Tale of the Shannara: Part 1
She sat by a tree at the bank of the river. Her body ached from the fight a
few minutes before, but she had won, and now came here to rest. It was late in
the day and it would be night soon, so Katanya decided to stay here until
morning.
Long ago there were great prides throughout the land. Creatures of the night,
revered by some, but feared by a great majority. Believing that things that
lurked mostly in the dark were evil, a great plan was put into motion.
A worldwide hunt was begun. Throughout the land, all things feline were
tracked down and killed. There were those people who tried to come to the cat’s
aid, dark beings that believed the cats roamed the nights in search of blood.
For this they believed the cats were a gift from the gods, sent here to punish
infidels.
Those who came to the aid of the felines were also put to death. Huge piles
of corpses were seen; both cat and their bloodthirsty protector’s bodies stacked
together. The worst slaughter took place in the plains, and one great pile was
made. Once all were thought to be dead, the bodies were set ablaze. As the
flames danced, voices could be heard from within, prophesizing the coming of a
great protector.
The fires were left burning for days, the smell of burnt and rotting flesh
and the mysterious voices keeping onlookers at bay. All along the gods had
watched the horrific events, yet none of them knew how to stop it. As the last
of the flames died away, and the world returned to their normal lives, the only
sign left of the once great prides was the blood soaked ground where their
bodies had laid.
Suddenly the blood soaked earth began to shake. All the blood and ashes
seemed to be drawn to a central point, and a figure began to emerge. A feline
body, frail and weak, lay on the ground. As the last of the blood and ash was
drawn into the creature, it let out a great cry.
Drawn by the life force of this creature risen from death, the goddess Tunare
appeared. Mother of All, she felt compassion for the new being, and even a sense
of guilt for allowing the slaughters to take place. As Tunare approached the
feline she found that it was crying.
"Do not cry my child, for I am here. I shall keep you safe," Tunare stated
eloquently as she got ever closer to the creature.
In a stern tone the creature began, "How could you let them all die? Why did
you allow them to be slaughtered mercilessly? Were they not also your children?"
"I had no control over what happened. I could not stop them, but I will
protect you from their wrath," Tunare said as she comforted the creature.
The creature continued, "They shall return. My teardrops shall be their
rebirth. If you allow them to be butchered again, I will slowly strike down all
of your followers. However, if you promise to let them live, I will bow to your
power, and you may do with me as you wish."
Tunare looked into the creature’s eyes. There was a flash of crimson and then
visions of the great killings. A tear rolled down Tunare’s cheek as she felt
guilt build inside her once again. "I will protect them from such destruction. I
will never allow such an event to happen again."
"Return me now to the land if you wish. I shall obey your commands." The
creature weakly knelt before Tunare, satisfied that Tunare would keep her word.
"No my child, you shall live, but in a different form. Close your eyes now,
you will reawake soon."
Katanya awoke the next morning still covered in blood from the night before.
The pungent smell of death was in the air, a smell only she recognized. Shaking
off the sensation, Katanya crawled to the river’s edge.
As the sun rose from the East, Katanya looked at her reflection in the water.
She dipped her hand into the water then ran her fingers along the blood on her
face. In the now shaky reflection Katanya saw her true form. She could see the
black stripes that once graced her body, the white fur that had kept her warm.
The visions were always brief...
As the water once again became still, her tanned skin and pointed ears were
once again visible. Katanya placed her weapons amidst her bags, then slowly took
off her armor and laid it over the rest of her things. Aching, she stretched,
growling as she fought the pain. Then, before entering the water, she sniffed
the air one last time, always mindful of her surroundings.
The water was cold, but Katanya never cared. She felt at home in the water.
There was a certain freedom she felt as she swam, a unique peace no one else
quite understood. She had washed off the dirt and blood, and was losing herself
in her thoughts as she heard the far off sounds of the local residents beginning
to stir.
Katanya wrapped herself in her cloak and climbed up into the tree with her
spellbook. The book was filled with drawings of far away lands and people,
scattered thoughts, and poetic dreams. As she listened to the breeze she wrote
whatever flowed through her. It was simple moments like this morning that
brought her pleasure, and kept her sane between love and life...