Coming of Age

Part I: The Tale of Larducias of the Kalaktar Clan

Cathar, Home of the Feline Race of the Same Name

<i>The Past...</i>

Amongst the giant <i>Casata</i> trees was carved the image of the ancient Cathar Jedi Knight, Crado. The image was emblazoned into the tree nearly three millenia ago, and to this day it was one of the few tree carvings which survived the attack of the Mandalorians during the great Battle of Cathar. The war nearly caused the extinction of the Cathar race, the few who were able to achieve the insurmountable task of both surviving and avoiding enslavement were forced to flee to other worlds. It wasn't until just before the Clone Wars that the Cathar were able to return to their homeworld and rebuild from the ashes.

The giant image of the Jedi Crado was depicted with lightsaber in hand, seemingly prepared for battle. The image was a grim reminder of both the courage of the Cathar, and the fallibility. Crado was once everything that the Cathar embodied; courage, ferocity, and <i>honor</i>. To Larducias of the Kalaktar Clan, the giant image which stood nearly thirty meters in height was a reminder that Crado foolishly followed the <i>Human</i> known as Exar Kun into Darkness.

The fact that this <i>Casata</i> tree, the depiction of Crado weilding his Jedi lightsaber was one of the few vestiges of the Cathar heritage made Larducias weep on more than one occasion. To Larducias, the image reminded him of everything that was wrong with his Cathar ancestors. To let a <i>Human</i> so easily manipulate Crado and turn him to Darkness wounded Larducias' pride. When he was a cub, the Clan would venture to the <i>Casata</i> tree which bore the resemblance of Crado, and while the rest of his brood admired the ancient Jedi, Larducias was isolated in that he saw Crado as the ultimate Cathar failure. While his kin saw Crado as the talented apprentice of the legendary Jedi Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, Larducias saw him as the tainted practitioner of Darkness who stood side-by-side Exar Kun.

"Why must we continue to visit his place, Larducias?" She said in Catharese, placing a sympathetic paw on his broad shoulder.

Larducias let out a defiant growl, lowering his head in shame. "We must never forget, Jamilia. If we are to forge our own path we must not forget the path of our ancestors." He said, glancing in the direction of Jamilia, his mate.

"You are not Crado, Larducias, nor I, Sylvar." Jamilia replied in a soft tone, refrencing Crado's own mate, Sylvar.

Crado let out another involuntary growl, this time softer than the first.

"I hope not my love. I hope not." He said, as tears began to well up in his eyes.

"What troubles you, young Larducias?" The Cathar elder asked, he stood nearly as tall as Larducias but his grayish-brown fur begat his advanced age.

"Nothing, Elder Kryja." The younger Cathar said, but his solemn expression displayed his true feelings.

"Nothing, you say Larducias?" The elder said, pausing a brief moment before continuing. "Yet, your fur ripples against the wind, showing your sadness as clearly as the sun setting on Cathar. I may no longer be a young cub, such as you. But I can still sense the yearning in your heart as though it were displayed prominently on your tattered cloak."

Larducias raised his head, cracking his mouth open so that his teeth were exposed. "You are wise beyod even <i>your</i> years, Elder."

Elder Kryja lowered his head for a moment, before returning his gaze to Larducias. "If I were as old as you perceive me to be young Larducias, my image might be carved into the Casata tree much like our ancestor, Crado."

"Crado..." Larducias mumbled to himself softly, staring down at the light brown grasses of the savannah.

"You are wise beyond <i>your</i> years, young Larducias. To study the lessons of our ancestors with such diligence... Yet, you are not Crado, and your path is your own to choose."

"Are my feelings <b>that</b> apparent, Elder Kryja?" Larducias said, returning his gaze to his Elder.

"The visions... do they continue to haunt your nights, young Larducias?" The elder asked.

"I see them so vividly, Elder Kryja... the land paved with stone, no room for the Savannah. Their buildings reaching deep into the sky. I see the fur-less <i>Humans</i>, I see them crying out for me in harmony. The looks in their faces, I don't recognize. Yet I sense that they are in pain. I can <i>feel</i> it." Larducias said, vividly recalling the dreams which have caused him to roar primordially in the pitch-black nights. "Jamilia comforts me, as I awake. My fur is soaked with the sweat of nightmares which I do not wish to remember, yet I can never forget."

Kryja nodded subtly as he followed the tale, he leaned into his walking stick causing it to dig firmly into the soft surface of the Savannah. "Your destiny... seemingly lies beyond the stars." The Elder said, pointing to the afternoon skies with his walking stick. "Yet... this is no reason to fret, young Larducias."

"But.. Elder... what do I make of these dreams? What do they <i>mean</i>?"

"Dreams? You say, young Larducias? These are no mere dreams. These are <b>visions</b>, provided by the Savannah Mother herself. Perhaps your destiny does indeed lie beyond these stars." The Elder said, motioning his cane towards the night sky, which looked like bright diamonds laid out on a black blanket.

"They're just dreams, Elder." The younger Cathar said, dismissing the Elder's thought.

"Just dreams?" The Elder said, nodding several times before continuing again. "Perhaps, just dreams. Or perhaps, your destiny is greater than either of us might possibly imagine." The Elder concluded, and Larducias did not respond as he absorbed the thought.

"You are preparing for a Blood Hunt, are you not?" The Elder asked after a few seconds with no response from the younger Cathar.

"Yes, Elder Kryja. I will embark on my Blood Hunt after the fourth full moon cycle."

Kryja nodded a few times acknowledging the young Cathar before continuing. "Very well, Larducias. Perhaps the destruction of a Kiltik nest might purge your soul of darkness. Perhaps the destruction of these Kiltik's which are the scourge of our savannahs might cause your soul peace."

The "Blood Hunt" was a ritual among the Cathar in which the warriors of the feline species would engage in combat with the insect-like Kiltik. Blood Hunts were not only to gain honor for the young Cathar, but they were also said to purge the Cathar of inner darkness. Larducias believed himself to be full of darkness and the Blood Hunt might be the only chance he had to cleanse himself of this burden. Unfortunately, the Cathar would not know until he ventured into the hive for himself.

Larducias would be successful in his Blood Hunt, and he would rid his soul of the darkness which kept him awake at night. Or... he would die trying.

