Jine looked at the pyre standing before her. Its flames licked the smoky air, turning the furry, brown Burmese cat's dead body into ash and dust. Jine sighed, tossing a few daisies on the ground. Jine was a cream-colored Oriental cat with bright blue eyes, but those eyes showed remorse over what just happened.

The Burmese cat on the pyre was once Jine's friend and loyal bodyguard. Oman was his name and he deserved every ounce of his bravery for his country. The Land of Talking Animals was connected to the Land of Dragons, for they were a part of the world known as the Seven Realms. And rightly so. Oman didn't deserve his fate, but fate had plans of its own.

"Come on, Jine," Tracker, Jine's mate and another furry, brown Burmese cat, wrapped an arm around her, comforting her and moving her away from the sight. He had seen enough. "We have a kingdom to run."

"How could I forget?" Jine said with a small smile.

Creadon had seen a lot since the talking animals took over their named land. Creadon stood in the heart of the Land of Talking Animals. Shortly after the passing of their leader, a painted horse named Draegon, the anthropomorphic animals decreed a new leader take his place. Those leaders wound up being Tracker and Jine. They rightly deserved their titles after completing their deeds.

Now with their three kittens grown into beautiful and handsome cats, Jine and Tracker found themselves moving around more. However, they avoided the Land of Dragons as much as possible. Naturally, there were dragons and dragonoids passing through their land, but that was it. This new law forced dragons to only visit their land, not reside in it. Jine wouldn't allow it, and Tracker stood beside her on that claim.

How could the dragonoids do this? Was it Aslan's doing? Word spread quickly about Parker and Turen's transformation into human-like hobbits. It wouldn't be long before the same thing happened to the talking animals. Jine wouldn't stand for it.

It was completely unacceptable! Ridiculous!

~o~

Jine and Tracker arrived at their castle, complete with a moat filling up with water from a nearby stream. The castle was enormous with many rooms, turrets, and towers, as well as a throne room. She was amazed with its design, depicting many cats and gargoyles. No one would risk entering their castle without proper authorization.

Jine followed Tracker through the courtyard, where merchants from all over the Seven Realms sold and traded goods. There were some merchants willing to sell animals for a price. Jine shook her head, following Tracker past the gate and up the stairs to their throne room.

The throne room was wide and narrow. There was a long, fluffy red rug set the middle of the room. On a stone platform stood two wooden, cushioned thrones with tall dark oak backs. Long rectangular windows let in the light, while statues of cats and dogs stood next to the walls. There was an assembly of people and animals standing about in this throne room, waiting for orders.

Jine sat down on her red cushioned throne. She looked at Tracker as he sat down next to her, donning his golden crown. She smirked, quite liking the new hairdo.

"What?" Tracker asked, confused.

"Nothing," Jine said, softly. She looked away, turning to the assembly. Were they all waiting for them? They must. Otherwise, why would they be here?

"Can we talk about Parker Dooley?" Tracker whispered to her.

"No," Jine said flat out, shaking her head.

"Oh okay," Tracker said, looking away.

"After what he did, I'd be surprised if he shows his face in here!" Jine said, serious. "We didn't set up that law for no reason. We keep dragonoids out unless they're traveling. And that's final!"

"Yes, my queen!" the assembly said in unison, bowing before her.

Jine cringed at the title. For a second, she nearly forgot who she was! Then she remembered and felt guilty for it. "After all this time, they just keep pushing me and pushing me. What a load of wallop!" Her thoughts were interrupted when the wooden doors opened, revealing a golden-brown lion entering the throne room. Oh no! She recognized this lion!

It was Aslan! What was he doing here?

"What is the meaning of this?" Tracker asked the Lion, standing up.

Aslan stood before the assembly with such resilience. It nearly shocked the King and Queen Cats. What did he want? Why was he in their realm?

"I see you made a nuisance of yourselves," Aslan shook his head. "This is not what I had in mind."

"What's your plan?" Jine asked, shrewdly.

"Let me get to that," Aslan said, warmly. He told the assembly, as well as the king and queen, "Each realm operates differently." He proposed, "I would like to hold a ball. Bring all your royal dignitaries." He faced Jine and Tracker. "You will host this ball. I trust that won't be a problem."

