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[espen.]

~~~~~~[ 1,223 words ] The words sea serpent had been weighted in my mind since they came out of the she-cat's maw. I tried my very best to conceal the distraught look on my face with a glare, hoping it seemed brave or determined. The stone in my stomach made a home there and plagued my mind, poking and prodding all throughout the planning process of my attack. The sea serpent was spotted multiple times by the village's sailors and fishercats. It undulated above and under the surface, circling boats and swallowing nets whole. It plagued the fish populations and wreaked havoc on the reef nurseries. Although the beast had only appeared recently, the cats were already thinning and weakening. Their patron, Buoyar, had been trying his best to discreetly hinder the beast, but he was vague and misleading when asked why he couldn't control it. Something was going on in the heavens with those immortals. Perhaps it was disinterest, or maybe something more.

~~~~~~The village leader, Shining Abalone, refused to let any of her villagers fight the beast again. Too many casualties had already occurred, and the small population dwindled to a dangerously low amount. It wasn't ideal for me, but I trusted Stoic Crescent to have my back. Thankfully, Abalone didn't withhold any weapons or armor from my comrades. We were adorned with light-weight, reflective armor, the same material as the she-cat's jewelry and earrings. She informed me it was abalone, her namesake, and a common crafting material for her cats. It was dainty, yet strong; perfect for sleekly built cats to use in the water. My thick golden-tinged pelt contrasted with the sea greens and blues of the plates. My body had changed from a newly grown tomcat's lithe muscles to a bulkier form, causing me to look underdressed in the minimalistic armor.

~~~~~~Stoic Crescent wore matching plates of armor and hefted a sparkling abalone sword onto his shoulder. (an: pretend this works ;-;) The villagers that came to show us off shuffled a tad, making way for a dazzling tomcat who I knew quite well.

~~~~~~Hatroclus' eyebrows were knitted in blatant worry as he approached me. No words came out of his mouth; he just rested his forehead on mine, closing his eyes. Mine followed suit.

~~~~~~"I'll return safely, my love. I promise. This fight is no different than the others. The beast just has more teeth," I smirked as I opened my eyes to look into his. They were still worried, glossy from previous tears as they flickered from one of my eyes to the other. I squeezed my abdominal muscles to lessen the deep weight of the doubt as I told him this.

~~~~~~"It tears me everytime you go off. Please, just let me go with you. I've learned every tactic from watching you train, I swear it!" I shake my head solemnly. His stomach still looked too fragile, his eyes too innocent, and his legs too weak. I couldn't risk anything happening to him. He was my anchor to the world; the one thing restraining my psyche from leaping off the edge. When I felt nothing, he felt everything.

~~~~~~I turned away, toward our ocean vessel that would take me to the battlefield. Crescent moved to my side, blocking Hatroclus. We boarded the small, two-parted boat. One thin end balanced the thicker body area where we would stand, with the mast sticking out from the flooring. The sailor assigned to escort us to the outer reefs was a creamy-brown tom, accented with abalone earrings and a thin necklace. I nodded to the feline and found a shallow divit at the front of the mast, not wanting to interfere with the steering mechanism in the back. (au: think of these boats as the boats from moana ;-; polynesian style with the two parts to it, one for sitting, the other for stabilizing and whatnot) I didn't dare glance back for fear of catching those golden eyes and changing my mind. Cheers were heard distantly behind me as the stone of doubt sprouted suspicion that flowed to my mind. Something felt off, it told me. Something was going to happen. Something I couldn't control.

~~~~~~I squeezed my eyes shut and lurched as the boat's sail flourished in the wind, driving us forward. I trained my eyes forward, blinking the stars out, and stared at the blank horizon.

~~~~~~We approached a thin strip of lonely sand about an hour after we set sail onto the sapphire waves. It faded from the deep blue to a pale yellow. The sandbar allowed us to shore our boat and prepare for the coming battle, tightening armor and practicing swinging our swords, and knocking arrows. Stoic Crescent expertly lunged and parried, showing great skill that came with experience. I'd never thought about our age differences before, but it occurred to me that he was much larger and had a certain look in his eyes. He was war-worn.