The training ring - where Cathar warriors proved their mettle. Here, the Cathar who were coming of age prepared for the most time-honored rite of passage; the Blood Hunt. Here, the young Cathar of the Kalaktar clan would spar for hours on end perfecting their technique and preparing to fight the giant Kiltik beetles.

Larducias was the youngest among those who were preparing to go on their Blood Hunt this season. His advanced combat skills and uncanny ability to read his opponents were discovered at a very early age. There were few who trained with Larducias that could even be considered his peer when it came to the art of combat. Most of the students who were training for the Blood Hunt were a standard year or two older than Larducias. This, coupled with his superior talent caused a rift between Larducias and the other students.

Larducias found it difficult to fit in, even as a young cub. While the other cubs were playing Nuna-Ball on the Savannah, hide and go seek in the forrest, or swimming in Lake Diszhon - Larducias was wiping the sweat from his brow after lessons hard-learned with Cathar both physically and mentally more mature than himself.

Larducias was by no means a loner growing up, but it was impossible to form the type of bonds that the other cubs were developing. With each passing season, the other cubs grew closer and closer, causing Larducias to slowly drift further and further away. He did develop solid friendships with some of the cubs who he trained with, but they weren't able to connect on the same level as the cubs his age.

There were many afternoons when the sun was setting on the Savannah and Larducias could hear the sound of the other cubs laughing endlessly as they frollicked about in the tall grass; instead of being able to join them, he was stuck in the training ring. Sometimes, when Larducias closed his eyes at night and spoke to the Savannah Mother, he wished that he could just be a normal cub. He wished that for once, he could play Nuna-Ball instead of practicing new takedowns in the training ring. He wished that for once he could be the one to shout <i>"Nuuunnnnnnaaaaa!"</i> as he crossed the goal line, imagining how the rush of excitement might feel when the other cubs would inevitably meet him in the goal zone, cheering his success.

Ironically, the more Larducias longed to be a young cub, the more he was driven to perform in the training ring. The only way for Larducias to block out the laughter of the other cubs in his mind, was to train harder, and with more focus.

Elder Kryja was often a source of wisdom and inspiration for young Larducias. When Larducias thought he had enough of the training and studying, and longed to just be a cub, his Elder was there to shed light on his seemingly unfortunate situation. Kryja was there to educate Larducias on this special gift that he was given by the Savannah Mother herself. Several times Elder Kryja provided a sympathetic shoulder for Larducias to lean on. While Larducias looked up to, respected, and even admired his instructors, it was Kryja who he truly bonded with. Elder Kryja was like a father to Larducias in many ways, he helped to guide the young cub spiritually, and just as imporant <i>emotionally</i>.

As larducias embarked on the journey from young cub, to adolescence, to the verge of adulthood where he now resided, Elder Kryja was there to guide him every step of the way. Now, just months away from his Blood Hunt, Larducias' training was finally going to pay off. Of all the students whom Larducias trained with, he had the most to prove. Since he was a cub he was touted as the greatest warrior the Kalaktar had seen in generations. He'd all but given up his youth in favor of training.

Larducias had to prove himself; he had to prove himself to the other students who doubted him, the clan members who followed him, and to the Elder who provided his foundation. But, most importantly, Larducias had to prove what he was made of <i>to himself</i>. The question remained, <i>was it worth it</i>? The training sessions that didn't end until Larducias was bruised and bloody, the echo of the other cubs growls through the forrest as they did what cubs did; sometimes Larducias wasn't sure if he even knew what those things were.

And of all the others who Larducias had to prove himself to, <i>she</i> wasn't one of them. His mate, Jamilia; she was always there to offer him support and help him clear his head. She was the voice of reason who loved Larducias unconditionally. But these weren't the only reasons that Larducias <i>had</i> to succeed.

While the reasons for hunting the Kiltik pests stemmed from necessity, they ravaged the savannah and tormented the Cathar, for Larducias he was most interested in the promise that the Blood Hunt would cleanse him of inner darkness; the nightmares which kept him up at night. These are the things which caused Larducias to push himself to the brink of exhaustion. Larducias equated success in that Kiltik hide with saving his very soul.

So he would practice.

He would fight.

And he would win.

Or else, the darkness in his soul might consume him.

What Larducias finally realized was that there was no choice, he <i>had</i> to fight, he <i>had</i> to win and he had to conquer the very darkness which he could not hide from, lest he go the path of the failure Crado.

<i>They speak in the language of the Humans.

It is a language which I am familiar with, yet never use. Catharese, the words of my ancestors are the ones I speak, and growl, and roar. Yet so many of my brethren are quick to forget their roots, their ancestors, the very savannah which raised them from cubs.

They abandon tradition in favor of progression; they would rather ride in the Human spaceship than feel the soft grass of the savannah brush against their fur.

I am a statue in a world that is rapidly changing all around me. I heed the lessons of ancestors who have long ascended to be one with the Savannah Mother. I tread the path of the warrior with courage, ferocity, and <b>honor</b>. Tenets that have seemingly been lost on recent generations of Cathar.

I am an old Cathar in cub's clothing; I am an antiquity.

Perhaps that is why these nightmares haunt me. Perhaps the darkness inside me threatens to take away the one thing which I hold most dear; my roots.

Without my Savannah Mother perched high above Cathar on the turquoise moon watching over me, how can I possibly surive?

I watch as the other Cathar look longingly to the stars, hoping for the day when they might venture out into the Galaxy. I on the other paw, feel the blades of tan grass tickling the back of my leg and I dread the day that I know is coming. The day when I am taken from my home and forced to live among the Humans and the other creatures of this Galaxy.

I know the day is coming. I can <b>feel</b> it. It all seems so inevitable. Every night when I lay my head down, I pray for the Savannah Mother to take this darkness out of my heart.

I watch as the moon transforms day by day, only four more cycles of the moon and I will venture into the Kiltik nest and embark on my Blood Hunt. Then, the tales of the ancestors say, my heart will be cleansed of darkness.

I hope so, I <b>pray</b> so. Twenty three seasons of training have led me to the point where I now sit. I am among the greatest warriors in recent Kalaktar history, yet I am ashamed to say what drives my actions, what inspires me to greatness. <b>Fear</b>, fear is the thing that keeps me up at night, and it's the thing that drives me to the training ring before the sun rises, and after the sun sets.

Yet, when I am in the ring, I fight with the courage, ferocity, and honor of a true Cathar warrior. My fear is not of getting killed, injured, or in some other way maimed. My fear is that my dreams, no... my <b>nightmares</b> will come true.

