Chapter 1
Snow covers the ground like a blanket and the pines that dot the surface are as plentiful as pebbles in a pond. Silence plays through the trees and wind howls mournfully from the north.
A branch cracks, sending sound through the landscape. Crows caw a warning and flap away. A gray figure pelts across the snow, a lynx, it's fur presses against it’s skin, making it look slim and sleek. Five darker figures pursue the lynx, wolves. Two of them flank the lynx and one nips at it’s heels. Then, as quickly as it had started, the chase stops. Four of the wolves halt in their steps, though the fifth is still going fast as it’s companions yell for him to stop.
The lynx runs into a dark cave. When she reaches the back she turns and faces the rebellious wolf.
“You’re across the border, you’ve broken the Law!” the lynx accuses the wolf.
“I’m not the only one,” the wolf snarls and leaps at the lynx, he digs his claws into her shoulders, drawing blood. She flew back, expecting to feel the cave wall stop her, but instead a flash of light blinded her and she fell against moss. Sunshine hit her face and she squinted up at the wolf. The wolf hesitated, surprised at the change of scene, then he snarled. His lips pulled back to reveal yellowish-white teeth. Her eyes widened and she scrabbled at his belly, momentarily dislodging him. She flips him away and begins to stand. But before she can make it to her feet, the wolf lunges and grabs her by the scruff. He pulls her down and holds her there, panting, with his paw. She closes her eyes and goes limp. She knows she will die in this unknown place, without even a hint about how she had gotten there. Blood drips from a scratch on her side and she waits for the killing bite. But it never comes, instead, an orange and black blur appears over her for only a second and suddenly the wolf was gone!
She looked over and saw a massive tiger holding down the wolf with one paw, seemingly without effort. More tigers surrounded them. The wolf struggles, afraid now, that he might be the one to die. The tiger lifts his paw and the wolf shoots off, leaping over the line of tigers. The tiger nods to one of his comrades who nods back and pursues the wolf.
The leader turns to the lynx and her momentary triumph disappears as she wonders if she might still die in this mysterious land. “I am Rynor,” said the tiger “and you….are a lynx?” question filled his deep voice. “Lynx have not been seen in this land for three Passings. Who are you! And how did you get here?” he demanded.
She quivered, not quite understanding what he said “I’m Kiara,” she mumbled.
He stiffened “Your name is Kiara?” he repeated. His eyes momentarily swam with confusion. He turned to one of his patrol “Scardel, take her back to camp,” the other cat nodded and lead Kiara away from the others.
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Kiara followed Scardel through a thick forest, water dripped from leaves and it seemed quite damp. When they finally emerged from the trees she was overwhelmed by noise. In front of them all kinds of cats, tigers, leopards, even servals, were milling about. Cats she had only ever heard of in stories were alive and real. Large cats set up tents and drove stakes into the ground with a piece of metal attached to their paw. As she entered the camp, cats began to stare at her and she began to wonder if some of them really hadn’t seen a lynx before. The idea scared her, what could have happened to get rid of the lynx in this place? Had they ever even set foot in this land? Why did Rynor look at her funny when she said her name? She sighed, this was getting too confusing. Scardel led her to one of the larger tents. It was made of rich, purple cloth.
“Wait here.” Scardel ordered. When he spoke she realized he was quite young, his voice was that of a child’s. He went in the tent, and when he emerged he was followed by two lions. One had a mane of dark, golden hair that gradually faded to black, the other had no mane, so Kiara assumed that one must be a male and the other was a female. Each of them wore an intricate crown of gold and carried themselves pridefully.
“I am High King Hrothgar,” said the lion with a mane, “This is my mate, High Queen Nara,” he motioned to the lion that stood next to him, “Scardel says you claim your name is Kiara.”
“Yes,” Kiara replies, she eyes the lions suspiciously “Why, is that a problem?”
“Come and sit down,” the lion motions her toward the tent flap and she warily walks through.
“Sit,” Nara nods at a cushion on the floor.
Suddenly, King Hrothgar begins to yell at Kiara and she doesn’t even get a chance to look at the pillow, "Who sent you? What's your real name? Where did you come from?" he thunders.
"What?" Kiara backs away, cringing at the sudden outburst "No one sent me, a wolf was chasing me and I hid in a cave, then I was here. I already told you my name!"