~~~~~~I silently excused myself, walking the length of the sandbar and sitting down on the warmed sand. Despite my conflicted view of the gods, Morganus seemed to on my side, so I figured asking for a blessing wouldn't hurt.

~~~~~~I closed my eyes, focusing on stilling my heart through my breaths as I formulated a prayer to the deity. Thoughts upon thoughts raced and whirled in my mindscape, until I heard something drop into the water, like a pebble. My folded ears perked as I looked up to find a blue and green cat standing on the water's surface, gazing at me with a lazy look in his eyes.

~~~~~~"Hello Bachilles. I don't think I was the deity you were expecting, but nevertheless, here I am. Morganus struck a deal with me, so now I have to help you help my villagers," said the feline, swishing his seaweed covered tail back and forth. His galactic eyes intimidated me, but I held my ground, shifting my shoulders back. The cat seemed to pause his thoughts, then resume with a darker tone. "As I'm sure you're aware, the gods have been forsaking their duties as guardians. I've never really liked the younger ones, so I mostly kept to myself and didn't answer to anyone. Recently, there's been a...change in management up there," he looked up briefly, "and now I'm being restrained," he rolled his eyes. "This is probably the last time I can safely aid you silly mortals, so I'm going to at least make it worth it." I blinked in confusion at the cat's words. The sound of a bubble popping flowed to my ears and he melted into crystal clear water that fell back into the ocean.

~~~~~~I pursed my lips, got up, and cursed myself for thinking the gods would actually help me. I just had to do it on my own, I supposed.

~~~~~~Another hour went by without so much as a dolphin sighting. I had paced the entire length of the sandbar several times, and began to tire of the weight of the armor on me. Stoic Crescent had started doodling in the sand, while the sailor made blocks out of the shifting material. A small, darker tower began to form close to the shoreline of the sandbar.

~~~~~~Suddenly, the entirety of the tiny island shifted. The sand vibrated as a shaking force thrust its way through the land mass. Something was coming.

[espen.]

~~~~~~[ 957 words ] The watery dragon danced the line between majestic and monstrous. Even from afar, I could make out shuddering details. Cat-long fangs struggled to be contained in its massive jaw; eyes pierced through the deepest, darkest waves with a watery yellow hue. Its long, muscular body had razor-sharp fins running along the spine, ending at a webbed tail. Even without any other limbs, the sailor who accompanied us told short stories of how boats have been wrapped up, squeezed, and dragged down to a watery grave. A shiver ran through me as a spike of anxiety rushed in. I might not make it out of this fight. I fought to keep myself from falling into my mind as the beast crashed into waves, slapping its tail around, and shaking the sandbar.

~~~~~~We shakily boarded the boat and set sail for the snake, closing in rapidly thanks to a sudden breeze. The sailor looked at the sky, muttered something, then say, "Buoyar will bless us in our struggle, travelers." I looked back at the tomcat, an eyebrow raised. A blood-curdling roar echoed in my ears as I turned back, only to be met by those large eyes meters away. The waves seemed to rise and fall rapidly around the serpent, calming down closer to us. Perhaps we did have the sea god's favor.

~~~~~~I yowled an order to the sailor and the vessel raced forward as I drew my abalone sword. The blade shimmered in the sunlight, flashing in my peripheral. Stoic Crescent glanced at my movement, began to draw his sword, then did a double take. A question came onto his face, but I didn't have time to answer it as I launched into battle with the snake. It's mouth opened with a hiss, and the boat flicked to the left; I caught my sword tip on its scaly cheek. A light string of sea-green ooze came out as the mighty head swung to catch up to the boat.

~~~~~~We skidded over the tops of the waves, the wind propelling us fiercely forward as jaws snapped in our wake. The serpent's round body unwound from its spiral to reveal its full length. Water slid off scales as polished wood bounced on waves. The sailor's jaw clamped on the rope maneuvering the mast, keeping his eyes trained ahead as Stoic readied his sword next to the tom.

