Lina was sitting on her bed, half asleep, when she heard footsteps approaching. There was a clang and creak as Gatti came in with her food. Lina clasped her charm as she watched Gatti place the food down before her. The purple rock seemed to get warmer…

"Eat," Gatti said and walked out of the cell, locking the door behind him.

Lina left. For a moment, she wondered what just happened, but her growling stomach averted her mind from the question. She got her food and started to eat. Same thing for two weeks…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katomi sat on the floor by her bed, staring at her paw as she opened then retracted her claws. "Viole…"

"Hmm?" Viole replied.

"Do you think we’ll ever capture the Dragon?"

Viole sat up in his bed. "In a way…"

Katomi sighed. "The more I think about it, the more I think this mission is a waste of time…"

Viole chuckled. "Well, try not to worry about it so much and do what you are told to do. It’ll make things easier."

Katomi looked up at Viole and made a lopsided smile. "I’ll try. It’s just that I have this…"

"Gene of Anxiety. I know. Well, to get over it, you better get some sleep. Who knows, the Dragon hunt may end tomorrow…" Viole said, lying back down.

"You’re right…" Katomi said, climbing into her bed. "Good night, Viole."

"Good night."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Cataran army officers gathered around a rectangular table, Rohga sitting on one end and Cecilium sitting in the other.

"Soldiers of Catara, General Mekhasa has been captured for a month [in Exidaean time]. We must get her back. She may not be an elite soldier, but she has a crystal clear mind. We cannot afford to lose her! What do you suggest we should do? General Rohga reports that something similar to a Zentorian android was among the enemy…. What do you all think?" Cecilium said.

A Neo-Tigan (a Tiger-Human) arose. "Sire, I suggest that we call for alliance. We should join forces and fight Gaea as one. I do not believe Zentor has conquered Gaea, for the reports during the past several years didn’t mention training for battle. If we couldn’t win, how could they? So I think we should ally with Zentor also."

This caused a huge commotion among the officers.

"ALLIANCE?!?!" cired a Lynxan (a Lynx-Human). "Are you insane, Colonel?!"

"Musaren, Zentor and the Human Kingdoms aren’t going to ally with us!" cried a Cheetan (a Cheetah-Human).

The shouts and cries went on for a while until Cecilium called for order. There was silence almost at once and all those who had risen sat down.

"Seeing how powerful this Gaean army is, I think the colonel’s idea is good. We should also start training…hard. We are still stiff, I know, that’s why we have to warm up. Our skills have to equal that of our ancestors to defeat this enemy," the emperor said.

The officers nodded.

"Now, I officially declare war against Gaea!" Cecilium said.

The officers thrust their fist into the air, calling out their war cry, "CATARAA!!!! CATARAAAAAAA!!!!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lina felt a cold chill run down her spine. Something was going to happen…something…

"What is it?" Lina asked herself. She looked down at her charm. The light had dimmed, and the stone felt so cold now…but why?