My only hope is that the legends of the Blood Hunt are true; that once I successfully cleanse the Savannah of the Kiltik pests, my soul will equally be purged of darkness. Then, and only then can these nightmares end.

That is the fear which drives me.

It is an odd paradox, that my deep and never-ending love for the Savannah is the source of my greatest fear. I suppose it might make perfect sense to an Elder far wiser than I, yet I still cannot grasp the concept with my young paws.

Someday soon I will write about the dreams which take me to the far off lands of the Humans, yet now I do not have the heart to speak of them. The fear is still too great.</i>

"Larudicas, are you almost done?" She asked, the angelic purr of her voice immediately washing away any fears his writings might have inspired.

"Yes my love, of course." He said, as he laid the pen to rest on the sheet which he was writing.

His eyes stared seemingly through the solid wood wall as his thoughts drifted. He sat there on the bed, his back resting against the wall, sheet of flimsi resting in his lap. His shirtless chest heaving softly with each breath as he reclined there, relaxing. She - Jamilia, sat on a small perch just a few meters from the bed.

She stood up slowly as she walked over towards the bed, the expressionless mask which she wore slowly morphed into a small smile.

"Good, I'm glad. Do you finally have time for me?" She said, her eyebrows raised curiously.

She leapt on top of him with the quickness that only a Cathar could. She straddled him as her knees rest softly on the bed on either side of him and she leaned forward slowly, so that her face was just centimeters from his. She purred softly, the low tone resonating all throughout him. His fur stood straight up, all over his body.

She leaned in and nuzzled her face on his neck so that he could feel her tight whiskers gently rubbing back and forth across his cheek causing a dull roar to exude from deep inside.

She flicked her tongue out quickly as she licked him from the base of his neck to the middle of his cheek in one long, slow motion.

His eyes shut tightly, as his breathing became heavy. With a quick snap of her tail, the lights quickly dimmed.

He leaned forward just slightly as he nibbled gently on the outside of her leathery ear causing another type of growl to escape her, as he whispered quietly to her. "I love you..."

"Not as much as I love you..." She replied.

And for that moment, and maybe only that moment, all was peaceful in the mind and body of Larducias of the Kalaktar clan.

The moon is full, the light that shines upon the training ring is a dull bluish-green. Torches line the outside of the ring providing the odd type of moving light that fires provide as they flicker in the breeze.

On one side of the training ring which stretched nearly fifteen meters, stood Larducias. Across from Larducias stood his rival, Krazo; though the rivalry was very much a one-sided one. Krazo was one of the more promising pupils of Hanmato - one of the instructors - however Larducias overshadowed him at a very young age.

This, along with the fact that Larducias was at least a few years younger than Krazo though clearly more skilled in combat had caused Krazo to develop a festering hatred for Larducias throughout the years. The rivalry manifested its way in several forms through their training. Sometimes it would be a snide remark from Krazo to the other Cathar, just loud enough for Larducias to hear but not loud enough for him to make out. Sometimes, though not quite as often it would result in Krazo taking cheap shots at Larducias when the instructors weren't looking.

Today, for the first time in a few seasons Hanmato had pit Larducias and Krazo up against one another in the training ring. Larducias was suspicious of the move, Hanmato was aware of the tensions between the two. Perhaps that's <i>why</i> he matched the two up after so long. With the impending Blood Hunt, perhaps it was time for the bouts in the training ring to get stepped up a notch.

Today the combatants of the training ring were fighting with staves, clearly Larducias' glaring weakness. Though, Larducias' biggest weakness could very well be anyone else's biggest strength. Larducias gripped the Roktar staff loosely as he glanced over to Krazo who stood across the ring from him. The Roktar staff was designed not as a blunt instrument to cause damage directly, but to disarm opponents or take them down. In either scenario, the final blow would be served with razor-sharp teeth or claws.

In the training ring however, the goal was simply to bring one's opponent to the ground. The session typically ended - as it would today - once a combatant was taken to the ground three times.

Larducias shut his eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath allowing himself to focus on the match at hand. As Larducias re-opened his eyes slowly, he saw Hanmato raising his hand signifying the beginning of the bout.

The two Cathar approached each other slowly, cautiously. As they came together they each raised their Roktar staves before each other which was the customary beginning to any friendly training match. Though this bout could be defined as anything but "friendly".

Straight away, Krazo went on the offensive, his expression portrayed one of hatred as he snarled a vicious growl. He raised his staff above his head attempting to perform a high-arcing vertical swing. In that moment something went off in Larducias' head, though he could not describe it. It was almost as if he saw a streak of bright bluish-white luminous light which streaked from behind Krazo and arched over his head striking solidly into the ground, almost like a bolt of lightning.

Larducias quickly side-stepped the streak of light, then just a second later Krazo's Roktar staff struck firmly into the soft dirt of the ground below. Then, Larducias realized that Krazo's staff followed the streak of bright light. Larducias stood there for a moment, visibly shaken.

<i>But... how?</i>

Before Larducias could rationalize what had just happened he saw another bright burst of light, almost like a mini-explosion. He looked down, recognizing another streak of light which extended from the ground where Krazo's staff was stuck in the soil, outward in an arc and returning through Larducias' mid-section which Larducias quickly recognized to be a horizontal attack from Krazo. He didn't know <i>how</i> he recognized it, but he did... somehow.

Larducias quickly thrust his staff out to his left vertically, the force of the two wooden staves meeting caused a thunderous <i>clack</i> as they met. Then, Larducias' attention was diverted to another lumination, this one glowing red like blood splatter emanating from the left side of Krazo's jaw. A <i>target</i>. Larducias quickly whipped his staff around, thumping Krazo squarely in the left side of his jaw with the butt-end of his Roktar staff. The blow sending the Cathar reeling to his right, as Larducias saw a number of other reddish illuminations appear all over Krazo from his head to his paws, which were entrenched firmly into the dirt.

With each millisecond that Krazo hesitated the "explosions" of light became smaller and more faint. He quickly adjusted his staff and swept Krazo's paws from behind him, as he hooked the wooden staff on the back of Krazo's paws sending him to the ground head-first with a thud.

Larducias stood there, towering above his fallen opponent. His chest heaving slightly as he stood there just as bewildered as his opponent. How was this happening? Larducias had always had a knack for being able to read his opponents, but this was something more.

