Ah, spring... the sun was rising on Santerrian; the fishermen and farmers were waking to earn their pay, the samurai were stretching in preperation for training, Hiryuu was waking from his slumber in his tree house on the river, and the brothers of Santerrain, TheGame and TrueHeaT were busy counting their money before Stefan came to collect their (ridiculously high) rent.

"What!?" said TheGame
"We're missing 100 gralats!!! what is going on here!?"
TheGame's face turned from beige to red, and his purple hair seemed to ignite.
His brother responded, "I know nothing of it, are you sure we're missing 100?"
"YES!" replied TheGame.
A scuffle was heard behind a pillar down a corridor in the lavishly decorated bamboo house.

TheGame drew his enormous blade, and darted towards the sound. TrueHeaT followed cautiously, carrying a wooden staff.

"Oh bah! It's a cat! How would a cat get in here!?"

TrueHeaT pondered the question for a moment, then hesitantly said "Maybe the burglar left it..."

TheGame mockingly replied "durdur, yah!" then said
"hmm... well, you could be right, maybe this is a clue."

TrueHeaT glared at his brother "Yeah..."

TrueHeaT took the cat and dropped it outside, where it quickly scurried in the direction of the swamps.

TheGame said "QUICK! Follow the cat!" so he and TrueHeaT jumped on their horses and rode after it.

They rode for about an hour, until they came upon a huge manor, covered in vines, sitting at the top of the swamps. Cats surrounded it, like guards. Sitting, staring at the brothers as they approached the door.
They knocked.

A small, portly old man answered the door, he invited the duo in as if they were expected.
They were ushered into a room with a long table, and at the end of the table in a tall, black chair, was Tybalt, the prince of cats.

Tybalt was a tall, slim, black haired man. His hair was finely combed to the side, and his slender eyebrows seemed displayed his mood perfectly; sinister glee. Tybalt was a handsome man as any, who'd obviously been raised in an upscale, rich, environment. He was perfectly gentlemanly, and spoke with a soft yet throaghty whisper.

"Good evening gentlemen." he said.
"I assume you're here looking for your money, well, you can't have it."

TheGame looked like he'd almost had an aneuyrism, his face was now the same color as his hair, rage.
TrueHeaT closed his eyes and said "Why? What do you want with our hard-earned money, look where you are living, you'd have to be the richest burglar in Graal, maybe even the richest man!"


Tybalt grinned and replied
"How flattering, but this is now my hard-earned money. Anyway, the reason I left the cat at your house last night was to bring you hear. I've got something rather important to discuss with you. Well, people fear me, they really do. Now that I've achieved this infamy, no one will fight me, they walk on the other side of the street from me, hell, the elephant doesn't like me! I never have a good fight anymore! I'm proposing a challenge to you young men, fight me and win, you get your petty gralats back, is it a deal?"

TheGame's face cooled down, and he shouted "Sure is!"
TheGame was a ledgendary fighter, he could swing his big blade like any man could swing a dagger. TrueHeaT was agile however, and could outsmart a man easily. Tybalt was no mere man however.

The three strolled to Tybalt's miniature arena, where they prepared.

Tybalt suddenly shouted "GO!" and caught the brothers off-guard.

Tybalt pulled a small knife out of the pocket of his coat, and tossed it quickly and accurately at TrueHeaT. TrueHeaT barely deflected the blade with his staff, and Tybalt had already thrown three more. TrueHeaT dived out of the way, as TheGame rushed at Tybalt swinging his sword. TheGame brought the sword down, and one of Tybalt's fingers came clean off. "Curses!" he shouted, as he did a perfect backflip away from the warrior.

TrueHeaT seized the opportunity, and jumpkicked Tybalt, hitting him in the jaw. Tybalt grabbed the staff out of trueheat's grasp, breaking it over his leg. Tybalt threw one of his knives at TheGame, striking him in the shoulder. TheGame jumped up, dived to the left, swung his sword, and removed Tybalt of the privelage of a left hand. Tybalt raised his remaining hand, signalling them to stop.

"You win!" he exclaimed.

"Fredrick, give these men their money... Aargh... my hand... As you can see I am a loyal man, thank you gentlemen for entertaining me."

TheGame spat "My pleasure..."

The brothers rode home, by that time, everyone was settling in for the night.

TrueHeaT sighed. "Ohhh great, now the house smells like cat-pee...."





THE END