In the middle of an overgrown forest, filled with many flowers: red roses, white daisies, and bluebells, where trees and animals roamed, such as boars, deer, and birds.
Many of them, especially birds, filled the forest with beautiful, awe-inspiring songs.
Chirping and tweeting, they sang happily as Theia ran through the forest, her long, white, silky hair gliding in the wind, whipping like a flag in a gale.
A wide smile painted across her face, her cheeks were deep red, and her eyes were filled with a glimmer, like an artist consumed by his painting, making sure that everything was perfect.
Such was her expression, with a goal in mind: "I know what will make her happy! Those white lilies… I'm sure of it! She loved it before, so she has to love them now as well!" Theia thought.
But eager as she was, her search grew more and more futile, as no white lilly was in sight.
"Where are they? I swear I saw them here before! What's wrong with this forest? They are never here when I need them!"
"No…no…no… Luna will be sad if I don't bring her them. " Theia said while gripping tightly her white dress, "I have to make her happy,"
Then, from behind her, a mysterious voice echoed, "Oh, little child! Would you like to receive some of my help?"
Theia turned immediately to her right and peeked into the darkness of the forest. From within, a figure emerged… a peculiar figure.
A cat, a distinguished cat. He wore a wide-brimmed hat tipped with a crimson feather, tilted just so atop his sleek black fur. A deep purple cape fluttered behind him. It was trimmed in gold and clearly made for flair. His voice was smooth and theatrical, every word dripping with self-importance, like a noble born to perform.
He stopped right before Theia, she towered over him; he was only a third of her height.
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?" you ask. Oh, of course you don't know me! So I will gladly introduce myself to you. My beautiful name is Wax! A talking cat! At your service, and what is yours?" Wax said, grinning with a smile stretched across his feline face.
"Theia,"
"I see little Theia. So what help would you kindly desire from me? I'd help you any way I can, for— a small price?"
"Price?" Theia asked.
"Oh of course! I just need you to answer my question! Kindly please!"
"Then what is it?" Theia knelt right before him as she answered with a chill in her voice; still, she was taller than Wax by a whopping head.
"... Have you seen my wife?"
"Wife?" Theia asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Right… You of course don't know how she looks! She is a shy, walking ferret. She appears mostly as a wild ferret, but don't be deceived! She can talk!"
"No… and why are you looking for her?"
"Uh…" Wax, he shuffled his paws on the ground, "We… had an argument, she got mad and walked out of the house… And so I have been looking for her for those past seven months!"
"... huh," Theia sighed,
"It was totally my fault! Haha!" Wax laughed, "… I'm lonely without her."
"Anyway… Since you don't know where my wife is, what is that you wanted to have? Ask it and you shall receive it!"
"I need to find white lilies for my Luna!" Theia gripped Wax's paws as she looked him deep in the eyes.
"Oh heavens! Luna! That Luna who owns pinkish hair and deep grey-blue eyes?!"
"You know my sister!? How!" Theia shot right up, inches from Wax's face, her face brimming with a smile.
"I met her on my trip through the academy, while participating in a tournament! Such a fitting tournament for someone like me!"
"She was wonderful, I'd say myself. Not as much as me, but close enough! That brings respect!"
"Anyway, white lilies you wanted! I know just about the right place you'd find them!" Wax jumped out of Theia's grip, right onto her head, and turned forward, facing the same way Theia did. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Right ahead! That way is the way!"
Theia stood right back up and went wherever Wax told her to go. Her smile was like the smile of a baby seeing its own mother.
***
Walking through the forest, as Wax pointed the way, unable to stop himself, he said,
"Would you like to know some stories of mine? I'd gladly share them with you so you'd know my greatness!"
"Sure," Theia said, her face as bright as ever, her eyes already imagining white lilies in her hands.
"You sure don't see many of us around, do you? Talking animals?"
"No," Theia said bluntly.
"Of course you don't! We are all dead. Mostly dead, sadly. Sorry, child, to dump it on your shoulders like that; I'm… really stressed lately, you know, searching for my wife and all that."
"Just speak,"
"You really are kind, child." Wax patted Theia on top of her head. "It started a thousand and five hundred years ago…"
"We were a perfect utopia for talking animals! Everyone treated everyone with kindness, no matter the species—elves, beastmen, or even demons!"
"For five hundred years we existed in perfect prosperity and diplomacy, but one day an evil man came and gained our trust. Naturally, everyone gave it to him."
"He used our trust to rise through the ranks like a coward, and when he was near the top, near our king, he betrayed us and rebelled against the crown!"
Wax sighed as he looked towards the ground saying "I'm sorry, I'm dumping on you something totally unrelated to you and your interests. You know… having your wife disappear on you, constantly searching for her, worrying that she might not come back… It just… builds up. And spills in this crappy legend that has been passed down through my family." Wax said
"And I dump it on you to make myself feel better…"
"No, that's fine. I can understand you" Theia said, "Just keep speaking, I don't mind"
"haha… I see, thank you. So as I was saying"
"Unfortunately, he succeeded, and right after he became king, he enslaved all of us. He even renamed our feline kingdom into the Deluvr Empire. From there, he expanded widely. That demon of a being."
"Many unfortunate things happened in between, though they weren't as tragic as what was to come…"
"What things?" Theia asked as she looked right at his hat.
"Saddening things. Truly saddening."
"When the demon king lost to the growing alliance of kingdoms, he decided to get back at the world. So he massacred every enslaved species he had: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, as well as beastmen."
"Some did not go extinct, but two of them did. Most of our talking animals went extinct, leaving only a couple of talking cats and talking ferrets. And bone fairies as well."
"Bone fairies?" Theia asked.
"They were fairies, but they ate bones. An unfathomably interesting thing!"
"Bone fairies?" Theia blinked. "They ate bones?"
"Yes, truly fascinating creatures!" Wax grinned, pleased she cared.
"Well… But as cheerful as I am, it really destroyed our species. Today there are only two hundred of us left, and I, the righteous heir to the throne, am tasked with rebuilding it."
"Today, this is the closest we have ever been to doing so. But for the love of my life, I cannot do it without my precious, loving wife. I regret making her mad."
"I'm sure she's fine…"
Wax stopped as he looked straight ahead.
"Now… enough with the sentiments. Look ahead! This is the place you were searching for!"
Theia looked up, and her gloomy face turned bright as the night sky. Her eyes glimmered with excitement as she already imagined how Luna would react to the white lilies.
In front of her lay a vast, empty field full of white lilies glowing under the sun, reflecting its light.
"I heard some great battles happened here. I admire those strong folks who fight. Hope they settled the score once and for all."
Theia's smile grew all the way to her ears. Unable to control herself, she blurted out,
"Thank you so much!"
Theia grabbed Wax under his armpits and lifted him up, straightening her arms as she said,
"What can I do to repay you?!"