In the span of less than five seconds Larducias had sent his arch-rival, Krazo; hurling to the surface. Slowly, his opponent stood up preparing for the match to continue. A small bruise was no doubt beginning to form on his jaw.

The two Cathar rose their staves signifying the continuation of the bout. Again, Krazo attempted to be the aggressor. In a split-second, Larducias saw streaks of light criss-crossing where he stood. With feline quickness, Larducias side-stepped, ducked, and dodged the flurry of attacks. Then it came, <i>again</i>, the explosion of crimson light a bright red target exuding from Krazo's left thigh. Without hesitation, Larducias whipped his Roktar staff in a wide, sweeping motion landing squarely in the middle of Krazo's exposed thigh causing the Cathar to whelp out in pain as he fell to his knees.

Larducias had scored two takedowns in the course of less than thirty seconds. This was all happening so fast, Larducias' confusion more than overcame his excitement. What was happening? As Larducias contemplated the possibilities, Krazo slowly returned to a standing position. Krazo took a labored breath before slowly raising his staff in preparation for the match to continue. Before Larducias could even begin to make sense of what was happening, Krazo was standing across from him ready for combat. Larducias quickly snapped out of it, raising his own staff ready for battle.

For the first time, Krazo took the cautious approach. He jabbed his staff in Larducias' direction, but the attack was not meant to connect, and it didn't. Larducias was still swimming in his own thoughts, his <i>emotions</i>. His feelings ran the spectrum from excitement to fear, but he didn't have the time to make sense of anything at this point.

Then the blow struck him, the butt of Krazo's Roktar staff slammed forcefully into Larducias' chin sending him backwards. Before Larducias could react, he felt the staff slam hard into his ribs making him fold over. Krazo continued his relentless assault with a sweeping uppercut of his staff which again connected with Larducias' mouth sending him spiraling backwards. The force of the powerful blow caused the Cathar to nearly flip over as he landed hard on the back of his head, the rest of his body meeting the ground just a moment later.

Larducias lay there for a moment, nearly knocked unconscious. Blood began to pool in his mouth as he slowly raised himself up on his elbows, spitting a mouthful of blood into the grass besides him. He shook his head quickly, the blood splatter flying off his mouth as he rose to his feet.

Krazo stood there, evil grin intact his staff raised indicating readiness. Larducias took a brief moment to compose himself, closing his eyes for just a brief moment as he inhaled sharply. He exhaled as he opened his eyes, focusing on his target, his <i>prey</i>. Raising his staff, Larducias was now ready for battle.

The bewilderment and uncertainty that Larducias felt just moments ago was erased by a broken rib and a mouthful of blood. He would not be caught off guard again.

Krazo advanced forwards, not with the haphazard aggression he displayed earlier in the match, but with a quiet confidence earned through the takedown of Larducias. For a few moments the two exchanged jabs which didn't connect, Krazo attempted a few powerful shots which Larducias easily parried.

Then, he saw it; <i>again</i>. Like paintbrush strokes criss-crossed in mid-air, Larducias <i>saw</i> it. He didn't know what these <i>illuminations</i> were, but he knew enough to trust them. Larducias again dodged and parried following the illuminations as if they were a schematic for success. The crimson explosion appeared before him, the opening that he was waiting for. Not to just end the match, but to <i>humiliate</i> his opponent.

With quickness that was foreign even to a Cathar, Larducias struck hard and in rapid succession. First he connected with Krazo's ribs returning the gift of a broken rib which Larducias had been given; although with his precise blow he made sure to fracture at least two, if not three of Krazo's ribs. The pain causing the Cathar to fold over insinctively, letting out a silent roar as the wind was knocked out of them.

Then, Larducias turned his attention to Krazo's mouth as he shot a lightning-quick blow to Krazo's oral cavity before the pain of his ribs could even register. His eyes shut tightly, as a few of his teeth were knocked out from the force of Larducias' Roktar staff. Then, with the final strike Larducias thrust his momentum forward sending the butt of his staff into Krazo's nose, breaking it on impact and sending the Cathar to the dirt with a thundering crash. In the span of less than a second, Larducias had broken a few of Krazo's ribs, knocked out some of his teeth, and broken his nose.

The other students who lined the outside of the ring stood there, in awe. Hanmato stood there, he too; without words. Larducias turned and exited the training ring, tossing his Roktar staff to the soft soil of the savannah as he walked away.

What had just happened, Larducias did not know. He knew the results, yet, he did not know <i>how</i> they happened. His heart beat quickly as he walked away, returning to a state of complete shock. <i>Fear</i>.

<i>What's happening to me?

First the nightmares...

Now <b>this</b>?</i>

To Larducias it seemed as though everything was spiralling out of control. Yet, perhaps for the first time, everything was finally starting to come together.

The moon is full, the light that shines upon the training ring is a dull bluish-green. Torches line the outside of the ring providing the odd type of moving light that fires provide as they flicker in the breeze.

On one side of the training ring which stretched nearly fifteen meters, stood Larducias. Across from Larducias stood his rival, Krazo; though the rivalry was very much a one-sided one. Krazo was one of the more promising pupils of Hanmato - one of the instructors - however Larducias overshadowed him at a very young age.

This, along with the fact that Larducias was at least a few years younger than Krazo - though clearly more skilled in combat - had caused Krazo to develop a festering hatred for Larducias throughout the years. The rivalry manifested its way in several forms through their training. Sometimes it would be a snide remark from Krazo to the other Cathar, just loud enough for Larducias to hear but not loud enough for him to make out. Sometimes, though not quite as often it would result in Krazo taking cheap shots at Larducias when the instructors weren't looking.

Today, for the first time in a few seasons Hanmato had pit Larducias and Krazo up against one another in the training ring. Larducias was suspicious of the move, Hanmato was aware of the tensions between the two. Perhaps that's <i>why</i> he matched the two up after so long. With the impending Blood Hunt, perhaps it was time for the bouts in the training ring to be stepped up a notch.

Today the combatants of the training ring were fighting with staves, clearly Larducias' glaring weakness. Though, Larducias' biggest weakness could very well be anyone else's biggest strength. Larducias gripped the Roktar staff loosely as he glanced over to Krazo who stood across the ring from him. The Roktar staff was designed not as a blunt instrument to cause damage directly, but to disarm opponents or take them down. In either scenario, the final blow would be served with razor-sharp teeth or claws.

