By Ali Dacus
Chapter 1: A Startle in the Night
"GET BACK HERE THEIF!" Kat ran as fast as her short
legs would carry her. Bread clenched tight in her arms, she
rushed to her horse, Gem. "Hurry Gem!" Kat cried as the
merchant sprinted up to her. At that moment, the dirty steed
bolted off. "GET BACK HERE YOU AWFUL LITTLE
PEASANT!" Hollered the fat merchant after her. Kat laughed.
"Gem, as long as I have my legs and you, we will always
have bread on our table!"
Just as the sun lowered behind the northern hills, the girl and
horse ambled up to a muddy stable next to a dingy hut. She
put her beloved mare into the stable and lit three candles.
"Here we are" Kat sighed as she grabbed a bucket of water
from the well. Before the horse knew what was going on, Kat
threw the bucket all over the horse. Gem jumped and almost
knocked over a candle at the water's cold. The water began
to run down her side, revealing the purest white one could
ever imagine. "Gem, how do you get your coat so white?" for
second, Kat could have sworn the horse gave her a look of
pride and said, "That's for me to know, and you to find out!"
"I guess I will never know!" chuckled the teen and she went
inside her hut after pecking a kiss on her best friend's
muzzle.
Kat enjoyed the warm stolen bread. It always felt well
earned, as she spent all day riding to the Tasla market and
tricking the fat old baker into looking the other way just long
enough for her to snatch the biggest loaf she could find.
Kat put herself to bed after her well-earned dinner. She
hated going to bed. When she went to bed, she always
thought of when her papa was there. Four years ago, it had
been her papa and her together since her mama died when
Kat was only five years old. They stuck together. But then,
the king of Norlan, their home country in the land of Harsan,
had called her papa to go and join the army of men who
were to defeat the dragon of the Waland Mountains. The
terrible beast annually attacked the villages of Norlan, killing
many in its blazing path. Its lair was deep in the Waland
Mountains, to the north. Everyday, Kat would look out her
window to those mountains with tears in her eyes, thinking
about her papa who was somewhere in those peaks. The
night before he left, her papa had come in to say good-bye,
for he would be leaving at dawn the next morning. He had
said to her, "Katora, I do not know when I will return, but I
need you to promise me something." "I'll do anything papa."
Tears ran down Kat's 10-year-old face. "You have a special
gift, Katora. This necklace was your mother's. You will need
it now more then ever." He handed her a cloth necklace with
a flat diamond with a strange carving in it. " I need you to
promise me that you will use this necklace and your gift
well." Kat didn't know what gift her papa was talking about,
but she agreed nonetheless. She had seen her mother wear
that necklace and it gave her strength. "Also, take good care
of Gem for me, for I'm leaving her in your care. I love you
Katora." With that, he kissed her forehead and left the room
as Kat cried herself to sleep. Every night since then, Kat
remembered that night and her promise to her father.
However, she still didn't know what that special gift was that
her father was talking about. But she remembered her
promise as she lay in bed that night.
It was around two o' clock am, when Kat heard a
creature sneak toward the barn. Kat had wonderful hearing,
sight, and smell. "Wolves!" she cried and immediately rushed
out of bed and grabbed her dagger. With a lighted torch, the
girl ran as fast as she could to the barn. Something furry hit
her leg and she tumbled to the ground, her torch had gone
out. She stumbled around in the dark until the three candles
in the barn were lit. "Wolves can't light candles!" Kat thought.
Carefully, she snuck into the stable just in time to see an
enormous wolf transform into cloaked man who grabbed
Gem's reins.
Chapter 2: A Secret Revealed
Startled by the strange being, Kat stammered,
"Who…or what are you!" The man jumped and spun
around. "I am Oryan" the strange man replied. He had a
wrinkled, weary face, but soft blue eyes. "Are you Katora of
Norlan?"
"Yes I am. And just what were you planning to do with
my horse?"
"My apologies, Miss. I do believe I owe you an explanation."
"I think you do." Kat guarded the stable door. She
wanted answers. The old man sat himself down on an old
milking stool. "Four years ago, the King of Norlan summoned
me to fight the dragon of Waland. I had lost my family to the
beast and wanted my revenge. The army traveled thousands
of miles, deep into the mountains. Freezing days, even
colder nights. I would have gone mad had it not been for a
man I had met along the way. His name was Amos. We met
at the journey's start when I saw him looking at a sketch of a
young girl. Tears welled in his eyes. I went over to see what
was wrong. He told me about his only daughter whom he
had to leave alone with only a horse for company. No money
except for a leather sack of coins. We started talking about
our families and soon enough, we were like old brothers.
Through the hardest times, we helped each other as best we
could. We only had each other and our memories.
Soon, the army came to the dragon's cave. After four
years, we were finally there. The night before we fought the
dragon, Amos and I were sitting around a fire, unable to eat
because we were so nervous. Amos then said, "Oryan, I
need you to promise me something."
"Anything, Amos." I replied.If anything is to happen to
me in that cave, I need you to try to escape and get to my
daughter. Send her after us. If I know her right, she has the
power to save us and all of Harsan. Send her here on her
horse. Help will find and guide her here. After that, I need
you to go to the king and tell him what has happened. If
need be, have him send more men. But I am certain that my
daughter can handle things."
"But Amos! She is but a child!" I replied. "How can she
defeat a dragon if the king's army can't?"
"Trust me Oryan. That girl has more power than anyone
knows, even herself. Tell her this story. If I can't be the one
to reveal her true identity to her, I would like my closest
friend to be the one. And, tell her I love her." Touched by his
love for his daughter, his courage, hope, and trust in a man
like me, I agreed. He then told me about his daughter's
inherited gift. The gift to be one with the beasts. To talk,
walk, control, even be God's creatures. He explained an old
prophecy about a peasant girl's hidden power and how she
would save us all some day.