~~~~~~I heard a familiar bubble-popping sound and looked down at my unsheathed sword. The shiny blade seemed to radiate unearthly energy as it almost buzzed in my grip. A cat cleared his throat from somewhere to my left, the mast creaking to the right. That same blue and green coated feline lazily levitated above the water's surface, keeping pace with our boat.

~~~~~~"It has a weak spot behind its jawbone. Good luck, Bachilles."

~~~~~~With that curt remark, the god vanished, my face running into the mist of sea spray he left behind. An enchanted sword and a tip. That god was strange.

~~~~~~"Turn the boat around! Crescent, get ready to jump into the water!" My claws dug into the polished wood as I held my ground, the boat turning a sharp corner. The thinner part lifted from the water, but the sailor jumped to relocate it. The serpent recoiled itself, muscles writhing with power and rage.

~~~~~~As we turned, my bronze eyes caught a glimpse of the sandbar. Something paler than the sand inhabited the land, but the sun was too bright for me to seek out the details properly. We finished our turn, and I began to taunt the serpent.

~~~~~~"Come and get me, you overgrown clownfish!" I hissed and barred my fangs. It mimicked me and lunged its large head towards the boat. Moments before it caught us, the sailor panicked, eyes wide, and let loose the sail; the boat lurched as I jumped onto the massive head. My claws barely dug into the thick hide of the beast, but I managed to stay aground. I heard a panting beside me and trusted that it was Stoic Crescent, following my lead. The serpent immediately thrashed its head, catching me off guard and throwing Crescent. I crouched on the moving platform, gripping the flesh in between the scales as best I could. I just had to get a shot at its neck, I told myself. Simple.

~~~~~~Another violent attempt to throw me came, but I kept my hold. Eventually, Crescent managed to draw its attention, having been retrieved by the sailor. The large yellow eyes flitted about as I drew my shining, enchanted abalone blade. The first attempt was to the middle of its flat forehead, drawing a minor amount of oozing blood.

~~~~~~It let out a monstrous hissing noise, more mechanical than organic, as it whipped its head up vertically. Impossible to hang on, I fell down the length of its body, tracing a parallel line to the razor spikes and scales on its back. The water crashed into my back, my lungs falling victim to the cold as my breath stopped. My body sank slowly, air bubbles wiggling to the surface, eager to be released. Everything seemed to slow as the cold enveloped me completely. My thoughts were sluggish, my memory ran dry. Shadows danced above the surface, or perhaps I was seeing things. My eyes drooped. The serpent seemed to forget about my floating, lifeless body. I could see the belly of our boat, gliding this way and that. My vision dimmed, darkness creeping into the corners. I saw another, smaller boat race to where I fell. My mind was so soft I didn't think about this boat. Perhaps it was the sea angels coming to get me. I didn't care...I just wanted to float...And sink...and...my eyes closed.

[espen.]

~~~~~~[ 1,255 words ] Air rushed into my lungs as the oceanic breeze chilled me to my bones. The scent of the beach wafted over my nose as my eyes opened slightly to see my savior. Buoyar was lifting me out of the water. He smiled down at me as he levitated next to my limp body. His large pale blue paw rested on my stomach, and warmth flowed freely from it. I felt my previous strength return, with an added bonus. This new fuel put one thought in my mind: kill the sea serpent.

~~~~~~The sun shone brighter and bright the closer I got to the surface, fur undulating as the water passed over it. My head broke the surface and I was fully revived. I unsheathed my sword and launched back into battle, jumping off an invisible platform. I flew through the air like a bullet, my sword an extension of my body as it pierced the edge of the serpent's jaw. The previously tough flesh gave way, spurting blue-green blood, gurgling the beast's cries of pain and surprise. My sword's hilt touched the flesh and my body's momentum was cut short, jarring me in my mildly dazed state. I felt my paws slip from the handle and all I remember after that feeling was falling, my stomach leaping into my mouth. The landing wasn't hard, but pillowy as Buoyar laid me behind a cream-colored cat. My mind returned to sluggishness as I tried to process the misshapen form in front of me. It was feline, I could tell that much. However, where its ribs should have been was a lumpy, thinly shaped mess.

