Silverclaw

Hope For All

Sir Garin stood at the window, staring out at the rain that fell outside. Somehow, he had a feeling that something would happen that night, something important.

 Something that would change his life forever.

 With a sigh, he turned back to his desk and the reports scattered across it, reports that told him of how his Knights were being persecuted in the outlying Kingdoms. Frowning, he sat down and started to write a missive that would recall each and every one of them back to the Snow Leopard Halls to prepare for the coming battle. His cat, Marisol, watched him from her basket as he wrote.

 'Garin, what do you think will happen?'

 'I don't know, Marisol. But when it does happen, it will be life changing for all of us.' Setting down his quill, he smiled sadly at her. 'Do you remember the day that Princess Anya started here, Marisol? She looked so lost in the Dining Hall, but she quickly settled in. She surprised and delighted all of her teachers. They still talk about her, actually.'

 Marisol stood and stretched luxuriously. 'I know. Their cats talk about her, too.' Jumping onto the desk, she patted his hand with one paw. 'You haven't been sleeping, Garin. You can't do that. Try and get some rest, or I'll have the infirmary pour a sleeping draught down your throat.'

 Garin chuckled just as a light tap came on the window. Looking up, his mouth dropped when he saw Aros, his brother's cat, standing there. Jumping to his feet, he jerked the window open and lifted the cat in.

 'Aros! Goddess, what happened to you...?' His voice trailed off when he saw the arrowhead with a bit of wood still attached sunk deep into Aros's left hind leg. 'Marisol. Go and inform the infirmary that we have an injured cat that needs immediate attention.' Marisol immediately jumped off the desk and headed out the door, her tail disappearing out of sight. Striding over to the bed, Garin carefully laid Aros on it, removing the harness from around him as he did.

 'Aros? Can you hear me?'

 'G-Garin...' Aros coughed, then looked up at him. 'I hear... you...'

 'What happened to you? What about Cassius?'

 'Patrol... at the border... would have... made it past, but... Cassius was... executed just as... they spotted me...'

 Garin reeled at the news. His brother was dead...? No. It couldn't be. That wasn't possible. Even as he thought that, though, he knew Aros told the truth. He had known already, for hadn't he felt that something was wrong...?

 'Let me go, Garin... I just... want to rest...'

 'I can't, Aros. We need all the information we can get. Information that you have.'

 Marisol returned at that moment with the Healers from the infirmary, and they immediately set to work on Aros's wounds. It wasn't long before the wound had been cleaned and healed, but there was a circular bald patch left behind. This was normal, Garin knew, for the fur would grow back, but it would be a while before it happened.

 'Stewed fish for a week, to build up your reserves again, and you'll be fine.' The Healer smiled down at Aros, who stared at her for a moment.

 'I can never be fine again, not without my Partner. I shall give you the information you want, Garin, but then I hunt for the ones who killed Cassius.'

 The Healer's eyes widened, but she nodded her acceptance of Aros's statement and left the room.

 'There was no need for that, Aros.'

 'No need! There was no need for you to have her heal me! She will need all her strength for others by the time this moon cycle begins anew!'

 Garin watched him. 'Is that what was so important for us to know, Aros?'