Robin ran through the lush forest, her heart beating faster then a rabbit's. In the distance she could hear shouting voices and the hoofbeats of the kingdom's horses, but it was nothing compared to the sound of the blood pounding in her own ears. It was the worst night for a full moon, which lit up the forest in a ghost-like glow and revealed her shadowed figure as she raced between the trees. Moonlight shown through the leaves and spilled into the basket, like the sky itself was pouring molten silver on the little brown kitten inside. Robin began to wonder if it was worth it, risking her life for something that might not even work, but as she gazed into the kittens wide, terrified, forest green eyes, she knew this was the only way. "Over here! I see her!" Shouted a voice in the distance, then the sound of hoofbeats seemed to be ten times closer, and the dark figures in the distance quickly seemed to grow as they approached. They were a long way away, but on horse it would take them minutes to ride her down. Robin's breath stopped in her throat. Bending down, she scooped the kitten out of the basket, and continued without the holder. Why would she need all that supplies slowing her down if she would die anyway? She began to sprint, forgetting any stealthiness, and held the kitten close. This was a race, and the loser lost their life. The world blurred by as she shot through the trees. Sweat beaded on her brow, and the tiny kitten that she clutched to her chest cried out hungrily. Then, in the distance, she saw it. The Temple of the Moonlight Ghosts. Her final destination. She skidded to a halt at the foot of the temple steps, and fell to her knees, gasping for air. For a few seconds she thought she would die here, unable to breath just because she ran too fast and too long, and then her kingdom and kingdom's neighbors would be doomed. But then the warm air rushed into her, and the cool night breeze made the sweat on her face slowly dissipate. Then, there was a groan as the doors of the temple shuddered and moaned. Robin looked up, clutching the crying kitten closer to her. As the great doors, as large as the castle doors and maybe even larger, opened for the first time in hundreds of years, she noticed something odd on the kitten that hadn't been there before. Small whitish silver spots now dappled parts of her pelt, like the moon itself had blessed her with its patterning. A voice interrupted her thoughts. "Robin Narrowbrook of the Opal Kingdom, neighbors of the Agate Kingdom and the Jade Kingdom. Welcome to our temple. I see you have brought the gift." With wide eyes, Robin slowly looked up from the kitten and into the fiery blue eyes of a ghostly white and semi-transparent wolf, dressed in a flowing pale blue and white cloak. "How do you do?" "Vitali, Force of the Elements..." Robin whispered, half to herself as she recognized the leader of the temple's guardians. "I-I have brought the destined animal... she fit the description of your prophecy perfectly. The only survivor of the litter, the first born yet the runt, born in the shade of a dyeing willow..." She took and deep breath and put the kitten down so the spirit wolf, Vitali, could clearly see her. "And the moonlight has marked her, she is truly the daughter of the moon." "I see. You have done your job well Robin, and one day this kitten will save the kingdoms." The wolf met her eyes. "But I suppose you won't live to see that day... or the next rising sun. No human may step foot in this temple." Robin's heart sunk. She already knew this, but in the back of her mind she had hoped by bringing the prophesied kitten she may be allowed entrance. "Then I will leave you with her, and be content that I could do some good before I died." The hoofbeats were now clearly audible as the king's guard rushed through the forest. It wouldn't be long until they arrived. Vitali nodded. "Very good," he answered, as he motioned with a flick of his long, fluffy tail that she should carry the kitten to him up the steps. Robin picked up the terrified, shivering kitten and carried her step by step up the old marble steps. She slowly set her down in front of Vitali, not daring to meet the spirit's unnatural electric blue eyes. "I wish to name her." The wolf was silent for a second. "What?" He asked, looking at her as if she had turned into a spider before his eyes. "I wish to name her. I was the one who found her, and brought her to you," Robin repeated, heart pounding in her chest. Vitali seemed to pause and think for a second before nodding his head. "You may name the daughter of the moon." Robin studied the tiny kitten, noting how the moon's marking specks glowed like the insects of the night. "Firefly," She said finally. It was such a plain name for a cat, but it fit the puny kitten perfectly. "Firefly, Daughter of the Moon." She slipped her necklace, her only piece of jewelry, off her neck and onto Firefly's. (Continued in notes)
The silver ring that hung from the black sting glowed as it was placed on Firefly's neck. She stepped back and headed down the steps. From the corner of her eye she watched Vitali pick up Firefly and retreat into the temple, and the giant doors close, but she never looked back. She stood in front of the steps, looking out into the forest, as the first of the king's guards shot from the trees, wielding a sword. And she stood her ground as the rest followed, and the first arrow plunged through her chest. "Firefly, Daughter of the Moon. How many times have I told you to take off that silly necklace?" Snapped Guyde, Mind of the Sacred. He fluffed his wings, his wide owl eyes staring at her in annoyance from across the study room. "But I love this necklace! And all you spirits have your little charms and pieces of clothing and stuff. Like, you have your silly little talon bracelet thing, and Vitali has his cloak, and Topia has her crown, and Ethern has his earring, and..." Firefly was cut off as Guyde let out a high pitched warning hoot. "Excuse me, but I am suppose to be lecturing you, not the other way around," Her teacher snapped just as Ethern tumbled into the study room. Ethern was the newest spirit, which only showed up every hundred years, and even though he was a bear, he was smaller then everyone else, even Topia who was a rabbit. But, to be fair, the older spirits had grown huge, and Topia herself was almost as big as a full grown bear. "Err Vitali sent me to tell you that Firefly can have her free time now..." Ethern flinched under Guyde's glare. "I mean uhh... only if you want? You're her teacher... I understand if she needs some more uhh... teaching?" Firefly ignored Guyde's dark look and quickly rushed at Ethern, shoving her friend out the door. "Thanks Guyde, I will keep what you said in mind, bye!" As soon as she was out the door, she rolled her green eyes at Ethern. "Wow, Ethern the Bringer of Confidence, how confident." Ethern wrinkled his nose at Firefly and nudged her roughly, almost knocking her over. His ghostly fur, like all the spirits, was so different from her own dusty brown pelt. "Ok, being confident in front of Guyde is literally impossible. I am pretty sure he can like, read your mind or something," Ethern laughed. "Anyway, I was hoping we could visit the telling pond today? Its the full moon, which means the door is open!" Firefly blinked at him happily. "Well, lets go you lazy toad!" She cried, rushing ahead. Ethern chased after her, but his bulky bear body was made more for fighting then running. She rushed into the open space that was normally a closed and locked door, which always disappeared for some reason during the full moon. "What will you ask the water this time?" Ethern asked as he caught up, panting, beside her. "The same thing I ask every time," Firefly responded, picturing the human that had saved her and given her the necklace. She touched her nose to the water and the faint outline of the girl appeared. "Vitali told you she was dead, why do you even bother? Even the water tells you she is dead!" Ethern pointed out, and his point was proven as a dark X crossed over the outline. Firefly just looked at him. "She isn't dead, and when I am finally set free to save the kingdoms and stuff, finding her will be the first thing I do." She looked at the crossed out outline in the water then whispered, "I will find you Robin." WELL THAT WAS SO MUCH LONGER THEN I THOUGHT! Sorry if it was too long for the contest, but I have trouble summarizing stuff and making a short story, so this was like a prologue or something to a story that will never continue lol. I hope it was good (: Thank you @EarthHeart42 to the contest for the character!