"LIAR!" the king roared.
"Hrothgar! Be quiet," Nara hissed "She's telling the truth. You had no right to speak to her like that."
"I had every right, Nara. I am King!" Hrothgar yelled.
Nara's eyes narrowed "And what hasn't gotten into your thick boned head is that I am Queen! And you wouldn't be who you are without me! Now silence!" the queen spoke in a deadly serious voice. "Now, Kiara, I am so sorry for my husband’s impoliteness,” she gives a pointed look to the King, “Won't you sit down?" her voice was now honey sweet. Kiara sat down on a cushion. Her posture announced how wary she was of the couple and her paws itched to run from the argumentative pair.
“I was wondering,” Nara walked in a circle around Kiara, her voice a persuasive purr, “What is your world is like?”
“Well, there aren’t any lions or tigers or cheetahs. Only Lynx and wolves. I’ve only ever heard of you in stories that the Elders tell. I-”
Kiara was cut off by Nara’s voice “Elders?” she inquired.
“Yeah, they tell stories and are very wise,” Kiara answered. Nara nodded thoughtfully and motioned for Kiara to continue. “As I was saying, I’m the Greydan’s daughter,” Nara opened her mouth to interrupt again, but Kiara quickly explained what the Greydan is. “The Greydan is our leader,” Nara nodded again, “One day I was out hunting and I accidentally chased a rabbit across the boundary between the Wolves and the Lynx. The wolves found me and ran me back across the border. One of them kept coming even when I crossed the border and I ran into a cave and was here.”
Nara nodded again and said “So you’re arrival here was purely accidental?”
“Yes,” Kiara answered while nodding.
"One last question, Kiara," said Nara, "How old are you?"
"I'm three winters."
"Very well," Nara assumed that she meant three Passings. Nara turned away and spoke quietly to a guard outside the door. The tiger guard nodded and padded away "A serval will come and show you to your tent. For now you can stay in our camp."
Soon after a small serval was leading Kiara along a path and proudly explaining anything that Kiara asked about. Apparently this world was caught up in a war. The Cani consisted of dogs and the Feli of cats. Each species of cats had a King and a Queen, but for now the Lions had the High throne and would command all Feli. Every ten winters, or Passings as they said it, a new High King and Queen are elected. The one question the serval wouldn't answer though, was what had happened to the lynx. This troubled Kiara greatly.
When they finally arrived at Kiara's tent the serval showed her in. Kiara was amazed. The tent was a beautiful blue color and a few blue cushions littered the ground. The grass underfoot was lush and smelled heavenly. Her eyes were wide as she looked around.
"If you need anything, just ask," said the serval, who quickly left the tent.
Kiara looked down at the grass. She had the sudden urge to roll in it. Where she used to live there was almost never grass. And when there was, if certainly wasn't this green. She peered around, she was alone, no one would see her. She shrugged and began to roll around in the lush grass. She purred with pleasure.
Suddenly she heard a small laugh. She was back on her feet in a second and was looked around for the source of the noise. Then she saw it. A small fox-like creature with large ears sat beside one of the tent walls.
"Don't worry, I won't tell," the creature giggled.
"Who are you?" Kiara growled, "What are you?"
"Why, I'm a fennec fox," the fox stares at Kiara with wide eyes "My name's Jester. And you, I am assuming, are Kiara?"
"How do you know my name?"
"Oh, come on, you don't really think those lions who call themselves rulers could keep you a secret! You're the first lynx seen here in three Passings."
"I though foxes where related to dogs? Why are you in the Feli camp?"
"Oh, no one really cares, they don't count us as anything. We can go wherever we want," said Jester.
"And how did you get in my tent?"
"It wasn't very hard, it's easy to get under the walls," he said "Anyways, I've got a message for you."
"A message?" Kiara was puzzled, "Who from?"
"The rebel leader, Kioki,"
"Rebel leader! What's going on?!"
"He's a lynx like you. Don't worry, he'll explain everything when you meet him."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Meet him? What do you mean, meet him?" she asked.
"That's what the message is about! Now calm down and let me deliver it," said Jester temperamentally, "He says to try to get outside of camp sometime in the next four days."
"And how am I supposed to do that!"
"I don't know," he shrugged "You'll figure something out."
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