"No," Tracker shook his head, sitting down.

"Wait," Jine quieted the assembly. She looked at Aslan, intrigued. "What's this? You want us to hold a ball, but for what? What do we have to offer?"

"Only this: you will hold this ball and lift that ban on dragons and dragonoids," Aslan said. "Do this and you shall be rewarded. Fail and your realm will suffer. I do not want your land to suffer, but it is the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea's commission that this be done at once. You have two days to decide what to do and a week to hold the ball. The week when the ball is held doesn't matter. Just that there's a fixed date and time."

"What if we don't hold this ball. What becomes of this kingdom?" Jine asked, hopeful.

"Then you renounce your claims to the throne," Aslan told the two cats. The assembly gasped, whispering. Jine was stunned. Give up her claim? She would lose everything! No. She couldn't afford that. But what other choice did she have? Surely, something could be done. A loophole! She had him now!

"Whose representing the dragons and dragonoids? Or is it only one dragon and dragonoid?" Jine asked, curious.

"The representative for the dragons is Sores' son, Ludir. The representatives for the dragonoids is Parker Dooley," Aslan announced. More gasps and cries shrieked across the room. Aslan winked at Tracker. Tracker nodded. The Burmese cat smirked, realizing where the Lion was going with this. The ban was really Jine's idea, not his own. Tracker would see that, eventually, Jine would come to her senses. No one could keep a dragonoid out forever, especially if they were a good dragonoid.

Jine, on the other hand, couldn't see what the Lion was doing. It seemed wrong. "You're inviting that traitor? Tell me his brother's not attending this party, too?"

"That is up to him," Aslan nodded. "Now," he spoke last, "you will make preparations for the ball. I shall be watching you closely. Gentlemen, ladies, you are dismissed." He left the throne room, smiling as the assembly followed him. Jine and Tracker were now alone.

~o~

Jine walked into the antechamber, fuming. This antechamber was a small room with wood-paneled floorboards, a large round table, cushioned wooden chairs with tall backs, and a couple of wooden benches set along the walls. There were two doors leading into the throne room and the war room, which had an even wider round table at its center. But it was this antechamber where Jine paced back and forth. Tracker entered this room, finding his wife in a disheveled position.

"I cannot believe this! I cannot understand why Aslan would invite a traitor to our halls!" Jine said, exasperated.

"We have to invite him," Tracker said simply. "It's Aslan's orders."

"You're on Aslan's side now?" Jine said, astonished. "Ahh! I don't believe this! Why would you side with him?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Tracker said, serious. "Jine, Aslan protects us. He's the one who created the talking animals. The least we can do is invite Parker."

"Fine," Jine said, annoyed, "but if Parker so much as causes panic and mischief, then I want him removed." An idea formed in her mind. She lit up, intrigued. "Fair enough. We'll invite Parker!"

"Why do I sense there's a catch?" Tracker said, suspicious.

"Well, if Parker messes up, then the ban won't be lifted! We'll be free! The Land of Talking Animals will live in peace! Ha ha! It's perfect!" Jine said, twiddling her thumbs.

Tracker was confused. "Um… I don't see how this benefits us."

"Don't you see? It's brilliant! We'll keep our land, get rid of that traitor, and no one will be the sorrier!" Jine smiled in wicked delight.

"He's our friend! He's not a traitor!" Tracker said, annoyed.

"Oh please!" Jine said, also annoyed. "Parker has been a traitor, ever since he became human. We don't need him." She opened the door to the war room, walked past that room, and entered a secondary antechamber, where the servants worked in the kitchens. She didn't look back to see Tracker follow her, cautious of her every move. Jine clapped her paws, telling the servants, "Everyone, prepare your best meals! We're going to have a ball by this weekend!" She looked at Tracker, smiling. "Let us hope it goes well!"

"Um…" Tracker looked on, worried, "…I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"You'll thank me later!" She shouted at the top of her lungs in excitement, "The ball is on! Make preparations! This'll be a ball we won't soon forget!"