The Quest for the Lost Kingdom

Ch 1

[ Picture from google cuz I'm lazy | also please note that all cats/characters in this story are quadrupeds, meaning they walk on all fours, thank u =^w^= ]

[ Author POV ]

We see light filtering through a half open curtained window and onto a lump under a blanket on a comfortable looking bed. The lump lets out soft snores, and we also see a seemingly large black furred tail sticking out at the end of the bed.

Looking around the room we see a normal looking bedroom with a few plants, some pictures on the wall, and a nightstand beside the bed. The lump under the blankets shuffles a little right before an alarm goes off from the phone that's on the nightstand, waking up the creature and making them move a black furry paw to reach out from under the covers to turn off the alarm. As the blanket falls off the bed we see a black furred tom-cat with bright amber-yellow eyes get off the bed on all fours and stretch, being careful with his claws as to not damage his flooring.

The obsidian colored cat then takes his phone with his paw, checking the time. He then goes to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast before needing to leave for work. Soon enough there was a filet of fish sizzling in a pan and a piece of bread heating up in a toaster, just to have margarine spread on in a moment later and the cooked filet on top. 

After breakfast had been eaten, his dirty dish was put in the sink, the soft furred tom grabbed his bag for his belongings, his phone, then he locked his door and headed off to his work. Trotting as he went, passing other cats, watching the cable car go by as usual, on his way to a bakery named Knead & Purr where he works with two of his friends.

After arriving at the store, hearing the jingling of the entrance bell and getting hit with the intense scent of bread, pastries and cakes, the black cat's friend who was working as the cashier that day greeted him. "I see you're on time again Aspen, very dependable as usual." The fluffy ragdoll she-cat said as Aspen walked through the bakery towards the back employee area to put his things away and start his job of preparing breads, muffins, and baking other pastries. 

As he passed behind the counter, right by his coworker and friend he replied "Obviously I'm on time, I don't have much else to do you know?" Then he went on asking "Is V here today? Or did she get sidetracked or something and get lost again?"

After Sienna gave out a slightly amused huff she answered Aspen, "No, Venus is here today, but she did bring her bag of things again, she said there's something we need to see. But don't worry, I got her to wait 'till after we close, she's icing a new batch of cooled cupcakes right now." Aspen nodded his head then headed to the back of the bakery where the workers put their personal stuff while they work, putting his phone in his bag then the bag in his bin.

He chuckled a little seeing Venus' very full, somewhat worn down, medium sized satchel sitting in her work bin. Next to Venus' work bin is Sienna's, who has her bag in it which holds a necklace with a pendant of the symbol for the starlings, a notebook, her favorite book, and a few friendship bracelets made by her friends.

After washing his front paws and putting on the indoor shoes for his back paws, he walks into the kitchen of the bakery where Venus is. The orange tabby she-cat is seen dipping the newly iced cupcakes into some sprinkles, and checking the reference sheet on the wall next to where the sprinkles are kept for every cupcake to make sure she is using the right sprinkles.

Aspen decides not to interrupt the tabby cat to not distract her from her task, and goes over to mixers to start a new batch of cinnamon rolls, as he noticed the store was almost sold out of them.

After the last customer left, with Sienna locking the door from the inside till they are actually going to head home, Aspen and Venus get cleaned up and all three of them go to the employee's break room to see what Venus wants to show her two friends.

In the break room Aspen and Sienna sit at the table that's in the middle of the room when Venus walks in looking excited, she dumps everything in her satchel onto the table, some objects even rolling off the table to the floor while Aspen and Sienna try to keep everything on the table. Venus looks around the pile of the treasures she's collected and comments, "Ooooooo, look at all the stuff I found! I have shiny ones, a bunch of buttons, some -" she was interrupted by Aspen, "I see that, and I promise we can see them all later, wasn't there a specific one you wanted us to see?"

A look of realization flashed on her face and as she started searching through the pile of trinkets she'd giggle saying, "Ah right! It's in here somewhere, it looks like an old tablet of stone or something with markings I don't understand."

Sienna looked startled as she tried to catch the new wave of objects falling off the table, Aspen didn't try to catch any knowing it wouldn't matter to Venus if any got broken, she would still consider the broken ones as her treasures.

"Here it is!" Venus exclaimed as she held up the marking covered stone that was glowing? The markings on the stone tablet glowed a soft golden orange light that wavered like a soft flame. "You didn't tell us it glowed? Is it like some kind of toy?" Aspen asked as he leaned forward to take a closer look along with Sienna. Venus looked at it confused, "Nope, it wasn't glowing when I found it."

"It doesn't look like a toy," Sienna chuckled as she took the stone tablet from Venus, flipping it over, trying to find something she might recognize. Then she passes it across the table to Aspen, as his paw pad touches the tablet it lets out some kind of pulse, and as the power goes out around the bakery, Aspen goes unconscious.

He opens his eyes, it looks like he's on a cloud, while the sky is split between day and night. In front of him is an old looking bobtail cat with gray fur, dark grey striped tabby markings, and his left eye is blue with his right being a glowing orange-gold. The old looking cat seems to be wearing a hooded cape, with a belt holding some kind of staff with a star sapphire gemstone on the top?

[ 1126 words - 1151 including the starting author note ]