" Won't you get rid of that repulsive...thing! It gives me the worst headaches when I see it!"
" Very funny, Catalyst. Now, did you get the venison I needed?"
Catalyst sighed, "Yes, Marie. But first, I must see little Katherine and Ronan. Then you can have your meat. Are you fine with that, or will you rip my belongings from my back?"
" Oh, be gone with you, and go to see your precious children. Give my greetings to Aloysia for me."
Catalyst departed, looking forward to seeing the fierce face of his wife and the piercing, calculating gazes of his two children. It made him immensely proud to have them begin speaking recognizably before most other children their age. As Catalyst opened the door to his comfy, if small, home. As he did so, Aloysia3 sprang into view with a chopping knife in one hand and a wooden plate in the other, just like a warrior maiden of old.
" Glad to see my little warrior still alive and forcefully kicking," laughed Catalyst, "and I'm glad I am not the object of your fury."
" Catalyst! You're back!"
" Well, how long do you think it should have taken for me to catch a single deer?"
She rushed to him and hugged him ardently.
" Oh Catalyst, the children did not eat anything yesterday or the day before!"
" Don't worry; I asked them to. It seems that they are up to the little challenge."
"Catalyst! How could you!" she cried in outrage, then proceeded to beat him with her plate. After she calmed down and realized that the children really would start eating again, she began furiously preparing a delicious meal. There was no ground for an empty stomach where Aloysia was concerned. If you broke your fast in her home, you ate as much as you could, else it was considered offensive.
Just then, Katherine strolled in, followed closely by her younger brother Ronan, who was covered from head to toe in mud.
" Wash that mud off immediately, Ronan," ordered Aloysia.
" Yes, mother."
" Katherine! I see that you kept your word! You are strong indeed! You may make a hunter yet!"
Katherine did not answer, but swept off at a great speed towards the table where the meal was waiting for her. Ronan came in shortly after that, dripping onto the floor, where the water drained away. He too began eating like a starved dog, finishing a good fifth of the food on the table by the time Catalyst and Aloysia sat down. Catalyst ate his fill, and then leant back in his chair contentedly. When the remainder of the food was gone, Katherine and Ronan leapt up to get their miniature bows to practice with. Catalyst laughed, and followed the small warriors out into their garden. The two fighters of Catalyst's imaginary army shot at toads, as if they were two generals in a mighty battle. An hour later, Catalyst stopped the shooting, telling the children to gather the arrows they had lost and come back inside for rest. Once Catalyst was inside, he looked around, and a joyous feeling enveloped him. Then, a loud knock on the door of his home caused him to check his hunting dagger and open the door. Outside was a soldier from Thane's army. When Catalyst looked around, men all down the small street were acting similarly. Thorik looked at Catalyst, who gave a slight nod.
" Let them in and let them remember!" cried Thorik, and the message was passed throughout Cadoc. The guard's startled expression was soon replaced by one of distrust.
" What are-- " Catalyst cut him off.
"Don't worry, it's just telling everyone not to resist, to let you strong soldiers inside their homes."
" All right, but if I sense there's gonna be some foul play, I'm liable to run you through with me sword, ye hear?"
" Of course, kind sir. Would you care to have a look around my humble dwelling?"
" Yes, yes, I think so," the soldier said, only comprehending a few of Catalyst's words.
" Good! Come in!" Catalyst led the bearded man into his home, whereupon Catalyst's two children armed with bows and Aloysia wielding a frying pan and knife surrounded the soldier. She looked at the serrated edge, then back at the mailed fighter.
" What? I thought I said no foul play!" the dimwitted soldier yelled. With a flick of his wrist, Catalyst made sure the man would never scream again. Katherine sank to the floor, sobbing at what she had done.
" It's fine, fine Katherine, you did the right thing. Look, he isn't dead! He's just sleeping. Catalyst is going to find him a good bed, though not here. Right?"
" Of course. Katherine? I'm just going to find Mr. Soldier here a good bed to sleep in. He'll like that, I bet. My, I'll have to carry him! He's a heavy one, all right!" Catalyst looked at himself, stooped over with the weight of the armored soldier, arrow still protruding from his left eye. Without another word, he strode from the room, attempting to carry the soldier as if the corpse was sleeping. Katherine was looking much more calm, and repeatedly asked Aloysia if she could see the man when he woke up from his slumber. Catalyst winced, knowing that this human would never wake up from his final sleep. Thorik walked beside Catalyst, dragging another dead man by the feet. The pair arrived at the small graveyard and deposited the bodies at the far edge, where a growing mound of bodies was quickly appearing. One or two soldiers had escaped with injuries, though the unintelligent fighters were more likely to fall off of a cliff than to return to Thane.