~~~~~~My eyes drooped immensely as I fell back into the void.

~~~~~~I awoke in a warm nest of moss and leaves. My whole body ached with stiffness, but my mind awoke quickly. Memories flooded back to me and excitement rushed through my veins. I had to tell Hatroclus about my victory! A smile played on my lips as I struggled to get up. One paw followed the other as I lifted myself up, ignoring the pain of bruising and battery. I poked my head out of the dank den and blinked the spots from my vision as my eyes adjusted to the new light. I tried hard to conceal my stumbling by concentrating on the muscle memory of walking. Finding the nearest villager, I cleared my throat and asked where I could find Hatroclus. They looked at me with a mix of confusion and pity. I tilted my head, but moved on to the next. They gave me the same look and shook their head solemnly as they walked away. The smile had vanished and my ears were back. Something was wrong. Where was Hatroclus?

~~~~~~The village leader broke off from a group she was talking to when she glanced in my direction. I was still quite woozy and widened my stance to stabilize myself.

~~~~~~"Where's Hatroclus, I must tell him of my victory."

~~~~~~She hesitated and my stomach dropped, a flash of heat washing over me as her expression changed. "Bachilles. I am sure you must know that all great victories come with great sacrifices." My breath hitched in my throat, not wanting to move as my mind processed this sentence. No. No, it couldn't be. He was safe. Hatroclus was perfectly fine.

~~~~~~"W-where is he?" I choked out, my voice was suddenly hoarse as if dehydrated. She didn't answer as soon as I wanted, so I shouted again, "where is he? Where is Hatroclus?!" My muzzled scrunched up in anger, a low growl coming from my throat. I didn't care that I was unstable and probably looked rabid to the villagers, I wanted to see my love.

~~~~~~"Bachilles...Hatroclus is dead."

~~~~~~At that moment, my whole world came crashing done on me. All feelings, emotional, physical, drained from the tips of my ears and out the ends of my paws. A cold, empty husk remained as Shining Abalone guided me to a mundane den on the outskirts of the town. It was as if my soul retracted from the front seat of my body. As if I was a figure looking through the eyes of another, the body never in my control. It was automatic, mechanical: not me.

~~~~~~We arrived at the doorstep of the rectangular den. The funeral den. The door was decorated with a large angler fish skull on the front and carvings of intricate detail in the dark wood. The eyes of the body I was in looked at these markings but didn't care enough to process them. The door opened to reveal a thin, sharply angled cat with a pure white coat. They had fishbone jewelry and a deadpan look in their eyes. They stepped aside to allow us in, and I automatically followed, feeling so utterly hollow. We went into the far back, through a few more doors and curtains and arrived in the room with the body.

~~~~~~A sea glass shroud was placed over him, the shards connected with intricately woven rope. It would have been elegant if I didn't know the cat underneath. Hatroclus looked so...different laying there. His beautiful, warm, sunny eyes were closed and his youthful aura was muted by the dark palette of the den. I couldn't restrain myself as I launched forward to throw my body onto the love of my life. I hadn't inspected the glass for rough edges, but pain didn't seem like a fathomable barrier at the moment.

~~~~~~Warm summer days spent climbing fig trees passed through my mind as tears flooded my vision. The bright, angelic beauty of the grassy fields we wrestled in faded, lifeless. I intertwined my paw with his fluffy tail; an ocean of sadness and despair grew inside me the longer I spent with him. Hours of pain passed me by, but they felt like single moments. Fleeting, like the time I had with him. The other two cats had left me within the first hour of my mourning. I was alone. Even if the life had returned to his body, I would still be alone. My spirit had been cast off to a small island within me the moment he stepped off that sandbar. The moment his life was permanently altered.

~~~~~~The villagers had decided to give Hatroclus a warrior's funeral. They laid his groomed body on a wooden raft surrounded by wildflowers and abalone trinkets that shimmered even in the night air. I was asked to cast him off. I stoned my face and pushed the last remaining piece of my love out into the endless ocean, never to be seen or recovered. An archer let loose a flaming arrow, landing it square on the raft. My eyes remained heartlessly dry as the fire raged to a bright light on the dark sea. After the last ember crumbled into the water, I jogged back to my den, wheezing with fatigue and hunger.

