'tari's throat as she raised a gloved hand, prepared to swipe it at the wolf before the world seemed to glitch. In a truncated pocket of time, everything around Sa'tari slowed for what felt like a blink of an eye. It was as if the wolf in front of her was moving through water, his slurred limb arching towards Sa'tari.

On impulse, her body shifted to the side, time choosing to revert back to normal as her hand came crashing down against the morbians cheek, five jagged lines of blood being left in her wake. The sudden shift in speed had Sa'tari stumbling forward, her hands scraping against the ground as she tried to catch herself.

"Gah," She grunted as she hit the ground, quickly rolling onto her side so she could push herself back up. As Sa'tari bent her arms, eyes locking back onto the wolf across from her, she noticed the fury that had built in their dull irises, teeth bared as they charged towards her. The rage was like nothing Sa'tari had seen before, never having to fight in a war until now. She wasn't one to back down though.

Breaking out into a run, the flurry of danger surrounding her slowed once again, Sa'tari moving as she normally did as she closed in on the morbian. This time she didn't simply try to scratch his face, instead she leaped up into the air, her right knee bent and extended in front of her to where it would inevitably collide with the wolf's face. Just as she was mere centimetres away from his face, time sped up and a sickening crunch echoed through the clearing.

Watching as the morbian fell to the ground, Sa'tari had no time to process what she had done, someone crashing into her back not even seconds later. Stumbling forward a few steps, Sa'tari felt someone pushing themselves off of her before their hands connected with her shoulders and pulled her up to her feet.

She didn't have a chance to look at who it was because of a leg connecting with her stomach, a puff of air falling from her lips as she hunched over. Her body reacted to the assault before her mind could catch up, her steps quickening as she barreled into the person, lifting them up off the ground as she slammed them into the temple walls.

A yelp escaped from the wolf's lips, a snarl quickly replacing it as they tried to snap their teeth at Sa'tari. Pulling them off the wall, Sa'tari slammed them back into it again, repeating the action in quick succession until the wolf stopped responding, head lulling to the side as they passed out from the impact.

"Sa'tari," A voice hissed, making the snow leopard turn to see who it had come from. She had expected to find a wolf foaming at the mouth but was instead met by her father's staggered stare. Although Abasi didn't look too worse for wear, Sa'tari had definitely seen him in better shape. Abandoning the passed-out morbian, Sa'tari rushed to her father's side, immediately wrapping an arm around him to help steady his swaying body. "You must leave. You shouldn't be fighting while the gift is settling."

"I'm fine, Dad," Sa'tari brushed him off, her head shaking as she tried guiding her father away from the fight though it was increasingly hard to find somewhere that wasn't overflowing with morbians. "This is my fight, I can't just run from it."

"No," Abasi huffed, reaching for something in his pocket as the arm clutching onto Sa'tari slipped down to her waist, wrapping around it when his claws dug into her side, making Sa'tari bite down a gasp. Throwing something in front of them, Sa'tari recognised the golden ring that took shape, a mist surrounding it as it opened to an unknown land.

"Good plan," Sa'tari quickly muttered, trying to push Abasi towards it and grab the attention of the other snow leopards. "We can grab the warriors and regroup away from the ambush. Then once we're prepared we can come back."

"We won't be coming with you," Abasi said, his stance shifting so he could sweep Sa'tari's feet from under her and launch her forward. Completely thrown off, Sa'tari was helpless to react as she tumbled through the portal, body colliding harshly into the ground and rolling through dampened grass.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Sa'tari yelled as she clambered to her feet. For all the times her body had gone into overdrive during that battle, slowing the rest of the world down so she could move quicker, she wished it would happen now but instead, she was left feeling as slow as ever.

"We need to respect the balance and let the gift settle," Abasi sternly said, slowly backing away from the ring as it began to shrink, closing off the connection between the two morbians. Smiling despite the situation, Abasi said his final words to his daughter, "Find us when the time is right."

"Dad," Sa'tari screamed, not caring for what could be lurking on her side of the portal as it finally closed. When no answer came, Sa'tari felt herself freeze, alone in a place she didn't yet know. The damp grass brushed against her legs with the soft breeze hitting her, the smell of rain still fresh in the air. Looking around her surroundings to see if there was anything that could help her, she was met with nothing but an endless forest.

Her ears flattened against her head at the realisation. She was stuck, stranded with no way home while her people were being slaughtered. Sa'tari felt her throat begin to close, her breath quickening as she hunched over herself. One of her hands reached up to clutch at her chest when she saw it:

A glowing blue.

Looking down at her left wrist, the band that sat around it glowed brightly, almost beaming up at her as it demanded her attention. The other ring was still the dull grey it had been before while this one solidified, almost pulling her to her feet.

Something was calling to her and she would find out what it was. With her expression hardening, Sa'tari pushed herself to her feet and prepared herself to face this planet.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has picked up this fic and decided to give it a go, it means a lot to me since I've been hyper-fixated on the Sonic movies recently and this kind of turned into a passion project of mine. I hope you've enjoyed the fic so far and are willing to stick around for my random updates.

Don't worry about waiting for Sonic or the others to show up in this fic, that'll all be coming very soon, which you may have been able to guess by the ending of this chapter.

If you need help imagining what Sa'tari may look like, I found this art on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago when I was first crafting her character. The artwork is beautiful but it doesn't belong to me and I unfortunately don't know its original creator.

Obviously, there are a few changes in my writing when compared to this image, such as Sa'tari being black and white like a normal snow leopard, and the outfit doesn't quite match up since she's meant to be in ceremonial clothing but this is what I'd imagine her to wear in the third movie (you'll know what part I'm talking about when I publish that chapter).