In the training ring however, the goal was simply to bring one's opponent to the ground. The session typically ended - as it would today - once a combatant was taken to the ground three times.

Larducias shut his eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath allowing himself to focus on the match at hand. As Larducias re-opened his eyes slowly, he saw Hanmato raising his hand signifying the beginning of the bout.

The two Cathar approached each other slowly, cautiously. As they came together they each raised their Roktar staves before each other which was the customary beginning to any friendly training match. Though this bout could be defined as anything but "friendly".

Straight away, Krazo went on the offensive, his expression portrayed one of hatred as he snarled a vicious growl. He raised his staff above his head attempting to perform a high-arcing vertical swing. In that moment something went off in Larducias' head, though he could not describe it. It was almost as if he saw a streak of bright bluish-white luminous light which streaked from behind Krazo and arched over his head striking solidly into the ground, almost like a bolt of lightning.

Larducias quickly side-stepped the streak of light, then just a second later Krazo's Roktar staff struck firmly into the soft dirt of the ground below. Then, Larducias realized that Krazo's staff followed the streak of bright light. Larducias stood there for a moment, visibly shaken.

<i>But... how?</i>

Before Larducias could rationalize what had just happened he saw another bright burst of light, almost like a mini-explosion. He looked down, recognizing another streak of light which extended from the ground where Krazo's staff was stuck in the soil, outward in an arc and returning through Larducias' mid-section which Larducias quickly recognized to be a horizontal attack from Krazo. He didn't know <i>how</i> he recognized it, but he did... somehow.

Larducias quickly thrust his staff out to his left vertically, the force of the two wooden staves meeting caused a thunderous <i>clack</i> as they met. Then, Larducias' attention was diverted to another lumination, this one glowing red like blood splatter emanating from the left side of Krazo's jaw. A <i>target</i>. Larducias quickly whipped his staff around, thumping Krazo squarely in the left side of his jaw with the butt-end of his Roktar staff. The blow sending the Cathar reeling to his right, as Larducias saw a number of other reddish illuminations appear all over Krazo from his head to his paws, which were entrenched firmly into the dirt.

With each millisecond that Krazo hesitated the "explosions" of light became smaller and more faint. He quickly adjusted his staff and swept Krazo's paws from behind him, as he hooked the wooden staff on the back of Krazo's paws sending him to the ground head-first with a thud.

Larducias stood there, towering above his fallen opponent. His chest heaving slightly as he stood there just as bewildered as his opponent. How was this happening? Larducias had always had a knack for being able to read his opponents, but this was something more.

In the span of less than five seconds Larducias had sent his arch-rival, Krazo; hurling to the surface. Slowly, his opponent stood up preparing for the match to continue. A small bruise was no doubt beginning to form on his jaw.

The two Cathar rose their staves signifying the continuation of the bout. Again, Krazo attempted to be the aggressor. In a split-second, Larducias saw streaks of light criss-crossing where he stood. With feline quickness, Larducias side-stepped, ducked, and dodged the flurry of attacks. Then it came, <i>again</i>, the explosion of crimson light a bright red target exuding from Krazo's left thigh. Without hesitation, Larducias whipped his Roktar staff in a wide, sweeping motion landing squarely in the middle of Krazo's exposed thigh causing the Cathar to whelp out in pain as he fell to his knees.

Larducias had scored two takedowns in the course of less than thirty seconds. This was all happening so fast, Larducias' confusion more than overcame his excitement. What was happening? As Larducias contemplated the possibilities, Krazo slowly returned to a standing position. Krazo took a labored breath before slowly raising his staff in preparation for the match to continue. Before Larducias could even begin to make sense of what was happening, Krazo was standing across from him ready for combat. Larducias quickly snapped out of it, raising his own staff ready for battle.

For the first time, Krazo took the cautious approach. He jabbed his staff in Larducias' direction, but the attack was not meant to connect, and it didn't. Larducias was still swimming in his own thoughts, his <i>emotions</i>. His feelings ran the spectrum from excitement to fear, but he didn't have the time to make sense of anything at this point.

Then the blow struck him, the butt of Krazo's Roktar staff slammed forcefully into Larducias' chin sending him backwards. Before Larducias could react, he felt the staff slam hard into his ribs making him fold over. Krazo continued his relentless assault with a sweeping uppercut of his staff which again connected with Larducias' mouth sending him spiraling backwards. The force of the powerful blow caused the Cathar to nearly flip over as he landed hard on the back of his head, the rest of his body meeting the ground just a moment later.

Larducias lay there for a moment, nearly knocked unconscious. Blood began to pool in his mouth as he slowly raised himself up on his elbows, spitting a mouthful of blood into the grass besides him. He shook his head quickly, the blood splatter flying off his mouth as he rose to his feet.

Krazo stood there - evil grin intact - his staff raised indicating readiness. Larducias took a brief moment to compose himself, closing his eyes for just a brief moment as he inhaled sharply. He exhaled as he opened his eyes, focusing on his target, his <i>prey</i>. Raising his staff, Larducias was now ready for battle.

The bewilderment and uncertainty that Larducias felt just moments ago was erased by a broken rib and a mouthful of blood. He would not be caught off guard again.

Krazo advanced forwards, not with the haphazard aggression he displayed earlier in the match, but with a quiet confidence earned through the takedown of Larducias. For a few moments the two exchanged jabs which didn't connect, Krazo attempted a few powerful shots which Larducias easily parried.

Then, he saw it; <i>again</i>. Like paintbrush strokes criss-crossed in mid-air, Larducias <i>saw</i> it. He didn't know what these <i>illuminations</i> were, but he knew enough to trust them. Larducias again dodged and parried following the illuminations as if they were a schematic for success. The crimson explosion appeared before him, the opening that he was waiting for. Not to just end the match, but to <i>humiliate</i> his opponent.

With quickness that was foreign even to a Cathar, Larducias struck hard and in rapid succession. First he connected with Krazo's ribs returning the gift of a broken rib which Larducias had been given; although with his precise blow he made sure to fracture at least two, if not three of Krazo's ribs. The pain causing the Cathar to fold over instinctively, letting out a silent roar as the wind was knocked out of them.