~~~~~~My stomach growled. I ignored it. I briskly walked out of that dark building and roughly scuffled to my den to retrieve my belongings, though I didn't care much to hold or handle anything. The silence around me stilled the air as I put item after item into a satchel. The familiar squeak of the door announced the arrival of whom I could only guess was Crescent. My claws dug into the earth as determination fueled my next move.

~~~~~~"I'm leaving for the tundra. I can't let this...I won't let this interfere with my job." The words stung me, but I bit back the tears, squeezing my eyes shut and drooping my head.

~~~~~~Stoic Crescent didn't reply, at least not audibly. He padded forward and uncovered a loaf of bread from a corner stool. He then placed it in my bag, closed the top, and gave me a curt, strained nod.

~~~~~~I envisioned the pain as tangible and bunched it up in my throat, harshly swallowing it down. I walked out of the darkness of the den, my muzzle hitting the warm night air. Villagers paid me no more attention than any other cat as I began my journey out of the village, leaving behind a cold body, and a stoic soldier.

[espen.]

~~~~~~[ 1,256 words ] My pelt should've been bristling with the cold, but my scarf seemed to be radiating warmth. I figured it was an enchantment, courtesy of Morganus, and silently thanked them for it, continuing my trudge through the snow. I had lost track of time longer ago than I cared to remember, and days seemed like mere moments. I never felt like eating or really looking through my bag at the items I brought with me. Nothing seemed real, or even had a reason to be done. One more battle, was all I had to do. One. More. Job.

~~~~~~I awoke to the all too familiar sound of tree branches snapping off of their life-trunks. I curled my body tighter, sighed, and closed my eyes once more. I had found a rotted-out tree trunk to hide in for the night and managed to clear out all of the rogue snow. Underneath my eyelids, a soft golden light seemed to turn a corner and flash through the trunk's slim opening.

~~~~~~My head raised, eyes more alert than before. Perhaps there were travelers who lost their way. With aches and pains, I lifted my body up and squeezed through the crack. Deep-set pawprints followed me as I turned around a tree to inquire about the peculiar light.

~~~~~~I was met with a pale yellow-orange glowing figure, mostly obscured by their heavenly light. Even brighter eyes opened; they had no visible pupils, yet seemed to stare directly into my soul. I faced off against it, squaring my paws deep in the snow. The light dimmed to reveal a sleekly-built cat, with a silky coat and bright, kind eyes of the strangest pink hue. The pupils that inhabited those eyes were heart-shaped and delicate, yet strong-willed. Cupine the goddess of love blinked and tilted her aura-tinged head ever so delicately.

~~~~~~"Bachilles, I've been looking for you, my dear," she said, her gaze soft and without a hint of annoyance. My dear his my ears like the serpent snapped its mouth: unrelenting, harshly. Cupine must have noticed as she gave me a quizzical look a split-second after. My throat tightened as the memories rushed at me. Her light flickered as she seemed to relive my memories as well.

~~~~~~I felt my body quiver and tilt to the side, forcing a paw out to stabilize myself.

~~~~~~"You know, I really believed in you two," she shook her head slowly. "I don't have much to offer you, dear hero, but I do have one last gift from the gods. Morganus gave you a mission and a scarf. Buoyar gave you magic. Now, I will give you life." Cupine offered me a warm smile that could've melted the entire tundra, her pink eyes crinkling. She looked to the night sky as a swooping shadow crossed over the snow in front of us.

~~~~~~I heard the screech of an owl and was spooked by the sound of an avian landing behind me. I spun around to see a large snowy owl perched on a fir tree, its creamy belly contracting from the flight. I gasped as my eyes met the owl's; they were a familiar sunny yellow color. They could brighten a room with their hints of orange, and make someone smile with a single glance. But they didn't belong to the bird. They belonged to Hatroclus.

