Epic Tales 2: Magical Fables: Enchanting Tales: Adventure and Suspense: A Modern Epic Classic

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Prologue

Nobody knew exactly when he was born or how old he really was, but since anyone could remember, Benny the Bold had been the sacred caretaker of these mystical lands. With sword and shield gripped firmly in his paws, he had come forth for generation upon generation without hesitation or fear to defend the cat folk that inhabited the lush, forest domain.

He was their hero, their warrior hero, whose longstanding reputation of strength and bravery was matched by no other. His remarkable fighting abilities—though always tempered by the search for a peaceful solution before aggressive action was taken—earned him the respect over time of many different species with whom he had come in contact. Openly admired yet inwardly feared, dearly loved while meticulously obeyed, this cat among cats was truly…the one and only of his kind.

Benny the Bold resided in a great stone castle within the walled fortress of the Feline Kingdom. His majestic, ancient home, with its four towers reaching up into the heavens provided him with everything he needed to lead a life of relative solitude and reflection, although he did venture out and about occasionally, cordially mingling with the many four-legged, furry residents of his realm.

His castle, as tradition would have it, was surrounded by a deep moat on all sides. It was brimming with fresh, clean water that was so graciously provided by the streams and rivers that led into the felines’ land area. Equally important, the moat was always filled with an ample supply of succulent fish that served as the major source of sustenance for all those who lived within the Kingdom’s walls.

Some of the felines who were organized in exploration and hunting parties also brought back other dietary supplements such as scampering mice and hopping insects. These were found outside of their fortified hamlet but within their marked territories, which extended several miles beyond in all directions.

The cat folk most generally led a tranquil and pleasant life, faithfully keeping their fur coats licked up clean and smooth, their claws adequately sharpened and pointy, and never ignoring the importance of frequent, luxurious catnaps as a part of their daily routine.

So it had been, so it is, and so it will be as long as their warrior hero walks among them. Always ready and willing to leave his castle walls when destiny should compel him to do so, Benny the Bold will continue to brandish his armor until he is no more, courageously defending the lifestyle and very existence of his cherished subjects of the Feline Kingdom.

May they all… live happily ever after.

Epic Tail 1: A Foul Beast

Once upon a time, in a faraway, mystical land inhabited by curious beings of all types and dispositions, Epic Tails of inconceivable dimensions unfolded before the eyes of all those present who witnessed the extraordinary events, sparking their imagination to reach newfound heights of stimulation and inspiration…

Part 01 (The recovery: fostering a new normal)

The Feline Kingdom had been quiet and tranquil since the last truly monumental, life-and-death epic battle had taken place with the Avenging Horde of Chihuahuas. All the cats of this great land had once again returned to their much-preferred peaceful and harmonious existence.

The Kingdom had been rebuilt from the destruction that had occurred during the bloody and unprovoked assault on their marked territories, but not without great effort and sacrifice. It was necessary to collect an abundance of materials from the surrounding forest to reconstruct the quaint little houses and other buildings that had been damaged in battle. Many of the narrow, winding streets also had to be refurbished so they could resume their usefulness and take on their previous alluring appearance.

Broken or uprooted plants, bushes, and flowers were healed or replaced, as the case required. The fish moat that surrounded their mystical warrior hero’s castle was carefully dredged, and it was assured that the two mountain streams that led into it had free pathways so that there would always be fresh, clean water available at maximum levels.

Once all the heavier and more complicated work had been finished, a thorough spring-cleaning of everything in general was in order, with attention to detail being paid by the meticulous inhabitants. They wanted to leave their village with a sparkling image that they could be proud of, as was their custom with their personal daily grooming of their own fur coats. Of course, all litter boxes were scoured and disinfected, and water and food bowls were lovingly topped off and placed in their designated locations for easy access.

The most difficult task was related to the healing of the many physical and mental wounds suffered by the cat folk of the Feline Kingdom. Due to the aggressiveness and violent actions of the invading Chihuahua army, fur had been ripped off, ears were torn, legs fractured, and tails broken, along with numerous other bumps and bruises that had been inflicted and needed to be attended to on a priority basis. The well-trained and experienced cat doctors of the village took charge of the necessary medical procedures with great patience and care, including the organizing of special exercise and physical therapy programs for those who required a longer recuperation period because of the seriousness of their injuries.

As for the psychological damage that had been sustained by the hideous canine invasion, this was a much more delicate issue to deal with and thus warranted special treatment procedures by the few cats who had training in this area. Multiple mental therapy groups were formed—diligently organized by gender, age, and degree of trauma—and the participants were encouraged to meow out their innermost feelings that had been insidiously locked into dark, painful memories deep within their minds. This was a subtle curative process that would continue perhaps permanently for some, and for most others, much longer than any of the previous actions taken to restore the Feline Kingdom itself to its previous state.

In the end, though, every one of these well-intentioned efforts of revitalization would make great strides, but even with that, things would never be the same as before. Once the damage has been done—especially if that damage has been extreme in all senses of the term—then the best that can be hoped for is a reasonable semblance of what was. Yes, peace and harmony had returned to the felines’ territories, but not without a heavy cost. Objects can often be repaired or replaced, but lives are much more difficult to mend. And as is well known, an injured mind is a very intricate thing to heal.

Part 02 (The saga begins: ominous sounds from afar)

With the multi-faceted work being carried out to restore the Feline Kingdom to what would be considered a more normal state, springtime had slipped by without the usual activities and celebration associated with that cherished annual season. Summer was now well upon the cat folk and it had been very favorable to them, bringing abundant supplies of fish, rodents, insects, and a variety of other delicacies to their territories.

Taking into account the circumstances, life was good and all was well, or so it seemed. Benny the Bold was well on the way to recovery of the severe wounds he had suffered in his back and left-front leg, along with the many other more minor injuries from bites, scratches, bumps, and bruises.

He had spent several months being lovingly attended to by many of his concerned subjects, undergoing a special rehabilitative, physical therapy program and being nourished with a healthy, high-protein diet consisting of generous portions of cut-up pieces of the succulent fish found in the moat around his castle. As always, he also dedicated many hours each day to insightful meditation, perched up high on one of the four majestic towers that marked out the structural limits of his sturdy, old, stone abode.

Early one morning, Benny the Bold’s highly sensitive ears tuned in to the strangest sound he had ever heard. He rose up quickly from the luxurious, royal cat bed in his castle, having been awoken from his slumber by a deep, onerous, growling noise emanating from the mountainous woods far off from the Feline Kingdom. He had never before perceived such a voluminous and bone-rattling reverberation of a lone voice coming from the outer lands before, and this brought about a deep consternation in him that he knew would have to be investigated.

As he made his way out of the huge castle doors, slowly crossing the lowered drawbridge over the well-stocked fish moat, he could see that the other cat folk had also taken notice of the echoing sound that had been so swiftly