| Rathkanar was brought to his bed, where his head was bandaged and he was encouraged to sleep. He was restless; he loudly complained that his vision became blurry after he was struck. After an hour or so of fits, Rathkanar fell asleep on his back. In his sleep, Rathkanar dreamed. What he saw in his dream was horrifying. He dreamed that he was witnessing the bloody downfall of his people by strange spirits. Before him were the torn, gory remains of his beloved cat warrior companions; bodies piled up high in front of him as the specters raced through the village, killing with their touch. As he ran away, they called to him, asking for his most treasured cat warrior; only then would the madness stop. Seconds later, Rathkanar awoke screaming at the top his lungs. He fell completely out of his bed to the floor with a horrible crash. Asmodo came running to him. "What happened?!" he cried. "Father!" Rathkanar said, clutching him. "I just had the most horrible nightmare. I dreamed spirits were killing all our people! It was aw--" Asmodo sighed with discontent. "Rathkanar, what is your problem?" he asked, intently. "That is ridiculous; we cat warriors do not believe in spirits or deities. You were simply imagining something false." Rathkanar sat down on his bed. "Perhaps you're right, father," he reassured himself. "That's silly." "I know I'm right, my boy," Asmodo said. "Now, get back to sleep. And no more nightmares." Rathkanar slept better for the next few days, but not without several severe headaches. He also held the nightmare in the back of his mind; it would not escape him. Almost nothing could go on without him thinking about the downfall of the cat warriors, nor his head pains. Mari was concerned for him; she loved him so much that she worried for his health. She did not abandon him, however, certainly not after the enjoyment of the previous week. A long time went by; Rathkanar and Mari turned 30 ladurs, Asmodo was 60 and his health was rapidly failing. Juvid was also dying at an age of 64 ladurs; the scars of the cat warrior revolution left him ruined inside. Rathkanar still remembered his horrible dream as if it were yesterday, and still experienced his headaches. Finally came the day when, only days after Juvid passed away, Asmodo lay on his death bed. Rathkanar, Mari, a mourning Corsine, and Lyna all stood around him in his last moments alive. Asmodo turned his head to his son. "Rathkanar," he said, quietly, "I am on my last leg of life; soon I will be no more. I want you to remember many things I have taught you, and I know that you can overcome your illnesses and lead our people in peace and harmony." He then looked at Mari, who stood next to him. "Mari, thank you for choosing my son to be your man; I hope you marry in time, for you have courted for so long. Rathkanar is fortunate to have a lovely, beautiful woman like you." Mari smiled. "Rathkanar," Asmodo continued, "remember all that I have taught you from childhood and you will be the greatest and most revered king that ever lived to lead us. I love you and your mother very much; take care of the ones you love most." At that moment, Asmodo reclined his head back on his pillow. He let his eyes close and within seconds he was gone. After moving his father's body to a beautifully-decorated casket, Rathkanar was crowned. Later that day, the village buried their first king in the finest plot of land in the forest. Rathkanar's first order of business as the second king of the cat warriors was to speak to them. He called everyone together to give the greatest oration of his life. Rathkanar spoke on love and peace and protection. But near the end of his speech he made the dreadful mistake of sharing his nightmare with the cat warriors. Many of the cat warriors fell down laughing; they thought the idea was ridiculous. Rathkanar loudly argued that it wasn't funny and that it scared him. It did not stick with anyone right away. The young king shook off his discontent later on that day. Unfortunately, even as he walked among his people, whom he found loving each other and protecting them from harm, just as he intended, his nightmares returned. He had the same horrible dream for days at a time. Often he would wake up crying and screaming; his guards would come running to him to comfort him for an hour or so. It soon became a fact that Rathkanar could not stand to sleep alone at night and stubbornly insisted that one or two of his guards stand in his room by his door and guard it while he slept. Then came a disasterous night that changed his life forever. Rathkanar's nightmare haunted him again, and he once again awoke screaming. After his guards calmed him down, he sent them away for a moment to contemplate the problem. The king concluded that his dream was a prophecy soon to come true. He decided that he must fulfill his father's words and pay attention to his horrible nightmare. Rathkanar lept to his feet and called for his guards, Gamer and Lanom. They came running as fast as they could. They immediately bowed before him. "You called for us, master?" Lanom said. "Yes," Rathkanar said. "I need you both to help me save our people. They will die otherwise." "Why, master?" Gamer asked. "Do not ask," Rathkanar said, sternly. "Just do. I want you both to bring me my most beloved cat warrior. Bring me Mari." The guards hesitated for a moment. "What are you waiting for??" Rathkanar shouted. "Go get Mari. Go get my love!" The two guards hurried off to her home, not knowing what would happen next. Chapter 4, part 1 |