~~~~~~My head swung back around to ask Cupine about this gift, but she was nowhere to be found. Only a sweet rosy scent wafted on the breeze. I knew from my father that snowy owls were one of her sacred animals, but it still didn't make complete sense to me. What was the purpose of this gift? Was it Hatroclus reincarnated as a bird, or perhaps a constant reminder of what I'd done to him? It squawked and I returned my head to its previous position. I decided to examine the bird closer, finding dashes of grey on its wings, swathes of cream on its torso, and a gleam in its eyes.

~~~~~~I could either reject this gift and face the wrath of Cupine, or accept the bird and attempt to get to know it, no matter how ridiculous that sounded. For the time being, I decided to curl back into my trunk. Without a word I stumbled numbly back to my small den and passed out once on the nest.

~~~~~~Months and months passed, filled with me trying to commune with the owl, only to find that it could hoot back. I knew it wasn't really speaking, but I seemed to understand it nevertheless. Every time I asked it who it was, it'd go silent, often flying off. The time it spent around me increased the closer I became with it. I didn't really understand why the owl had been given to me, but I filled my days talking to it, running in its shadow, and hunting mice together. It was nice. It was peaceful.

~~~~~~Eventually the realization came to me that I needed to head to the next village. I packed up the small home I had made at that tree trunk and started trudging through the snow, with my owl companion lazily flying above me, looking for dangers. It protected me. Just as I had protected him. Even if the owl had nothing of Hatroclus in him, he felt like my love. He felt warm and soft, protective and caring. He was my new barrier between the cold and dark and the newly blossoming peace I had found in recent months.

~~~~~~As the speck of a village grew bigger and bigger, I realized there was a certain lack of fear in my stomach. No longer was I anxious about the outcome of the next battle, or the nature of the village leader. I was content with whatever happened. I was at peace.

~~~~~~The trio of deities gazed down on the snowy village, roofs dusted with white. Morganus' hero had arrived moments before, and Buoyar and Cupine were discussing the latest gifts.

~~~~~~"Morganus, you've really outdone yourself! This hero is successful and has an absolutely heartwrenching tale! A perfect combo," chuckled Buoyar, never showing much concern for cats other than his watery felines.

~~~~~~Morganus knitted their eyebrows, deep in thought as their mist swirled. "I have seen into that hero's mind. I never left it, even when he thought I had. He has thought some treacherous things, and I fear that...That perhaps he is right." Buoyar paused in the middle of his joke to Cupine. She perked her eyes and looked at the primordial god.

~~~~~~"What do you propose we do, Morganus?"

~~~~~~"Well, the first thing we must do is help the mortals."

~~~~~~Buoyar scoffed, "We've been doing that, but we can't be too obvious about it, or else he will find out and we'll be in big trouble. Cupine nodded in contemplative agreement.

~~~~~~"No. Our devoutest followers have suffered too much. It is our duty as their creators to take care of them, and listen to their prayers. I cannot stand by any longer and allow him to stay on the throne if this is what he does with that power. I'm sure as a primordial, he will listen to me," the feline looked at their friends with a serious expression. "I do not ask you to join me, as I do understand the risk-"

