Lenora

Chapter One

 I was scrubbing the food-stained porcelain dishes, thinking about my mother, Flora, who was a cat. She had a husband, a fox, and she truly loved him with her whole heart. She never told us his name. When I asked her, she just told me to wash the dishes, as if he wanted to keep any information about him a secret. She blames us for the fact that our father left her. Especially Spot, my brother. She yells at him for everything he does, and sometimes even strikes him. I always would caterwaul back at her when she abused Spot in any way, defending Spot. He was only 9, innocent, and didn't deserve to be treated like this. He was constantly kind to his peers, and got good grades. I gripped the plate I was washing, furious at the treatment my very mother gave Spot.

After I was done washing the dishes, I went to check on Spot, who was doing his homework. I passed my mother, who was perched on an elegant arm chair, glaring at the wall. She swiveled over to me.

"Lenora." She called.

"Yes?" I asked. She said nothing, and went back to glaring at the wall. I rolled my eyes, irritated. I began to saunter up the stairs to Spot's room.

"You have your father's ears." She said, as I trotted up the stairs. I made no response to this. I knocked on Spot's door.

"Lenora? Is that you?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm Lenora." I answered as I opened the door, "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing homework. I'm supposed to write about one of my family members.", he answered.

"Oh, are you writing about me?" I asked, nudging him playfully.

"Yeah, it asks how old you are. How old are you?"

"I'm 10 million years old."

"Oh okay!"

"No I'm kidding, I'm 14!" I laughed.

"Lenora, 14, cat-fox..." he muttered as he jotted the facts down. "Done!" he shouted excitedly. He put the worksheet away into his backpack. I looked over to his alarm clock and it was 9:00 PM.

"Did you brush your teeth?" I asked. He nodded, and I tucked him into bed and tenderly kissed his forehead.

"Good night." I said as I turned off the lights and steadily closed the creaking door. Then, I strolled into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

When I was done, I called my boyfriend, Senal, who was a cat.

"Hello?" He asked.

"It's me, Lenora. What are you doing?"

"I'm just trying to do the homework. I don't understand anything!" He complained, wailing.

"Maybe you should pay attention to class." I said in a mocking voice.

"At least I have you to help me. I don't know what I would do without you." He laughed. We completed homework as we talked until 10:00.

"I'm going to bed now." I yawned. 

"Alright, good night Lenora."

"Good night to you too." I hung up. I lied down on the bed and pulled the covers up. I thought about being a hybrid. Everyone looks at us hybrids strangely. We're all treated differently because we aren't pure-breed. Everyone despises Senal, for dating me, a hybrid. I sat up, exasperated at this thought, and tread downstairs, my padded paws making no sound as they glided across the oak floors. 

I found my mother splayed on the plush couch, watching TV, like she did every night.

Next, I listened to the crackling words from the television my mother was watching from. "The leader of Firma declares war on Hybrids. He asks every Pure to join his fleet to destroy each and every Hybrid. He says that they will be honored greatly." I froze, the haunting words consuming my mind with everlasting anxiety. Amaryllis City was packed with pure-bred. I tightened with fear. We are vulnerable to this mass attack. Will Senal turn us in? Will my mother turn us in? I was immediately suspicious of everyone, all except Daphnes, a cat-rabbit, my best friend. I felt my eyes starting to droop a bit, and I shook my head to get rid of my fatigue. I gave in to my drowsiness, falling onto my soft feather-stuffed bed, hoping this catastrophe was just a plain misunderstanding.