| The Tragedy of Nola Chapter 1 After a generation of oppression and slavery, the cat warrior revolution had come to a bloody end, with the cat warriors free from their wolf masters, who raped, tortured, and murdered them by the scores. It was now that the cat warriors faced a challenging problem, and that was where to live to escape the brutality of everyday life. It was on this day that a young lion soldier named Asmodo was revered to be the hero of all cat warriors. It was he who, at an age of only 29 ladurs, led the slave uprising that resulted in a 2-ladur war with the wolfmen. Through his leadership the cat warriors slew their masters and ravaged their villages; the men mercilessly raped wolf women in return for the stripping of their own ladies' virginity, butchered their children in return for the murder of pregnant cat women, and hanged all prisoners of war in return for the unspeakable tortures they endured. The cat warriors loudly proclaimed that Asmodo should lead them. On this day of independence, two of Asmodo's best friends carried him on their shoulders into the darkness of the forest, where they intended to remain forever more. Asmodo laughed wildly as the cat warriors applauded him on his amazing charisma and saving them from peril. "Lead us, Asmodo!" someone shouted. "You defeated the whole world! You should be proud." "Lead you?" Asmodo asked, being put down from his position once upon another's shoulders. "I know nothing about how to lead you other than to teach you to fight. Isn't that enough." One of Asmodo's fellow jaguar soldiers, Juvid, stepped forward. "You can teach us all to fight," he said, "to be prepared for the future. But we want you to be our leader, our king." Asmodo's bright green eyes lit up. "Your king?" he asked. "You are free people and may do what you wish. You do not need me to tell you what to do." "Perhaps," Juvid said, "but we love you and admire you for being an inspiration for all of us." Juvid then turned to the crowd. "My fellow cat warriors -- man and woman and child -- shall we make Asmodo our glorious leader?" A great cheer went up from the crowd. It was then that Asmodo could not have another say. "The people have spoken, Asmodo," Juvid said, smiling wide. "It is you who shall be the first king of the cat warriors." Asmodo shook his head and smiled. "If I must," he began, sighing, "I will not do it alone. Juvid, my friend, from this point forward you are my next-in-command. The only person you shall ever take orders from is me." "Thank you," Juvid said, nearly in tears. "King Asmodo." Someone in the crowd spoke up. "We shall do whatever you wish!" she shouted. "What is your request." The forest floor had an inch-deep layer of water; Asmodo walked around in it for a while before arriving at his decision. "I have it," he proclaimed, laughing. "Be merry. I want to see all of my people enjoying the time that they have with each other. Love one another. Don't keep your feelings surpressed. Share them with the ones you love most. Feel compassion for each other; we must be reminded of that after the times that we have had. But most of all, celebrate your freedom!" The cat warriors all cheered and immediately began a great festival in celebration of their independence. Each of them contributed in some way or another; some enjoyed performing music or song and dance for small crowds, others brought food. Each man, woman, and child contributed to the festivities in some way or another. There was one young lioness who did not contribute, though tried simply by exploring the entire forest in which her companions would live. She was a 25-ladur-old seamstress and artist named Nola. A very unfortunate girl, she lost her mother and father in the revolution, and could neather read nor write very well at all. But she was a lighthearted girl; all the cat warriors loved her and men lusted for her. She was moderately tall, with bright purple eyes and a trim and slender figure. Nola wore a green skirt that wrapped around her waist like a sheet, leaving her right leg almost completely bare. On her body she wore a quilted black vest that sort of looked like a turtle-neck, only with no sleeves. Nola, as a very young child, loved to explore. She adored the beauty of nature and loved to climb up and down trees and swing from their limbs all day long. She enjoyed analyzing plants and small animals and studying their features. This was a trait that she brought with her to the kingdom that had been created only hours earlier. Very concerned about what to do about her problem of having nothing to contribute to the celebration, Nola decided to consult Asmodo, since everyone seemed to be looking up to him as a savior. Asmodo sat beneath a tall tree with some of his friends, enjoying food and drink and talking about the glorious future of the kingdom. Nola approached him, unsure of what to do first. She had never lived under a king before, and did not know how to address Asmodo. For so long she had thought of him only as an average person, no different from any other cat warrior whom she had known. In almost a fit of panic, she knelt before Asmodo and bowed her head. Asmodo turned to her. "Good day," he said, smiling. "Are you enjoying the time you have with your loved ones, Nola?" "Yes, King Asmodo," she said, nervously. "You need not to call me 'king'," Asmodo said, laughing. "That title is almost useless. I am just like you; I deserve no special consideration. Now, what do you need?" "I am upset," Nola began, "because I have nothing to contribute to the festival. All the others seemed to have brought something to share, but I have nothing. Tell me, Asmodo -- what should I do?" "Is not being here just enough?" Asmodo asked. "We all love you, Nola; it wouldn't be a celebration without you." Just then, Juvid interrupted. "Pardon me," he said, "but I think you can help us, Nola." "She can?" Asmodo asked, wondering why Juvid had just cut in so suddenly. "How?" "We cat warriors have nothing to imbibe," Juvid said. "Can you bring us something to drink?" Nola smiled. "I can try," she said. "I have never made anything to drink before, but I will do my best." "So it is," Asmodo proclaimed. "Nola, go now and make us some wine. Make the best with what you have and what you can find. Make enough for every man and woman present." "Yes, master," Nola said. "I shall." Nola dashed off towards her home to find the ingredients for the perfect wine. Chapter 2 |