Lunar

Chapter 3

Ryoto laid on the ground, sobbing. Kato was lying beside him, laying a bright-red feathery wing on him. Kato tried to comfort him, but Ryoto already knew what had happened. His mother was murdered right in front of his father, who did nothing to stop her death.

He heard the sound of whiskers flapping in the wind, and he looked up, tears staining his cheeks. He saw Dagahra, one of the palace's royal guards.

"Ryoto," she called softly but sadly. Ryoto trusted Dagahra the most out of all of the royal guards.

"Dagahra..." Ryoto sobbed, lunging into Dagahra's dark green chest. Kato flew over, landing on Ryoto's head.

Dagahra tried to look sympathetic. "Oh, my little Ryoto. Something terrible has happened, and your father wants you to come to the palace."

Ryoto felt a dark feeling cross his heart. He blinked the tears away, put a talon on Kato (who had put a reassuring wing on his shoulder), and said, "No."

"Hmm?" Dagahra asked. "Your father's orders, Ryoto."

"I'm not going," Ryoto said steadily. "He did nothing to stop Okaa-san's death."

Even Kato agreed. He let out a chirp.

"Your father's orders, Ryoto!" Dagahra was starting to get worried. "He'll throw a tantrum if you don't come. Then bad things will happen."

Ryoto shuddered. Last time, when his father had gotten mad, he had broken two vases and five plates.

"Dagahra, please!" Ryoto begged. "I don't want to face my father. He is irresponsible for killing thousands of Lunar Dragons and for not stopping my mother's death."

Dagahra was growing agitated. "Ryoto!"

But Ryoto continued on. "What would you feel if your father killed countless other dragons, and didn't stop your mother's death?"

Dagahra froze.

Then she sighed. "I'll just go tell your father, then. If he throws a tantrum, it'll be your fault."

She took off, her long tail and whiskers streaming behind her, her black mane shuddering in the wind.

Ryoto cried again. Kato chirped in alarm and immediately flew down to comfort Ryoto.

"What do you mean, he didn't come?" Haru demanded. Dagahra arrived back at the place, empty-clawed. His son was nowhere to be seen.

"My lord, he chose not to come," Dagahra stammered, but held her ground.

"Why? It was orders, Dagahra! He was ordered to come!" Haru slammed the table in front of him, making the plates and cutlery jump and clatter.

Dagahra sighed and blurted the truth. "Ryoto said that he didn't want to come because of you. He's mad at you for not stopping the death of his mother, your mate."

Haru froze. Ryoto, his son, mad at him? For not stopping the death of his mother? But he tried! He tried his best! His son was always worrying and never trusted anybody, even his own father! "You're lying," Haru hissed through clenched teeth.

Dagahra shook her head. "I'm telling the truth, my lord."

Haru rose up angrily and started stalking around Dagahra. Dagahra gulped but stood still. "They were orders, Dagahra. Orders." He hissed.

Dagahra whispered, "Ryoto has a point."

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"Ryoto has a point," Dagahra repeated, louder.

"And I don't?" Haru's voice was getting louder and angrier. "I have to make more sense than my own son!"

Dagahra gasped as suddenly she was thrown onto the ground, Haru on top of her. She wriggled and thrashed, but she got more tired and tired as Haru's strong pink talon closed around her throat.

"My lord, please. Ryoto is right. You're bloodthirsty. You could've stopped Tatsuo's death..." Dagahra choked out, claws scratching at her throat, at Haru's claws.

Haru snarled. "This is what you get for not obeying my orders, Dagahra." He then slashed Dagahra's neck.

Warm, dark-green blood pooled over Haru's claws. Dagahra's body lay so still, eyes glazed over, jaws open in a silent scream.

Haru stepped away, his eyes black with anger. He snapped, "Darksmoke, Mushu. Go drag this traitor's body out and burn it."

As Darksmoke and Mushu stepped forward, one black and one red, Haru turned away back towards the throne. Lord Kaito was sitting there, lounging lazily in his throne.

"That was entertaining," Lord Kaito smirked.

Haru didn't reply; he just glared at Lord Kaito and licked the blood off his claws.

Ryoto was right.

He was bloodthirsty.

Kato chirruped again, groaning. He slumped to the ground again. Ryoto gasped and caught the falling phoenix. The phoenix's eyes were glazed over, and Kato was breathing heavily. "Kato! What's wrong?"

Kato gasped and let out a small sigh. Kato pointed to the sky.

"The sky? Dagahra?" Ryoto asked. Kato nodded at the word 'Dagahra'.

"What of Dagahra? Did she get hurt? Did she get eaten by a bear?" Ryoto fretted.

Kato made a cutting motion with his wings on his head. Dead. Dagahra was dead? What? But Dagahra was alive just now! Who killed her?

Kato grabbed a stick and wrote: Haru. He made another flurry of gestures.

"Haru killed... Dagahra for not bringing me to the palace?" Ryoto gasped. Kato nodded, the loose red and orange feathers falling onto the ground.

Ryoto felt dizzy. His father was a murderer, and his mother was dead. What could he do? Hand himself over to his father? Get killed by Haru?

Ryoto wanted to rebel. He wanted to rebel for all of the lives lost, the Lunar Dragons slaughtered. He wanted to rebel for his mother, her big smiles and warm hugs all history. But most importantly, he wanted to rebel for the freedom of the world. And he was going to be the leader of his group.

He would find a group who had thoughts just like him.

He would overthrow his father.

He raised his voice to the sky. "Father! You will pay for this!"

Then he thought...

This is war. It shall be the Great Rebellion for the Great Lunars.