I don't know how well this one turned out but... tell me what you think! ^.^

Kaiko woke up when the sun shined through the window onto her eyes. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Mikuo, who was still sleeping. She turned around and looked outside, and they were on a large hill approaching Calen, the central city of the humans. The only entrances were only by two drawbridges at the east and west sides of the city hanging over a large mote that protected the city, while the walls towered over 20 stories tall. The "Gran Tower" was even taller than that. It reached nearly 50 stories tall, and was home the all of the war generals for the humans. One of their most famous is General Ruac, who lead only a small squad of untrained, unskilled men into the enemy lines during a time where his men were getting pushed back and sabotaged their supply lines to make the enemy retreat and give the human troops a time to recover. Kaiko's parents were on the 23rd floor at the time, discussing with the heads of the human government, but she didn't know that.

"Uh... mister?" She said shyly "Kay, was it?"

"Yes, miss Oracle?"

"Oh... don't call me that. My name's Kaiko."

"Okay, Kaiko. What's on your mind?"

"Do you know where my parents are in the city?"

"The ambassadors?" He stopped the horses and thought for a moment "My guess would be that they're in Gran Tower. But I'm not sure what floor. I could ask a superior where they might be, but I'm not sure if I'll get an answer."

"Oh okay..." Kaiko said, disappointed "Well thank you." She was silent for a while, then spoke again after a minute or so "Uhh. Kay?"

"Hm?"

"Why did people call me and Mikuo 'Oracle' and 'Guardian'?"

"Well. Let me tell you a story. But first, my horses must rest." Kay stopped his horses, jumped off the carriage, and opened the door. Kaiko lightly poked Mikuo in the stomach, waking him up, and he woke with a smile to see Kaiko. "C'mon now." Kay helped Kaiko out of the carriage while Mikuo jumped out himself, and they all sat down in the grass underneath a tree alongside the road leading to Calen as the horses ate the grass at their feet. "Before we get to the main story, let me tell you the history behind both the human and dog races. Have you ever wondered why we all look so much alike? Only with ears and tails to tell us apart? Humans don't have them because in the beginning of time, the maker only made 6 people. 3 men and 3 women, all of them cats. One couple, shunned the appearance they were given. They though it to be unholy, even though the maker wanted it that way. They cut off what made them cats and went off to live alone and start a new race, a race of humans." Kay took a drink from his little satchel and continued "Now, another couple, took pride over their gift. They were overzealous of it. They embraced it. It soon controlled their lives and their ears and tails grew longer and they went to live apart from the cats and humans. Our last couple, saw their appearance as a given. Something that they had to live with and ask no questions and overtime, they stayed the same. But tensions over which side was right, dogs and humans began to fight, where the cats stayed away. And that's it for history."

"What about what you stopped to tell us?" Mikuo said sternly.

"Mikuo... don't be mean." Kaiko said "I'm sorry, Kay." Kay smiled.

"Oh that's quite alright." He cleared his throat "Now, over time, people from the human and dogs villages began calling the cat female that stayed a cat 'Oracle', and her protector, the male, the 'Guardian'. These titles were lost overtime as the cats grew in number, and it was said during the darkest time, the cats would be attacked and the new Oracle and Guardian would be forced out, on the whim of destiny, and bring and end to all the fighting."

"What about my parents?" Kaiko said "They've been outside Maru, why haven't they been called that?"

"I.. I don't know. then again, I've never been even relatively close to the ambassadors, because I'm just a lowly soldier. Word travels faster than people. I'm sure everyone in Calen knows about Maru's demis-" He stopped his sentence when he saw Kaiko's eyes begin to fill with tears and she crawled closer to Mikuo, who gave him a hard look. "Never-mind. I guess that caused you two to be forced out."

"Along with the rest of them." Mikuo said "We're just trying to survive. I'm sure they're doing the same and are on their way here, or to the dogs, right now. They remain pure, not wanting to be a part of your war."

"Mikuo, stop it." Kaiko said, wiping her eyes of tears "I think I understand now. We need to end the war, right? How do we do that?"

"Dunno." Kay said as he stood up "Well, I guess I better get you two to Calen before Commander Farth gives me hell for getting you two there not as soon as possible." Kaiko nodded and both her and Mikuo went into the carriage as it departed. They soon made it to the drawbridge on the west side of the city, and it made a large crash sounded over half a mile. The carriage trotted along the streets, but the large, protective outside wasn't protecting much. The streets were dirty, with people sitting and begging for anything they could get to help their families survive for the night.

"Oh my..." Kaiko said, looking as the poverty stricken people "It's... I would've never thought..."

"Yeah. Humans put so much of their funds into the military, they barely have anything for the civilians that inhabit their cities, especially here." Kay said "The high general says he doesn't have time for them."

