The Enchanted White Cat

Episode 1: The Cursed Cat and the Clueless Prince

The marketplace of Etherin was alive with magical chaos. Banners fluttered in the breeze, and merchants peddled their strange, enchanted wares, trying to convince anyone passing by that they held the key to their dreams—whether it was a potion for endless luck or a mirror that showed the future. Amid the colorful noise and confusion, Pond Athaenael wandered the stalls, his face masked with an air of casual curiosity.

But behind that carefree demeanor, Pond was anything but ordinary. Though he appeared to be just another wandering mage, his true identity was far more significant: Pond was a prince from the kingdom of Solara, one of the most powerful realms in the region. And today, he was on an undercover mission, scouting Etherin to ensure that none of the growing threats between kingdoms reached his homeland. His position was delicate—too delicate to go without his two most trusted companions and bodyguards, Joong and Dunk.

"Why did I agree to this mission?" Pond muttered under his breath as he dodged a vendor thrusting a jar of suspiciously glowing mushrooms in his face.

This wasn’t the first time Pond had to operate under the guise of a traveling mage. It kept him off the radar of the political spies scattered across the continent and allowed him to move freely without being recognized as the heir to the throne. But that didn’t make it any less irritating.

Before he could dwell on his annoyance any longer, a sudden burst of commotion caught his attention. A ripple of gasps and shouts echoed through the marketplace, and out of the corner of his eye, Pond saw a white blur darting through the crowd like a flash of lightning.

Pond barely had time to process what was happening before the blur—a small, fluffy white cat—crashed into his legs with such force that he nearly toppled over. The cat glanced up at him with wide, panicked blue eyes before scrambling under his cloak as if it were a lifeline.

"What the—"

Before he could finish the thought, a group of armored men—clearly royal guards—shoved their way through the crowd, their eyes searching for something. Pond’s eyes flicked to their armor, marked with the crest of Aurion, and his mind started piecing things together quickly.

"Where is that cursed creature?" one of the guards bellowed, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd.

Pond tensed, instinctively straightening his posture. He knew full well that engaging with royal guards could get tricky—especially since he was in disguise. The guards’ description of a “cursed creature” made it clear they were after the cat now hiding beneath his cloak.

With a quick, composed movement, Pond pulled his cloak tighter, concealing the cat even further as the guards approached.

"You there, mage!" the lead guard growled, stepping forward. "Have you seen a white cat run through here? It’s cursed, and we’re under orders to bring it back to Aurion."

Pond raised an eyebrow, putting on his best indifferent expression. "A cat? No, haven’t seen one. Just browsing for magical supplies. You know, mage things."

The guard narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious. "This is no ordinary cat. It’s dangerous—possibly harboring dark magic. If you’re hiding it, you’ll be in more trouble than you can imagine."

Pond held up his hands in mock innocence. "I assure you, I’m just minding my own business here. Dark magic? I wouldn’t even know where to start."

The guard sneered, clearly unimpressed, but after a tense moment, he motioned to his men to move on. As they left, Pond exhaled, slipping into a side alley to avoid further scrutiny.

Once in the shadows of the alley, Pond knelt and tugged his cloak aside, revealing the trembling ball of white fur curled at his feet.

"Alright, furball, why are the guards after you?"