Then, Larducias turned his attention to Krazo's mouth as he shot a lightning-quick blow to Krazo's oral cavity before the pain of his ribs could even register. His eyes shut tightly, as a few of his teeth were knocked out from the force of Larducias' Roktar staff. Then, with the final strike Larducias thrust his momentum forward sending the butt of his staff into Krazo's nose, breaking it on impact and sending the Cathar to the dirt with a thundering crash. In the span of less than a second, Larducias had broken a few of Krazo's ribs, knocked out some of his teeth, and broken his nose.

The other students who lined the outside of the ring stood there, in awe. Hanmato stood there, he too; without words. Larducias turned and exited the training ring, tossing his Roktar staff to the soft soil of the savannah as he walked away.

What had just happened, Larducias did not know. He knew the results, yet, he did not know <i>how</i> they happened. His heart beat quickly as he walked away, returning to a state of complete shock. <i>Fear</i>.

<i>What's happening to me?

First the nightmares...

Now <b>this</b>?</i>

To Larducias it seemed as though everything was spiralling out of control. Yet, perhaps for the first time, everything was finally starting to come together.

"Nice bruises, young cub." Elder Kryja said.

"You should see Krazo..." Larducias said in a low, muffled voice not looking his Elder in the eye. The trauma to his mouth made speaking terribly painful.

"Yes." Kryja replied, nodding. "Krazo's wounds will take many moons to heal. Yet the wounds given to you, I fear will linger far after your bruises fade away."

Larducias turned slightly to look in Kryja's direction, furrowing his brow.

"You might one day be considered one of the finest warriors of the Kalaktar. Yet, you still have much to learn young cub." Kryja paused a moment, looking down towards the savannah as he put his weight onto his walking stick which dug into the surface. "There are more important things to a Cathar warrior than victory."

The grayish-white furred Elder paused yet again, turning slightly. "Something troubles you, Larducias. First the visions, now something... <i>different</i>. You enter the training ring with such confidence, clearly more skilled than any opponent who dare stand across from you."

"Yet.. there was something strange about your performance in the ring. In one moment, you take Krazo down with the greatest of ease. It were as though your actions required no effort, yet at the same time you seemed outside your own fur."

"I cannot explain it, Elder. I saw these... I saw..." Larducias paused as he repeatedly stumbled over his own words, not knowing how to explain the impossible. "It was like I knew what Krazo was going to do before he did it."

"You have always had an exceptional ability to get inside the mind of your opponent, Larducias."

"No..." The younger Cathar replied, shaking his head staring off into nowhere in particular. "This was <i>different</i>. I saw the path of his attack before it had been conceived. I saw how, when, <b>where</b> to attack him." Larducias said, visibly shaken.

"I think I may be losing my mind, Elder. First the nightmares... now <i>this</i>?"

Elder Kryja sighed softly before replying. "Going insane? No..." He said, shooking his head. "Long have I been an Elder of the Cathar, young cub. But I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through. What you have <i>already</i> gone through. Discovered at such a young age to be the next great Kalaktar warrior."

The Elder took a slow, deep breath before continuing. "The Kalaktar, always saw good things in the future of Larducias; high hopes. Perhaps, those high hopes weren't quite high enough, young cub."

Larducias looked over to the Elder with a surprised look on his face. "What do you mean, Elder?"

"Greatness is inside of you Larducias. Greatness that even the wisest of Cathar did not see, <i>could not</i> see. I myself did not notice until the training ring, until you defeated Krazo. <b>How</b> you defeated Krazo."

Larducias stood there for a moment, he glanced left first then right shortly thereafter. He wasn't sure what to make of any of this.

<i>What is Kryja saying</i>?

Larducias would come right out and ask the Elder what he meant, but that would no doubt lead down another more cryptic path. Larducias knew the Elder all too well. Instead, Larducias would ask another question, one which would reveal an answer no doubt more straight to the point.

"So... what do I do, Elder? Horrible dreams haunt my sleep, now I see these... hallucinations... while I'm awake. What do I do?"

"I think the first step, is to confront your visions. You see them as nightmares that haunt you night after night, instead I think it is time to change your point of view. Take a good look at them, confront what it is you fear, head-on. I think then, young cub, you will be on the right track."

With that, the Elder smiled, patted Larducias on the shoulder and walked away.

Larducias took a deep breath, nodding to himself. He looked up and glanced at the pale moon which hung in the distant night sky. It loomed large in the distance, almost as if you could reach up and hold it in the palm of your paw.

Larducias let out a low, almost silent growl as he sniffed the sweet scent. He didn't need explosions of light, to detect her presence before she arrived. He could pick up her scent in the foulest of Corellian sewers.

Jamilia walked up silently behind the young Cathar and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on the back of his neck.

Larducias smiled, and it was an ugly smile. A face brutally beaten with the butt-end of a Roktar staff didn't make for a pretty picture. But Larducias didn't care, and neither did Jamilia.

They stood there for nearly an hour, <i>silent</i>; gazing at the moon. Larducias took in a deep breath of Cathar air through his nostrils, change was in the air.

<i>I'm afraid to lay my head to sleep. Because I know they're coming.

I don't know how I know, but I do. Perhaps it's just fear turned to paranoia. But somehow I know.

Slowly, exhaustion overcomes me. I can no longer fight off the urge, my eyelids become heavy. I look over to her, lying next to me, already deep in sleep; purring gently like a cub.

Darkness, overcomes me.

The nightmares are always similar, yet many details remain the same.

In the middle of a large city the Humans walk the streets, seemingly living their everyday lives. The Savannah once spread for unknown miles, yet now it is overrun with duracrete. Not a blade of grass, nor a seedling of a tree, this alone is enough to make my heart hurt. The towering buildings stretch so deep into the sky that they penetrate the thick layer of clouds. This is not what the Savannah Mother intended when she created life.

I see the face of a female human, she cries out for me screaming my name in Basic, the language of the outsiders, "LARDUCIAS!!!"

I see a man, who yells out himself, he too in Basic, "LARDUCIAS!!!!!" He screams desperately, as the other Humans gather, now in a large group. They all cry out, as they scream over each other I can no longer make out the individual pleas.

"LARDUCIAS!!! PLEASE!!!"

"SAVE ME LARDUCIAS!!!"

"NO!!! DON'T KILL ME LARDUCIAS!!!"

"PLEASE!!! SPARE ME!!!" They cry out, there are so many of them that I can no longer tell them apart. Their faces run together, as they all begin to look the same to me. My nightmare no longer seem to exist within the realm of reality as strange images and hallucinations appear all around.

