I am Feral: Part Two: Chapter Two: The Beginning

“C’mon, Ignatia! Our train is leaving!” were the only words I could remember on the long journey to Feral Manor. I now stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring into my reflection. A girl stood before me, but I didn’t really think it was me there. Her hair was a copper color, and her eyes orange. 1

“Will all Ferals come to the Great Hall in their animal forms.” an announcement rang out in the Manor. I closed my eyes, gripping the sink tightly. I began to feel the world around me shrink, even though I couldn’t see anything. My breath escaped me slowly, and could feel heat roll away from my body. My hands could feel the tile of the bathroom, and my shoulders rise. 2

When I opened my eyes, the world was a different place. Everything was bigger, the sink over my head. I licked my now copper paws, drawing them over my whiskered, pink nose. I flexed my pearl white claws and tested my long copper tail, drawing it to my side and back out behind me. I walked out from the bathroom, trying to keep calm. I was always teased of my ability to turn into a cat, but not anymore. Here, people were the same. Here, I could fit in and rise to the top. Here, I knew that I should be remembered in Feral Manor forever. 3

In the main hallway, animals were making their way to the Great Hall. There were dogs playing and barking excitedly. Wolves were clustered together and spoke in hushed tones, and then rose in a chorus of howling, which made other animals join in. Mice, rabbits, and other small creatures scuttled or hopped about; looking at one thing or another. Monkeys and chimps swung from the banisters, pulling other animals’ tails. Their reply was either a snap or others would laugh with them. Birds swooped down from the ceiling, then back up in various sizes and colors. Proud cats walked with heads held high, not even noticing the creatures underneath them. I even saw two proud stags walking and shaking their antlers, seeming to follow the beat of the Manor. The largest animal I could see was an elk, bellowing a wonderful song that even surpassed the wolves’. 4

I began to walk ahead, only to be stopped by a small puff of white fur. The creature scuffled up to look at me with orange eyes. It was another cat, probably as young as me. “I’m so sorry!” She shook her snow white fur. 5

“No problem.” I meowed curtly. 6

“I didn’t want to be late, you see. So I just had to run.” she persisted. 7

“Again, there’s no problem in that.” 8

“O – Okay. My name’s Jess, yours?” I noticed that she was still apologetic about running into me, but I pretended not to notice. 9

“Ignatia,” I mewed. Jess seemed to know me so well that she thrust herself into an expansive tale of her life. Like mine, it wasn’t very interesting. 10

“Have you ever thought that maybe your life wasn’t really your life? You know, like everything you think could be a lie?” She finally asked.11

I thought about it for a minute, not knowing how to answer Jess’s question. “Well... I don’t know. I mean – one could – I just know my life. I was an outcast because I can turn into a cat, and when the chance came to come here, I took it.” The kitten nodded, looking content. 12

After a few moments of pleasurable silence, I began to pick up the conversation. “What do you think is going to happen in the Great Hall?” 13

“Dunno. We’ll probably be told where to sleep tonight.” Jess guessed. 14

I began to see the large, oak doors that must lead to the Great Hall. They were held open, and at the ends, were two guards cloaked in black. My hackles rose instinctively, but I wondered why. When I walked past them, I felt my ears flatten and my body lower to a crouch. I felt Jess’s breath in my ear. “Why are they just standing there?” 15

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it that’s for sure.” I hissed back. I looked over at the small kitten. Her fluffy fur stood out on end, making her look like cotton. I touched her shoulder lightly with my tail, making her move through the doors. I looked around in amazement. 16

The Great Hall had indeed fit the name it was given. A large mural surrounded the hall of animals fighting. There were sconces of ivy and ram’s heads. This room looked like it belonged in a castle, not an academy for kids with talents of turning into animals. I looked around. Animals were filing in behind us. I pulled ahead, Jess on my heels. There were already some animals filed in and sitting in front of a large podium. Some stood, others sat, others were lying down, and even some were grooming each other. 17

Jess and I took our seats. The white cat was already grooming her fur. I rasped my tongue over my paw and drew it over my ears after watching the others relax. Other cloaked men were patrolling the Great Hall. One passed Jess and I. Jess shrunk back and hissed, unsheathing her claws. I laughed at her being off guard. “I don’t believe they’re going to hurt us.” I mewed thoughtfully. 18

“Well how do you know? I mean, they could be harvesting us up and are going to kill us right now!” Jess hissed in disbelief. 19

“You know, you have an overactive imagination. Why would they build such a wonderful place to house us if they’re just going to kill us?” That shut Jess up. I smiled in satisfaction and stretched, feeling a bit more comfortable with my new realization. Another guard passed us. He must have been looking at us, even though I couldn’t see their faces. I looked up to the podium, another human in black stood there, organizing himself. All of the animals were silent, waiting for him to speak. 20

The animals that lay down straightened up to sit. Animals who sat straightened up further. Those who stood made themselves look stronger. I saw the two stags settle down with their hooves tucked under them. They lay down with their attention on the podium. The elk stood elegantly and next to him was a female moose. I found myself stand up and swished my tail from side to side, waiting for him to speak:21

“Welcome to Feral Manor. Here, you will learn how to use your power and serve our great cause. You may come from different places, but here, you are all equal. You’re race is called Feral, you are all now the representatives to others like you who did not have the privilege to come. We, the Humans you see here today, are known as the Hold. There are no rules here in this world you now call home, except for one: Do your job. Your job is to find wounded soldiers and bring them back to live with our kind. If you do your job, all will be well; you could even rise from your own position to a higher one. There will be no teachers except yourselves and each other. 22

“You will have two roommates in your dorms. Your rooms are called Farred dorms. I will now call out your names and room numbers; you may leave as soon as you get them. Good luck.”23

The Hold began to call out names. Then, Jess’s name was called. “Well, I have to go.” she meowed, “I hope we see each other again. You’re a great friend, Iggs. Bye.” 24

“Who knows, we could see each other again.” I replied. Jess ran up to face the Hold members. They gave her the Farred dorm she would stay in, and she raced off through the grand doors and I wondered what would happen to that little white cat.25

“Ignatia,” I jumped up in front of the podium and waited for my room number. The Hold members looked at each other curiously. The speech-giver quickly recovered and cleared his throat. They seemed shaken, I looked up expectantly. When would they tell me where I was supposed to live? “Room three hundred and twenty-seven,” I bowed down, flicking my tail to the side, and out behind me. I turned around without looking at the members and bounded out the doors.26