~~~~~~"We're in," said Cupine, with bright determination. "Let's go set things right!"

~~~~~~Buoyar blinked, having spaced out for a few seconds, and said,

"Let's go commit some treason of the highest regard!"

[espen.]

Curtesy post! I'd just like to say, I am so very blown away that I finished this, cause I really didn't think I was going to. Thank you so much for the extensions, they definitely helped me develope the story more. I am so sorry for:

1. The style changes over the course of the story. It's weird how differently I'll write from one day to the next, especially looking at the detail fluctuations.

2. The sad parts. I've never written grief or anything too depressing, to be honest, and this was a challenge to find suitable words. However, I've definitely grown from the piece, and am very happy to have presented it to you!

3. The sheer amount of words ;-; This is the single longest piece of writing I have EVER written for any competition, not just stars. I'm very proud of myself for doing so much work, and I really hope it wasn't too difficult to read with the (probably) numerous grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.

[espen.]

Ruffled Feathers had been travelling for longer than he could even care to fathom. The horizon never got any closer, and he was constantly trailed by vultures overhead. His fur was matted, stuck to his sides from sweat and grime. This wasn't how he'd planned it to go. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. His vision blurred and he felt his limp body fall to one side, jabbing his ribs into a rock. The sun had set hours ago and the night's cold claws crept into his thin coat. Despite the uncomfortable position, his body decided to fall into a deep slumber...Or perhaps it was finally giving out after the weeks of travel...

The feline's body floated absentmindedly through the clouds of his dream; birds chirped all around him as he was whisked down to the ground. His paws hit the hard, lifeless ground. Feathers recognized this place: his home. Basinbrook was a smaller town between the Engleisle Tundras and the Qeetu jungle. The population consisted of narrow-minded cats and stark buildings adorned with sharp corners and bland decor. His kithood house loomed in front of him, next to the depressing bakery and across from the town's jail. Memories of hot, humid days flooded his brain, clouding his vision with steam and the sounds of kittens running across pebbles and yelping when another caught them in a game of tag. Feathers yearned for these memories to become his daily life, but a darkness closed in around him as his mind called forth a more recent occurrence.

The sound of jeering felines came from every direction as he was thrown backwards. The cold, metallic bars of a prison cell met his back, sending the shock of the impact up and down his spine. The trial had barely lasted thirty minutes, and all too soon he was convicted. A neighbor who had always had it out for Feathers and his family had staged a horrible accident. Generations upon generations of the two bloodlines had fought throughout the years, resulting in a stolen sheep here, or a broken vase there. But this new crop was different. They were fueled by the hate of their ancestors and were determined to strike a killing blow to their supposed enemies. So they plotted...

Ruffled Feathers went out with his brother one warm summer day to go play in a nearby creek. They had done this many times before, and nothing about today stuck out as odd to Feathers. Everything was perfect and normal. The two arrived at the creek and jumped right in, screaming and laughing at the shocking cold. A few hours of goofing off ensued, followed by a content nap in the summer sun. The buzz of cicadas and the chirps of birds and crickets alike played in the distance, slow and beautiful. A deeper noise cut through the humdrum, ever so slightly. The felines were too tired to notice it, and didn't stir from their light slumber. But when a hunger-ravaged wolf leapt out of the bushes and landed on Feathers' brother, the calm was cut open raw, and chaos spilled out. The beast pinned down the feline and Feathers yowled for it to get off, leaping into action and biting into its bristly fur. Feathers could feel how hungry the wolf was and its rage and determination fueled its every movement. It was not going to let this meal go to waste. The next moments went by in a blur of red, and next thing Feathers knew, his brother's spirit was gone and he was drenched in something he didn't care to look at. The twin cats from next door fumbled through some brambles and gaped at the scene. Feathers lurched toward them, and they ran the other way. The next thing he knew, he was numbly sitting in a building with the faint echo of a sentencing being read behind him. The cold bars of prison were the only feeling he knew for days afterwards. Basinbrook's final decision was to exile Ruffled Feathers, on the charge of murder. The neighbor cats had found him with his brother and spread the word to the village. The damage had already been done. Feathers had been walking for days, and every village he met rejected him, so he kept going. And going, and going. His limbs felt like sticks and his heart ached for anything familiar. Even in his dream, the recollection of past events hurt him.

A dim blue light glowed in front of him, catching the feline off guard. Feathers didn't recall encountering this on his journey. This was new, perhaps something exciting. It glowed brighter and brighter and his eyes were opened into the real world. He sat up in a small, dark hut and found a little worm curled up next to him. It faintly glowed that same blue hue. A cat came in and explained what had happened. The worm found Feathers and used its glow to help a night patrol find him and rescue him. The feline owed his life to that worm. It deserved a good name, a name like Steve. So Ruffled Feathers and Steve the worm set out to make the Principality their home.

Moons of blissful training and bonding passed and Steve fell ill. The poor little guy was so weak his glow was barely noticeable. Feathers stayed with him day and night, helping to nurse him back to health, but it was no use. Steve the worm succumbed to the illness and passed quietly in his sleep, leaving Feathers alone once more.