The buildings themselves seem to fold and dance in the background, the sun itself cannot stay in one location as it moves rapidly like some eerie bouncing ball that can exist only in the fabric of my nightmare.

Then, the sun disappears. It fades behind the numerous skyscrapers. Then it happens.

Darkness.

The humans still stand there vying for my attention, yet their voices have become silent to me. I can no longer hear their pleas.

His shadow appears, like an ominous harbinger of the doom that is about to befall the humans. Even in the darkness, the pale lunar light casts a shadow which grows smaller and smaller as it gets closer to the humans, who prey to their collective Gods that I come to their aid before he gets to them.

I am helpless, I try and reach out to help the Humans yet I cannot. My body is numb, yet my senses remain aware.

He stalks them, with each step the sound of their demise grows louder and more apparent.

The cloaked figure is seemingly made of shadow, consumed in darkness. Like a shadowy apparition of evil itself, he stalks them. He has the attributes of a humanoid himself; arms, legs, a head cloaked and concealing his features. As he nears, I see his red eyes glowing fiercely. I can't see it, but I somehow <b>know</b> he's smiling.

He raises his arm slightly above his head as he approaches them, and an ebony blade emerges from his grasp. He slaughters them. He rips life from limb, arm from body, head from neck. The bodies pile up on top of each other, still calling out to me all the while.

Their screams become audible once again as they cry out in pain, their last breaths on his Galaxy spent calling out my name, "LARDUCIAS!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU-", and they're cut off as their lives are extinguished.

Then he turns to me, his eyes narrow, a grin becomes visible as the only features I can make out on his shadowed face are his glowing crimson eyes, and his evil smile.

A new detail emerges as I realize what I'm looking at, he is no Human like those he slaughters, he's one of us. He's a <b>Cathar</b>.

Then he speaks in a demonic voice, not of this world. A voice filtered through pure evil itself.

"Hello Larducias." He says calmly. "I'll be seeing you soon."

Then his smile widens, as he's overwhelmingly pleased with himself. Then, without warning, he vanishes. Perhaps becoming one with the darkness which created him.

The sun rises instantly, bathing the scene of the heinous crime in seemingly luminescent light. The pile of bodies collected by evil incarnate still lay huddled there, festering in the light of day. The rest of the streets seemingly empty, an eerie silence overwhelmed the streets that would normally be bustling with mid-day activity.

Then, I hear it in the background.

<b>Meow...</b>

It gets louder and louder as I'm displaced from my current location.

<b>Meeeeeoooooooow...</b>

I'm transported through time and space and now stand in the living quarters of a posh apartment, in one of the towering skyscrapers.

I see it there, sitting on the ledge looking out the window. Sitting perfectly still with its tail wagging back and forth slowly.

<B>Meeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooow...</b>

It hums a thunderous sound as it turns to look at me, the cry is almost deafening, yet the creature is serene. It looks me in the eyes, hazel orbs unflinching amidst the chaos of my nightmare; blinking periodically as we both stood there, <b>still</b>.

The humans, call them "cats". They keep them as pets. The cat titls its head to the side as tears begin to stream down its furry face, yet it makes no sound, no other indication of its misery than the tears that flow freely. Then, the cat turns to the transparisteel viewport and slaps the window with its paw, clawing softly at first then growing more fierce until it begings to maul the window wildly in an attempt to be freed of its domestication.

Then I wake. Sweating profusely. Jamilia comforts me, holding me in her arms as though I were a cub who need comforting from his mother.

For now the nightmare ends.</i>

Larducias let out a sigh. The pen fell to the sheet of flimsi where Larducias recorded his thoughts. Somehow the puzzle was starting to come together. Kryja was right, somehow reliving these nightmares was actually <i>helping</i>. Perhaps once Larducias completed his Blood Hunt, this darkness might truly be cleansed from his soul.

In two more cycles of the moon, Larducias would know for sure. The Blood Hunt would begin.

With each passing day, the Blood Hunt was looming nearer and nearer. For the other Cathar warriors who would be embarking on the ritual known as the Blood Hunt, the anticipation of the impending event caused fear and trepidation. For Larducias, the anticipation caused impatience, he wanted to get it over with already, and in doing so restore some semblance of peace to the chaos that was his life.

The Cathar as a people took great pride in the celebrations and pageants they held, many times in honor of their heroes. Once a season, the Cathar from all across the planet would unite, and representatives from the twelve clans would gather in the unofficial capitol of the planet, <i>Erba Dorata</i>. Erba Dorata was a large city built amongst the giant Casata trees; Erba Dorata was by far the most technologically advanced region on Cathar. From miles away, the hub of Cathar could be seen like a mirage in the middle of the vast savannah. Starships criss-crossed the sky as they entered and exited the sole spaceport on the planet.

Today, was the day that the Cathar would gather in the streets of Erba Dorata and celebrate the heroes that would be purging the planet of the Kiltik pests. Although Blood Hunts were steeped in Cathar tradition, they did stem from necessity. Without the annual eradication of several Kiltik hives, the omnivorous pests would overtake the Savannah and wreak havoc on the Cathar. The Cathar warriors from the twelve clans would march in the streets of Erba Dorata adorned in their colors of their clan, and the evening would end with a large festival which included a great feast, drinking, and dancing. Today, the Cathar would celebrate under the light of the full moon, marking just one more cycle of the moon before the Blood Hunt.

The Cathar would gather here in Erba Dorata, the center of Cathar culture, and celebrate the passing of another season and thank the Savannah Mother for the great Cathar warriors who would rid the savannah of the Kiltik.

"How do I look?" Larducias asked, smiling.

"Very handsome, my love." Jamilia replied.

"I feel like an idiot."

"You shouldn't." She replied, caressing the soft fur on his cheek. "You look like a true Cathar warrior!" She concluded with a small growl, before licking his neck with her coarse tongue.

He wore a ceremonial ivory cloak with crimson trim, and a red cape clasped together below his neck with the crest of the Kalaktar. Larducias also wore a headpeice crafted from refined aurodium which was very uncomfortable to the Cathar warrior as it dug into the sides of his cheeks slightly and poked his forehead when he moved.

