//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 - The Cat Council 
// Story: Conflict of Elohim 
// by MangaBro 
//------------------------------//


Cat council.


Two days after Songar’s awakening.

Nestled within a lush, enchanted forest stands a magnificent council, an ethereal masterpiece woven into the branches of a towering, ancient tree. Ascending towards the heavens, the colossal trunk of the tree forms the foundation of the council. Its bark, weathered by time, tells tales of ages long past. Intricate, moss-covered roots cascade down, intertwining with the forest floor below, grounding the council in the very essence of the earth.

This council was for species of the different regions of Lionstone. The Tigers of Tigerwood, the Cheetahs of Nakaria, the Leopards of Shartakia, and the Jaguars of Takarnaka. Two of the most powerful lords from each land and region had arrived to not only swear their allegiance to the new king once crowned, but to discuss their plans regarding the state of the land of Lionstone.

Songar Crestwood was still unconscious, therefore, he could not attend the meeting. So Serthrawl took his place. All eight of them sat on rocks that were positioned in a circular motion around the council.

The council itself is an architectural marvel. Its walls, crafted from the tree's own branches, curve gracefully to form a circular chamber. The wood, imbued with ancient magic, emanates a faint, soothing glow. The light from Celestia's sun cracked through the openings and leaves surrounding the tree.

Serthrawl was accompanied by his royal advisor, Shargai, who was a bit smaller than him and had fur that resembled stone, and his eyes were a gleaming dark red.

A lord of Tigerwood took a seat right next to Serthrawl. His stripes on his fur were quite inconsistent as they had some stripes that were more detailed and larger than others, contrasting the other lord in his place, but his fur was well groomed.

"Greetings everyone." Serthrawl bowed down while the others bowed back. "I hope that the creator hasn't been treating you all too harsh."

"It could be worse." Said Gargrowl, the first tiger lord. "But we haven't dropped dead just yet."

"The Leopards of Shartakia could be doing way better. I sure do hope the creator doesn't starve us of all to death." The Leopard lord by the name of Rakai said in a joking manner.

"Esteemed lords, we gather here today to address the aftermath of the devastating war that has left our lands in ruins. Our kingdoms are in dire need of rejuvenation." Serthrawl said, sitting down on one of the rocks.

"We've gotten word from the northerners that you are without a king." Said the tiger.

One of the Leopard lords nodded. His name was Markanai.  "There has also been a bit of distasteful news regarding the golden islands." He said with grace.

"What of them?" Serthrawl asked, sharpening his claws.

"They have begun their sail to the Crocodile Islands in search of better resources." The Leopard replied.

Serthrawl took his gaze off of his claws and looked at the Leopard in shock. "What?" He asked. "That can't be, we need their ships to cross the majestic sea."

"Well that explains why they aren't here." Spoke the tiger lord. 

"There is nothing that can be done about it,  now, my lord. However, if their ship falls or the Crocodiles don't accept their ships, then maybe we can let them back into the cat council." 

"No!" Serthrawl shouted. "Such an act of treason will not be tolerated in this castle!"

"But sir," Shargai stepped forward. "Without their ships, we can never cross the majestic sea."

"Don't worry about that." The white Jaguar lord by the name of Walter said. "I fear that with the current status of this land, we will not be ready for battle for a long time."

"What of your army? Did they suffer as well?" Serthrawl asked, his voice lowering.

"Everycat suffered in the war, not just the lions." Markanai told Serthrawl In a soothing tone. "Nearly half of our army was wiped out by Luna's forces, and I assume that the casualties for you all were not pleasant either."

Every lord shook their head in confirmation. "Speaking of casualties, we don't have much food to give to our residents. There is food from the sea, yes, but there is only enough for five years. If we don't increase our resources by then, then we will all starve." The second lord of Tigerwood said.

"We don't have anywhere to house most of them either." Walter said. "Most of the towns were destroyed by Celestia and Luna's forces. Because of that, cats everywhere have been killing each other over shelter and food."

Serthrawl looked down in distraught and sighed deeply. "I'd say we plant more fruits and vegetables. There are more of them in Tigerwood, correct?" He turned to the tiger lords.

"Plenty, but winter will come soon." Said Gargrowl. "We must act accordingly and increase the number of our manufacturers."

"We should begin building with the rocky resources we have now, we have enough rock and stone on this land to build multiple shelters." Added Markanai. "The welfare of our subjects should be our utmost priority. We must find ways to rebuild our infrastructure and revive our economies."

Gargrowl then stepped forward. "Additionally, we must address the wounds of the past. Reconciliation among our kingdoms will pave the way for a harmonious future. Let us promote cultural exchange and encourage understanding among our diverse populations."

"Agreed," Serthrawl said.  
"Our lands have been divided for far too long. By embracing unity, we can create a stronger alliance that transcends borders."

"While I do agree with those, lords, the respective species of our lands are not very content with one another. If we did band together, then be sure to expect a great disagreement and distaste for the council." Markanai argued. "I'd even say a great divide is likely to occur."

Serthrawl observed the room for a moment and sighed. "The guardians of the Lionstone will be sure to deal with such riots." He said, standing up and walking over to the opening of the council. "Nonetheless, we need to consider it."

"Good." Shargai sat back down. "What else is there to worry about?"

"The new king." Gargrowl answered. "If I'm correct, he has been unconscious for two days, and we've yet to find an opponent for his trial. How many days do you suspect he will be in remission?"

"He will be awake tomorrow," Serthrawl assured. "The result of his fainting were stab wounds that can easily be treated by our mages, it is nothing to worry about."

"What date do you suggest the prince will be fit to fight?" Asked Walter, twiddling his claws.

"The day after we hold the king's funeral." Answered Serthrawl. Shargai stared at him with eyes of bewilderment. "I will make sure that he is well-rested and well-trained before then. Meanwhile, I trust that you will find a good candidate for the prince's trial?"

"We will." Everyone said In unison, bowing down before Serthrawl. 

"We will start tomorrow with the king's funeral, then we will announce the new laws to the public after Songar is king. Hopefully, the boy agrees." Serthrawl said.



And with that, the council meeting was finished, and the lords returned back to their homes. On the way back to the kingdom of Lionstone, when they were on the very horizon of it, Shargai asked the warden, "Are you sure that naming Songar the king is a good idea? He's just a boy, I'm sure there's better candidates for the title."

Serthrawl closed his eyes and then opened them to Celestia's sun. "Tradition is always a must among us." He said. "Which is why you will be his paw."

"What?" Shargai's red eyes widened. "But, I am loyal to the south, sir, I've always been!"

Serthrawl looked at him with a glare of defiance. "You were, but you're no true southerner. Any lion of the east must pledge their loyalty to the crown." He said, putting a paw on his head.

Serthrawl continued to move forward towards the kingdom while Shargai stood in disbelief. "The… paw?"


Chapter End.