Prologue to Modern Pheonix
A gentle breeze shuffled through the ancient oaks and whispered in the long reeds of the marsh. An incessant croak resounded through the perpetual mist lethargically swaying on the light breeze. Rays of pale moonlight scarcely grazed water logged earth, illuminating only the stagnant ponds scattered between the groves of oak and reed. Only a dragonfly disturbed the pale curtain, slight ripples chugging through the mist. Quiet sobbing pierced the natural tranquility. On a lonely hill of semi dry earth - a graveyard - laid a cat, face buried in his paws. His fur was damp with mist and tears, matted with mud and blood. A myriad of cuts adorned his body and clothes, bruises visible beneath his pale fur and around his hazel eyes. He laid shivering and sobbing while a muffled bell rang from his collar as it clinked against a cracked, grey tag - Mizu Sakura.
'God, please please kill me.' Mizu silently prayed in the abandoned cemetery. Slowly, his eyes shut and he sank into blissful slumber.
"Mizu! Mizu!" a voice screamed into his ear as a paw forcibly shook him awake, "Wake up!" Mizu's eyes fluttered open, squinted in the bright morning sun. A lion stood tall above him, scowling furiously. Brown eyes glinted threateningly. Mizu scrambled to his feet and hesitantly met his step-father's eyes. The lion violently yanked the teen's ear, forcing the whimpering male to his hands and knees. The lion pulled off his belt and began viciously beating Mizu's buttocks, grinning as the cat screamed louder with each resounding crack.
"Does it hurt bitch? Does it?" the lion roared as he beat his step son, "Your mother can't even help you now! Beg for me to stop beg!"
"Please! Baird, master, stop it please! It hurts too much!" Mizu screamed, trembling beneath the violent beating. Baird laughed and, after a few last beats, tossed his belt to the side. He grabbed the house cat's collar and growled into his ear "Never disobey me again or I'll punish you like last night you bitch." The lion tossed Mizu aside like a rag doll and slide the thick leather belt into his jeans and strode away, smoothing his plaid button up shirt. Mizu merely lay on his stomach, whimpering.
Eventually he managed to stagger to his feet and trudged homewards, gritting his teeth against pain and exhaustion. His fur shimmered gold in the sunset, highlighting his anguish-laced eyes.