Chapter I of "A Darker Story"

Absolutely appropriate for all ages.

Chapter I

About one year before

            Sitting at a small wooden table where two snow leopards. One, whose sleek, black coat had long been tangled and bloodstained, and the other, with rosy cream colored fur and icy blue eyes. The latter was picking at her food with her sharp claws, not seeming to be very hungry.

            “Rose! Quick playing with your food!” The black leopard exclaimed.

            Rose stopped picking at the meat and sat quietly, paws folded neatly into her lap. King Malicis, the black leopard, knew something was wrong with his daughter.

            “Rose? You usually devour your meals. Are you okay?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew the cause of this lack of appetite: nervousness. She was awaiting the answer of the announcement Malicis had sent out months earlier.

            “Look, Rose, I don’t know-” Before he could finish his sentence, a guard came barging in to the small room.

            “Sire! We have received answers from all the snow leopard kingdoms. All the eligible princes will certainly participate in the contest for young Princess Rose’s paw in marriage.”

            Rose breathed a sigh of relief. The anticipation was over. A worthy suitor would be chosen for her in a potentially fatal contest. It was the best way to choose her future husband. Of course, she had heard stories of foolish princesses who rejected the contests or forced marriages to run off with peasants, outlaws, or maybe even refusing to get married at all. She would never be accused of breaking the highly enforced laws of the kingdoms. She understood this was for her kingdom’s sake, and if a prince could win her father’s brutal competition, he was definitely worth marrying.

            “When will the contest be held, Father?” Rose inquired innocently.

            King Malicis looked down at his young daughter. “Don’t worry, honey. It will only be about a year before the preparations are over.”

            Rose frowned, thought it over, and smiled. She would have plenty of time to prepare. “Okay, Father!” She put on her sweetest smile and skipped off to her room, her meal still uneaten.

            Malicis watched his daughter skip off. “The sorry kitten who wins the contest better be worthy enough to marry her,” he spat, and then noticed the guard still standing there. Malicis shoved the guard towards the table. “Here,” he said casually. “We’re not hungry.”

            The guard’s eyes lit up as he prepared to plunge his muzzle into a feast fit for a king (and a princess.)

***

            If one where to travel to the outer edges of the kingdom, they would find the Everdark Forest. It was said to be home to several vicious creatures who would tear apart the first outsider they saw. Even King Malicis’s guards where ordered to stay away from it. But perhaps, if one where to travel to a certain point on the outer edges of the Everdark Forest, they could hear someone splashing in a river of clear, fresh water, and the joyful humming of a dark red snow leopard.

           

            The leopard continued humming his jovial song as he leaped out of the river and violently shook his fur to dry out. He continued humming as he grabbed his leather satchel. He continued as he trotted through the forest, watching the creatures scamper by. He loved everything about this place. The creatures, the plants, everything, and it was all under his protection.

            A small rabbit with sharp fangs and devil horns came running to the leopard. “Everdark,” it whined. “I gots a thorn stucks in my footsie.”

            “Oh Junior, again? You just can’t seem to stay out of that rose bush, huh? And you don’t have to call me Everdark. It’s too… formal.”

            “But ‘Thorn’ is whats I keep getting stucks in my footsies,” Junior whined.

            Thorn the Everdark reached down to inspect Junior’s foot. He put a paw into his satchel to grab a few herbs to rub on Junior’s sore foot. The thorn was soon gone.

            “Thanks Everdark!” Junior smiled. Thorn smiled back, but it was quickly replaced by a look of worry.

            “You guys can handle yourselves, right?” Thorn said weakly.

            “Bu-bu-but Everdark, you can’t leave! We need you!” Junior sniffed.

            “Sorry Junior,” Thorn sighed. “I’m going to the kingdom. I-I-I need to experience life in a different way. I’ll be back, I promise.” And with that he quickly turned his back on the sniffing devil rabbit so he wouldn’t have to see those adorable puppy eyes that had been a major obstacle in his journey.

            “I love living here, I love being your Everdark, but there comes a time everyone has to venture outside of their comfort zone. It’s just part of growing up. I’ll be back, I promise, I would never abandon you…” Thorn whispered, as if only trying to convince himself it would be okay. As he walked away, the plants seemed to whither a little and the animals grew silent. 

End Chapter I 

-Frost