Chapter 3

• ~ FLASHBACK ~
• Jon the diviner stared fiercely at Andrew, his eyes red and just as burning coals. He used the thin staff in his left hand to point at the cat playing absentmindedly in front of them and said softly to Andrew standing beside him.
• “Once again, Andrew, I say kill it with your sword”
• Andrew in a rather relaxed manner answered. “Come on, Jon, it is a cat, rather too harmless. I won’t hurt the poor creature”
• Having said this, Andrew looked at his bosom friend, Xander standing right opposite him to get his support, but Xander’s face appeared completely expressionless as he refused to be a part of the event unfolding in front of him.
• Andrew and Xander were on their way to the general training ground for the evening training when Jon the powerful diviner accosted them and engaged in a discussion with them. It was while at it that a cat had walked to where they were and then Jon had instructed Andrew to kill the cat but Andrew blatantly objected.
• Andrew is the prince and the soon-to-be alpha of Great Crest Pack and so he started going to the general training ground together with his friend Xander immediately after both of them turned sixteen. This decision was informed on a lot of reasons among which was since he would soon become the Alpha of Great Crest Pack he felt it was better to know the males in his pack on a personal level. And since the training at the general training ground was not only for warriors but for all pack members, whether male or female, he saw it as a great platform to achieve his goals.
• Andrew has always been a very lovable young lad amongst his people. He tends to show love and kindness to his pack members. This of course he learned from his father, Alpha Fredrick who told him that that was the secret of the Great Crest Pack being the most powerful pack in the world of werewolves.
• Andrew learned not to harm the defenseless or any being that poses no threat to the pack or to his rule. This was the reason he saw no reason why he should cut short the life of an innocent cat that had harmed no one.
• However, he knew the diviner saw more than he could see, but then, to Andrew, he who saw should act. For all he, Andrew could see at the moment was a lovely cat whom none mistakenly can also be qualified as a bonafide member of the Great Crest Pack.
• Seeing Andrew’s resilience, Jon’s face grew with a mixture of fear and hatred, and his eyes looked like they were about to explode and burst out of their sockets.
• But rather than show his emotions, he said to Andrew just as calmly as he had done before. “For the third time, Andrew, kill the god-dammed cat. Kill it with your sword” he demanded.
• This time he points at Andrew with his thin staff and looked at Xander with plight.
• Xander noticing Jon's gaze fall on him, immediately bowed his head, still refusing to be dragged into this crazy drama happening in his presence. Xander already knows that Andrew would let no harm come to the cat especially not through his own hands.
• However, Xander wishes he could understand the significance of killing a rather innocent cat. He knew for sure that the diviner is powerful, but who was he to understand the things that neither the ordinary eyes could see nor a common man like him understand.
• “The cat is known to us to be a rather peaceful creature. Jon, you know me too well, I can’t allow any harm to come to it. Please I will not kill it”
• Immediately after Andrew gave the above reply, a heavy sandstorm appeared and swept through the surrounding, shattering and destroying everything blocking its way.
• Andrew and Xander ran in fright and hid behind the diviner, and they lay down at his back.
• The sandstorm continued for a long length of time until it got to the cat and instantly vanished into thin air with it.
• At this point, the diviner let out a very loud growl and covered his face with both hands. The pains and the sorrow that he bore would be felt by the intensity of his growl.
• Andrew and Xander were terrified, they had never been any sandstorm in their pack or around the neighborhood. In fact, there is no reason for them to experience a sandstorm let alone something of this magnitude to last this long and also create an effect of this magnitude in their pack or its surroundings. As much as they know, their pack was everything contrary to a desert.
• Xander who was the first to regain consciousness asked Jon in a panic. “What just happened?”
• There was no response from Jon. Jon looked up to the sky and continued to snort.
• “Please Jon, what just happened" Xander repeated.
• This time, Jon stared at him with his face only expressing pity and uncertainty, and then he uttered some almost inaudible words. “The tales of the present and the future. The present speaks of indecision, uncertainty, and unwillingness, the future is yet to be determined but would be a direct consequence of today”.
• Andrew who has regained consciousness by now and was still in panic got up from the floor, grabbed Jon, and asked him. “Jon, please what is all these, what happened here. I am so sorry, sorry for whatever I don’t know, for what I don’t understand”
• Jon took a look at him and replied. “You were just given the mandate to decide the future. The future of flowers, good or evil...”
• “But what do flowers have to do with evil Jon? Flowers are the purest” Andrew cut in. He was confused and couldn't make sense of Jon's proverbs.
• Jon continued. “The same way you saw no need to kill a cat. There is an evil that would appear in the future, in the nearest future. It exists at the moment but has yet to take a form, whether good or evil. Killing the cat would have made the good to triumph”.
• In reaction, Andrew stammered in fear. “Bu..tt you know me eee, you know I... I... I... wouldn’t hurt that c… ca… att, wh... y… y... not ask... ask …ask Xander?”
• “Because the future is connected to you” Jon replied.
• Andrew with eyes wide open asked. “But... but... how...?”
• Jon shook his head and signed before responding. “Your daughter, yet to be born, as fragrant as the flowers would be connected to it. It is her battle. Today gave you the privilege to determine the outcome of that battle. Your killing that cat would have ensured her victory on a platter of gold. Now there is no telling whether she would win or would be defeated.”
• “If it is a battle, then our army can defeat it, we are strong enough to take on whatever” Andrew responded.
• Jon chuckles as he listened to Andrew’s response, and said. “I wish it was that way. It is a great creature battling to take its form at the moment. I can’t tell the outcome. It is a battle only your daughter is meant to fight. A battle that targets werewolves. She would be sent a helper or a guardian hopefully before the battle itself. I fear for her soul because no one would be able to understand this battle and the little she would know would not be enough unless her helper or guardian comes to her before the battle itself begins”
• This revelation from the diviner caused great panic in Andrew. Something can still be done. He thought to himself. How the hell would some future expect him to sit back and do absolutely nothing knowing that his unborn daughter is destined to meet some unknown doom? He would never forgive himself for being the cause of his daughter’s calamity. Something can still be done, something must be done now.
• “How do we prevent all this, Jon?” Andrew persisted.
• Jon answered with his gaze fixed on the sky. “Be careful of the good you see, it might be an evil yet to be formed”
• With these words, he walked away leaving the friends in their pitiable dumbfounded state.
• ~ Flashback Ends ~