Arc One: Chapter Five
A TALE OF THE RUNAGATE AND AILERON’S ENCOUNTER
The story’s narrator, a cinnamon tortoiseshell, began to tell the tale as a ginger-and-white tom stepped into the audience’s view. Littlepaw noticed from her spot in the tree that the tom was headed towards a white rock glittering in the grass.
“Long ago, there was a warrior, Neriumpelt, who stumbled across a shard of Mona’s rocky halo. This shard was one of the many lost in a past incident that now remain scattered across Clan territory. However,” the storyteller gave a small pause for dramatic effect,”someone else had their eyes set on this shard as well.”
A lanky white molly with eerie, pale yellow eyes walked towards the tom and began to speak in a mysterious, subtly unsettling tone. “Greetings, young warrior. I am the Runagate, and I wish to make a deal with you.”
A delightful shiver ran down Littlepaw’s spine as she heard the cat’s name. The Runagate was a character that appeared every now and then as an antagonist in stories, so she already knew that this deal would be trouble.
Neriumpelt seemed to have some doubts as well. “The Runagate? I don’t think I should make a deal with you. I’ve heard in tales that you’re an evil spirit.” He stepped backwards slightly, away from the Runagate.
The Runagate flicked their tail dismissively. “Nonsense,” the spirit replied, practically hissing the s’s in the word like a snake. “All I want is to make you an offer that would help both of us.”
The tom still looked uncertain, but asked,”What is your offer?”
“I can help guide you in a path to leadership. You do wish to make changes for the good of the Clan, yes?” Neriumpelt gave a small, hesitant nod at the Runagate’s words. “All I need from you is this shard that you’ve found.”
Littlepaw silently hoped for the cat to know better than to take this deal, but was familiar enough with stories to know what’s coming next.
After some consideration, Neriumpelt answered,”...Alright. I accept your deal. As rare as this is, I don’t have much of a use for it. Besides, I’d be a fool to turn down something like that.” He pushed the shard towards the Runagate, who was grinning wide like a fox.
“Glad we could come to an agreement,” the Runagate purred, taking the shard. “I’ll see you soon to fulfill my end of the bargain.”
With that, the Runagate strolled off with the shard. The evil spirit didn’t really walk far, staying in view of the audience, but was enough of a distance away to indicate no longer being a part of the scene.
The storyteller spoke up again, with a loud, clear voice,”The Runagate leaves, having a terrible plot for the shard in their possession. Fortunately, however, there is someone on the side of good on the lookout for shards of Mona’s halo. It is none other than the moon aspect’s protege herself, Aileron, aspect of the wind! She flies with her dragonfly wings, a tailwind she summoned ruffling her shiny black and blue fur. Gracefully, Aileron lands in front of Neriumpelt.”
A short black tom leaped onto the scene, taking on the role of Aileron.
Aileron looked at Neriumpelt with a serious expression on her face. Her tail swished with anger, but only slightly, since she was the type to mostly maintain control over her emotions. “I saw you give the shard of Mona’s halo to the Runagate,” Aileron stated with an authoritative tone. “Which way did that evil spirit go?”
“I- if I tell you, I won’t become a leader, and w-what’s the Runagate gonna do with a shard, anyhow-” Neriumpelt stumbled over his words, and shuffled his paws nervously.
Aileron glared at the tom, who didn’t meet her gaze. “The Runagate shall use up the shard’s power to summon a primal beast, which is able to destroy anything you could become leader of. I cannot delay in my search.”
A breeze picked up in the grove. Even though it was just a coincidence, Littlepaw imagined it to be part of Aileron’s wrath.
“I…” Neriumpelt looked at the aspect of wind with a shocked expression. “...that way.” He turns to indicate the direction.
“There’s a reason tales are spoken of the Runagate’s untrustworthiness.” With those parting words, Aileron headed towards the Runagate.
With that, the narration continued. “As Aileron rushes forth, she confronts the Runagate. Seeing the shard near the evil spirit, she blows it away.” The actress playing the part of the Runagate kicked the rock in such a way where it appeared to most onlookers like this imaginary wind really was doing the work.
With a sneer, the Runagate gloated,”It’s too late, Aileron. Can’t you sense it? I’ve already used that piece of your precious mentor’s halo to summon a primal beast. It’s only a matter of time until it appears.”
The wind aspect stepped forward, undeterred. “In that case, it’s a good thing I’ve hunted many primal beasts in the past.”
A large tortoiseshell stepped into the fray as the storyteller described the creature. “The primal beast materializes. It’s a giant, orange and black doglike creature, standing as tall as an oak. In the moonlight, its scales glitter, and the creature’s many eyes are set on Aileron. It senses her intent to slay it, and makes the first move. But the aspect of wind is ready.”
The primal beast made a big, clumsy swipe at Aileron, which she easily sidestepped. The wind aspect then jabbed at it, leaping away before the creature can react. It lumbered forth, and Aileron jumped onto its back, getting in more blows. However, she stayed a moment too long, and it rolled over, causing her to roughly hit the ground. Aileron herself now rolled, managing to dodge a strike. She struggled just a bit to get up after landing like that; the wind aspect’s endurance wasn’t her strongest point.
At this point the wind strengthened again, and it seemed the actors have prepared for if this type of opportunity arose. The primal beast fell to the ground, as if the wind aspect had created a powerful gust herself, and Aileron pounced. With another flurry of attacks, she finished off the creature.
The narration concluded,”Finally, the primal beast is defeated. Unfortunately, the Runagate fled in the chaos, and the halo piece has effectively become an ordinary stone. Still, thanks to Aileron’s swift response, much worse has been prevented. The Clan territory remains safe from threats that no ordinary cat can slay.”