A ceremonial Roktar staff was emblazoned with aurodium and the Kalaktar crest throughout. Each season the instructor would choose one student, the student who exemplified the values of the Cathar most clearly, the student who would lead the clan into the Blood Hunt. This year, Hanmato chose Larducias. Though, Larducias was honored that he would be the bearer of the staff and lead the procession of Kalaktar following Kryja to the celebration; the appointment didn't mean as much to him as it might have meant to the other students had one of them been selected. To Larducias, all that mattered was going into the hive, and embarking on the Blood Hunt. Larducias had too much on his mind to be distracted by a ceremonial position. Of course, there was the issue that it might cause contempt from some of the other students, but that wasn't something that Larducias had the luxury of worrying about. Besides, by now Larducias had more or less earned his spot among the other warriors of his class, and they respected his position.

"Are you ready to go, Jamilia?" He said, as he adjusted his headpeice looking into the mirror.

Jamilia came around the corner, clothed in a tight red skirt that accentuated her feminine features. She spun around as she entered the room before asking, "So? What do you think?"

Larducias' eyes grew wide, as he purred heavily. "We can skip the parade, I'm sure Krazo would have no complaints about carrying the Roktar in my stead." He said, as he approached her.

"Oh, Larducias." She said, as she extended a paw, holding him at bay. "We'll have plenty of time for that after the celebration. This is a big night for you, you should be excited."

"I'll be excited, when all this is over. When the Blood Hunt is behind me, and I can sleep through the night without awaking in nightmares."

She drew near her mate, embracing him. "Enjoy this moment, my love. Let the darkness come when it must, until then don't let it dominate your mood."

He looked down, resting his head on her shoulder. "And when the darkness <i>does</i> come. I'll be here to wipe the sweat from your fur, and comfort you." She said caressing his mane.

Larducias let out a labored sigh. "My love, I thank the Savannah Mother that I found you."

"Oh? That <b>you</b>, found <b>me</b>? I don't think that's quite how it happened. As I remember it you were a shy little cub who wouldn't dare make the first move. I practically had to maul you to get you to notice me."

He smiled, exposing his sharp teeth. "I noticed you. All I could do was notice you. My bones went weak, in your presence. I got more than a few black eyes in the training ring because of how much time I spent <i>noticing</i> you." He said, his forehead resting against hers.

"Black eyes? Because of me? How..?" She replied, leaning away from him, eyebrows raised.

"I got so distracted I could hardly hold onto my Roktar staff, let alone <i>defend</i> myself." He paused for a moment.

They both laughed, as they leaned in hugging each other in a tight embrace.

"We better get going." She said. "We have to meet the others before the parade."

She backed away looking at him, she adjusted the clasp which held his cape and tilted his headpeice ever so slightly.

"There. Now you look like a <i>true</i> Cathar warrior." She said, smiling brightly as she stared deep into his eyes.

Tonight, they would <i>celebrate</i> under the moon. Soon, Larducias would be <i>hunting for blood</i> under the moon, and after that; with any luck, he'd be <i>sleeping soundly</i> under the moon.

Larducias marched down the street behind the Kalaktar Elder Kryja, clothed in his ceremonial cloak and crimson cape; he looked like some Cathar nobility as several Cathar warriors marched behind him in formation. The streets lined with Cathar on either side, cheering and shouting for their <i>heroes</i>.

Adults and children alike stood side by side waving the flags of their various clans, as the multitude of Cathar warriors from the twelve clans marched the streets of Erba Dorata.

The procession continued to the center of the city where a large courtyard was set aside for the festivities. A stirring speech was given by High Elder Tinisho, the de facto leader of the Cathar Elder Council. Though, Larducias could hardly focus on anything other than the moon hanging in the distance, wishing that somehow he could bend the fabric of time itself and transport him to the day when he would be able to go on his Blood Hunt.

Larducias’ preoccupation with the Blood Hunt was more than that at this point, it was an obsession. The dreams of the humans being slaughtered, the cat clawing at the window in a futile attempt to escape, the Cathar cloaked in darkness addressing Larducias with his demonic voice. Larducias didn’t know what to make exactly of the dream, but he thought somehow that the Blood Hunt would bring some much needed answers.

The celebration went on for hours, as the Cathar danced, drank and feasted. They shared war stories from various Blood Hunts, and recited ancient tales better off forgotten.

Larducias ventured out onto his own and made his way to the edge of the city which was elevated high above the savannah. He came to a terrace which overlooked the golden grass and forests in the distance with the moon framed neatly in the backdrop. He stared out into the evening not focusing on anything in particular as his thoughts drifted to a myriad of different subjects.

“You know, they would have been very proud of you.” He said, as he walked up behind the younger Cathar. Larducias would have heard the sound of his cane panging against the metallic surface if he wasn’t so deep in his own thoughts.

Larducias turned to face the Elder of his clan, Kryja.

“You’ve grown into quite the Cathar, young Larducias.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

“I remember when your father went on his Blood Hunt; he wasn’t all that much younger than me actually.”

Larducias’ eyebrow raised, he didn’t want to interrupt the story however, so he remained silent.

“You aren’t so different from him actually. Your father was a brave Cathar warrior, among the top of his class; highly respected by both students and instructors. He didn’t have the natural ability that you have, but he embodied the spirit of what a Cathar warrior was supposed to be, just like you, young cub.”

“Thank you, Elder. I wish I would have gotten to know him better.”

Kryja nodded, as he gripped his cane with both hands, leaning forward just a bit.

“Your mother, she was a beautiful one. I remember when you were just a tiny cub, your father would hold you in his arms; so proud. You would growl at him as though you were a fierce beast, nibbling on his face with your tiny teeth. Your mother would chase you around the savannah for hours, and take you out to hunt Oryx with her.”

Listening to the Elder tell stories about parents he hardly knew, caused tears to well up in the young Cathar’s eyes.

“When you were born their lives were forever changed, you were the greatest thing that ever happened to them. You made their love for each other grow by leaps and bounds. I hope that one day you and Jamilia can share that experience for yourselves. A fine father you will make, just as your father before you.”

“Thank you, Elder.” Larducias said, as a tear streamed down the side of his face.

“You have grown into a fine Cathar, Larducias. I am proud to have seen the savannah shape you into the Cathar that stands before me. I know your heart is heavy, and your mind is preoccupied, but please young cub, trust in the Savannah Mother. Let Her guide you back to the light, as I know she will.”

Larducias would take the Elder’s wise words to heart. Soon, all would be revealed. To obsess over it as he had been would do no good, and very soon he would embark on the Blood Hunt.