The Guardians

Strawberries

                                March 12
The Land of Wind
    (The Sitorian Manor)

Snow covered the garden of the Sitorian Manor like the inside of a snow globe. No squirrels treading across the snow or birds perched on the snowy branches. The wind was strong, piercing yet gentle as it ruffled the leaves of the trees causing snow to fall from them.

His boots crunched under the snow as he quickly ran through the garden ushering the man following behind him to walk faster.

"Come on, dad. We're almost there." Came Nolen's voice, convincing his father to keep up. He wasn't very fond of the cold but the boy seemed to be unbothered by the freezing temperature. He had been dressed in his heavy winter clothes along with his fleece coat and gloves, he showed no signs of being even a little cold.

Quickly, he made his way to the bridge, leaning over the railing as he pointed down at the lake that had been frozen over. Sebastian soon joined him on the bridge, placing a hand securely on his son's back.

Looking closely at the frozen lake he didn't see anything right away. His son peered over the edge before gasping as a creature of vibrant orange swan below the frozen layer of the lake.

There, dad! Did you see?" The boy shouted excitedly, looking to his father.

"I saw." Sebastian said with a smile.

"The lake is very cold but Alice says that they'll be okay because they're cold water fish." He explained, turning back to the lake to catch another glance at the beautiful koi fish that lived below. "Oh, I have one more thing to show you." Nolen said suddenly, hopping from the railing of the bridge. He crossed the bridge, going deeper into the garden and out of Sebastian's line of sight.

Soon, he returned but he walked... backwards? Sebastian's brows furrowed at his son, who nearly tripped making his way back onto the bridge but then he heard a low trill and understood who was in his arms. He turned swiftly, revealing the large orange cat he held.

"Dad, this is Cat." He introduced the cat, swaying back and forth before turning the cat around to face him. "Cat, this is my dad."

"Cat?" Sebastian questioned, raising a brow. Nolen looked at him with eyes the size of saucers and said simply.

"Yeah, that's what he is."

Sebastian laughed quietly before crouching down in front of his son and Cat.

"Actually, Nolen Cat has a name." He said

"You know him?" The boy gasped. "Is he yours?"

"Her name is Aura, she belonged to a Guardian that used to live in the manor. She's been here ever since." He replied, reaching out to pet the cat who purred quietly.

"So, you've met Aura before?" Nolen asked and Sebastian smiled at the memory of when he first met the orange cat Aura.

"Yes, I have. You know..." Sebastian paused, he wasn't going to continue, but then he saw his son looking at him with pleading eyes, silently begging him to continue. "You know your mother wasn't very fond of Aura at first."

"Mom?" He questioned as he began to move closer to his father. "Why not?"

Sebastian's mind traveled back as he began to tell Nolen the story of how he first discovered Aura, the cat that loved stealing strawberries.

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June 3
Year 368 (6 years ago)
                       The Land of Wind
                  (The Sitorian Manor)