Feline Beauty, Scene v1

Isella gazed at Kismet in fascination. Her thin red tabby fur glistened under the ceiling light. Isella now understood why stories described them as intimidating, but beautiful. The night Kismet helped her in Koln, she remembered her baring her sharp teeth with a hiss. Not to mention her razor sharp claws, which looked to be able to tear through a person’s body with ease...Cathera were indeed intimidating. But regardless, Isella couldn’t help but admire Kismet’s beauty. Her feline features seemed to compliment her feminine figure, making her appear powerful, yet beautiful. Isella imagined her tail to be rather annoying to deal with when it came to clothing, but it had an unusually elegant appeal to it. Her legs appeared a blend between human and cat legs, standing on her pawed “toes” with an extended foot. Isella never really thought Kismet to be very tall, but she noticed that she always stood with her feet bent. She imagined the Catheran could easily be a head taller than herself.

Kismet rinsed herself off before walking to the side of the tub. She stepped in the left side, and lowered herself into the water. “Sorry for the tight squeeze.”

Isella shook her head. It was actually quite relaxing, despite the lack of room. Her fur was soft and warm, just like that of a normal cat. She gazed at the Catheran’s face shyly. Her cat nose struck Isella a bit odd at first, but when she saw those yellow cat eyes reminisce of times with the young princess as she washed her, the Catheran’s face was surprisingly comforting.

Kismet, with her shiny long auburn hair draped to her left side, looked at Isella awkwardly. Isella snapped out of her trance and quickly looked away. “Sorry...I’ve just never really seen a Catheran before.”

Although it had been over ten years of people fearing and hating the Cathera, Isella had never given much thought to how she felt about them. None of her friends or family was affected by the invasion, and the stories she heard from her elders and peers portrayed them as complete opposites. As she at in the tub with one of the most feared races in the region, she didn’t feel afraid. In fact, she felt safe, a feeling she had almost forgotten. “Umm…can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Why did you join the military? I’ve seen how people treat you. They’re afraid of you. They despise you. Yet you still want to protect them?”

Kismet hesitated for a moment before replying. “I joined to protect Delphi. That is all.”

Isella was baffled. How could someone willingly put herself through all that for the sake of one person? It was masochism. “But why do you put up with how people hate you for things you didn’t even do? Why don’t you just leave Rokan and find people who appreciate you for who you are?”

“Delphi has shown me nothing but love and kindness, and I want to protect that. Besides, everywhere I go is the same. Even if I wanted to leave, where would I even go?”

“My people wouldn’t see you the same way as the Republic and the Empire. Apart from the Catheran invasion, all the stories of the Cathera regarded them with respect. My people have always been discriminated against, and that’s why we’re trying to find ourselves a new home, just for us.”

“I distinctly remember seeing the fear in your eyes when I first saw you,” pointed out Kismet.

“W-well. Okay, fine. I was afraid at first, but I’ve seen how you really are, and I’m not afraid anymore. I’m sure the rest of my people will realize that too. They know that what happened eleven years ago wasn’t the Cathera’s fault,” insisted Isella.

“I appreciate the concern, but this is what I want to do. Delphi is my life, and I want nothing more than to protect her.”

Although she respected her resolve, it still frustrated her that she would accept such a life. Kismet gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s getting late and we have a long ride ahead of us.”

Kismet stepped out of the tub and shook herself dry. She helped Isella out and dried her with a towel before draping her in a blue bathrobe. Kismet sat her on the bed and fed her the remaining pieces of jerky, along with a drink of water. “Get some rest,” said the Catheran, as she pulled the sheets over Isella.

“But…where are you going to sleep?” she asked.

Kismet grabbed their clothes and brought them to the sink across the room. She began washing them as she spoke, “Don’t worry about it. Just go to sleep.”

Isella stared at Kismet’s fur-covered back, then at her large feline ears that protruded from the top of her head. Despite the Catheran’s profession, and the injuries she had received, not a scar was on her body, apart from the missing piece from her left ear. “What happened to your ear?”

Kismet continued washing the dirt out of the clothes without turning around. “I don’t know. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. Everything else heals just fine, but my ear always stays this way.”

“I see.” Isella turned onto her side and stared at Kismet’s tail. Her eyes grew heavier as it swung back and forth hypnotically. At last, she was able to get a good night’s rest.



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