It wasn't for a week after that talk that we found the
dragon. The monster spotted us immediately and attacked.
Our fight back may have been little against him, but we
injured his leg so he had to limp. But the giant roared and
captured many of men, including Amos and I. I managed to
wriggle free of the brute's grasp without his noticing. Amos
wasn't so lucky. My leg was crippled but I managed to yell to
my friend, "What is your daughter's name?"
His reply was, "Katora."
Chapter 3: Questions answered, more secrets revealed.
Kat was so surprised at Amos's answer that she fell off
her stool. "He was talking about me! Amos is my father!
Papa! But it can't be me! I don't have any power!" Sweat
started running down Kat's face. "There is no other Katora
here." Oryan replied. He grinned. "As the prophecy says, you
are to save us all. Your father knew what he was talking
about. He also mentioned something about a necklace with
a carving on it." Kat touched the pearl on her neck. "It can't
be me!" She thought. "But I fit the prophecy perfectly!"
Questions swarmed Kat's brain like a swarm of bees.
The first one that came tumbling out wasn't the most
important one, but it was a start to finding answers and
getting rid of the swarm in her mind. "How did you turn from
a wolf to a man? And, as I asked earlier, were you going to
steal my horse?" Oryan chuckled. "Once again, my
apologies. I was not going to take your beloved Gem. I only
wanted to look at her. It's been so long since I've seen such
a beautiful creature. Her magic just pulled me towards her."
"Sorry, but did you say magic?"
"She is one of the most powerfully magical creatures in our
world." He looked at her. Kat looked at Gem. All this time,
she had such a powerful creature, and she covered her with
mud everyday! "But you didn't answer my first question. Are
you a shape shifter or something?"
"I never told anyone in fear of being mistaken for a
werewolf. You mustn't tell a soul. Now, it has grown late into
the night. We shall rest. I must train you a bit in the morning.
Might I stay with you?" Kat showed the man inside.
Chapter 4: The Unknown Ability
When Kat woke the next morning, she was mystified.
Had last night just been a bizarre dream? Had a strange
shape shifting man revealed to her that she was a
prophesied hero with extraordinary power? No, it couldn't be.
A bit disappointed and wondering what she ate last night,
Kat sauntered into the main room of her hut. But to her
pleasurable surprise, there was the strange shape shifting
man sleeping on a pile of hay in the corner. Just as she
walked in, Oryan awoke and smiled at her. There in front of
him was the girl he had heard so much about and had
traveled so far to see. "How about some breakfast?" He
asked.
"Do you have any food or money? Because if you don't, we
will have to either steal or gather anything we can find from
the fields."
"Don't worry, I have some food in my pack." And did he
ever! Kat had never had such a delightful breakfast. As
Oryan told stories of his travels, Kat ate fresh fruit and ham
she had cooked for them over the fire. It tasted even better
than her stolen dinners from the fat baker!
When they finished and cleaned up, Oryan took Kat
outside. Training was about to begin. "Amos explained to
me your powers that night by the dragon's cave. First, I think
you should learn to speak to your animal friends. Magical
creatures are easier because they are more intelligent than
mortal beings" Gem smirked at her, with a superior look on
her long skinny face. Kat laughed. "Hey Gem! According to
Oryan, I'm not a mortal, so ha!" Gem laughed. Kat had to do
a double take. Did she just hear her horse laugh? It wasn't
just a horsy snort, but a giggle! In fact, it was in a light
feminine voice! Oryan was quick to notice the girl's shocked
expression. "Did you hear her laugh?" he asked.
"Yeah, I did! Wait! How did you know she laughed?"
"Well, it seemed like a horsy snort would be their laugh and
that comment was something to laugh at! Now, I'm going to
go hunt for tonight's dinner. You try to communicate with
Gem. Concentrate and talk. If you listen, you may be able to
finally understand her tongue!" and with that he was off into
the woods.
Kat stared at what she thought was her horse. Oryan
didn't mention if she was just a magical horse or a creature
that looked like a horse, but was really a magical being.
"Um, hi Gem." No answer. "How are you doing?" Still no
answer. She kept trying to talk to Gem, but all the while the
creature just stared at her through her enormous brown
eyes. Kat couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't exactly the
most patient girl in Harsan. "Darn it Gem!" The girl shouted
in frustration. "If I am supposed to be some prophecy and
am supposed to talk to you, CAN YOU AT LEAST TRY TO
TALK BACK!"
"Well, I would talk back if you would talk about
something interesting! I was there for all the memories
you've talked about! Also, there is no need to shout." Kat
swung around.
"Ahh, you finally understood me, didn't you?" The horse
grinned the best way a horse could. Kat couldn't close her
mouth. Finally, she gathered her senses. "Sorry. Have I
always talked in such a boring fashion?" She managed a
grin. "It hasn't been that bad. You talk to a horse like other
mortal people talk to a horse. You think we can't understand
a word you are saying. Most horses can't, but I know all
you've been talking to me about. You've been able to talk to
me for years. And, you understood my body language, unlike
most."
For hours after, the two talked as though they had just
met. Kat found out that Gem was a Usanus, a unicorn who
had no horn. They were in the same family as the unicorn,
but they were actually more powerful.
Oryan returned around three 'o' clock. When he saw
the two chatting, he beamed. "Congratulations! You have
mastered animal speech!"
"That's all it takes?"
"Yes. Once you talk to one, you can talk to all.
Especially if it's a magical creature." Kat Grinned.