There was once a silver tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes. She was the mother of two kittens. The mother was loving, humble, and careful. Her name was Nephrodite; and her kittens were named Faria and Tomuco.
Fairia was a brown and silver and white tortoiseshell she-cat kitten with blue eyes just like her mother. Tomuco was a brown tabby with green eyes, one a bit darker then the other.
Nephrodite also had a good friend named Karea (care-a). Karea was a pink and purple frosted she-cat with amber eyes.
Nephrodite loved her kittens and her friend more then everything else in the world. She would stop to nothing to make them happy. Most cats (and people) would take advantage of this, but Fairia, Tomuco, and Karea did not. They loved Nephrodite, too, and wanted her to be happy as she made them.
But, Nephrodite’s kittens, Fairia and Tomuco, couldn’t stay out of trouble no matter how hard they tried. Hence, they always were.
And this is where the story begins.
-
“Hurry up!” Tomuco cried as he rushed just ahead of his sister. She was a bit younger then him and a bit smaller then him. He reminded her of that often. “You’re so slow!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Fairia’s reply was hissed through gritted teeth.
Fairia thrust herself forward just enough to propel herself in front of her older brother.
“Ha!” she gloated, struggling to keep ahead. “How’s that for being slow?”
“Whatever,” Tomuco growled sourly. “I’m still faster.”
“Is that so?” Fairia challenged.
“Yeah!” Tomuco snorted indignantly.
“Yeah right!” Fairia hissed, her tone sarcastic.
“Yeah, right!” Tomuco replied bitterly.
“No!”
“Yes!”
“N--” Fairia cut herself off, unable to continue.
“What is it--” Tomuco stopped himself, jaws gaping.
The two were petrified in fear. Above them loomed a kwagawolf. Kwagawolves had the heads of wolves, the torso of a zebra, and the hindquarters of a kangaroo. Kwagawolves were extremely dangerous animals of the goddess of chaos, Chuntenara. This one wasn’t paying the two kittens any mind--for now. Kwagawolves had an amazing sense of smell and hearing. Taste, too.
The kittens un-petrified themselves and took a step back. Just their luck, they stepped on an extraordinarily large, and extraordinarily dry, stick.
CRUNCH.
At the sound of the tick snapping into thirds, the kwagawolf whipped her head around. Before her stood her supper. Boy, was she lucky. And hungry, too.
The kwagawolf licked her midnight-black lips. And sprang, landing on the kittens paws first. At this, the kittens promptly blacked out.
*****
Brackenbuzzards, phirebirds, moltenhawks, and countless other birds of chaos--or was it the goddess of chaos?--swirled above the kittens faster then the winds of a tornado. Stalagmites and stalactites covered the enormous cave’s ceiling and floor.
There were rivers snaking along the cave floor, shimmering like blue silk ribbons. Inside of those rivers, watercobras slithered, dark blue tongues flickered in and out of their mouths from which soft hissing flowed faster then the river’s currents.
Chemers, a mix of a dog and a lion, chewed on ancient skeletons atop hulking obsidian stones. Countless other terrifying animals of chaos filled the cave.
All eyes were fixed on the kittens.
Fairia and Tomuco stared in horror at the animals, screaming in fear. They tried to avert their eyes from the terrible sights, but whenever they turned away from one, another took its place.
Chuntenara, the goddess of chaos herself, then appeared from one of the many tunnels, this one produced a faded, blood red light. The goddess’s evil laughter filled the room, echoing off of the cave walls and filling the terrified kitten’s ears.
“Wh-what do you want with us?” Fairia stammered fearfully.
“Nefaira, the goddess of the dead, has stolen my symbol of power--the Sward of Fallen Warriors, also Quarnite,” Chuntenara replied. “I will trade her some powerful soles in return for Quarnite. Your soles.”
*****
Nephrodite felt unnerved. Something was wrong. She could feel it, deep down inside of her.
For some reason, she thought about her sweet kittens, Fairia and Tomuco. Why weren’t they back from their walk yet? They should have returned a while ago....
Nephrodite made the connection. Something was happening to her kittens. It had to be....
Nephrodite decided to look for her kittens. If they were fine, she would feel like a fool. But it was worth the risk of humiliation to helping her kittens. With that, Nephrodite raced into the forest, worrying about her sweet kittens.
*****
Nephrodite blinked in shock. From Chuntenara’s cave, she had head a scream. She had then snuck in and had overheard Chuntenara saying to Fairia and Tomuco, “....I will trade [Nefaira] some powerful soles in return for Quarnite. Your soles.”
Shrieking in furry, Nephrodite flung herself in front of her kittens, snarling in a feral way. This itself was pure bravery, but she was unable to think of anything but saving her sweet kittens.
Nephrodite braced herself for Chuntenara’s killing blow, but none came. Instead, Chuntenara’s laughter filled the cavern.
“You,” Chuntenara cackled, “think that you can protect your puny kittens from my wrath? You don’t stand a chance, Nephrodite. Why not give up now?”
Nephrodite bravely rose her head to face the goddess. “Although it is true that I would never be able to face off a goddess,” Nephrodite admitted humbly, “the spirits may send a blessing.” A tear rolled down the silver cat’s face.
“Then the battle is all ready lost,” Chuntenara sneered mercilessly. “Good-bye, Nephrodite.”
The spirits sent their blessing.
Nephrodite rose. She was now a goddess. She had always been strong an true at heart, and this was a way to show it. She was now not just Nephrodite, but something more. She was Nephrodite, goddess of horses, the moon, cats, and stealth.
She changed into her human form and, in her hand, she held a javelin. It changed to what she willed it. It was Nephrodite’s symbol of power, Jixxmoone.
Nephrodite was able to strike down the goddess Chuntenara. She changed back into a cat and lead her kittens to safety. They lived happily from that day forth.
But a goddess Nephrodite would always remain.
-KittyLover8
© 2012
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