"What about you, Kay?" Kaiko asked.

"Me? What do you mean?"

"Like... About these people. Do you do things to make their lives better?"

"Occasionally, when I'm sent back here, I try and give them some of what I make in the army, which isn't much."

"What about your family?"

"I... I don't have any." Kay said, reluctantly.

"Oh... I'm so sorry..."Kaiko said in sympathy.

"It's not your fault so don't apologize for it. It's why I joined the army. Dog spies attacked our village on the outskirts of human territory and few survived." Kaiko was silent to his story, feeling bad for Kay. "Don't worry yourself. I'll take you to Gran Tower. The sun's still up so the ambassadors should still be there. just wait outside for them." Kay pulled the carriage up to the tower and dropped them off. "Guess this is where we part."

"Come here, Kay." Kaiko said, holding out her arms. "Give me a hug." She smiled warmly.

"Oh that's okay. I gotta get back. Thank you though." Kay turned his horses around and waved as he went back through the street of beggars. Mikuo and Kaiko sat outside of the tower for hours, waiting for her parents. Kaiko rested her head on Mikuo's shoulder as he sat there, thinking.

"I'll do anything if it means ending this war. But... I can't let Kaiko go. That's the one thing that I won't do." Mikuo tightly gripped his clothes, and Kaiko took notice.

"Mikuo, are you okay?" She said.

"I'm... I'm fine. Don't worry." Mikuo said, letting go on his clothes.

"Are you sure? You look like something is bothering you." She took his and in her own "You can tell me anything you know."

"It's nothing." The tall doors that granted entrance to the tower flung open toward them and the both quickly stood up and stepped back. All of the generals exited and went home to their lavish houses, to get away from the talk of war and be with their families. The last to leave were Sua and Reas, Kaiko's mother and father. Sua was a little shorter than Mikuo, who was 5 foot 8 inches, and had short, cute pink fur. Reas towered over all 3 of them, at 6 feet 5 inches, and has pitch black fur. No one knows how they made Kaiko, who had darker blue fur. They were surprised to see their daughter there, and even more surprised to see Mikuo.

"Kaiko! Mikuo!" Sua yelled, hugging them both "What're you two doing here?"

"Haven't you heard, Mom? Maru... It's gone."

"Yes." Reas said "We've heard. But you two shouldn't have come here. Especially you, Mikuo. If the dogs catch wind of this..."

"Reas, hush." Sua said, after letting the hug go "You remember that Mikuo doesn't fight for anyone but himself and that he told all the people that." She pulled Reas closer to whisper to him "And that he fights for our daughter too." She backed away from him and Reas nodded.

"So. What did you want to get by coming here, Kaiko?"

"Well... first... It was about finding a safe place to sleep and stay away from the war but... People have been calling me an 'Oracle'." Both Sua and Reas' eyes widened "And they've been calling Mikuo a 'Guardian'. A soldier told me why, but I need to know... Did you know who me and Mikuo were?" Her parents looked at each other, then Reas nodded and Sua put her hand on Kaiko's shoulder.

"Yes, Kaiko. We've known for a while now. When we heard Maru burned, we knew we had to get there as soon as possible to tell you, but it seems you found out by yourself. The Oracle and the Guardian are to do great things, the armies of the humans and dogs are mobilizing to the Center, and that's where it's said you need to end it. But right now, lets get you some clean clothes and a nice place you lay your head." Sua let go and motioned for Mikuo and Kaiko to follow her. "We have a house in the lower part of the city. With the people in poverty. We've been providing free medical services to them, but it's hard. We'll need your help in the morning, Kaiko."

The house they used was given to them by the community around them as a gift for helping even though the people couldn't pay with money. It wasn't the most expertly crafted house, but it provided a roof for when it snows and raids along with silk covered straw. They ate as most of the people in the lower community ate, bread and beans. Sua and Reas got shipments of food from Gran Tower, but gives it all to the people. When they got there, Kaiko lazily went into the nearest bed and drifted into sleep, but Reas pulled Mikuo away to speak with him.

"You may be the best swordsman in Mure, but that's not enough to get you to what you and my daughter need to do."

"What do you mean?" Mikuo asked, confused.

"You have a natural talent with the blade, but it needs refinement. Needs training." Reas crossed his arms "The Guardian is said to be able to transform into a powerful knight, but only if his skills are at their peak. I can train you, but not today. Today... You comfort my daughter." Reas and Sua went into their separate beds and Mikuo went into the same bed Kaiko was in, because it was the last one and Kaiko's father gave him permission. Kaiko turned around in the bed, and she curled into Mikuo's chest as Mikuo dozed off.