Chapter 1- Feline Half-Humans

Three pairs of feet pounded silently on the desert sand in the dark of night. The air was bitter cold but the runners seemed not to notice. The mysterious trio ran in a triangle formation. One man in the lead with another man and a woman following behind.
All three sprinting figures wore sand colored robes, sandals, and headdresses. Catlike ears poked through holes in the headdresses, cat tails streaming out behind them.
The man in front had skin almost as dark as the midnight sky above him. Yellow eyes stared piercingly at the endless sand. Muscles rippled beneath his skin.
Sandy yellow hair with black and brown streaks fell like a veil around the woman’s face. Her skin was tan but dappled with leopard spots.
Tiger striped skin and red-orange hair adorned the last man.
You see, these strangers are what we call “Half-humans,” people magically born with animalistic traits. This trio was actually a group of feline Half-Humans. A panther, tiger, and leopard.
“Panther! We should be getting close now! I can see light from the Beacon!” The woman hissed pointing to the soft golden light that shone behind a mountain of sand.
Panther let out a deep purr-like laugh. “Yes Calico! We’re very close now!”
“Good! It’ll be a relief to finally reach the sea-village!” Tiger, the third man added.
Panther bounded up the hill in a couple of zigzagging leaps, stopping at the top to admire the awe inspiring sight of the sea-village as the sea breeze danced around him.
Wooden walls surrounded the land-side part village while the other part was open to the sea. Even in the dark of night, ships were leaving and arriving at the docks. The Great Beacon’s light flooded over the village turning everything, even the water, a shimmering gold.
A gasp sounded behind him as Calico caught her first glimpse of the city. She had heard stories about it from Panther and Tiger, but she had never imagined it would be this beautiful.
Tiger raced up the hill, taking in the sight briefly. It was nice from the outside, but much better in. He leapt into the air and came down with his feet in the shape of an “L” as he slid down the mountain. Panther followed suite and was quickly tailed by Calico.
Calico’s excitement was short lived. Twenty dark figures were silhouetted by the beacon light. But she could tell from their outlines that they were wearing helmets and armor. Soldiers.
Soon she made out that one was the formidable General Gar. Panther cursed under his breath. Tiger let out a low hiss.
“Hello there Halfies. Lovely night isn’t it?” General Gar called out as they approached. General Gar was the top officer in the king’s military and a known hater of Half-Humans. He stood up as tall as he could, trying to intimidate Panther, but ended up looking like an idiot. Gar was at least a foot shorted than the half human. He, like the soldiers, wore steel armor with chain mail underneath. They also had on red tunics and cloaks, along with steel war helmets that had been engraved with the royal army’s seal.
“Don’t call us Halfies, Gar,” Panther growled, stepping in front of his sister. He was preparing for a fight.
Gar laughed harshly. “I’ll call you what I want, Halfie! Now what’s your business here?”
“It’s my sister’s seventeenth birthday,” He said, stepping aside to gesture to Calico who smiled awkwardly “and I promised to take her to the sea-village.”
Gar looked at her slyly, which made her rather uncomfortable. “Seventeen, ya say? Well, now you’re a proper woman, am I right?”
“Yes,” Tiger snarled, moving to stand in front of her “and she coming to the village to celebrate, Gar.”
“Sorry, Halfie, but you can’t get into the village.”
“And why not, Gar?” Panther asked, trying to control his anger.
“The King just passed a law that says we are to arrest any and all Halfies along with the normal people they may socialize with.” Gar sniggered.
“But that’s not fair!” Calico shouted. “We’ve done the king no wrong! Why are we being punished?”
“Sorry, sweetheart, but those were my orders! Men, take the mongrels away!”
As Gar laughed, Panther whispered to Tiger and Calico, “When I signal, we attack the soldiers with all we’ve got. We should be able to fight our way out!”
The troops stalked closer and closer. Suddenly Panther cried, “Now!”
Hurling themselves on the soldiers, Panther and Tiger pulled magnificent weapons from seemingly nowhere. Tiger wielded a battle axe, while Panther wrecked havoc against the men with a gleaming scimitar and dagger.
Calico watched in horror as her brother and friend battered the enemy. The men fell like ninepins. No one took notice of her except one. A man, or maybe a boy, he looked no older than her. Despite his injuries, her limped in her direction, dodging fleeing soldiers and the blows from the Half-Humans.
“Please,” he rasped, “Come with me! You shouldn’t be here! Shouldn’t see this!” He grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her away from the fight and toward the gates, but the stubborn girl wouldn’t budge.
“Come on, lady! Do you want to go to jail?”
“No, but why are you helping me? Why are you doing this?” Calico inquired, allowing him to move her along, than she gasped. “You’re trying to trap me!” She pulled her hand out of his grasp and got in a fighting stance preparing to batter his brains out.
He shook his head briefly, and then stopped. His temple was bleeding and his was developing quite a headache. “No, we’re going to see some friends of mine, they can heal me, then we’re all getting out of this city! And don’t worry, we’ll find those two,” he said, pointing over his shoulder. “This place isn’t safe for you anymore.” He led her to the gate, calling up to the half asleep guard on the tower. The gate opened and the boy rushed her inside.
“Listen,” he whispered, hiding her behind a pillar. He removed his helmet and ran his gloved fingers through his sandy blond hair. “My name is Ezra. I’m a spy for the Desert Shrikes, a resistance league that goes against the will of the king. I’m taking you to our base, but we have to move quickly and quietly. Now follow me!”