I awoke to a throbbing headache and dying embers of a campfire surrounded by furry bodies. The smell of
genus felis
hung thick in the air, making my nostrils twitch and my heart race. It was a dire predicament, indeed, for a dog like me. I sighed and resigned myself to quietly surveying my situation. The huge panther that had knocked me unconscious was lying next to me, rumbling softly in his sleep; so I was very...very quiet.
Two pair of luminous green eyes faded into view at the edge of the clearing, fixing me with their intensity. My "friend" and benefactor Azrael stepped into the rough circle of sleeping felines, leading a gray-whiskered copy of her carefully around the slumbering, forms. Az looked at me with a slight smile of (what I hoped to be…) affection. The venerable grimalkin she respectfully catered to just looked at where she was placing her unsteady hind paws. They eventually made their way to the fireside and sat down across from me, the old (but lovely) Tabby looking at me with amused scrutiny.
"You have nothing to fear, visitor…after we speak together for a while, you are free to make your way." Her emerald gaze crinkled merrily at me.
"Hallo, I am Phae; and I have not the foggiest idea of what you are talking about."
Her eyes never wavered from mine, but they widened a bit.
"They have not told you of your importance, this is good. Had you known, we would have been forced to imprison and possibly torture you for information on the human and vampire clans." She spoke the words with a detached warmth that I found disconcerting, at the very least. Again, her eyes never left mine.
"Who…?" I shut up quick at the slight tensing of muscles from Azrael. She rose partially, but settled back down at a slight gesture from the elder cat-morph. We exchanged daggered looks as the old one continued.
"You are very special to us little one….the very existence that we enjoy depends upon your continued life in this realm." She refused to acknowledge my shocked expression with an explanation, but gazed into the dying embers, instead.
"What is it with you, and this place?!?!?" I am not of this realm! I don't wanna be here! I ……." So I woke the whole camp, wouldn't you be upset, too?
I moved closer to the elder feline, for she seemed to be my only island of protection from the awaking sea of fur, claws and teeth. I was stabbed by many knives that were thrown my way by the eyes of the waking tribe. She chuckled softly.
"They will not hurt you, little one. They aren't happy with your liaison with my Granddaughter, and less than joyful at her resulting lump on the head. But you are quite safe here." I huddled closer still, not trusting her words. I was even less sure that she could have done anything for my defense if the tribe decided to dispatch my furry carcass once and for all. I gazed fearfully at the hulking form of the panther-morph as he stretched and yawned. I felt faint at the sight of his ten-penny nail teeth. His golden eyes opened and fixed on me and his upper lip rose in a silent snarl.
"Yah, tell him that." I squeaked from behind the Elder. "He hit me on the head and knocked me senseless."
"You had very little sense to begin with, mutt." He rumbled. "I just helped rearrange it to my liking. Even elder Mina could not save you, had you hurt my precious Azrael. I would have had you for a snack, and then made your mangy hide into a hat for her."
"That's enough Roagan. You've made your point, now leave it be. It is an unwitting pawn in this most delicate situation." Mina's words cowed the great panther into silence, much to my secret delight. Azrael was staring at me, incurious and alert to what was being revealed about this "situation".
"Does this have to do with the prophecy, grandma? I thought that applied only to the cat-tribes? What does this pup have to do with it?" Az looked back at me with a little friendlier expression on her lovely face. I heard Roagan growl something about "old fools and fantasy" and tried not to smile. I might live through this after all, I thought to myself. Throwing caution to the winds, I timidly cleared my throat and asked the gray furred Mina the question that had been itching at me since I first met Silvermoon, six days ago.
"Ma'am, is it too much to ask to be allowed one bit of knowledge? Why me? Why am I so special?" I felt foolish after the words left my mouth. A hysterical giggle threatened to break out of my throat. I fought it down and resumed my silence.
"You are correct in saying that you shouldn't even be here, Phae…or should I call you Brian?" I stared at her, my jaw dropping.
"How did you know?" I blinked at her smile.
"I also know, just as the clan Silvermoon has from the beginning, that your real body lies living but comatose, in a healer's bed in your realm. You are a traveler, a visitor, and you are disrupting the balance of energy and political power in this realm just by being here. It was prophesied that a very special morph would unite the tribes under her and lead us to victory over the human and vampire clans. This morph's name would be Phaedrah." She paused and let this sink into my head.
"This is nuts, and it's getting nuttier by the day. I am no one's savior, I am just scared, confused, and trying to figure things out!" I trembled with inner turmoil and anger.
"A hard task indeed, for a small mind such as yours, mutt." Roagan smiled toothily at me and a few of his cohorts chuckled at his wit. I had had enough and whirled to face him, my diminutive stature momentarily forgotten.
"Piss off muscle-head! Or I'll tear those whiskers out and feed them to you!" His look of surprise was worth whatever fate awaited me at his hands. I never got to find out. For the camp was suddenly surrounded by dark-robed figures and one, short, plump redhead…all armed with swords and mail. All weapons were drawn and at ready.
"It would be to your advantage to release the wee one to us, Mina. It is of no use to you and your tribe. Not if you are all dead." Mare's cherubic face was set in a scowl that chilled even my heart; though she looked great in her fighting leathers and breast plate. (Biiiig breast plate, I might add.)
Mina hissed at Roagan but he didn't listen, instead turning to face Mare in a battle stance. A tall, slender figure strode forward to face him; burning yellow eyes bore through his demeanor as he shrunk back a step. Silas' soft voice cut through the silence from beneath the heavy cloak.