Catalyst walked slowly towards his home, this new development. Once home, he remembered his promise and sought the venison to bring to her house. When he arrived, he heard Marie relentlessly slamming a wooden stave down onto a soldier's plate. He winced, understanding the rage built up inside of Marie at Thane and his fighters. They had killed her parents, leaving her an orphan to fend for herself among the wilds that devoured her home. Catalyst mutely wandered back to see how his children were doing.
Aloysia was finding various activities for the small fighters to take their minds off what they had seen. The two of them were having an immensely good time, laughing playfully as they solved puzzles and fought each other. Aloysia was gently crying, as she had never seen death created in front of her. It is not an experience forgotten lightly.
" Aloysia? Could you check to see how our food is doing? I wouldn't want there to be a problem."
She turned her tearstained face towards him, then nodded gratefully and fled to the kitchen. Suddenly, a terrified scream rent the calm air of the night. Katherine and Ronan froze fearfully; Catalyst fairly flew into the kitchen, to find his wife attempting to free her foot from the grasp of a black, twisted creature. It had six pointed feet, a strong exoskeleton, and only one weak point: its neck. Catalyst ran over and stomped on it, but unfortunately the action was futile. The thing got a better hold on Aloysia's foot, and bit down as hard as it could. Catalyst instantly grabbed his wife's chopping knife and stabbed the creature repeatedly. On the fifth stab, it let go and turned on Catalyst. It advanced warily, and then made a stab with a sharpened foot, almost stabbing Catalyst's foot. He retaliated, spearing the creature through its neck and catapulting it out of his window, down the cliff. Aloysia had a shocked expression on her face, and Katherine watched silently from the entrance. Then, she ran to Aloysia and hugged her tightly, as if her mother might not make it through the night.
" Catalyst?" Aloysia spoke faintly.
" Yes? What is it?" he asked.
" That...thing ate all of our meat. You will need return hunting in the morning," she warned wearily. Catalyst let out a long string of curses as his wife covered Katherine's ears. Then he thought, where's Ronan? Almost on cue, Ronan strode through the door regally, looking extremely pleased with himself.
" Mommy! I just went to the potty all by myself!" Catalyst sighed in relief, glad that his son had not added more stress to his wife, who was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. He sent Ronan and Katherine to bed, and made sure that his wife did not need anything before sitting beside her. She promptly told him that she needed to be alone, and that he should sleep. Catalyst took her advice, falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The next morning, he rose early, silently readied himself and left, making sure he did not wake up his wife or children. As he strode along, he contemplated how this would affect the king, and what he would do in vengeance. He quickly arrived at the conclusion that Thane would do nothing; it was only a small village in the mountains, after all.
Nearly three hours later, Catalyst stopped to decipher a few camouflaged deer slots. He soon identified his target; a young doe with a heavy limp. The deer were only a day ahead, so he was fairly confident he could catch them in a day or so. For the next of the day, he continued to track the deer, pausing only to eat and rest. Finally, on the fourth day of stalking the animals, he peered through two trees at the animals bedding down. He strung his bow and notched an arrow. Quietly, stealthily, he scanned the sleeping deer and located the weakened one—it was the farthest to the right, licking its wounded leg. He drew the bowstring taught against his cheek, and sighted down the length of the arrow. He breathed out slowly, and right before he began to breathe in, he shot. The arrow flew straight and true, striking the deer in the heart with a soft thunk.The other deer sprang upright and bolted before any harm could befall them. After they were almost half a mile a way, Catalyst could still hear the terrified animals crashing through the forest, attracting all kinds of predators. He grimaced, knowing that the wolves would howl all night.
Catalyst leapt out of hiding, slung the dead deer over his shoulder and started towards an outcrop where he could skin the animal and preserve the meat. A few moments later, he got out his skinning knife and began slicing the doe's hide from its body. After he was finished, he lightly salted the meat he had cut from the bone of the deer, saving some venison for his dinner.
As he had predicted, the wolves sang and howled all night, praising each other for the generous amount of deer they had brought down and devoured. Rather than to try to sleep, Catalyst listened to the eerie melody until early in the morning, when he made ready to begin the long trek back to Cadoc.
Three days later, after a long journey through the mountains, Catalyst stared towards where his village was. Where there should have been stone buildings and frivolous children, there was only the wreckage of almost every building in Cadoc. The only things remaining were the large building that housed the strange door
It was then that he realized that his wife, children, and sister lived here. He scanned the buildings and located where his sister's home was. He rushed to it, and was both relieved and terrified. She wasn't there, dead among the rubble, but that could mean she was taken with the soldiers. Then he ran swiftly to his own home, but before he got there, Catalyst knew what had happened to everyone. In a giant pyramid of corpses, some still holding each other, at the very top was his wife, burnt. Catalyst was overwhelmed by a grief more powerful than he could ever have imagined. Near suicidal, he sobbed, and behind him the rays of the dying sun turned the sky blood red.
Sorry, bad ending I know. Don't complain about it!