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-Fatebound-

Prologue

...

A full moon glowed high in the sky, its glowing radiance bathing the elegant marble of the palace with an almost eerie silver light. The silence was only broken by the sound of flowing water, the source of which was a gilded marble fountain that sat just past the door that led out onto the balcony.

There was a stirring in the shadows, and from a distant doorway entered a tall, lithe figure, her long dress flowing around her with every step she took. Even in the darkness or the room, one could tell that she carried herself with an air of distinction. She crossed the room to the balcony, the moonlight bathing her with its silver light.

She was a caracal, her fur the color of freshly fallen snow and her eyes like pools of liquid gold. Her hair, which was a dark, inky black, was tied back in an elegantly braided tail and fell all the way down to her waist. Her dress, which was the same color of white as her fur, and it was embroidered with a sprawling pattern of gold, which only served to enhance her air of regality. With a heavy sigh, she leaned against the guardrail of the balcony and buried her face in her hands. It had been an incredibly stressful and trying day.

“Another day wasted listening to the petty grievances of the noble houses?" A voice asked from the other side of the balcony.

The caracal looked up and turned to see who had spoken. There sitting a chair against the corner of the balcony was a snow leopard, her tail curling in amusement as she took a sip from a glass of scarlet red liquid. Her attire proved to be a stark contrast to that of the caracal's elegant dress, the leopard instead dressed in a silky black dress underneath a matching leather cuirass.

“A habit that they never seem to grow tired of." The caracal chuckled as she moved to join her companion, her body visibly relaxing. “It never ceases to amaze me how much they have to complain about despite how little they do."

“Those who have grown in the lap of luxury perceive even the smallest inconvenience to be oppression."

“That's rather pessimistic of you, my dear Nailah." The white furred female teased as she poured a glass of wine for herself.

“As pessimistic as it may sound it is the truth." The leopard, Nailah, retorted. “Those who have grown used to being fed are quick to bite the hand that feeds."

The caracal tapped a finger along the rim of her glass thoughtfully. “Tell me, what is it that has caused my once optimistic Spymaster to grow so bitter?" She asked as she reached out to gently grasp her companions hand. “You once had more faith in others, believed that it would be possible to open their eyes to the suffering of those less fortunate."

“Faith tends to be a one-sided relationship." Nailah responded bitterly before taking another sip. “I was naïve once, but I've learned much over the years. Ignorance is a disease for which there is no cure, and its corruption taints all that it touches."

“Hearts can be softened, eyes can be opened, and ignorance can be cured." The caracal gave the leopards hand a gentle squeeze. “What good is today if we cannot correct yesterday's mistakes?"

It was these words that brought a small smile the Nailah's face. “You've always been an unwavering optimist, haven't you Sha'Ira? I see now where your nephew gets it."

“Raja? No, his beliefs are her own." Sha'Ira responded as she rose to her feet, moving over to lean against the balcony railing. “He understands better than anyone that he needs to prove his worth if he wishes to be respected." She let out a heavy sigh before finishing off the rest of her wine. “Ones worth shouldn't be dictated by who their parents were."

“An astute observation, if not simplistic."

Both females whipped around towards the direction of the new voice. Standing in the doorway was a figure shrouded is a scarlet robe, most of her face hidden underneath her hood. All that could be seen was the end of her rust colored muzzle.

SHHNK

Nailah moved to rise from her seat, a metallic glint extending from her wrist. Her eyes were narrowed, and her ears folded back, she had clearly not been expecting the new arrival.

“Nailah, stand down. She is a guest." The ivory furred caracal said, placing a hand on her companion's shoulder. “She is a guest. An uninvited and unexpected guest, but a guest nonetheless." She turned her gaze back to the new arrival, her golden eyes also narrowed. “I take it you've come here to give me some cryptic warning?"

The cloaked woman tipped her head to the side. “A cryptic warning, wise council, or perhaps the mad ramblings of an old fool? Interpret it as you will, it changes nothing. I am here to speak, and you are here to listen."

“How dare you!?" Nailah snarled as she leapt back to her feet, her eyes like to chips of ice as she glared at the cloaked intruder. “Milady, surely you don't expect me to remain idle as this intruder speaks to you in such a way."

“I expect you to do as you're told." Sha'Ira hissed back, her eyes glowing with a fierce intensity. “This is a private matter that does not require your outrage." She let out a heavy sigh before placing a hand on the leopard's shoulder. “Nailah, please, leave us."

Nailah opened her mouth to protest, but upon seeing the look on her face thought better of it and closed her mouth. The blade that had been extending from her wrist slowly retracted back underneath her sleeve before she gave a stiff bow and left the balcony. The sound of a door opening and closing back inside of the palace signifying her departure.

“Loyal to a tee, isn't she?"

“I don't need your sarcasm. If you came here to speak then speak!" Sha'Ira snapped, her hands balled up into fists.

“Such anger is not befitting of you." The woman said as she lowered her hood, revealing that she was also a caracal. A long strip of silky white cloth was wrapped over her eyes, signifying that she was blind. “But you are not incorrect. There is much that must be said. There is a storm brewing, and I will not allow it to catch this kingdom unprepared."

“A storm? What are you talking about?" Sha'Ira asked. “As the Empress of the Cait Empire I command you to tell me what you know."

The blind caracal visibly sneered. “Your 'commands' mean little to me, I would caution you to remember that." The woman then turned her head to the moon. “War. There is a war coming, and if not handled properly then it could mark the end of the kingdom."

“War?" Sha'Ira repeated, blinking dumbfoundedly. “War with who? They Lycans? Surely not the Vulpes?"

“A war from within and without." The caracal in red said. “There is only so much that I am capable of telling you. I remain forbidden from telling you specific details, but I shall tell you all that I can." She returned her sightless gaze to Sha'Ira's face. “There are still some years ahead of you before the storm breaks. What's truly important is that you be prepared when it does."

“Okay, well then tell me what I need."

“Not what, but who. If you desire the war to turn out in your favor, then you will need to ensure that you have all of the proper pieces." The woman said, her unseeing gaze remaining fixated on Sha'Ira's face. “Your nephew, Raja, will play a key role in the events to come. You must ensure that he is ready once the time comes."

“Raja? What role would he have to play?" the empress began, only to be cut off.

“There is another, a human. They too will play an important role in deciding the fate of the empire."

“A human?" Sha'Ira asked. “But there are no humans in the empire. They remain on their own continent, distracted with their own war. Why would a human have anything to do with the future of the empire?"

The blind caracal began to make her way back towards the doorway into the castle. “All will become clear as time passes. The pieces will eventually begin to fall, though it will be up to you to ensure that they do in place."

“Wait, where are you going? You can't leave yet! There's still so much that you haven't told me!"

“All will eventually become clear. I will return to offer more council when the time is right."

It was with those final words that the woman disappeared back inside of the palace, it looking as if the shadows themselves swallowed her whole, leaving Sha'Ira alone to ponder what she had just been told. There was a war coming, one that threatened the very existence of her empire, and the only things standing in the way of the approaching chaos was her nephew and a human.